The Premier League has the potential to throw up one of the most interesting title races in years next season with four serious contenders emerging.
Obviously, Liverpool will hope to secure back-to-back titles and few would back against them with the quality that Jürgen Klopp has all over the park. Meanwhile, Manchester City is spending big as they look to close the gap and Pep Guardiola’s side is a formidable outfit on their day, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, and Sergio Aguero.
Those two are the frontrunners when it comes to the latest football betting odds ahead of the new season, with City expected to win at 1/1 and Liverpool at 7/4 to win the title. But, with Manchester United at 9/1 and Chelsea at 12/1, it shows that it wouldn’t be a major shock if they secured the league and both will certainly feel they’re capable of doing just that. Therefore, it could be one of the most entertaining events in the sports calendar over the next year.
Firstly, the Red Devils are a different team since Bruno Fernandes arrived in January and they have the spending power to blow most sides out the water, meaning they may only be a transfer or two from everything coming together.
The Team To Watch
It’s Chelsea who may be the most intriguing side to watch next season and that’s because of the ridiculous options that Frank Lampard is going to have to choose from in the final third. Whilst they clearly need to improve defensively to have a serious chance of landing the top prize, the attacking talent at Stamford Bridge could be a match for any side in the league – and potentially in Europe.
As we all know, the Blues have already secured the signings of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, two players who have proven themselves at a high level in the past and are capable of making an instant impact.
How the footballing world reacted to @TimoWerner signing for the Blues! 💬
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 13, 2020
That adds depth to an impressive attacking setup that Lampard has, with the likes of Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount, and Olivier Giroud all quality options, with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham two players with huge potential as well. The standout feature of that group is the different attributes they all bring.
If Chelsea wants to play on the counter-attack, they have the electric pace of Werner to stretch the opposition defense and the ability of Pulisic and Ziyech to beat a man and pick a pass should ensure the German gets chance after chance.
Yet, if they come up against a deep block, Giroud has shown he is a fine target man and capable of sniffing out chances and goals with his movement and strength. Again, the likes of Pulisic, Mount, and Ziyech will be crucial in those games as they can beat players with ease to disrupt the defensive structure that their opponents will have set up with.
Importantly, all of the players mentioned, maybe with the exception of Giroud, are quick and energetic, meaning they can play the high-pressing game that Lampard is sure to demand. That could see the Frenchman used as a ‘Plan B’ and he is not a bad option to have from the bench considering his experience and record in recent years.
Preparing For The Future
Quite simply, Chelsea looks as though they have attacking answers to all types of problems that they will come up against next season. Perhaps the most exciting aspect for the fans, and the boss, is the age of the players.
The three-pronged attack of Ziyech, Werner, and Pulisic, who many will expect to start the season are 27, 24, and 21-years-old respectively. So, the Moroccan is approaching his peak and the other two still have time before they hit the heights we can expect, which is a frightening prospect.
Super proud of my first season in the @premierleague Secured a top 4 finish to qualify for Champions League. Even though it wasn’t my day today, the guys pulled through🙏🏽 @ChelseaFC
— Christian Pulisic (@cpulisic_10) July 26, 2020
Behind them, Abraham (22) and Hudson-Odoi (19), will want to prove they are growing as players even if they don’t get the regular game time that they’ll crave. Perhaps the star of the show for the Londoners could be Pulisic though. After a slow start in England, he has settled and now looks like the perfect Eden Hazard replacement after he left for Real Madrid last year in a deal that could reach £150m.
The American has a consistent output, is capable of providing with both feet, and can skip past his man at will and despite his age, there will be an expectancy that Pulisic can become a real leader. And, having such a personality is important, as we’ve seen across various sports. The likes of Ben Stokes, Owen Farrell, and Tyson Fury have embraced the responsibility that has come their way to star in their respective sports and there’s a feeling that Pulisic will do similar in the Premier League.
Of course, landing the title or being successful in Europe is going to require a lot more than just a strong attack, so Chelsea still has work to do in the transfer market and you would imagine strengthening the defensive unit will be a priority.
Any top team that wins trophies relies on having goals from all areas and an attack that can cause damage in so many different ways. Chelsea’s big moves in the market, with more potentially to come, have left them with depth and quality in the final third that will be making their rivals take notice ahead of the new season.
