Background
The first round of premier league games were completed. By Monday night, Liverpool were in crisis, Arsenal and Everton were back, Leeds were everyones favourite second team, Fulham and West Brom were doomed for relegation, Brighton were like a shark without teeth, Tottenham players would be told off again by their manager and Chelsea still needed a new goalkeeper. A lot can happen in three days!
Article
Liverpool’s first world football problems
Liverpool have won the premier trophies in the game since June 2019. The are the current english champions and world champions. And yet, they are also in crisis? Why? Because they won their first game whilst conceding three goals. Forgotten is the fact that they scored four goals, they had twenty chances to five and that they were playing a team managed by the tactically brilliant Bielsa. The problem with saying that a team as brilliant as Liverpool have problems is that when you talk about what the solution is, it comes down to mainly more work on the training ground. So Trent makes a mistake for a goal…mmm…so any better right backs we can buy? No…what about a better centre half than Van Dijk? No! Ah, but the goalkeeper made a mistake…not gonna work either. The reality with this team, where incidentally they have one the best sports science team in the world, unless they pick up a lot of key injuries, they will win most matches they play and hence win the league. Reason? They have the best players, best tactical system and the best manager. Once they find their rhythm, expect them to be out of sight of their opponents before long.
Everton balancing act working well
Everton have done some really clever business in the transfer market and have transformed themselves into a proper team in the space of a few weeks. The balance of the midfield and attack looks really finely tuned. A lot of other teams could actually take note of this concept, buy good players that fit into the positions that you are weak in, don’t buy players because they are good, available or dream to play for you. Let’s take their midfield for example. Andrea Gomes, Doucoure and Allan will outwork and outwit a lot of midfields. The creativity of Rodriguez to supply the chances for Calvert Lewis and Richarlison. All built on a solid defensive base organised by a legendary central defender manager from that Milan team of the late eighties. The total cost of the new signings are less that the £50m Chelsea paid for their new left back yet the affect is much more impactful. A little thought has done wonders for this once great club and a few more transfer windows like this will surely project them upwards in the table and maybe a trophy or two along the way.
Potter now weaving his magic at the seaside
One year ago, Brighton took a risky decision when bringing in a lesser known english coach with just a years managerial experience in the english game with Swansea. The story of Graham Potter’s rise to prominence is inspirational for the students of this pathway. An ex player who graduated from Open University in Social Sciences and a Masters in leadership and emotional intelligence. He joined a fourth division club in Sweden, Ostersund in 2010, where over the next eight years, he got them into the top flight within five years where they played slick passing football in their first season. A Swedish cup and Europa league run followed. But what stood out was the style of football he propagated. Having started a similar project with Swansea in 2018, Brighton cleverly nipped in at the end of the season and brought him in. We saw the results in his first season with this new look Brighton style passing the ball from the back, intricate one twos, pass and move play and easy on the eye football. Against Chelsea, they played the better football and had a better system. The only thing lacking was a striker to finish things off. If that can be resolved in the coming weeks, expect another good season from this dynamic footballing team. Let’s let no other than the master researcher that is Bielsa summarise this in his own words when facing Potter’s Swansea in 2018:
“He’s English, he’s a modern coach, he has new ideas, he brings new ideas. A team that takes care of how they move the ball… in their style, the goalkeeper and defenders build from the back. And for me it’s the feature that you could underline from Swansea.”
Brighton’s biggest challenge at the end of this season won’t be to avoid relegation but to keep hold their innovative manager with them for next season and until that contract end date of 2025.
Arsenal will have top four rivals worried
The resurgence of Arsenal will come as a surprise for a lot of football fans. When Arteta joined last December, it seemed like he was joining a sinking ship. A team with player revolt, limited transfer budgets and club that was last in the champions league in the 2016/17 season. Yet, within half a season, things are looking a lot more positive. Firstly, the demise of their bitter rivals from champions league finalist and regular top four member to a europa league team at best will make their fans happy. They have also won the FA Cup and beaten klopp’s Liverpool to the community shield, no easy feat in itself. The general play of the team seems a lot more, well, guardiolesque, organised, structured, systemised, a plan and full of hard work. The manager comes across with a steely determination to take them to the top, decisive decision making off the pitch and a willingness to make decisions on players based on what’s right as opposed to a rigid unworkable structure. Offering contracts to Willian and Aubamayang show they are a team that feel that top four is within their grasp this year. Letting Martinez leave for £20m despite having a great lockdown season was just ruthless business. With no match day revenue in the near future, the criticality of getting a share of the champions league money is more critical this season. With Chelsea and Manchester United still under the management of what at best are stop gap managers for now and lacking proper planning in their transfer dealings, their owners will be looking nervously across at this new look Arsenal project railroading itself into the top four. Two years after Arsene Wenger left this great club, it seems we have a worthy successor to bring those glory days back to the red part part of North London.
Football Features 