It’s looking like the usual suspects again
With the World Cup we’ve hardly had a break from football this year, and here we are again with the Premier League back in action this weekend.
Annoyingly one game has already been played, with Manchester United hosting Leicester City last night. Why can’t they all at least start on the same day?
Despite Manchester City’s incredible performance, last season was overall a trifle underwhelming as Pep Guardiola’s team ran away with the league, leaving a not particularly enthralling scramble for second place. Can City do it again? Probably.
Once again, the league is really three separate divisions. There will be the usual half dozen or so in the chase for the title or European places, and a small handful of teams in upper mid-table trying to be the best of the rest (usually Everton). Then we get the other half, simply fighting for survival.
The battle at the top is a tale of three cities — Manchester, Liverpool and possibly London.
Clear favourites Man City will be pleased with their performance in the Community Shield, although Chelsea were really poor. City’s attack will have to be patient as they will face a lot of packed defences this season.
United’s dominance of the Premier League has paled in recent times and they have not won the title for the past five seasons. Judging from manager Jose Mourinho’s miserable demeanour, this is not the season where they get back on track.
Despite their recent failings, United can still boast 13 Premier League successes while Chelsea have five, followed by Arsenal and Manchester City with three each. Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City both have the one title.
One team which is notably absent from that list is Liverpool whose last top flight success was back in 198990, three seasons before the Premier League was inaugurated.
At times last season the Reds played excellent football led by the inspirational Mo Salah, but they still only managed fourth place. It would be good for the league if Juergen Klopp’s side could manage a sustained challenge this time around. With Alisson between the sticks they could be City’s biggest threat.
Spurs would appear to be London’s best hope for a title but they’ve been very quiet on the transfer market and also might take time to settle in at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Chelsea have paid a fortune for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao to replace outgoing Thibault Courtois, but it was a necessary move. Now it is essential for new manager Maurizio Sarri to hang on to playmakers Eden Hazard and Willian. Without them the Blues will be stuffed.
The departure of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal after 22 years is probably a good thing for the club and the prospect of entering an new era under Unai Emery could spark a more vibrant approach that has been missing.
Newly promoted sides are often tipped to go straight back down and favourites for the drop are Cardiff City, who over-achieved to win promotion. Manager Neil Warnock has been around and seems to be accepting the situation, recently admitting: “We know we are up against it, but we’re going to enjoy it.”
By contrast many predict Wolverhampton Wanderers will make a decent impression in their first season back since 2012. They looked impressive in the Championship, as did Fulham who should be capable of holding their own.
Among the teams that could be in for a battle for survival this season are Huddersfield who only narrowly escaped last time around and Watford. Southampton should also be concerned. But who knows? As late as March last season a dozen teams were in danger of relegation.
There are a few teams who are simply happy to be in the top flight and these include the south coast sides Bournemouth and Brighton, both having spent most of their history in the lower tiers. Some believe they might be heading back that way.
Then there’s Newcastle, whose future seems to be dependent on whether Rafa Benitez stays as manager. After last year’s impressive 10th place, fans and players love Rafa but owner Mike Ashley seems reluctant to release funds to build a stronger squad.
Let’s just hope that unlike last season, it is a close race at the top. At the bottom we can almost guarantee it will be a real scrap.
HONOUR IN DEFEAT
Anyone who watched the British Ladies Open at Royal Lytham St Anne’s last weekend will feel for Thailand’s Pornanong “Waen” Phatlum. The 28-year-old had led for most of the tournament and in a gripping final round maintained her lead over England’s inspired Georgia Hall up to the 13th hole. Hall finally took the lead at the 16th and a double bogey for Pornanong at the 17th ended the Thai’s chances of her first-ever victory in an LPGA tournament, let alone a major.
Despite the difficult nature of the links course, the two made remarkably few errors. They battled it out magnificently in what became a match-play situation and Pornanong can hold her head high. She handled herself with grace and dignity and always a smile, even though she must have been hurting desperately inside. Thailand can be proud of her.
These are terrific times for Thai women’s golf. At Royal Lytham, 15-year-old Atthaya Thitikul was the only amateur to make the cut and won the prestigious Smyth Salver award. Last month, Thidapha Suwannapura won her first LPGA title while Ariya Jutangarn took her third title of the year at the Scottish Open and remains World No.1. Her ‘big’ sister, Moriya, also won her first title in April. No wonder the LPGA is calling it a “Tidal Thai Wave”.