Mikel Arteta has brought a newfound positivity to Arsenal that has been lacking for a number of years, but next season’s Premier League could be the most competitive in history.
While there is believed to be a gap at the top of the table, with Manchester City and Liverpool ranked above the rest (despite the former’s struggles this term), the chasing pack is littered with teams who all have the potential to push on next term.
Chelsea and Manchester United appear to be becoming settled under their new regimes with Frank Lampard and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looking to push on to finish the season well, while Tottenham seem to be on the downturn.
These teams have been in and around the top six for a number of years now, but there is team’s waiting in the wings to cause an upset.
I’m sorry to any Sheffield United fans, who are hoping to land an unexpected spot in next season’s European competitions, as while they are undergoing an exceptional campaign, not only do I see them dropping down to below eighth in the table, but I do not expect them to push on greatly next term.
Three teams who are not included in the so-called ‘top six’ however could rate as dangers to any and all of the big teams above. Leicester City and Wolverhampton wanderers are both very well-run clubs, who are both looking dangerously like forging themselves into what could well be called a ‘top eight’ in the near future. The two clubs have done exceptionally well in recent transfer windows, as well as having employed exciting young managers with a long-term plan of challenging at the top end of the table.
While the above could well be part of a ‘top-eight’ in the coming years, Everton have everything going for them this season to say that they could well cause a number of upsets next year, and potentially take one of the European spots from the above.
Carlo Ancelotti has brought the Blues into some amazing form, and seems to be getting the right note out of stars who had been coasting in recent terms, highlighted by the fact that striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has more league goals (eight) under the Italian since December than he has scored in any given campaign under any other manager.
While the former Chelsea manager is not expected to be in it for the long-term like the above could be, his tenure on Merseyside could well help them to build a side worthy of pushing each of those teams above.
While Mikel Arteta is getting much of the attention due to his amazingly attentive approach to management, and big things are expected of him, he may well have the biggest challenge of all the managers around him.
The Coronavirus is said to have huge financial implications on our club in particular, and players have even been asked to accept a wage cut in order to help the club as a whole, and one would fear that will lead to a very stringent transfer budget for the new manager. Arteta is believed to want a number of signings to suit his new philosophy, one which has already showed to work with the players at his disposal.
Next season’s Premier League may well see the toughest battle for the Champions League places that there has ever been, and I would not be surprised to see one of Wolves, Everton or Leicester finishing inside the CL places in 2021.
Can Arsenal earn a top five place this season to help secure a bigger budget for the coming window? Do Wolves, Everton or Leicester need to be seriously respected for contention of a top four place next term?
Patrick
The midfield we will use next season will be the make or break as this is where we are lacking.
A proper DM,AM &CM( or a ball carrying mid like de bruyne) and we are contenders.We have enough supply in the other positions as long as team selection is right.