The 2020/21 Premier League season is set to be one of the best in recent memory, but what does it have in store for Chelsea?
As the new season approaches, The Pride of London writers make their predictions for everything Chelsea and a few important races in the Premier League:
Who will make up the Premier League top four?
Vansh: Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United
Scott: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United
Varun: Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United
Matthew: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United
Gabe: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United
Nate Hofmann: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United
Nathaniel Kay: Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea
Wilfred: Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United
Michael: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United
Olaoluwa: Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United
Abhishek: Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United
Kevin: Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United
Charlie: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal
Vishnu: Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United (not necessarily in this order)
Barrett: Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United
Oliver: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United
Yi Hao: Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United
Travis: Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Wolverhampton (trust me)
Who will make up the Premier League bottom three?
Vansh: Aston Villa, West Brom, Newcastle
Scott: Fulham, West Brom, Aston Villa
Varun: Leeds, West Brom, Fulham
Matthew: Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, West Brom
Gabe: Fulham, West Ham, West Brom
Nate Hofmann: Fulham, Leeds, Aston Villa
Nathaniel Kay: Aston Villa, Newcastle, West Brom
Wilfred: Crystal Palace, West Brom, West Ham
Michael: Brighton, Crystal Palace, West Brom
Olaoluwa: Fulham, Aston Villa, West Brom
Abhishek: West Brom, Fulham, Burnley
Kevin: Aston Villa, Brighton, West Brom
Charlie: Newcastle, West Brom, Fulham
Vishnu: West Brom, Fulham, West Ham
Barrett: Aston Villa, Fulham, West Brom
Oliver: Fulham, West Brom, Brighton (in no particular order)
Yi Hao: Fulham, West Brom, Aston Villa
Travis: Crystal Palace, West Ham, West Brom (the urge to put Leeds instead of Palace was strong)
Where will Chelsea finish in all competitions (Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup)?
Vansh: Premier League: 2nd, Champions League: Semifinals, FA Cup: Winners, EFL Cup: Semifinals
Scott: Third, Quarterfinals, Winners, Semifinals
Varun: First, Winners, Semifinals, Quarterfinals
Matthew: Third, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Winners
Gabe: Third, Quarterfinals, Winners, Semifinals
Nate Hofmann: Third, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Winners
Nathaniel Kay: Fourth, Round of 16, Final, Semifinals
Wilfred: First, Quarterfinals, Round of 16, Semifinals
Michael: Third, Quarterfinals, Win one of the domestic cups and at least the quarters in both
Olaoluwa: Second, Quarterfinals, Winners, Winners
Abhishek: Second, Semifinals, Winners, Winners
Kevin: First, Semifinals, Winners, Quarterfinals
Charlie: Fourth, Semifinals, Quarterfinals, Semifinals
Vishnu: Third, Quaterfinals, Final, Final
Barrett: Third, Semifinals, Winners, Winners
Oliver: Third, Quarterfinals, Winner, Semifinals
Yi Hao: Second, Quarterfinals, Winners, Winners
Travis: Third, Round of 16, Semifinal, Winners
Who will win the major awards at the end of the season (Manager of the Year, Player of the Year, Golden Boot, Playmaker of the Season, and the Golden Glove)?
Vansh: Manager of the Year: Carlo Ancelotti, Player of the Year: Kevin de Bruyne, Golden Boot: Timo Werner, Playmaker of the Season: Hakim Ziyech, Golden Glove: Nick Pope
Scott: Frank Lampard, Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, Hakim Ziyech, Ederson
Varun: Frank Lampard, Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Kevin De Bruyne, Nick Pope
Matthew: Pep Guardiola, Kevin De Bruyne, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kevin De Bruyne, Alisson
Gabe: Pep Guardiola, Kalidou Koulibaly (somehow), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kevin De Bruyne, Aaron Ramsdale
Nate Hofmann: Mikel Arteta, Kevin De Bruyne, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kevin De Bruyne, Nick Pope
Nathaniel Kay: Marcelo Bielsa, Marcus Rashford, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Hugo Lloris
Wilfred: Frank Lampard, Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, Kevin de Bruyne, Willy Caballero (no, but seriously, SIGN A KEEPER)
Michael: Mikel Arteta, Raheem Sterling, Timo Werner, Kevin De Bruyne, Alisson
Olaoluwa: Jurgen Klopp, Kevin De Bruyne again, Harry Kane, Hakim Ziyech, Whichever goalkeeper Chelsea signs
Abhishek: Frank Lampard, Kevin De Bruyne, Timo Werner, Thiago if he signs for Liverpool/Kevin De Bruyne otherwise, Alisson
Kevin: Frank Lampard, Christian Pulisic, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Willian, Kepa Arrizabalaga
Charlie: Pep Guardiola, Kevin de Bruyne, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kevin De Bruyne/Hakim Ziyech, Alisson
Vishnu: Frank Lampard, Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Nick Pope
Barrett: Pep Guardiola because everyone loves him, Lionel Messi because he’s Messi (editors note: the predictions were submitted over the last few weeks before La Decisión), Messi because he scored 100 goals, Messi because he is Messi, Kepa Arrizabalaga because he becomes who he is supposed to be thanks to Thiago Silva.
Oliver: Carlo Ancelotti, Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane/Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Nick Pope
Yi Hao: Jurgen Klopp, Kevin De Bruyne, Timo Werner, Kevin De Bruyne, Alisson
Travis: Nuno Espirito Santo, Christian Pulisic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, Hugo Lloris
What is considered a success for Frank Lampard’s second season?
Vansh Ambashta: Chelsea HAS to finish in the top three in Premier League and this must be done in convincing fashion. A solid Champions League run is also a must and a domestic trophy could be the icing on the cake.
Scott Brant: Chelsea and Frankie Lampard need to finish with more point than last season, and they should arguably be less than seven points behind second place with the additions Chelsea have added already. There is no reason to think we can’t play with the big boys this season. Might not be ready to surpass them, but third place and nipping at their heels will definitely suffice.
Varun Dani: Top three finish plus silverware. People will look at the 200 million+ outlay and say that Frank Lampard should be winning the league but that is highly unrealistic. He inherited the weakest Chelsea squad since 2004 and is rebuilding a fallen giant. Chelsea will not be on par with Liverpool or City but will have to close the gap considerably. The club’s closest rival will be United and the objective should be to finish ahead of them. A cup win in either of the other three competitions is also a realistic target.
Matthew Hancock-Bruce: The minimum requirement for any manager should be to fair better than the season before. With the investments made over the summer there is no reason to believe Frank Lampard will fail to achieve that. Chelsea should aim to pose a serious threat to Liverpool and City’s title hopes and do what they failed to last year: win some silverware. It may yet be another year or so until the Blues are truly considered Premier and Champions League title contenders but an FA Cup or League Cup could definitely be on the cards this season. Trophies aside it should also be imperative for Lampard to continue his trust in the academy. Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Billy Gilmour all flourished last season and Lampard should reward that in spite of the new additions.
