up: How Chelsea, Manchester
City, Manchester United,
Arsenal, Tottenham and
Everton are looking ahead of
the new season
By Riath Al-Samarrai
11:41 15 Aug 2014, updated 13:34 15 Aug
2014
Chelsea should be cheerful with the
likes of Diego Costa and Cesc
Fabregas
City are looking to retain their title
under Manuel Pellegrini
United approaching a new dawn with
Louis van Gaal in charge
Wayne Rooney captaining at Old
Trafford as they aim to improve
Arsenal have splashed the cash,
signing Alexis Sanchez for £30m
Liverpool have lost Luis Suarez but
Raheem Sterling is in fine form
Tottenham hope to regroup after an
up-and-down season
Everton could be contenders for top
four after buying Romelu Lukaku
With the Premier League campaign so
nearly upon us but many issues still
lingering and parts untested, it's time to
take an MOT check.
Here, Sportsmail's Riath Al-Samarrai
assesses the positives, negatives and what
the omen could be for the main contenders
this season.
Chelsea
Reasons to be cheerful: After the moans of
last season about not having a striker, Jose
Mourinho has landed Diego Costa, one of
the most effective frontmen in Europe over
the past couple of seasons.
Reasons to be fearful: A season without a
trophy means Mourinho is already under
increased pressure. He has been backed
with funds and needs to deliver. It is also
worth keeping an eye on John Terry. He
was brilliant last season, but at some point
age will win.
What's happened over the summer: Chelsea
have seemingly plugged the biggest gap in
their armour by signing Costa, but more to
the point they also landed Cesc Fabregas,
Didier Drogba and Filipe Luis, without any
last-minute rushing around. They look to be
in extremely good shape.
What the manager says: ‘We have the
squad that we want to have. It is a squad
for tomorrow, for next season and also a
squad with big possibilities for the next five
or 10 years with so many young people. So
I like my squad very much.’
One to watch: Costa. He was the missing
link last season. If he does what he’s been
brought in to do then Chelsea will be the
only club that can match Manchester City.
Omen: Last time Fabregas made his debut
in England, his club won the league title
(even if he didn’t play a league game).
Cesc Fabregas scores amazing individual
goal against Ferencvaros
Manchester City
Reason to be cheerful: The champions look
to be in excellent shape. They have the best
starting XI and probably the best squad, as
well. The signing of Eliaquim Mangala for
£32m from FC Porto means they also
achieved their No 1 summer objective of
landing a world-class centre-back.
Reason to be fearful: Their Financial Fair
Play penalty limits their Champions League
squad to only 21 players. Manuel
Pellegrini’s side also have a tough early
schedule against Chelsea, Liverpool and
Arsenal in their opening six games.
What's happened over the summer: Yaya
Toure had the mother of all tantrums
because he didn’t get a birthday cake,
some unwanted players were offloaded and
City managed to spend about £50m. Frank
Lampard’s arrival will have also riled plenty
down south.
What the manager says: ‘We've had a lot of
problems with Financial Fair Play but we
bought some very important players. I don't
know what the difference is between Hart
and Caballero and Bacary Sagna and Pablo
Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany and Martin
Demichelis, or Gael Clichy and Aleksandar
Kolarov.’
One to watch: Joe Hart. With Willy
Caballero’s arrival, can he hold on to his
place? Caballero didn’t look particularly
impressive in the Community Shield, but
there has always been the feeling that
Pellegrini has his doubts about the England
No 1.
Omen: All bar one of Manchester City’s
Premier League games fall before Toure’s
birthday. They have ample time to plan.
Manchester United
Reasons to be cheerful: They have a
manager who, unlike David Moyes, has the
confidence to know he belongs at the club.
To judge from pre-season, that confidence
seems to have spread through the squad. In
Ander Herrera, they have also signed a
quality midfielder.
Reasons to be fearful: This squad needed
major surgery and so far they have only
signed three players, with the £30m spent
on Luke Shaw held up as an example of the
club badly overspending. The defence
needs significant reinforcements.
What’s happened over the summer: Regime
change and the spread of hope among fans
and staff that last season’s debacle was a
one-off.
What the manager says: ‘Every club where I
have been, I have struggled for the first
three months. After that, they know what I
want: How I am as a human being and also
a manager, because I am very direct. I say
things as they are, so you have to adapt to
that way of coaching. It's not so easy.’
One to watch: Juan Mata. In Van Gaal’s
new formation he is likely to get to play
behind the strikers rather than out wide.
