Predicting the Premier League table: Set-piece dependence the worry for champions
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington. Pic: Charlotte Tattersall/Charlotte Tattersall - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Even losing on penalties in the Champions League final could not take any of the gloss off last season as Arsenal ended their 22-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions. The celebrations have continued all summer after some wild scenes on the streets of north London on their return from Budapest, although concerns over the fitness of some key players after their exploits at the World Cup are mounting.
Arsenal have acted quickly to reinforce their midfield by signing Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle given Declan Rice’s workload must be managed very carefully after playing through neural pain in his hamstring and lower back since December. The arrival of Greece forward Christos Tzolis to replace Leandro Trossard also looks like a smart piece of business on the left-hand side of the attack. But with Vinícius Junior staying at Real Madrid, despite Arsenal’s best efforts, supporters will be hoping there is still a chance that the sporting director, Andrea Berta, could conjure up a heavyweight attacking signing before the window closes given Bukayo Saka’s fitness problems in recent seasons.
The back injury that will sideline William Saliba for an unknown period could prove even more central to Arsenal’s hopes of retaining their title. A defence that conceded 27 goals last year in the Premier League may struggle without the immense talents of the France defender, even with Ezri Konsa on board from Aston Villa. Whether Arsenal can maintain their dominance from set pieces over the past two campaigns will also be crucial, with more scrutiny expected from video assistant referees after the fallout from their controversial victory at West Ham in May.
Not since 1935, when Arsenal became the second team to win three successive league titles, have they retained their crown. Having strengthened the deepest squad in the division still further, they will take some stopping again.
Ed Aarons
Star Man: Declan Rice 10 - The perfect modern midfielder and leader.
Manager: Mikel Arteta 9 - Delivering long-term planning and success.
Strength of squad: 9 - There’s quality back-up in every position.
Transfer business: 8 - Bruno Guimaraes a perfect signing - and Tzolis looks promising.
Biggest strength: Deep into the project and now high on belief.
Biggest worry: Cannot depend on set pieces two seasons in a row.
Selected Ins: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle, €88m), Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen, €40m), Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge, €40m), Illan Meslier (Leeds, free)
Selected Outs: Jakub Kiwior (Porto, €22m), Leandro Trossard (Besiktas, €20m), Christian Norgaard (Everton, €8m), Kerl Hein (Werder Bremen, €3m), Josh Nichols (Kustosija, free).
Star Man: Erling Haaland 10 - Undisputed best striker in the league.
Manager: Enzo Maresca 7 - Knows the club but can he manage a rebuild?
Strength of squad: 9 - Still looking strong, even without Rodri and Stones.
Transfer business: 7 - Losing Rodri a big problem but Anderson in and others on their way.
Biggest strength: A decade of success in their veins. And Haaland.
Biggest worry: How they cope without Guardiola at the helm.
Ins: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest, €135m), Jeremy Monga (Leicester City, €12m), Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday, €4m), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille, €2m), Mathys Detourbet (Troyes, undisclosed)
Outs: Rodri (Barcelona, €76m), James Trafford (Leeds, €47m), Nathan Ake (Fenerbahce, €10m), Reigan Heskey (Cologne, €7m), Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan, undisclosed), John Stones (Inter Milan, free), Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid, free).
Star Man: Joao Pedro 9 - High potential and hitting top form.
Manager: Xabi Alonso 8 - Looks like a great appointment and perfect fit.
Strength of squad: 8 - Quality unquestioned but is the mix right?
Transfer business: 9 - Bought quality and experience (in numbers).
Biggest strength: Depth of the squad and the money spent.
Biggest worry: Starting slowly and lack of squad cohesion.
Ins: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa, €137m), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace, €60m), Geovany Quenda (Sporting, €51m), Marco Palestra (Atalanta, €50m), Pep Chavarria (Rayo Vallecano, €19m), Denner (Corinthians, €10m), Dastan Satpayev (Kairat Almaty, €2m), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg, undisclosed), Danny Welbeck (Brighton, undisclosed), Emmanuel Emegha (Strasbourg, undisclosed), Harrison Bettoni (Wigan, compensation), Jordan Henderson (Brentford, free)
Outs: Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid, €61m), Andrey Santos (Man Utd, €58m), Trevoh Chalobah (Como, €36m), Tyrique George (Everton, €28m), Jimmy-Jay Morgan (West Brom, €5m), Alejandro Garnacho (Aston Villa, loan).
Star Man: Dominik Szoboszlai 9 - Was off-the-scale good last season.