Gabe Henderson: First and foremost, Frank Lampard and Chelsea have to close the gargantuan gap between themselves and Liverpool. It’s something everybody expects and as such, is discussing. The gaffer himself touched on it towards the end of last season. With all of the new signings coming in, simply qualifying for top four and being content is not an option anymore. This squad is too talented to settle for mediocrity. Although the new signings and emerging youth players will need some time to settle in and get used to playing with one another, the Blues should still finish inside the top three. Manchester United is a very good team, but the additions of players like Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz make Chelsea significant favorites to finish above the Red Devils. Therefore, in order for this season to be deemed a success, the Blues need to close the gap, finish inside the top three and probably win a trophy or make a deep cup run.
Nate Hofmann: Third place and a significantly higher points total than last season’s paltry 66 is a realistic goal. It would be modest progress, but progress nonetheless. What matters more, however, is the incremental improvements to the pain points from the previous campaign. Namely, the defense. If Lampard can piece together a backline that is even slightly above average, my blood pressure and EKG readings will be far less problematic. The additions of Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell are steps in the right direction, but a new goalkeeper is still needed and another center back would be greatly appreciated. In addition to an improvement in results, a shored-up backline would reflect well on Lampard’s development as a manager.
Setting up a defense was always going to be Lampard’s biggest weakness coming into this job, so last season’s struggles were pretty predictable. This season will be a test of what he learned, how he processes those experiences, and what adaptations he makes going forward. It doesn’t have to be mid-2000’s Mourinho stuff, but the degree of improvement in this area will say a lot about his viability as a long-term manager at Chelsea. Likewise, this is a defining season for players like Andreas Christensen and Kurt Zouma, who should both be entering their primes as center backs. Continued struggles could doom them to mediocre careers elsewhere, while noticeable improvements could vault them into the conversation as some of the world’s most valuable defenders. It’s a make or break season for all parties.
Nathaniel Kay: Lampard now has no excuses in terms of squad strength as it is easily one of the best in the league, let alone in Europe. Therefore, a top three four finish is the minimum, but in far more convincing style than last campaign. A trophy also seems a must to at least put pedigree behind the managers small CV. The Champions League still seems too far in the distance for now, but a domestic cup is more than achievable. Fall short of either of these, and question marks will certainly be raised over his position. If he can get all his star-studded individuals working in tangent, this shouldn’t be an issue.
More from The Pride of London
- Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea player ratings: Abysmal, reckless, wasteful
- Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea: 3 Blues talking points
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 1 Blue Mauricio Pochettino should drop
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 3 Blues who must start
- Predicted Chelsea lineup vs Bournemouth: Palmer starts in 4-2-3-1
Wilfred Laurence: Anything less than a serious title challenge must be deemed a disappointment at this stage. That doesn’t mean winning the league is the be-all and end-all but, with this squad at his disposal, a genuine challenge must be (Mason) mounted for Lampard to retain the goodwill factor he currently has. Having not progressed passed the last 16 since 2013/14, going deep in the Champions League is equally important, if only to curtail this Arsenal-ish run.
Michael Malley: I know last year was all about the youth, but I want to see the stars shine this season. Roman Abramovic spent so much money this summer, let’s see how well Frank Lampard can use it. Timo Werner could, and probably should, be challenging for the golden boot, considering he has Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, and Kai Havertz feeding him chances. In terms of table and trophy success, a top three or four finish in the Premier League and some trophy, whether it be a domestic cup or, although very unlikely, the Champions League, are attainable. Chelsea will probably be playing a very attacking style of football, but I would like to see the team’s young defenders, a la Reece James, Fikayo Tomori, and the newly-acquired Ben Chilwell, take a step in their respective developments as well.
Olaoluwa Nwobodo: There were 15 points between Chelsea and Manchester City last season. Chelsea has added six new signings and may still add more. While it is true that all these new signings would not be integrated flawlessly within a very short period of time, Chelsea should be able to hit the 80 point mark this season. Frank Lampard has had enough time to evaluate his squad and he has seemingly gotten players that will suit his system. 80 points should not be unrealistic and should in fact be expected, because in the past three seasons, the English champions have had 100,98 and 99 points respectively. Therefore, any team aspiring to win the title would be looking in the family of 95-100 points depending on how the other teams perform. Chelsea can challenge for the title, but integrating 6+ players into a team is easier said than done, however clear progress should be seen. So, 80 points.
Abhishek Pancholi: Chelsea scraped into the top four places last season, but that won’t be enough to keep Roman Abramovich happy this time around. Considering the vast amounts of money Chelsea has spent, it would not be unreasonable to expect more than just a top four finish. Chelsea needs to challenge for the title till the bitter end, or until VAR hands Manchester United a controversial penalty in the final game, leaving us two points short of first place. Actually, a second place finish would be a great success for Frank Lampard. Combined with a domestic cup win and a deep run in the Champions League, it should be enough to keep him in the job for another season, at the very least.
Kevin Peacock: It was never really about where Sir Frank finished in the league in season one, however, getting Champions League football was a massive bonus. The appointment of Lampard was about building for the future and that invariably takes time. He knows and understands the club like Maurizio Sarri knows a packet of Marlboro’s. Of course, having spent big this summer, expectation shifts up a level. Before the four new signings, I would have said that again trophies don’t really matter. Roman Abramovich clearly has other ideas. With that in mind, a place in the top three of the league along with one of the other trophies will see Lampard happily off on his holes in a year’s time. We all know that to rival fans it will nothing to do with Lampard but whatever is achieved will be because of Roman’s rubles.
Charlie Pizey: Some pundits and rival fans are claiming that after Chelsea’s summer spending spree anything other than a serious title challenge is a failure for Lampard in his second season. However, the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City was so substantial that managing to close this chasm and breaking away from the chasing pack would represent another important step in the club’s development. As long as Chelsea are comfortably top four at the business end of next season Lampard will have done enough to be satisfied with the season. A highly successful season would combine this with a good run in Europe. Excluding Bayern Munich none of the traditional superpowers are as strong as usual meaning there’s no reason that the Blues shouldn’t be looking at reaching the quarter finals as a bare minimum. Frankly any success in the Carabao or FA Cup would be welcome but they shouldn’t be prioritized due to the packed schedule, so progress in these shouldn’t have a massive effect on how fans rate Lampard’s second season.
