The Premier League is back folks! There are just seven days to wait until the biggest show in domestic football gets underway when Manchester United host Fulham on Friday 16th August.
There have been a few facelifts in the English top flight as a new generation of managers are set to make a debut appearance. Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna and Southampton’s Russell Martin will lead their newly promoted sides, while Enzo Maresca will try to replicate his success at Leicester City in a top table role at Chelsea. The youngest manager in the competition’s history, Fabian Hurzeler, will hope to lead Brighton into a brave new era; and then there is Liverpool.
The pre-season Premier League 2024 betting odds make Arne Slot’s Reds the third favourites to lift the title next May and all eyes are on the Dutchman to see whether he can take on Jurgen Klopp’s incredible work and push the Reds closer to the top again. The affable 45 year old won great plaudits for his work at Feyenoord where he won the Netherlands league title, the Dutch Cup and he led his team to the Europa Conference Final in 2022.
Liverpool fans can expect a change in tempo in the coming weeks as Klopp’s hugely successful ‘Heavy Metal’ gegenpressing will be replaced by the Dutch total football doctrine as Slot brings his classy style to Merseyside. It’s easy to see how the brilliant Klopp succeeded in the fastest and most physical of the elite leagues and it will be fascinating to watch Slot’s progress with a possession based 4-2-3-1 formation. He’ll be up against two of the most successful quick passing teams in world football in Manchester City and Arsenal and Slot will need to combine flexibility with structure.
At the other end of the East Lancs Road at Old Trafford there has been no changing of the guard, despite the widely held belief that, following a worst Premier League finish (eighth) that Erik Ten Hag would be on his way. The Red Devils pulled off a shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City and that strengthened Ten Hag’s position; so new part- owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe didn’t wield the axe as expected.
Something needs to change though as, in a woeful league campaign Manchester United had to deal with 467 shots on goal after only 28 games, with only relegated Luton Town and Sheffield United conceding more. The summer purchases so far of 18 year old Leny Yoro from Lille and forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna are exciting for sure, but an outlay of around £100m on these two needs to reap some dividends fairly quickly; and it can take time for young overseas players to settle in such a tough league.
At the end of the day it’s all about Premier League 2024 results and if Ten Hag delivers early in the campaign then Ratcliffe will back him; but a win at home to Fulham next Friday is a near imperative as momentum is critical in the opening weeks.
Fresh Faced Fab can make the Seagulls soar
When Brighton and Hove Albion visit Everton on Saturday 17th August 31 year old Fabian Hurzeler will break a record as the youngest permanent manager in the English top flight at 31 years of age. The German will be the first top flight coach to be born after the English league was reconstructed in 1992, when Manchester United became the first team to win the Premier League.
Like Slot, Hurzeler’s philosophy is based on a doctrine of possession based football and flexibility of formation, honed during his time with Germany’s youth teams and his successful promotion season with St Pauli last season. He will coach his teams to care for the ball and use pace on the flanks to get behind defences; but he will need to be at his best to outwit Toffees manager Sean Dyche, who knows full well that possession often means nothing against his well drilled 4-4-2 side which concedes the ball but then strikes like a cobra when their opponents tire of lose concentration.
And then there is Chelsea’s new manager Enzo Maresca, who will try to weave some magic at Stamford Bridge, as he did with Leicester City when the Foxes won promotion to the Premier League. The 44 year old Italian likes his teams to dominate the ball too; and his formation will be fluid, moving from a 4-3-3 system to a 3-2-5 when his team is on the attack. His players will operate a high defensive line and attempt to turn over possession quickly, but they may be vulnerable to the lighting quick attacks we see so often in the Premier League. The pressure will be on Maresca from the off…but he won’t be alone.
So for now, from all the SBOTOP team, enjoy the new season; it promises to be another cracker and it will be fascinating to see how the new managers get on. We’ll know a little more in just over a week!
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