Manager: Adoni Iraola 7 - Outstanding at Bournemouth; this is different.
Strength of squad: 8 - There’s still a big Salah gap to fill.
Transfer business: 7 - They’ve bought potential – but need more.
Biggest strength: Still have the core of a title-winning team.
Biggest worry: Too much too new all at the same time.
Ins: Jeremy Jacquet (Rennes, €70m), Victor Munoz (Osasuna, €40m), Ifeanyi Ndukwe (Austria Wien, undisclosed), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona, loan).
Outs: Luca Stephenson (Bolton, €0.8m), Mohamed Salah (Trabzonspor, free), Andy Robertson (Tottenham, free), Ibrahima Konate (Real Madrid, free).
Star Man: Bruno Fernandes 10 - United’s talisman and best player by a long way.
Manager: Michael Carrick 7 - Great job last year but still under the microscope.
Strength of squad: 7 - Improving over three windows but still short.
Transfer business: 7 Tielemans is a steal but is that enough?
Biggest strength: Growing belief and new unity at Old Trafford.
Biggest worry: Lack of an out-and-out striker (and old habits returning).
Ins: Andrey Santos (Chelsea, €58m), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa, €41m), Tynan Thompson (Tottenham, €9m), Cristian Orozco (Fortaleza, undisclosed), Kit Margetson (Swansea, compensation), Karl Darlow (Leeds, free),
Outs: Rasmus Hojlund (Napoli, €44m), Radek Vitek (Middlesbrough, €8m), Ethan Williams (Peterborough, undisclosed), Tyler Fredricson (Lausanne-Sport, undisclosed), Casemiro (Inter Miami, free), Altay Bayindir (Celta Vigo, loan), Andre Onana (Trabzonspor, loan), Tyrell Malacia, Jadon Sancho, Malachi Sharpe (released).
Star Man: Ollie Watkins 8 - Remarkably consistent goalscorer and pressing machine.
Manager: Unai Emery 9 - A silverware magnet who is always a step ahead.
Strength of squad: 7 - Losing Rogers and Tielemans was a big hit.
Transfer business: 6 - Sold well but so far replacements are weaker.
Biggest strength: Experience of their manager and defined style of play.
Biggest worry: That losing Tielemans and Rogers will crush creativity.
Ins: Johan Manzambi (Freiburg, €69m), Joao Gomes (Wolves, €44m), Zion Suzuki (Parma, €35m), Matteo Ruggeri (Atletico Madrid, €25m), Modou Keba Cissa (LASK, undisclosed), Blade Earley (Cambridge, free), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea, loan).
Outs: Morgan Rogers (Chelsea, €137m), Youri Tielemans (Man Utd, €41m), Donyell Malen (Roma, €25m), Lewis Dobbin (Southampton, €12m), Enzo Barrenechea (Benfica, €12m), Lucas Digne (Paris Saint-Germain, €10m), Louie Barry (Sheffield Wednesday, undisclosed), Yeimar Mosquera (Vitoria SC, undisclosed), Evann Guessand (Crystal Palace, loan).
Star Man: Igor Thiago 8 - Broke the 20-goal mark last year and still improving
Manager: Keith Andrews 8 - Can he go from standout rookie to big achiever?
Strength of squad: 7 - Looks stronger and deeper than last year.
Transfer business: 8 - Mamadou Sangare could be a huge star.
Biggest strength: Team cohesion and club stability built over a decade
Biggest worry: A big late offer for Thiago – or injuries.
Ins: Mamadou Sangare (Lens, €46m), Jaidon Anthony (Burnley, €20m), Jannik Schuster (Red Bull Salzburg, €19m), Joseph Wheeler-Henry (Chelsea, undisclosed), Callum Wilson (West Ham, free).
Outs: Iwan Morgan (Grimsby, undisclosed), Tony Yogane (Aberdeen, undisclosed), Ethan Laidlaw (Falkirk, undisclosed), Frank Onyeka (Coventry, undisclosed), Ethan Brierley (Huddersfield, undisclosed), Jordan Henderson (Chelsea, free).
Star Man: Micky van der Ven 8 - Characterful, solid and super quick.
Manager: Roberto De Zerbi 8 - Inspirational manager who will rock the Spurs boat.
Strength of squad: 8 - Looks way better than last season already.
Transfer business: 8 Sandro Tonali a top buy – now for a striker.
Biggest strength: New confidence inspired by De Zerbi and signings.