Vishnu Raj: In the Premier League, a repeat of last season won’t be enough this time around. It would be naive to expect them to challenge for the title straight out. The main aim should be to close the gap to Manchester City and Liverpool. The team finished with 66 points. So, with the changes, the team should at least score 80 points. Impotence in front of goal caused Lampard many points. Chelsea lost too many points to teams like Newcastle, Everton, Southampton, Bournemouth, Sheffield, Leicester. Those are the fixtures where an improvement is needed as soon as possible. A strong home form is also important in taking them back to top. A good cup run with success at the end will be a good bonus. Advance to knockout stages of UCL should be repeated, but this time with better showing even if some big team knocks them out.
Barrett Rouen: Success in Lampard’s season will be measured by an improvement in play and competitiveness with the top two. Liverpool and City are still so far ahead and steady in terms of their success that catching them is unrealistic until either one suffers some sort of internal change. That said Chelsea will need to solidify third and close the gap in terms of points.
Oliver Smith: If last season was one of growth and youth integration, this season has to be one where Frank Lampard pushes the Blues onto new heights, specifically third place in the Premier League and some silverware. Chelsea showed some sparkles last season but a lot of inconsistencies too; the massive outlay in the summer transfer window and the quality of players brought in demands a response. It is no longer a season where Chelsea can lose to mid-table teams or suffer defeats like the opening day defeat at Old Trafford last season. The kids are growing but now they have a supporting cast of some world-class talent and that will help immensely. The club is a few steps and likely at least two seasons (and a defense) away from Champions League glory but making it count in the domestic cups is a must for the 2020/21 season.
Tan Yi Hao: In part due to the transfer ban and in part due to the departure of Chelsea’s best player in Eden Hazard, the fact is that Frank Lampard’s Chelsea has been largely inconsistent this season and at times, astonishingly bad. Apart from crashing out rather embarrassingly to Bayern Munich in the Champions League by a 7-1 scoreline over two legs, the Blues also got to a FA Cup final, only the fall at the final hurdle to London-rivals Arsenal.
These are end of season outcomes that have seen ex-managers axed without a second thought and Frank Lampard himself knows that a similar report card at the end of the 2020/21 season would see him given the sack, legend or not. With so many quality new faces coming into the club this window across the defense and the attack, Lampard knows that he must not only secure top four but also close the gap between Chelsea and the top dogs of the league significantly. Winning a cup or two along the way would also certainly do no harm to the club’s ethos of consistent success. This is going to be a hugely exciting season for the Blues and the pressure is certainly on Lampard to show the board and fans alike if he is indeed good enough to herald in a new era at SW6.
Travis Tyler: Qualifying for Champions League comfortably and getting out of the Champions League group comfortably should be plenty. The new signings won’t all click or gel right away and the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City is simply too large to close with one transfer window. Then just playing up to expectations in the cups depending on the opponent that day.
Who will be Chelsea’s surprise player of the season?
Vansh: Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Amidst all the signings and the talk about youth, Premier League has forgotten about Ruben Loftus-Cheek. While RLC has been promising for the Blues throughout, PL fans seem to write him off on every occasion. This is the season where RLC wrestles his way into the starting XI and shows everyone what he is made of.
Scott: Hakim Ziyech. With all the high profile transfer this window, it will by Ziyech with his ridiculous amount of assists that surprise both his teammates and fans.
Varun: Callum Hudson-Odoi. He’s been buried by the media and written off by the fanbase and that is exactly why he’s going to prove everybody wrong. He’ll provide vital squad depth and give Pulisic and Ziyech a run for their money.
Matthew: Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Blues have spent big on new additions and all come with high expectation and European pedigree. However, it is one of the club’s longer serving players I believe may have a breakthrough season. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was finally establishing himself as a key figure in the starting XI before the devastating injury that ruled him out for the best part of a year. With N’Golo Kante suffering with injury issues of his own and Jorginho falling out of fan favor, there is room in the center of the park for Loftus-Cheek to get himself back in the starting XI. With the Euros next year this could be the biggest season yet for the Englishman.
Gabe: N’Golo Kante. Kante’s absence last season weighed heavily on the defense. The back line and Kepa Arrizabalaga looked horrible and while a majority of that burden is on them, Kante’s injury played a part in the disaster as well. The Frenchman’s injuries took a huge toll on the team as a whole. Now, with him looking to return to health—and to his old position—Kante will be almost like an all new signing for Chelsea. A lot of people have speculated he’s past it or the Blues should sell him, but that couldn’t be any further from the truth. When on the pitch, he’s the best defensive midfielder in the world, no ifs, ands or buts about it. He’ll silence all of his doubters this season, regardless of whether he plays in a double pivot with Mateo Kovacic or deputizes the defensive midfield on his own. Lampard has stated on numerous occasions that Kante has a massive role to play in this side, it’s hard to disagree with the gaffer. If not for the critics and injuries, it wouldn’t be a surprise Player of the Season, but here we are.
Nate Hofmann: To call the previous campaign a “lost season” for Callum Hudson-Odoi would be a bit harsh, but it was certainly not the trajectory the club would have been hoping for. That’s partly due to his slow return from an awful injury and the rise of Christian Pulisic right as Hudson-Odoi was ready to make his return. Add in a problematic COVID hiatus and Lampard’s unwillingness to use the young Englishman when the season resumed, and you have an underwhelming year. It’s worth wondering if his massive new contract might have added some psychological pressure that wasn’t there when he was just a rising youth player.
Headed into the new season, however, the path to Hudson-Odoi becoming a major contributor is suddenly wide open. He and Pulisic are the only two wingers Lampard has spent real time working with, and Pulisic and newcomer Hakim Ziyech are both nursing some (hopefully) minor knocks with the first matches just around the corner. He looked like one of Chelsea’s sharpest players in the friendly against Brighton, even if his assist for Timo Werner’s goal was mostly a botched attempt to score from a header. Given the uncertainty in both health and cohesion in the winger position, Hudson-Odoi will likely see some major minutes in the early weeks of this season. An impactful start could put his burgeoning career back on the path many expected him to be on. I think we’ve all forgotten just how good he can be, and I’m betting he’ll remind us this season.
Nathaniel Kay: N’Golo Kante. After a torrid time through injury, the French finally returns to full fitness and it is like he’s never been away. Making tackles, covering every blade of grace, graceful in possession and dogged out of it. The Kante of old returns to run the midfield, adding that cover to allow his more creative team mates license to kill in the final third. An assist or a goal here and there is welcome, but all Chelsea want is the all-conquering Kante back in midfield.
Wilfred: Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Remember this guy? You will at season’s end. Despite all the comings and goings, it’ll be the academy graduate who excels beyond expectations this year, principally by playing 15 more games than you think he will, and backing that up with a “Michael Ballack at Bayern Munich” stat sheet.
