Since 2020, the Premier League has left little to mystery for the fans as Manchester City has continuously trampled what once stood as a league of volatility. With Pep Guardiola at the helm, there suggests little viability for other teams to be able to compete at the standard that his demand for excellence has established. Though Arsenal, came in as a close runner up, their wavering state at the campaigns end extinguished all hope for a reunion with a trophy that hasn’t felt the aura of their grasp in two decades time.
As we look toward a clean slate a few things stand true: Liverpool are getting older, Chelsea remains a promising future that yields to overwhelming inexperience, Manchester United remains at the hands of Ten Hag, and Tottenham is still Tottenham. All should be bullish that the fate of the league will lay at the hands of the reigning champions for only Pep can beat Pep with his rather uncommon miscalculative efforts. And how surprising that of all the opponents to enable this behavior it is but the boys in blue of west London.
With Enzo Maresca taking over, there has been growing anticipation of a style of football that leaves little to reminisce of the horrid Potter and Poch ball. Given his time as an assistant of Pep’s there is a lot to look forward to. When current Arsenal coach took over the Gunners in 2019, there consisted of a rocky few years that has now presently established them as formidable contenders. For a team whose owners are so crazed by the investment of finding the next sliced bread, little can be done presently to change their fortune. For fans that will be a bitter pill to swallow as they cling to the expectations that was of their team the last decade, but a new era is upon us and for now, all we can do is sit and wait.
As for the Red Devils, they enter the new season with major reassessment to their team sheet, including the inevitable departures of Raphael Varane and Casemiro. For what was intended to be their integration of championship presence, their remained all but a half bag of crisps in their trophy cabinet. Now they move forward continuing to add youth, seeing the potential of what could be with Rasmus Hojlund, who tallied 16 goals in the previous iteration. As well as the likes of Leny Yoro to bolster a defense that conceded an astounding 58 goals. It remains to be seen what a healthy United team ceiling is, but to even come close to a spot at the Champions League, more work is to be done and it starts with the newly installed ownership opening up their checkbook.
Liverpool fans saw the highest of highs after a disappointing decade with their skipper, Steven Gerrard. They have since, unraveled, and with Klopp’s departure they are surely entering a rebuild. Though they still possess the talents of Van Dijk, Alexander Arnold, and Salah, with each passing season it seems that they are but a shell of who they were just a few years ago. The lifespan of athletes falters quickly in the world of football and though we have grown acquainted with a generation of anomalies in our game, the list will fall short from the likes of these Liverpool greats (excluding Alexander Arnold, 25).
I leave my final remarks for Tottenham, who sought reinvigoration with Ange Postecoglou, who simply overachieved by all metrics. How fitting for him to suggest that his tactics were but a replica of what has been of the style of football implemented by Pep. Ange ball however, takes a slight tweak within the risk to reward category, as they gun with impatience, seething at the potential of a nil nil draw. As fans of the game we thank him dearly for his sacrifice, but they are who they are for a reason. That certainly won’t change.