Tag Archives: Premier League

The five Premier League sides most likely to ‘do a Leicester’ in 2019/20

on May 14, 2019 None comments

The 2019/20 Premier League season promises to be an intriguing one. Sheffield United and Norwich City are returning to the top flight for the first time since 2006-07 and 2015-16 respectively and Manchester United are in a period of uncertain transition, while their rivals Liverpool and Man City keep going from strength to strength.

The title race is usually fought out between the same predictable few but in 2016 Leicester City conquered odds of 5000/1 to win the Premier League and, in doing so, gave hope to every other side in the top flight.

It is unlikely that this will happen again given the strength of the current top two but there is nothing wrong with daring to dream. With that in mind, we take a look at five sides that are most likely to pull ‘a Leicester’ in 2019/20.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves fans are probably still pinching themselves after finishing in the top half of the Premier League this season. They have been building something for a couple of years and it proves that planning for the longer term will be more successful than the kind of short-termism that has become common place.

They are expected to continue spending in order to build on an excellent season in which they have beaten the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal proving they can mix it with the big boys.

West Ham United

The Hammers started 2018/19 really badly but have since recovered to have a comfortable season in the top flight. Problems with the new stadium aside, West Ham should be a club looking to progress to the very top of the English game. Their supporters have been long-suffering and expect to watch a team playing entertaining football.

Manuel Pellegrini has certainly got the pedigree to take them further but a lot will depend on a solid recruitment spree over the summer.

Norwich City

The Championship title winners come into the Premier League in a similar manner to how Wolves did a season ago. Full of confidence after romping to the second tier title, Norwich will be looking to make sure they avoid the drop first and foremost but they have an exciting front line that could be in their element in the Premier League.

They would be massive outsiders with football betting markets having them at 10/1 to finish in the top half but the Canaries may surprise even themselves under the superb Daniel Farke.

Bournemouth

AFC Bournemouth are another side that have had a very good 2019/20. They have some good players and with one or two additions they could challenge higher in the division. In Eddie Howe, the Cherries have an excellent boss who won the Manager of the Decade Award back in 2015 and he has utilised the likes of Ryan Fraser, Callum Wilson and David Brooks to perfection.

Leicester City

The Foxes could be the side to repeat their own feat. They have had an excellent finish to the 2018-19 campaign and with Brendan Rodgers in charge, they will only get better. The Northern Irish manager has certainly made a good impression and if he recruits the right players over the summer next season will be another exciting campaign.

The potential is there for the English football landscape to be turned on its head once again – stay tuned and see if any of these teams can do it.

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Can a Fit and Firing Harry Kane Lead Spurs to the Title?

on February 19, 2019 None comments

When Harry Kane limped from the pitch after defeat against Manchester United with an ankle injury on January 13, it was widely thought that Tottenham’s title ambitions were over. However, with Son Heung-min returning from the Asia Cup in blistering form, Spurs remain right in the title race as we head to crunch time in the season. Kane is due to return towards the end of February, with the striker’s recovery ahead of schedule. So, can he fire Spurs to the title?

The Current State of Play

With under a third of the season remaining, Tottenham lie third in the Premier League table, a long way clear of the teams below them. The title is now a three horse race between Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City, with only five points separating the top three teams.

Do Spurs Have a Chance?

Following Kane’s injury, Spurs were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the semi-finals and the FA Cup in the fourth round by Premier League opponents Crystal Palace. Since his injury, however, Spurs are unbeaten in the Premier League.

For Spurs, even though they remain five points behind their title rivals, their destiny remains in their own hands. By the time Kane returns from injury at the end of this month, they will still have to play both Liverpool away (March 31) and Manchester City away (April 20). Should they win both of those games, the title could be within reach.

However, before then, they also face stiff challenges against Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as the second leg of their clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Recently, Tottenham have become very reliant on striker Son Heung-min for goals. With their other striker Fernando Llorente misfiring, the South Korean could do with some help.

The good news for Spurs is that, should he return in time, Kane has a phenomenal goalscoring record against Arsenal and, at the start of the season, he had only failed to score in one game he’d ever played against their north London foes. Likewise, Kane had also scored 21 goals in 32 Premier League London derbies, which bodes well for the Chelsea game, too.

Kane’s Other Commitments

Tottenham aren’t the only team who are relying on Kane to return and produce goals. Tottenham will be wary that Kane will resume his commitments with the England national team (who also play at Wembley) in March, when they begin their UEFA Euro qualification campaign against the Czech Republic and Montenegro. In the fixture with Montenegro particularly, where England are heavy favourites in the international football betting markets, Spurs will be hoping that Kane is rested so he can help their Premier League title tilt.

Immediately following the conclusion of the Premier League, Kane will also return to international duty as England take part in the finals of the UEFA Nations League. As a result, both Spurs and England will be hoping that the star striker remains fit and fresh throughout the rest of the season.

With Kane due to return shortly and Spurs well-positioned behind Manchester City and Liverpool, the North London side will be positive about the title run in. However, for Spurs to have any chance of overhauling the five-point gap to the leaders, Kane must hit the ground running.

