The Premier League Returns – 2021/22 Preview

Premier League season preview: Expect the world’s most watched football competition to return to its cautious, yet captivating best.

There’s just seven days until the top division of English football takes over our lives again. And haven’t we missed it? Disgruntled fans calling into the radio. Short-fused pundits. £4 watered-down pints, couch coaching, and melodramatic trailers for mid-table matches. That feeling after the 4pm Sunday game knowing that the weekend is now over, and responsibility dawns again tomorrow. The party spirit of the Euros was like a national holiday, but now that’s over, football returns to its not-so-discreet regular nine month habitat.

At times, it feels like football just doesn’t stop. After City wrapped up their title last year, complete with a bow and label on top, there seemed to be just a brief break before the Euros began. That, of course, needs no explaining. There were only a couple of days without a game, and by the end, they got longer and more strenuous. For the England team, in which just three squad members ply their trade outside the Premier League, it was the ultimate test of endurance and mental strength.

After the heartbreak, players like Harry Kane, who might have forced through a move to Manchester City by the time you’re reading this, Harry Maguire, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka had just 33 days to emotionally and physically recover, take time off to unwind, engage in pre-season and then get back to one of world sport’s most gruelling schedules.

Behind the scenes, the work never stops. Every hour of every day, meticulous analysis of levels previously impossible, nitpicking every set piece, every pass, every potential opponent. For the unenviable role of a goalkeeper, half a step to the left or right can often determine whether or the ball is getting tipped around the post, or the striker is wheeling away in celebration. Data will be crunched, PowerPoints drawn up. This season will be another show of the incredible ways modern footballers do more than just train Monday and Wednesday, play Saturday.

In fact, for the top sides, it’s play Wednesday, play Saturday, then Tuesday, then a Friday night under the lights at the Amex. City, Chelsea, United and Liverpool will all be playing their trades at the top level of European club football, while Leicester and West Ham sit in the Europa League. If Spurs’ fans may have at least taken solace that their forgetful season may have provided some midweek rests, they join a new UEFA competition too.

As we move away from pandemic football, there will be a strong semblance of normality once again, both on and off the field. Stadiums should be full and away fans once again in their corner, hollering and banging the back walls. Some grounds have a more unique sound and feel than others (without making any obvious jokes about atmospheres), but I’m sure very few of us will be missing the empty echo of the lockdown game. High capacities at Wembley and Budapest has firmly whetted our collective appetites for what should fuel the players in a way that has been sorely missed over the last year or so.

The top four have continued to flex their financial muscle this summer. Manchester City have made moves for Kane and Jack Grealish, transfers that would make them, simply put, an even more ridiculously strong side. Manchester City are already 4/6 with one bookmaker to take the title – with their next contenders a long 5/1 behind. Having popped open the bubbles 12 points clear last time out, there’s not much reason to see them not racing ahead early again. Chelsea have a top squad and an excellent coach, who imparted his philosophy right away, but is still going into his first full season. Liverpool’s squad was firmly tested last year – somehow salvaging their place with Europe’s elite, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team dropped off on too many avoidable occasions last season, something they must be remedied if they desire success on the English or international stage.

On paper, there really should be no excuse for Pep Guardiola’s side not to take the trophy. They too had their moments last season where they were shoddy, unmotivated and – dare I say – uncreative, including the Champions League final. With the addition of the Premier League’s best centre-forward, and indeed Grealish, who created more big chances than Kevin de Bruyne last year, the champagne football is set to flow, leaving neutrals and rivals alike intoxicated by Gameweek 3.

There’s a firm ‘leading pack’ in the Premier League, and this is followed by a fairly consistent group of those in midtable, who take their turns giving the top dogs a run for their money and then battling the bottom. Who may it be this year? Leeds United physically outran every team last year, while Everton underperformed their initial hype. Aston Villa showed their flares, famously defeating the incumbents 7-2, and Brendan Rodgers’ fan-favourite Foxes let the Champions League slip at the death. Plenty of sides remain in transition, and it’s tough to predict just who will have *that* top six threatening run again, or who will suddenly be fighting to stay up. Tottenham, now managed by Nuno Espirito Santo, will likely have to readapt to post-Kane life, while their red-wearing North London neighbours simply must play more cohesive football if they are to do better than just tread water.

😁 #WelcomeNuno pic.twitter.com/YhPNTjqfsm

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 30, 2021

Norwich City, Watford and Brentford are back at the top echelon of the domestic English game. Indeed, it’s the latter’s first appearance in the Premier League as it is now called, having not played in the top flight for a mere 74 years. Under the leadership of the pragmatic yet effortlessly chic Thomas Frank, there’s an air of anticipation about the West London side, as the expected bidding war for Ivan Toney never materialised; they stride into the League with a high tempo game to boot. The first year in the Premier League again is always an odd one – survival comes first, but teams that end up relegated always seem to take points off the heavyweights. For the sake of competition, let’s hope none of these sides are condemned to early demotion.

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A post shared by Ivan Toney (@ivantoney1)

The League’s restart brings with it a clean slate. Opportunities for youngsters, fringe players and overseas players on pastures new. The pandemic is not over yet – and self isolation will almost certainly cause chaos at some point, but we’re in a much better place than the last time the Premier League started, with no fans in sight and uncertainty all over. If the sport can be kept safe, despite City’s potential rapid dominance, we may be in for one of the most entertaining seasons yet.

This article was written by Shivam Pathak. To check out their other work click here or you can leave them a comment below.