Michael: Fikayo Tomori. The end of last season was difficult to watch at times for Chelsea fans, who were subjected to some comical defensive football. There weren’t many strong center back performances from Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma, or Andreas Christensen, and it never made sense to me why Tomori was just sitting on the bench. He was injured towards the end of last season, but was available for a few games at the very end. Lampard never gave him a chance though. Even if he doesn’t start every match, I would like to see the Tomori-Thiago Silva partnership develop, and hopefully the veteran Brazilian will be able to pass some knowledge to the inexperienced Englishman.
Olaoluwa: Hakim Ziyech. This is may seem an odd selection because a lot of hype has been surrounding the new signings, but Ziyech would still surprise many still. Majority of the fans have tagged Kai Havertz as the key signing of the season but that is far from the truth, even Havertz thrives off good service and Ziyech would provide that service. Ziyech embodies everything Chelsea needs in an attacker. Work rate, creativity, finishing and set pieces. Several fans expect Ziyech to be very good, but they’re not quite ready for what they’ll see.
Abhishek: Thiago Silva. The veteran Brazilian center back is not the kind of signing Chelsea have been known to make in recent years. Not much is expected from him, but he will prove to be an inspired acquisition. Thiago Silva will be the first name on the teamsheet in the Premier League and the Champions League for Chelsea. His experience and leadership will transform the Chelsea backline into an impenetrable wall, as he barks instructions and rallies the troops like a battle-hardened five star general. Thiago Silva might be the first player with the stature to fill John Terry’s boots. And that is the best compliment one could offer to a Chelsea center back.
Kevin: Kepa Arrizabalaga. With a new keeper potentially coming into the squad, Arrizabalaga really steps up. Once the pressure is on, the Spaniard knuckles down and Lampard has the luxury of having two decent keepers to choose from. Whoever scouted Arrizabalaga must have seen a good goalie in their somewhere. His first season was okay, the second was obviously less so but mark Arrizabalaga down to storm through season three.
Charlie: Hakim Ziyech will be Chelsea’s best player this season but it’s hard to argue that this would come as a surprise. So, past that watch out for Mason Mount who will benefit hugely from playing in a team with far more quality players around him. Lampard showed that he wants to play with N’Golo Kante playing behind two more attack minded midfielders in the center of the pitch and Mount has already excelled in this role. He’ll be alongside Kai Havertz this season, and he will rise to the challenge and excel for Lampard’s Blues.
Vishnu: N’Golo Kante. Chelsea has brought in some exciting players and all the spotlight is on them naturally. Many fans have forgotten what Kante is capable of. Some even want to make a profit off him. They only need to look at his performance the last time he was on the field, for France against Sweden. He was at his very best on the night with interceptions, tackles recoveries and what not. Injuries have certainly halted his last few months. But if he can stay safe, it will be massive for Frank Lampard and his team.
Barrett: Chelsea’s surprise player of the season is going to be Tammy Abraham. It seems that people have forgotten that Chelsea’s resident number nine had a great first season in the Premier League last year and that he and Werner play in different positions. With Werner coming in from the left and Abraham through the center the young Englishman is going to score 20 goals this season and show his worth as a focal point and team leader.
Oliver: Marco van Ginkel. Now this is not a name you would have thought would appear anywhere, but the Dutchman is still part of the Chelsea first team, and if you consult the Official Chelsea First Team Squad he is right there, with the new kit on no less, which is more than can be said for Tiemoue Bakayoko. A horrible string of injuries has deprived Chelsea fans of seeing van Ginkel replicate the form he did for PSV but he has been rehabbing at Cobham for an eternity and this will be his season to shine. An alternative to Jorginho/Ross Barkley, Van Ginkel will be a contender for the team’s Player of the Season (Lewis Baker came a close second in surprise of the season).
Yi Hao: Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Spaniard has honestly had a record-breaking season in terms of just how awful he was following a hugely promising start to the campaign against Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup. Yes, competition in the form of a new goalkeeper will probably arrive with the latest rumors linking Rennes’ Edouard Mendy to Chelsea. However, the Spaniard has already declared his desire to stay and fight for his place and at 25, still has time on his side to overcome the worst season he has ever had as a professional. As the old adage goes, the only way left is up. Hopefully, that applies to Kepa in the season to come.
Travis: Christian Pulisic. Chelsea’s new signings will help, but they will still play second fiddle to Pulisic’s rising star. The American improved by leaps and bounds under one year of Lampard and year two will see him explode into super stardom.
Who will be Chelsea’s signing of the season?
Vansh: Hakim Ziyech. This man will take the league by storm. Premier League isn’t ready for this.
Scott: Timo Werner. I think Timo Werner is going to provide a very consistent source of goals up top. And looking at our recent past that’s when Chelsea are most dangerous to their opposition and teams surrounding them in the table. Those goals up top will be vital in Chelsea’s success this coming season.
Varun: Hakim Ziyech. The second coming of Juan Mata who will destroy every low block that every existed.
Matthew: Timo Werner. Werner is in an interesting position. Out of all the new arrivals he should find it easiest to slot into the side. After all the player he is replacing in the starting XI, Tammy Abraham, managed 18 league goals himself last season. As such Werner should be capable of getting into golden boot territory. He was one of the most prolific goal scorers in Europe last season and will have the likes of Ziyech and Havertz supplying him with endless opportunities to continue his fine form.
Gabe: Hakim Ziyech. Ziyech is going to be the glue that holds everything together. Further, as the first signing in the most luxurious window in club history, the Moroccan is often forgotten or at least under-appreciated. He showed flashes of what he brings to the team this season in the pre-season friendly against Brighton. Ziyech will challenge for playmaker, but can also score some other worldly goals. His versatility—in terms of position and skills—will prove to be massive for a team that has struggled to break down defenses at times over the last few years. As any new signing coming from another league, there are concerns as to how his game will translate, but luckily, he relies on finesse and not physicality. He may be a bit older and have less world class experience than signings like Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, but Ziyech will still play a massive role this season as he transitions flawlessly into his new team.
Nate Hofmann: Thiago Silva. Honestly, he could make a major impact without ever playing a match for Chelsea. Last season’s center back issues were based on mentality as much as ability. The instability caused by flagging form and a merry-go-round of injuries—not to mention a devastatingly unreliable goalkeeper behind them—led to mental lapses on the field that caused Chelsea to drop points that should never have been in doubt.
The Maurizio Sarri era at Chelsea was a mess in several ways, and his mismanagement of several key players in the squad will be one of his lasting legacies. Gary Cahill is chief among them. What Sarri couldn’t disrupt, however, was Cahill’s wealth of experience at the very highest levels of the game, and his position as a leader in the dressing room. The right type of veterans can change a team even when they aren’t significant contributors on the field. Thiago Silva could very much fit that archetype.
