The English Premier League kicked off this weekend. The 2014/15 season began as Manchester United and Swansea City went head-to-head in the first game.
With all the top sides improving their squads over the transfer season, the new season can be tipped as the most competitive since 1991, the year of inception of the Premier League.
With a shuffle in teams, many big-name players have joined the most viewed league in the world. Chelsea has rebuffed their squad by splashing millions in the transfer market. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas have arrived from the La Liga. The club has also re-signed the club legend, Didier Drogba. Manchester City, on the other hand, has signed the French defender, Mangala. Also, Spanish midfielder, David Silva signing a new 5-year deal can be a huge boost for the team. Liverpool has lost their biggest asset/liability, Luis Suarez, who moved to Barcelona right after the World Cup. The club’s replacements have been Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren, all from Southampton FC. Manchester United has again been quite silent on the transfer front with only two signings, Luke Shaw and Anders Herrera bringing harsh criticism towards the CEO Ed Woodwards. The club has been linked with numerous players, like Angel Di Maria, Arturo Vidal and Cuadrado. However, deals are yet to materialise. The club’s manager still stands by his claim of buying when he feels it’s right.
Arsenal come from a early trophy-haul after winning the FA Community Shield against Man City last weekend while Manchester United come from winning the Guinness International Champions Cup held in the USA and winning all of their matches while doing so. Getting Louis Van Gaal has seen a very positive response from all stakeholders of the club, be it the player, fans or the management. The tactics-master is sure to bring an extra edge to United’s gameplay, as shown in the pre-season. Chelsea has also performed well, with both Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas netting goals. A match between Chelsea and Man United will be closely watched this season (if it wasn’t already) since Louis Van Gaal has previously trained Jose Mourinho and it will be interesting to see the apprentice go against his master.
However, the teams come from big pre-seasons and the World Cup which ended in July. Fatigue can be a major concern for many players as well as coaches in the early stages of the season. Regardless, the season is expected to be extremely competitive.
Comments are closed.