Biggest worry: It could still go all Spursy if there’s a slow start.
Ins: Sandro Tonali (Newcastle, €117m), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham, €99m), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton, €61m), Martin Dubravka (Burnley, free), Andy Robertson (Liverpool, free), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth, free), Cole Ramsey (Aston Villa, free)
Outs: Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus, loan), Djed Spence (Inter Milan, €35m), Cristian Romero (Atletico Madrid, €40m), Luka Vuskovic (Brighton, €58m), Will Lankshear (Middlesbrough, €23m), Ashley Phillips (Middlesbrough, €8m), Tynan Thompson (Manchester United, €9m), Alejo Veliz (Bahia, €9m), Manor Solomon (West Ham, €8m), Alfie Devine (Preston, €7m), Mason Melia (Lincoln, loan).
Star Man: Morgan Gibbs-White 9 - Their stand-out man by a mile. He’s the key.
Manager: Oliver Glasner 8 - Did incredible job at Palace, can he replicate it?
Strength of squad: 7 - Good depth but perhaps a lack of creativity.
Transfer business: 6 - Quiet by Forest standards and lost key man Elliot Anderson.
Biggest strength: Consistency and work ethic in the squad.
Biggest worry: Owner Marinakis sacking another manager.
Ins: Ousmane Diomande (€40m), Boyd Fraser (Hearts, undisclosed), Mason Ayre (Glentoran, undisclosed), Blaine McClure (Rangers, undisclosed), Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig, free), Grady McDonnell (Club Brugge, free), Kasen Brown (Man City, free), Steven Benda (Fulham, free)
Outs: Elliot Anderson (Man City, €135m), Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry, €11m), David Carmo (Olympiacos, undisclosed), Joe Gardner (Falkirk, undisclosed), Cormac Daly (Hearts, free), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes, free).
Star Man: Kaoru Mitoma 7 - Exciting winger who needs a strong season.
Manager: Fabian Hurzeler 7 - Young and innovative coach who is learning fast.
Strength of squad: 7 - Packed with potential but no out-and-out goalscorer.
Transfer business: 6 Losing Van Hecke and Welbeck made it tough.
Biggest strength: Progressive style of play and outstanding club structure.
Biggest worry: Lack of goals or Conference League fatigue.
Ins: Luka Vuskovic (Tottenham, €58m), Zadok Yohanna (AIK, €25m), Pascal Struijk (Leeds, €21m), Costinha (Olympiacos, €9m), Michael Svobada (Venezia, €5m), Rodrigo Rego (Benfica, €4m), Promise David (Union Saint-Gilloise, loan), Valentin Joseph (Blackburn, undisclosed), George Munday (Cambridge, undisclosed), Oliver Mayer (Fulham, free).
Outs: Jan Paul van Hecke (Tottenham, €61m), Carl Rushworth (Coventry, €26m), Diego Coppola (Paris FC, €20m), Danny Welbeck (Chelsea, undisclosed), Jeremy Sarmiento (Middlesbrough, undisclosed), Facundo Buonanotte (Elche, loan), Joel Veltman (West Ham, free), Solly March (released), James Milner (retired).
Star Man: Junior Kroupi 8 - Hit 13 goals in a quality first season last year.
Manager: Marco Rose 7 - Former Dortmund boss with big reputation.
Strength of squad: 7 - Quality players but looks thin for a first season in Europe.
Transfer business: 6 - Alvaro Rodriguez the highlight but need more in.
Biggest strength: Attractive style of play and strong squad spirit.
Biggest worry: A late bid for Kroupi or struggling after European ties.
Ins: Antonio Silva (Benfica, €30m), Alvaro Rodriguez (Elche, €25m), Juanlu Sanchez (Sevilla, €13m).
Outs: Hamed Traore (Marseille, €8m), Luis Sinisterra (Cruzeiro, €6m), Enes Unal (Getafe, €1m), Archie Harris (Wigan, undisclosed), Marcos Senesi (Tottenham, free), Alex Jimenez (Fiorentina, loan).
Star Man: Jordan Pickford 9 - Goalkeeper is key to Everton’s defensive record.
Manager: David Moyes 8 - Praised for the job done so far but now needs progress.
Strength of squad: 7 - Defence and midfield solid – not much up front.
Transfer business: 6 - Hayden Hackney a good buy but they need more.
Biggest strength: Solid defence and strong home form.
Biggest worry: A lack of creativity or consistent goalscorer.