Silva will certainly play more than Cahill did under Sarri, but he does look to be a square peg in a round hole as far as fitting into Lampard’s tactics. Whether an old dog like Silva can learn new tricks at the ripe old age of 36 remains to be seen, but his presence in the squad will absolutely improve the defensive mentality of the squad, even if it’s through his words more than his actions. Ideally, he’s 2014-15 John Terry. At worst, he’s 2016-17 John Terry. Either one would be greatly appreciated.
Nathaniel Kay: Thiago Silva. Of course, all the plaudits will go towards the Werner’s and the Ziyech’s for their outstanding attacking partnership. Yet, it is the guile and grit of Silva that turns the Chelsea defense from a shivering wreck into a lean, mean fighting machine. He does a John Terry in 2014/15, showing no signs that his age will be a hindrance. He forms a firm partnership with whomever he is placed besides, and even pops up with the occasional crucial goal to win the Blues a few points.
Wilfred: Kai Havertz. Boring, but true. Put simply, Havertz is the kind of player that, without this summer’s very specific circumstances, Chelsea wouldn’t be able to buy. Any other year, the German teenager is on his way to Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Manchester City. Somehow, this mix of Michael Ballack and Eden Hazard is at the Bridge. Get ready for his reign.
Michael: Timo Werner. One thing that Chelsea has been missing for so many seasons is a striker who scores week in, week out, and they seem to have finally found that in Timo Werner. Some consider the Bundesliga to be a farmer’s league, but the top teams are very strong, and Werner has always performed well in the big moments. The new number 11 already showed his knack for finding the back of the net in the pre-season friendly against Brighton, and surely that’s only a taste of things to come. Werner should be near the top of the scoring charts, hopefully winning the golden boot. If he can’t perform well, Lampard wouldn’t hesitate to give Tammy Abraham his starting spot back, so Werner will have to put up big numbers, and fast.
Olaoluwa: Hakim Ziyech. Ziyech fulfills many of Chelsea’s needs this season. Especially with the loss of Willian. Ziyech is an expert free kick taker, has a wicked cross. He can finish chances as well as create them. He has the work rate required of attackers in a Chelsea and Lampard setup. Ziyech is by far Chelsea’s most creative player and he will be the go to man whenever Chelsea hits a snag in a game. He will singlehandedly win Chelsea points this season.
Abhishek: Timo Werner. Even though Kai Havertz is the big ticket item in Chelsea’s shopping trolley, it will be Werner’s goals that will form the basis of Chelsea’s title challenge. The German international striker will surprise defenders with his blistering pace and his knack for finding space in and around the box, leaving them disoriented as he opens the scoring yet again. Werner will end up with 20 plus goals in the league, with another 10 or so in the cup competitions. Playing off Tammy Abraham or on his own, the German will be the most devastating weapon in Chelsea’s armory.
Kevin: The goalkeeper for the kick up the (insert fruity language) it gives Arrizabalaga.
Charlie: Hakim Ziyech. This is hard to answer because Chelsea have signed so many brilliant players but the Moroccan will be the stand out. He provides Chelsea with two things that they have lacked for years: a set piece specialist and a quality left footed attacker. His ability to open up the pitch from the right flank will be vital to Chelsea as it gives the team so many more options. Whether he is whipping crosses to the back post for Christian Pulisic or finding the net from range himself, Ziyech will run the show for Chelsea.
Vishnu: Thiago Silva. Goals have been hard to come by for Chelsea last season. Even though Olivier Giroud’s return to starting 11 saw that improving, the introduction of Werner will provide the killer instinct. Havertz and Ziyech will also have a big say in that end of Chelsea. But the end Chelsea suffered the most is at the back. They had one of the worst defensive records of any top teams in Europe. Despite trying out every combination possible, none of their center backs provided consistency. The form of Kepa Arrizabalaga didn’t do any favors either. Thiago Silva is a proven winner and leader. Despite his age, the champions league final showed why he is still one of the best. If the defense can sort it out, it well naturally reflects in the other end where they only need to worry about scoring.
Barrett: Thiago Silva. Free and likely going to make a huge difference to the overall play of the squad. A good defense makes your attack better because they have more confidence and the ability to take chances. He will immediately improve the Blues and show them what they have been missing for far too long.
Oliver: Thiago Silva without a shadow of a doubt. The veteran defender joining the Blues will give them the stability, experience and accountability that the defense has lacked since Gary Cahill left the club. Chelsea have always had that one talismanic defender (and in Championship winning sides it’s been at least two) and Silva is the man. Antonio Rudiger has looked out of sorts while Cesar Azpilicueta (and I hate to say this) might be running out of steam just a tad but that is also because “Dave” has been asked to do everything for the past seven years or so and done so impeccably. Silva will add some fight to a back line that desperately needs it, expect him to bring out the best in the defense and Kepa Arrizabalaga too.
Yi Hao: Thiago Silva. As much as Chelsea’s attack underperformed their xG for last term, the -12 differential between their xG against and the actual amount of goals conceded is perhaps the biggest reason why Lampard’s men finished the campaign on just 66 points. As much as this can be attributed to Kepa’s poor form, Chelsea’s backline has not covered themselves in glory either. The intelligence and leadership a 36-year-old Silva would provide is hence invaluable and should the Brazilian prove that he can indeed perform at anywhere near the levels he displayed in Paris, a marked improvement in the goals against column should likewise be expected this upcoming season.
Travis: Unless Declan Rice signs, Timo Werner will steal the show up top. He will end up playing in a variety of attacking shapes and with several different teammates around him, but he will be the one that is the constant as he finds the net again and again.
Who will score the goal of the season and how?
Vansh: Kai Havertz scores the goal of the season against Arsenal. Kepa Arrizabalaga comes out to catch a corner (a trick he learnt in his one-on-one tuition class with Petr Cech). He rolls the ball into the path of Havertz, who then goes on to rush past Aubameyang (who rolls over and appeals for a foul). Havertz continues running and nutmegs Granit Xhaka. Finally, Havertz reaches the box and runs past Gabriel. Havertz takes a shot at Bernd Leno, and David Luiz ends up tackling his own keeper.
Scott: Goal of the season goes to Antonio Rudiger. The man is very clumsy, sometimes I wonder if he’s on skates and no one realizes. So, I could imagine him going on a long run from the center of the park, as he closes in on the box he begins to stumble and lays his foot into the ball sending a screamer passed the keeper and though the net. Only Rudiger could turn an absolute cluster into goal of the season.
Varun: Declan Rice nutmegs Mount, goes past five Chelsea players, turns around and scores a 90-yard own goal. He proceeds to remove his jersey and reveal his “London Is Blue” tattoo along with a somewhat awkward “Mason Is Mine” tattoo which he quickly covers up. West Ham is officially relegated and Chelsea crowned champions, which activates the Lampard Clause in Rice’s contract makes him a Chelsea player retrospectively since 5th September 2020. It also forces West Ham to also buy Jorginho and Danny Drinkwater for 100 million per leg, bankrupting and disbanding the club in the process. Marina has done it again.