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Conte’s Chelsea in Driving Seat for Premier League Title Triumph

on December 22, 2016 None comments

Simply put, Chelsea have been outstanding so far this season. Antonio Conte’s Italian revolution is well and truly underway at Stamford Bridge and the Blues are reaping rewards from his varied and extensive skillset in the dugout.

Since taking over at the helm, Conte has taken this Chelsea side from the brink of disaster to eleven consecutive Premier League wins. The Blues are now eyeing up Arsenal’s all-time top-flight record of successive victories and a fifth Premier League title could follow.

It is easy to forget that this is Conte’s first season in charge of a major club side outside of his native Italy – and that is testament to his ability to adapt and tweak his system and style to suit the English game.

Ultimately, Conte has managed to maintain his Italian principles of solid, consistent defending but has incorporated Premier League traditions of playing attacking, free-flowing football. This unique blend has confused their rivals and the Blues, who have now 11 on the spin, are looking unbeatable.

Chelsea’s recent run has been sensational to say the least but it is the manner of these wins that make them all the more impressive. Conte’s men have scored 25 goals during this spell whilst conceding just two – keeping nine clean sheets in the process.

If the former Italy boss can keep his players focused on the task at hand, the title race could be all but over by mid-April. The Blues have already built a six-point lead over nearest rivals Liverpool and both Manchester City and Arsenal are already feeling the heat.

As of December 22nd, Conte’s men are priced at 10/11 to win the title with Betway and plenty of neutrals will be backing Chelsea after their solid start to the campaign. The Blues have lost just once so far this season and that 3-0 defeat to Arsenal was the catalyst for Conte’s revolution to begin.

Prior to that defeat, the Italian was following English football’s tradition of playing four at the back but Chelsea have now reverted to a brand new 3-4-3 system and the rest of the Premier League just cannot figure out how to play against it.

via GIPHY

Eventually, teams will grow accustomed to Chelsea’s system but the Blues have enough quality in their ranks to adapt if needs be. Conte has managed to take Victor Moses, a player who made just one solitary performance for the club last season, and transform him into a reliable wing-back in the space of just three months.

By the same token, former Bolton Wanderers star Marcos Alonso is holding his own on a weekly basis. While he was touted as a superb prospect for the future, nobody expected Conte to get this much out of the Spaniard in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

But without beating about the bush, it would be fair to state that the biggest difference-maker has been Diego Costa. The Spain star has always played with vigour and determination and his new manager has channelled that aggression into goals – and Chelsea fans are now back on the Costa wagon after a hit-and-miss 2015/16 campaign.

Costa has already notched 13 league goals this season; more than anybody else in the top flight. The Golden Boot is well within his sights but a Premier League triumph is the main objective; Conte has got him playing for the shirt rather than for his own glory…

Chelsea still have plenty of work to do in the second half of the season but Conte will be ready for the title push. He has been there and done it all during his stints with Juventus and Italy but a Premier League crown in his first year in England would certainly send out a statement of intent. At 47 years old, Conte is here for the long run and an early title triumph could signal the start of an era of Blues dominance.

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Premier League 2011-2012

on August 7, 2011 None comments

With just one week before the 2011 – 2012 season of Premier League will start, the teams are testing players, finalize transfers and make their battle plan for the competition.

Chelsea’s new manager is on fire. He managed the third transfer of the summer. After Oriol Romeu (19 years) and Thibaut Courtois (18), Londoners have got to a deal with Romelu Lukaku Belgian (18) from Anderlecht.

The Striker gave 33 goals in 73 games for Anderlecht and already has 10 national selections in Belgium. Chelsea announced on its official site that Lukaku will support the medical tests and will sign the official contract early next week.

According to British media, the transfer of Lukaku will cost Abramovich about 25 million. The Belgian kid is compared to Drogba because of his style and was mentioned by a British magazine like the best young player in the world at his age category.

With all these acquisitions the Blues have to make a good figure this year in Premier League. But they are not the only ones. Manchester United and Manchester City have a very good chance this year also and, we can’t forget The Gunners.

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More players for Mancheste City

on August 6, 2011 None comments

A fact is that City dominated the transfer market and is willing to offer anything just to you have the most important players on the planet. This thing is though something to satisfy their coach, Mancini.

He says that the owners need to bring at least four more players to match the force of Manchester United. Mancini believes that Champions League experience will end his guys physical and ask for backup: “I have 20 players in the squad than I can count, United has 29! We cannot compare now with them.”

Mancini complain that they have players, but he told Bellamy, Onuoha, Adebayor and Wayne Bridge that their service are no more needed for the team and let them prepare themselves at Manchester.

Club leaders are about to succeed a new big transfer. Samir Nasri is increasingly closer to the City, like Sneijder, who seems to get a deal with City. Inter will receive 36 million for him and the player has 6 million per season.

The fact that Mancini is unsecure for the next season shows once again why in football you need the entire team to work and individual talents can’t pull after the entire team.

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