Ins: Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough, €28m), Tyrique George (Chelsea, €28m), Merlin Rohl (Freiburg, €22m), Christian Norgaard (Arsenal, €8m), Brennan Johnson (Crystal Palace, swap).
Outs: Dwight McNeil (Crystal Palace, swap), Reece Welch (Bradford, free), Tyler Onyango (Sheffield Wednesday, free), Demi Akarakiri (Cagliari, free), Seamus Coleman (released)..
Star Man: Dominic Calvert-Lewin - Striker rediscovered his form last season.
Manager: Daniel Farke 7 - Has led Leeds to promotion and an FA Cup semi-final.
Strength of squad: 6 - Looks thin with others improving - but no lack of passion.
Transfer business: 6 - Harry Wilson on a free is a top signing. Need more up top.
Biggest strength: Fortress Elland Road and a strong work ethic.
Biggest worry: Lack of goalscorers, especially if Calvert-Lewin gets injured
Ins: James Trafford (Man City, €47m), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo, €40m), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach, €10m), Harry Wilson (Fulham, free).
Outs: Pascal Struijk (Brighton, €21m), Joe Gelhardt (Hull, €8m), Isaac Schmidt (Young Boys, undisclosed), Jack Harrison (New England Revolution, undisclosed), Karl Darlow (Manchester United, free), Illan Meslier (Arsenal, free), Joel Piroe (West Ham, loan).
Star Man: Yoane Wissa 7 - This needs to be the striker’s year and he’ll respond.
Manager: Matthias Jaissle 6 - Did well in the Saudi League but this is a big leap.
Strength of squad: 6 - It’s starting to look thin. Really need extra numbers.
Transfer business: 4 - Guimaraes, Gordon and Tonali gone; big signings required.
Biggest strength: The Toon Army’s passion and Jaissle’s positivity.
Biggest worry: That losing their top three players in one go is too much.
Ins: Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim, €49m), Aladji Bamba (Monaco, €41m), Amar Dedic (Benfica, €34m), Lukas Hornicek (Braga, €30m), Sean Steur (Ajax, €27m), Ewen Jaouen (Reims, €22m)
Outs: Sandro Tonali (Tottenham, €117m), Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal, €88m), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona, €81m), Travis Hernes (Groningen, undisclosed), Matt Targett (Hull, free), Kieran Trippier (Wolves, free), Alex Murphy (Kaiserslautern, loan), John Ruddy (released).
Star Man: Alex Iwobi 7 - The former Arsenal man had a strong season last year.
Manager: Alvaro Arbeloa 6 - From Real Madrid to Fulham. It’s hard to predict.
Strength of squad: 6 - Plenty of creativity but no out-and-out goalscorer.
Transfer business: 6 - Gonzalo Garcia from Real is a big signing. Is it enough?
Biggest strength: An eye-catching style of play and Premier League stability.
Biggest worry: That a new manager disrupts progress after Marco Silva stability.
Ins: Gonzalo Garcia (Real Madrid, €40m), Shea Charles (Southampton, €35m), Cesar Palacios (Real Madrid, €10m), Jonah Kusi-Asare (Bayern Munich, €6m).
Outs: Sasa Lukic (Ipswich, €11m), Issa Diop (Ipswich, €10m), Callum Cliff (Reading, free), Raul Jimenez (Wolves, free), Oliver Mayer (Brighton, free), Harry Wilson (Leeds, free).
Star Man: Adam Wharton 8 - Top midfielder and they need to keep him.
Manager: Pierre Sage 6 - Terrific record at Lens, can he hack the Premier League?
Strength of squad: 7 - Defensive gaps but stronger up front.
Transfer business: 5 - Will miss Lacroix, sold to Chelsea. Recruitment slow.
Biggest strength: The Selhurst Ultras and an ability to score goals.
Biggest worry: Losing big names or a slow start to the post-Glasner era.
Ins: Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake, €12m), Anan Khalaili (Union Saint-Gilloise, undisclosed), Dwight McNeil (Everton, swap), Oscar Mingueza (Celta Vigo, free), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax, free), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa, loan).
Outs: Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea, €60m), Danny Imray (Wrexham, €6m), Brennan Johnson (Everton, swap), Tayo Adaramola (Cercle Brugge, undisclosed).
Star Man: Carl Rushworth 7 - Goalkeeper won the Championship golden glove last year.
Manager: Frank Lampard 7 - Growing as a manager; this could be a big year for him.
Strength of squad: 6 - A lot of new signings has given them a chance.