Matthew: Eberichi Eze. In an abysmal season for the south-London side (based on how their previous one ended) Eze produces a bit of magic on the final day. After picking up the ball at the halfway line, the forward glides past player of the year contender Virgil Van Dijk, curling an unstoppable effort into the top corner in the 89th minute, tearing the title away from the defending champions.
Gabe: Jay Rodriguez will hit an absolute worldie from 30-35 yards out; it’ll be a sublime curling hit against Chelsea. Kepa Arrizabalaga will be starting in goal (for some reason) and will watch the ball fly into the top corner as he did with Wilfried Zaha’s last season. His feet will be planted to the spot as he’s left picking a savable ball out the back of the net. Rodriguez scores in the dying minutes of the match to steal the headlines. The Burnley bench erupts as it is finally rewarded for all of the team’s efforts throughout the match. Chelsea 5 Burnley 1, final.
Nate Hofmann: This is easy because we basically watched it happen last season. Ziyech directly from a corner. He already scored from a freekick that was essentially on the corner spot at Stamford Bridge in that wild 4-4 Champions League match. It was among the finest goals Chelsea have ever conceded. Granted, if we’re being pedantic, Kepa Arrizabalaga’s face was the actual goal scorer, but the point still stands. Ziyech has the skill and the gloriously irrational confidence to go for it on a concerningly regular basis, and the law of large numbers suggests it’ll eventually happen. Bend it like Beckham? More like Hook it like Hakim. Ok, ok, I’ll leave.
Nathaniel Kay: Olivier Giroud, because he only scores elegant goals. FA Cup semi-final vs Tottenham, Giroud replaces Mateo Kovacic in the 80th minute as Lampard throws caution to the wind to try snatch a late winner. Silver sprays an inch-perfect pass out to Ben Chilwell, who brings it down on his chest and plays a neat 1-2 with Christian Pulisic as the left back drives infield. Chilwell then finds the feet of Ziyech on the edge of the area, who dinks a delicate ball over the defense and Giroud, on the half volley, smashes his shot off the underside of the cross bar.
Wilfred: 94th minute. 2-2 at the Emirates. Hakim Ziyech whips in a cross, Timo Werner attacks it with a bullet header. David Luiz, with some would-be heroics, manages to get his head on it with an impressive goal-line leap. But his header crashes into the bar, ricocheting onto the unsuspecting face of Willian, who’s only there thanks to a timely nudge from Kai Havertz. Pandemonium in the away end. Tears from the Latte Boys. Alopecia for Arteta.
Michael: North London Derby, 85th minute. Hugo Lloris is injured in a freak collision with Davinson Sanchez, and Joe Hart is forced into his first action of the season. After Nicolas Pepe attempts to elastico through four defenders, he loses the ball out of play for a goal kick. Hart, thinking quickly, kicks the advertisement board to get the attention of Jose Mourinho’s favorite ball boy, who tosses him a new ball. While everyone is walking back slowly with their heads down and Leno is drinking water facing away from the goal, Hart launches the goal kick the length of the pitch into Arsenal’s net, giving Tottenham fans their only sense of joy of the entire season.
Olaoluwa: Come on we all know who it is right? Ross Barkley. Of course, it’s Barkley. It’ll be a game against Liverpool. Chelsea would be under immense pressure, then he’ll pick up the ball in his own half, knock it past Fabinho, who would react slowly, then get into a foot race with Virgil Van Dijk, the Liverpool key man will confidently try to tackle Barkley but will miss his step and fall. Barkley will then run at Liverpool’s goal post to face an overconfident Alisson. Alisson will stand his ground but it wouldn’t matter. Barkley will blast the ball into the top right corner of the net to put Chelsea 2-0 up in the 87th minute.
Abhishek: Jorginho. The Brazitalian midfield maestro intercepts the ball deep in his own half, passes it back to a defender who promptly sends it back to him. Surrounded by opposition players and with nowhere to go, something clicks inside Jorginho. The long dormant Brazilian joga bonito gene is activated. So is Jorginho’s peripheral vision. And so are the muscles in his neck, which stopped him from ever looking around before making a pass. There’s a twinkle in his eye now, and a toothy smile reminiscent of the greatest Brazilian/Paraguayan playmaker. With one swift move Jorginho rainbow flicks the ball over one opposition player, pirouettes around another, darts between two more and finds himself facing only two centerbacks and the goalkeeper. He shimmies to his left, leaving one centerback on his arse, while the other one turns around and jumps into the stands to avoid the same humiliation. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Jorginho hits the cross bar with a trivela, leaving the goalkeeper gasping for air and begging for respite. As the ball bounces off the woodwork and back towards him, Jorginho finishes what he started with the greatest bicycle kick of all time. And then all the cultists applaud.
Kevin: Given he’s going to have an outstanding season, Arrizabalaga tops it off with a goal scored from midway in his own half. Seeing some other hapless keeper off his line when he’s in full-on Manuel Neuer mode and the ball loops in off the crossbar.
Charlie: Hakim Ziyech will send in about 200 deep crosses from the right flank over the course of the season. The odds dictate that eventually, if repeated enough, someone will scorpion kick one of them into the top corner. This man will be Christian Pulisic, the game will be at home against Leeds. Ziyech will skin whichever poor soul is playing left back, probably Stuart Dallas, and float one across the box. Pulisic will channel his inner bald eagle and fly onto it before connecting with his heal and sending it into the top corner.
Vishnu: Werner. Ziyech with a long ball, Hudson-Odoi tries to head it towards the goal, but does completely opposite but falls right into Werner.
Barrett: Kai Havertz
Oliver: Jack Grealish, kind of. As with everything that happens at Aston Villa, it has to go through the young Englishman and their captain Jack Grealish. Grealish will pick up the ball about 10 yards on his side of the halfway line, forced to track back to collect the ball and do something with it, and he will play some cute one-twos with a few players whose names aren’t Jack Grealish. Grealish will toy with the poor opposing midfielder and get clipped, but time his roll on the ground perfectly to spring up and collect the aforementioned one-two he played just moments ago. Then with a Gareth Bale esque burst of pace he will dart down the touchline, leaving the field of play before appearing out of nowhere, you guessed it, picking up the return of another of his one-twos. A number of step overs later, some expert shielding of the ball while his teammates take a drinks break, two outshone midfielders and three embarrassed defenders later Grealish will be on the edge of the box, cueing up the shot only to get scythed down Vinnie Jones style. The ball will roll to a Villa player not called Jack Grealish and he’ll pop it in the back of the net and celebrate in the corner.
