Woooo!! The start of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign is tomorrow!!!
In celebration I thought it fitting to offer my predictions and analysis for the Top 4, as well as for the Golden Boot and Player of the Year honors. Let me know what your predictions are too!
European Qualifiers (non-Top 4):
5. Arsenal; 6. Liverpool; 7. Everton
Top 4:
4. Spurs - On the back of a fantastic season in 2016/17, Tottenham are brimming with young talent. However, Mauricio Pochettino has failed to bring in any new players to supplement the squad that finished second in the Premier League last season, and lost England international right back Kyle Walker to Manchester City. The result is a team that, while talented, is also relatively thin. As England's other top clubs continue to improve heading into the new season, Spurs have stalled, which will lead to a fall down the table.
3. Manchester United - United have made some excellent moves after finishing sixth in the league last season. The exit of Wayne Rooney was becoming inevitable, but was handled well by all involved parties. With Manchester United's three signings so far during the transfer window, Jose Mourinho has addressed some key concerns for his squad, namely improving their goal-scoring threat with the addition of Romelu Lukaku. The Reds can honestly make the claim that they are two starters deep at every position on the pitch, which will ideally prevent injury crises like they endured last season. With that said, United do have some glaring weaknesses. Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian will continue to have to hold down the left back spot until the return of Luke Shaw, who remains largely unproven at United, especially under Mourinho. They'll also likely need another campaign to gel as a squad before they compete for the title. Long story short? They're trending in the right direction, but they're just not quite there yet.
2. Chelsea - The defending champions will again be competing for the title, but winning the league in consecutive years is much easier said than done. The signing of Alvaro Morata will be huge for the Blues, especially with Diego Costa looking for any way out of Stamford Bridge. Antonio Conte also did well to clear out space for newcomer Tiemoue Bakayoko by selling Nemanja Matic, and brought in a highly-touted defensive reinforcement in Antonio Rudiger. Michy Batshuayi really appears to be blossoming as well, however, a second straight title for Chelsea just seems to be a bit of a stretch, as I think they'll finish second.
1. Manchester City - As much as this pains me to admit (being a Manchester United supporter), Manchester City look the most primed to make a run at the Premier League title this season. City have no shortage of attacking options (similar to last year), despite selling both Nolito and Kelechi Iheanacho. Sergio Agüero always seems to hit the 20 goal mark, and Gabriel Jesus looked like the real deal after making his move to Manchester. Pep Guardiola added another silky lefty named Silva to his midfield, bringing in attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva to pair with the likes of David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, and a rejuvenated Yaya Touré. The most impressive moves by Pep though came at the back, where his squad needed it most last season. He either sold or released players that had become dead weight, such as Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy, and Alexander Kolarov. He then replaced them with three of the best defenders available on the market, buying Danilo, Kyle Walker, and Benjamin Mendy all to fill in at outside back. That shifting could lead to a bit of a learning curve for City, but the "noisy neighbors" have the talent and depth, and more importantly the players who fit and buy into Guardiola's system, to overcome a slow start and win the title.
Golden Boot Winner:
Harry Kane. Kane has been the top scorer in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons now, and looks ready to make it a third. As I mentioned earlier, Spurs have yet to add any players this transfer window, meaning that the goal-scoring responsibilities will still fall heavily on Harry Kane (with some help from Dele).
Player of the Year:
Kevin De Bruyne. Simply put, he's the best player on what will be the best team in the league. He led the top flight last season in assists with 18, and can also put the ball in the back of the net, evidenced by his six goals. Everything that City does seems to flow through De Bruyne, and as a result, he should be heralded if City go on to have success this season. He's an incredibly smart and creative player that seems to excel in all areas of the sport, and is a true joy to watch regardless of the team you support!
Again, these are simply my opinions, and so I hope you'll all share your thoughts with me too! Can't wait for some Premier League football!