The most exciting league in the world returned this weekend and it so lived up to the hype. There were debuts for new signings, funny moments, exciting footballing displays and so on. Well from the opening fixtures, here are my top 3 deductions about how the most unpredictable season ever could turn out.
Zlatan Ibrahimovich is the real deal and with him, Manchester United are favorites.
Any questions left in the mind of Manchester United supporters or fans anywhere across the world about the ability of Zlatan Ibrahimovich considering his advanced age
were answered in spectacular fashion in the team's opening game away to Bournemouth. The 34 year old experienced striker despite having limited touches on the ball throughout the game still produced moments of magic whenever he had the ball and put the icing on the team's win with a fierce 25 yarder record goal that left everyone in awe of the man's abilities. With the Swede still banging in goals like that and having a manager who he always wins league titles with in Jose Mourinho, and equally considering new signings like Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba, it is fair to say the Red Devils' have regained their fear factor.
were answered in spectacular fashion in the team's opening game away to Bournemouth. The 34 year old experienced striker despite having limited touches on the ball throughout the game still produced moments of magic whenever he had the ball and put the icing on the team's win with a fierce 25 yarder record goal that left everyone in awe of the man's abilities. With the Swede still banging in goals like that and having a manager who he always wins league titles with in Jose Mourinho, and equally considering new signings like Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba, it is fair to say the Red Devils' have regained their fear factor.
With this new found inspiration in the Red Devils' ranks both on and off the pitch, it would be folly not to consider them as favorites.
Leicester City might do a Chelsea
As much as we attempt to speak lightly of defending champions Leicester City's defeat to managerless Hull City in the league's opening game, we all can admit that the fact that we have to speak of it at all is a stark reminder of how difficult it is to retain the league and of recent, to even give a good defense of your title.
On the back of heavy losses against European elite like Paris Saint Germain and Barcelona, the caliber of teams they will be facing in their European campaign, the team needed a massive statement to rekindle faith among their support across the world and prove that their title win was not a fluke but again they fell flat to Hull City despite bossing the game, setting an unwanted record alongside. With this loss, i think it is safe to say defending their title might take a Chelsea trend with many match ups against some really cohesive teams (which happens to be about every other team in the English Premier League now) upcoming, i suggest we should #PrayforLeicesterCity.
Arsenal might struggle.
Goal.com published an article titled "Same old Arsenal" after their loss to Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium and i couldn't help but smile. Arsenal are back with the same problems and the same agitations and the same early season scenario. They lost their first game last season also to West Ham and fans screamed "WengerOut", "SpendSomeMoney" and still, they finished an impressive third.
I guess whatever agitations Arsene Wenger is hearing now, he might be nursing this "i have heard it before, it will be well" feeling, i strongly suggest he listens this time. It might not be totally true but we can say that Arsenal's one step rise up the table from their usual fourth was as a result of the poor performances of the big clubs. Well the big clubs won't be letting anyone in their space again as they have spent millions of pounds on the world's best players to once again dominate the league. Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, even Bournemouth and Middlesbrough have made some really good signings except Arsenal who seem content with their current squad who quite sadly have not lived up to pundits and fans'expectations.
Well we all just have to look at the starting lineup against Liverpool to realize that the team is seriously lacking in depth both in attack and defence. With the big boys up and running again, hopefuls like Tottenham and West Ham leaving no stone unturned as they prepare for a massive season, also with Premier League returnees like Middlesbrough and Hull City looking to prove themselves which they did in spectacular fashion with the latter even defeating the defending champions, Wenger and Arsenal had better make a massive lunge into the market or this time, they could be swept aside.
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