Yi Hao: As part of his resurgence as one of the world’s best shot-stoppers in his third season with the club, a confident Arrizabalaga comes out of his six-yard box to claim a high, floating ball into the box from Trent Alexander-Arnold. He then drop-kicks the ball straight out to Pulisic who deftly brings the ball under control and rolls it into the path of Kai Havertz. The German does not even need to take a look up to ascertain where Ziyech is before hitting a sweet cross-field ball to Chelsea’s new 22. With the ball yet to even touch the ground, the Moroccan volleys it over the top for Werner to chase and the season’s leading top scorer smashes the ball into the top right corner of A. Becker’s goal from the left side of the box. The game then ends 5-3 to Chelsea at Anfield, with the Blues finally breaking Liverpool’s long-running unbeaten record at home.
Travis: After watching the entirety of the Tottenham documentary, the players grow upset that Jose Mourinho hijacked the show. That comes to a head in march when Mourinho is sacked after a string of poor performances. In the first game afterwards, Harry Kane (who had been dropped by Mourinho) scores in the 92nd minute with a fantastic finish that has pundits proclaiming Tottenham is back. He jumps into the crowd and the fans go wild as Tottenham takes a point.
Who will be the surprise Premier League team of the season?
Vansh: Everton. Carlo Ancelotti has been linked with a number of players, and it looks like he means serious business this season. Over the past few years, Everton has lost its shine and hasn’t really been able to challenge the top sides. However, with signings like James Rodriguez and Allan, Everton are ready to challenge for the Top six again!
Scott: Leeds. I hate saying it, and I don’t believe they will be quite as successful has Sheffield United were this year, but they will not struggle to stay up, liking finishing around 10th.
Varun: Southampton with a top half finish provided Liverpool don’t buy half the squad in January.
Matthew: Southampton
Gabe: Everton. It feels weird predicting Everton to be genuinely good, especially given the mediocrity of the club in recent … I don’t know … decades? The Toffees bring something different to the table this year. With a plethora of incredible new signings, Don Carlo Ancelotti at the helm and some slip ups from the big six, Everton could finish a lot closer to the top four than people imagine.
Nate Hofmann: Newcastle (with or without a morally uncomfortable Saudi Arabian takeover)
Nathaniel Kay: Leeds United
Wilfred: Fulham. Arguably the worst performers of the three promoted sides with probably the best squad, and definitely the best striker. If they can get a Fikayo Tomori on loan, expect them to survive comfortably with a few scalps along the way.
Michael: Leeds
Olaoluwa: Leeds United. Leeds would be a thorn in the side of many top teams this season. This would be made more interesting by their new signing Rodrigo. A lot has been said about Marcelo Bielsa by many and he will have a lot to prove, especially after losing out on Premier League football by Lampard’s hands last season. Leeds will be that team that stay compact, steal goals, nick wins and be very difficult to break down.
Abhishek: Everton. Carlo Ancelotti is building a formidable side under the radar. This Everton team will challenge for the top four positions before setting for a Europa League place. They will give some of the big hitters a bloody nose more than once this season.
Kevin: Sadly this falls on Leeds United
Charlie: Arsenal. Good manager and solid signings, don’t be surprised if they grab fourth.
Vishnu: Brighton. They have all the right tools to be the team with one of the best backlines.
Barrett: Leeds or Arsenal. Leeds, though I am not supposed to as a Chelsea supporter, I just massively like as a culture and team. Arsenal have done some really good business and I believe in Mikel Arteta.
Oliver: Leeds. There is a grit about them which will see them finish 12th.
Yi Hao: As much as we all hate them, it would seem that Arsenal’s rebuild under Arteta has gained quite the momentum. With the signings of Gabriel and Willian and more importantly, their success in getting Aubameyang to extend his contract with the club, Arsenal have the building blocks necessary to fight their way back up the league table. In Arteta, Arsenal has a good manager who has shown sufficient tactical nous to win his side two pieces of silverware in just his first 8 months in charge. With all that in mind, the Gunners could yet prove themselves to be outside favorites to land a spot in the top four come the end of the 20/21 season.
Travis: Southampton. Ralphampton. Viva la Ralphaloution.
Who will be the first manager sacked this season?
Vansh: Dean Smith. Aston Villa managed to stay up last season by a whisker. They could be relegated this season and Smith might be sacked midway.
Scott: Dean Smith. Villa will struggle early and they will not hesitate to fire their manager.
Varun: Steve Bruce.
Matthew: Slaven Bilic. After being provided with almost no funds to improve a mediocre squad, Bilic’s West Brom fail to win any of their first seven games and the Croatian is swiftly shown the exit door before Halloween.
Gabe: David Moyes. In addition to having the toughest schedule out of the gate, West Ham is an absolute mess. The Irons struggled to stay up last season, leaving it down to the wire and surviving by the hair on their chinny chin chin, However, they won’t be as lucky this season. A poorly run club for the better part of the last decade, West Ham has been in decline ever since it sold Dimitri Payet and it will reach rock bottom next season. The Hammers haven’t really done anything to change up their squad, only selling a promising youngster and potentially offloading Declan Rice in the coming weeks. As things stand, West Ham is doomed and thus, so is Moyes. A man who prides himself on his ability to win did all he could last season to keep the club up, which he managed, but it’s a ticking time bomb. A few weeks into the season, West Ham will sit bottom of the table and sack Moyes rather than purchase new players because that’s how idiotic the club’s board is. Sorry, David Moyes; you’re a stand-up guy, but you’ll win the sack sweepstakes this season.
Nate Hofmann: David Moyes, no question. You know what isn’t any fun? Having David Moyes as your manager. He’s capable of providing two things: uninspiring football and a pessimistic attitude. Why West Ham elected to bring in football’s answer to Nietzsche is beyond me; why they’ve decided to do it twice is well beyond the collective comprehension of mankind.
To be fair, Moyes is mostly a victim of circumstance. His career trajectory was thrown into eternal chaos the minute he was selected to succeed Sir (ugh) Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013. His short stint at Old Trafford kicked off a solid seven seasons of various levels of incompetence for United—for which we owe him a great deal of gratitude—but his reputation as a manager was irrevocably stained as a result.
His less-than-triumphant return to the London Stadium didn’t do much to reverse the fortunes of the club last season. He succeeded in staving off relegation in large part due to incredible acts of charity by Manchester United and, sigh, Chelsea in the last few weeks of the season. It’s also worth noting that the Hammers have a brutal early run of fixtures. After kicking off their season against Newcastle, they face Arsenal, Wolves, Leicester City, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool all in a row. It’s plausible that they’ll stagger into November with zero points. Even if they manage a shock result or two, Moyes is a sitting duck. It’s an impending calamity that should surprise absolutely no one.