That should better utilise the talents of one
of Europe’s best players.
Omen: Van Gaal has won the league title
with all four of the club sides he has
managed.
Louis van Gaal teaches Wayne Rooney how
to shoot
Arsenal
Reasons to be cheerful: Arsene Wenger has
started spending money and it looks as
though he has done it well and early. Alexis
Sanchez is a genuinely world-class player,
adding to an already impressive attack, and
they have also built on their defence.
Reasons to be fearful: Olivier Giroud is not
a world-class striker, merely a good one,
and they haven’t many alternatives for the
centre-forward role should he suffer an
injury or loss of form. Sanchez or Theo
Walcott might have to be reallocated to
cover.
What’s happened this summer: The squad
has got stronger all round. Callum
Chambers is an excellent defender with the
apparent maturity for Wenger to convert him
to centre-half. They still lack the depth of
Manchester City or Chelsea.
What the manager says: ‘There are six or
seven teams who are genuine contenders
for the Premier League. You only assess the
contenders once the window closes. I'm
happy with the players we've signed. They
have integrated well. I could still do
something, I won't rule it out. Numbers
wise we are maybe a bit short in certain
areas, but the depth of the squad is very
good. I'm very excited by this group.’
One to watch: Aaron Ramsey. Sanchez is
the star of the team, but Ramsey was
consistently brilliant last season. Who
knows what might have happened in the
title race had he avoided injury.
Omen: Arsenal were the first FA Cup
winners to lift the Community Shield since
2009. A special vintage, perhaps?
Arsene Wenger hints at another big signing
for Arsenal!
Liverpool
Reason to be cheerful: The club is spending
money – roughly £100m, in fact - and really
backing Brendan Rodgers. Raheem Sterling
is arguably the country’s most exciting
talent and Rodgers has Liverpool playing
beautiful football.
Reason to be fearful: It’s impossible to
know how the new signings will bed in,
which in turn will dictate how heavily the
club miss Luis Suarez. Plus, it’s hugely
unfortunate that Adam Lallana got injured
just four days after arriving.
What's happened over the summer: They
sold Elvis and bought The *** fill in with
name of good or terrible music group
depending on success of multiple new
signings ***
What the manager says: ‘Last season was
a great step forward and now we must
believe that we can go one better. There is
only an excitement and a belief inside the
club that we can challenge again for the
title.’
One to watch: Raheem Sterling. A
wonderful talent who could flourish into a
world-class player.
Omen: Tottenham signed half a planet’s
worth of player after selling Gareth Bale and
it cost them two managers in one season.
Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool will not 'do a
Tottenham'
Tottenham
Reason to be cheerful: They have an
exciting new manager and none of their key
players have been taken away.
Reason to be fearful: They still lack a
proper goal-scoring threat and, Ben Davies
aside, there have not been many signings
that would genuinely excite.
What's happened over the summer: Not a
huge amount, besides the arrival of
Mauricio Pochettino. Signing Hugo Lloris to
a new contract was a significant coup for
the club, but beyond Pochettino’s ideology
they have not added a huge amount.
What the manager says: ‘I know the
business in football. I know that you live by
the result, you need to get results. If not,
you put yourself in difficulties.’
One to watch: Erik Lamela. He did next to
nothing after arriving for £30m but there is
an excitement at the club that his injuries
are resolved and he might be about to come
good.
Omen: Pochettino is Tottenham’s ninth
manager since 2001. He starts his era at
the club knowing that Tottenham demand
good results.
Everton
Reason to be cheerful: Roberto Martinez got
the one player he really wanted this
summer – Romelu Lukaku.
Reason to be fearful: Pre-season results
have been less than spectacular and they
have a tough start to the season with their
opening seven fixtures including games
against Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester
United and Liverpool. They also have the
challenge of Europa League fixtures and
travel.
What's happened over the summer: They
signed Roberto Martinez to a long-term
contract, likewise Ross Barkley, and
avoided losing any of their leading lights. A
good effort.
What the manager says: ‘Progress would
be to maintain the level we showed last
season while coping with the demands of
European football. It is about making sure
we embrace the Europa league and use that
to develop our potential, but not finding it
as an obstacle to our domestic duties.’
One to watch: Lukaku. He was superb last
season. Now he needs to do it again with
the pressure of a £28m price tag.
Omen: The last time Everton splashed big
money on a big Belgian (Marouane Fellaini)
he did very well at the club. Lukaku has
done enough to be considered a success,
but what happens subsequent to the big fee
will be as important as what went before.
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