Transfer business: 6 - Eight so far – and Taiwo Awoniyi could be the key one.
Biggest strength: The Championship bounce and stadium positivity.
Biggest worry: That early results don’t go well and confidence dips.
Ins: Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjaelland, €30m), Carl Rushworth (Brighton, €26m), Loum Tchaouna (Burnley, €23m), Aurele Amenda (Eintracht Frankfurt, €20m), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, €11m), Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United, €7m), Frank Onyeka (Brentford, undisclosed), Billy-Ray Cullinane (Brighton, free).
Outs: Jahnoah Markelo (Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai, undisclosed), Brad Collins (Bristol City, free), Charlie Finney (Alfreton, free), Rylie Siddall (UAB Blazers, free).
Star Man: Granit Xhaka 8 - Midfielder was one of the signings of the season last year.
Manager: Regis Le Bris 8 - Promotion in year one, now in Europe.
Strength of squad: 6 - Spent €200m last year, nothing this. It’s thin for Europe.
Transfer business: 3 - Full-back Thomas Meunier, on a free, is the only deal so far.
Biggest strength: Confidence from last season’s stunning finish.
Biggest worry: Squad is not strong enough for Europa and Premier League together.
Ins: Thomas Meunier (Lille, free), Ethan Berry (Crystal Palace, free), Adam Nelson (Glentoran, free).
Outs: Eleizer Mayenda (Rennes, €26m), Anthony Patterson (Wrexham, €12m), Ahmed Abdullahi (Eyupspor, undisclosed), Harrison Jones (Peterborough, undisclosed), Zak Johnson (York, undisclosed), Timothee Pembele (Le Havre, undisclosed), Rhys Walsh (Glentoran, free).
Star Man: Daizen Maeda 7 - Former Celtic striker is a big, big signing.
Manager: Gary O’Neill 7 - Top manager but only appointed in June. It’s a tough job.
Strength of squad: 6 - With so many new players it’s too early to tell.
Transfer business: 8 - Twelve in already; they’ve gone big. Julio Enciso the latest.
Biggest strength: The Championship bounce and fan confidence.
Biggest worry: Lots of signings doesn’t always work. Think Fulham 2021.
Ins: Abdoul Ouattara (Strasbourg, undisclosed), Julio Enciso (Strasbourg, undisclosed), Emersonn (Toulouse, €31m), Abdul Fatawu (Leicester, €27m), Florentino (Burnley, €22m), Kjell Scherpen (Union Saint-Gilloise, €13m), Daizen Maeda (Celtic, €12m), Sasa Lukic (Fulham, €11m), Issa Diop (Fulham, €10m), Chuba Akpom (Ajax, €8m), Kayne van Oevelen (Volendam, €5m), Cedric Kipre (Reims, €2m), Frankie Runham (Chelsea, undisclosed), Luca Fletcher (Manchester City, undisclosed), Christopher Atherton (Chelsea, undisclosed)
Outs: Arijanet Muric (Sassuolo, €10m), Elkan Baggott (Millwall, €2m), Wes Burns (Leicester, undisclosed), Leon Ayinde (Doncaster, free), Sam Szmodics (Derby, loan), Ashley Young (retired).
Star Man: Olie McBurnie 7 - Scored 18 goals for Hull in their promotion campaign.
Manager: Sergej Jakirovic 7 - Led Hull to a play-off final victory in his first season.
Strength of squad: 5 - John Egan’s boys have guts but not enough quality.
Transfer business: 6 - 11 interesting signings so far but still short up front.
Biggest strength: Investment in young talent and an innovative manager.
Biggest worry: A lack of quality up front will leave them way short.
Ins: Joe Gelhardt (Leeds, €8m), Lucas Gourna-Douath (RB Salzburg, €3m), Jack Butland (Rangers, €4m), Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids, undisclosed), Nobel Mendy (Rayo Vallecano, undisclosed), Elliot Stroud (Mjallby, undisclosed), Konstantinos Tzolakis (Olympiacos, undisclosed), Jens Hjerto-Dahl (Tromso, undisclosed), Oscar Zambrano (NK Maribor, undisclosed), Matt Targett (Newcastle, free), Ben Robinson (Preston, free), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting, free).
Outs: Ivor Pandur (Rangers, €7m), Kyle Joseph (Middlesbrough, €5m), Aidon Shehu (Panathinaikos, undisclosed), Akin Famewo (Bolton, undisclosed), Kasey Palmer (Luton, undisclosed), Harry Vaughan (Bohemians, free).
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