Nathaniel Kay: Dean Smith. After selling Jack Grealish and receiving a hefty sum, Aston Villa fail to learn the lesson from last season and recruit poorly. They bring in two attacking midfielders to try replace their captain, but they fail to score or assist in their first eight league fixtures. Dean Smith tries to steady the ship by reverting to a three-man defense, only to be struck by injuries in all the wrong areas. After a fifth consecutive defeat at the hands of Leicester City, Smith gets the sack.
Wilfred: Roy Hodgson. Hate to do it to a man so impressively bilingual, but I can see last season’s spring-summer slump continuing into September and beyond, leaving Woy with no way out. Thing is, he’ll be back at West Brom by February, following Slaven Bilic’s inevitable crash and burn.
Michael: David Moyes. Poor, poor David Moyes. Since his days leading Everton to unexpected success, his reputation hasn’t been pristine. He’s failed nearly everywhere he’s gone, and his second spell at West Ham nearly ended in a disastrous relegation. I think West Ham will bounce back from last year’s awful finish, but if the Hammers get off to a slow start in the league, it won’t be surprising to see David Moyes the first manager sacked. They have an incredibly difficult run of matches from Match weeks two through six, and an embarrassing loss to either City or Liverpool could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Olaoluwa: Dean Smith. Smith has come close before and with the teams around them strengthening, Villa might not have enough about them to put together a decent run of form, to which Smith will be sacked and John Terry will be appointed head coach. Aston Villa were far from impressive last season and it only looks like it’ll get worse for them this season.
Abhishek: David Moyes. Like Thanos, West Ham sacking a manager in the first half of the season is, quite frankly, inevitable. Unfortunately for him, David Moyes is no Iron Man, so he can’t quite save himself from the axe. West Ham will be languishing in the bottom five from the start, with teams coming to the London Stadium and thwacking them like a pinata filled with three points. This will become boring after a while and the owners will put Moyes out of his misery around December.
Kevin: Dean Smith at Aston Villa teetered on the brink last season before Coronavirus delayed the finish. With John Terry waiting in the wings for his first managerial role, a few poor results will see him given that chance at Villa Park at Smith’s expense.
Charlie: Scott Parker. Fulham had the largest budget in the Championship by a distance yet only just managed to get promoted. The football they played was turgid at times but they generally had enough individual quality to win them games. But players like Aleksander Mitrovic who could make the difference in the Championship won’t be able to do it alone at this level. Fulham will struggle to score goals and despite Parker firming up their defense last season they will still leak goals when faced with more sophisticated attacking threats. Add on to this the fact that Fulham have had almost no time to prepare for this season due to their promotion coming via the playoffs and all in all it’ll will be a pretty miserable start to the season for them with Parker fired before Christmas.
Vishnu: Slaven Bilic. West Brom are the kind of club you see promoted to the premier league every two-three years and then get relegated soon. Last time Bilic was in PL, he was sacked after a run of poor results. With both their history combined, he could be the first to go.
Barrett: Steve Bruce or Jose Mourinho.
Oliver: Have we had a year recently where there was a single firing and every manager who started one season then started the following one? If that is the case it won’t be this year as Steve Bruce at Newcastle will be the first manager to get the sack. It’s a difficult question this, as none of the big clubs are going to sack their managers and the smaller clubs want to keep their managers as it’s their identity. Shaking it up midseason in the Premier League is a very fine line if the replacement manager isn’t called Roy Hodgson. That is where Newcastle comes in, it is by no means a small club and most would likely think of it now as a big club of the past, apart from the Geordies, but it’s a bit of a shambles up north. Newcastle will just survive the drop, but Bruce is headed for the chop.
Yi Hao: The club is in a mess, the new owners are hated, most of their signings have been huge flops and the squad is still hugely reliant on their veteran players. West Ham’s failings on and off the pitch have caught them with them spectacularly in recent years and have cumulated in last season’s relegation scare. With the root problems yet to be solved, do expect David Moyes to bear the inevitable brunt of the club’s failings and be given the boot just two months into the new season, leaving the club in an even greater limbo and Declan Rice convinced that a move to Chelsea is the only way to kickstart his career proper.
Travis: David Moyes. The time for Moyes to remain the West Ham manager was the last time they sacked him. Going back to him shows how the club is really just throwing things at a dart board and hoping it sticks. The Hammers to be winless by October when Moyes is finally given his marching orders.
How many “Serious point, light-hearted point [chuckle] but, no, serious point” moments will Lampard have this season?
Vansh: This has to be at least 30.
Scott: Lampard will have at least one per press conference, which equals a ton of them. On the safe side you could easily predict he’ll do it around 100 times this season.
Varun: Eight, or maybe 18 *chuckle* but, no, seriously eight.
Matthew: Lets go one a game, 38.
Gabe: Over 100, one before and after almost every match this season (in all competitions).
Nate Hofmann: One for every terrible goal conceded in a match Chelsea still manages to win. So, like, 30.
Nathaniel Kay: At least 25
Wilfred: Exactly the number of points the Blues amass this season: 88.
Michael: Over 100
Olaoluwa: 110
Abhishek: 30 plus, easy. He is a one-trick pony when it comes to interviews.
Kevin: Well, how the hell am I going to know that, although Frank does love a bit of bantz *chuckles*, but no, probably 92.
Charlie: He averages about two of these per match (one pre game one post game), so I’ll have to go with around 90.
Vishnu: 78.
Barrett: I could not hope to understand the sort of things that Liverpool supporters still manage to feel are unfair despite having the riches in terms of quality that they do. I’m sorry but I am literally not able to comprehend and answer to this question in a serious manner. It could be literally anything. “They grew the grass too long for our football” sort of stuff sounds normal.
Oliver: Oh lord, how many interviews and press conferences will Lampard do, have to think it’s going to be close to 30
Yi Hao: Exactly 268.
Travis: At a rate of at least one per game, plus a few extra for good measure, 70 even.
What will be the final ranking of the London only Premier League table?
Vansh: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace, West Ham
Scott: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Fulham.
Varun: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham
Matthew: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham, Fulham, Crystal Palace
Gabe: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham
Nate Hofmann: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham
Nathaniel Kay: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Fulham, West Ham, Palace
Wilfred: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace, West Ham
Michael: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Fulham, Crystal Palace
Olaoluwa: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham
Abhishek: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Fulham
Kevin: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Fulham, West Ham
Charlie: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham
Vishnu: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Fulham, West Ham
Barrett: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham
Oliver: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham
Yi Hao: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Fulham
Travis: Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Fulham, Palace, West Ham
What are your predictions for the Premier League season? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!