EPL 2022/2023 - Game Week 1

Hello! It's been awhile. One of the most passionate soccer fans anywhere is back! The Premier League is also back again. The world is such a different place today. The pandemic is still going on, there is a new monkey in town in the form of a pox and sadly a war raging on. Then there is inflation hurting us but our own service providers - the telcos have to screw us all over again. Life ain't easy even for a simple love of soccer and the Premier League which is something that could take away some of our blues for 90 minutes or for several games over a weekend.

Its a new season so new broom sweeps clean as all teams start anew. Though your dreams be tossed and blown, walk on, walk on with hope in your heart and you'll never walk alone. This is the one and only time in a season where all English European Champions winners are playing together - Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. New signings are bound to ascend upon us with some high profile ones like Braut Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez. 

Club doctors have been busy asking all new signings to strip down, turn their heads one side and a-hem cough while looking at their new crown jewels (no pun intended). Then you have Cristiano Ronaldo selling himself to every top teams in Europe - Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Athletico Madrid, Chelsea and Juventus all of whom rejected him hence his return to Old Trafford and calling himself the king after failing to get out. Not only that, his petulance was on full display when he left his team and the stadium after being substituted. Who says soccer is a team game? Welcome to the modern world not just in soccer.

If not for Liverpool, City could have won a few more titles and cups and rendering the Premier League boring. Losing by a point previously and last season would have destroyed many a team but not the Reds. They just keep coming back. They were the only team that played every match of every competition last season. They have achieved 92, 97 and 99 points seasons where even the great Sir Alex Ferguson with his best teams  did not matched. To compete with City is not easy. Liverpool lost the Champions League for a simple reason - they did not score. Ancelotti knew that Real Madrid could not match Liverpool at their energy and speed so they had to soak and strike and he had a goalie in top form. Liverpool had just beaten City 3-1 in the Community Shield last week. It was not tournament proper some may say but yet it was played competitively. It may be a booster for the victor but do not read too much into it.

I used to question if Jose Mourinho would be as successful if he joined lower, weaker, less successful and poorer clubs with little to spend. Now people are questioning Pep Guardiola. City signed Haaland before last season was over. They have more full backs than Fulham's whole back line. Liverpool lost a huge player in Sadio Mane who is not only a wonderful player but such a dignified man based on the way he conducted himself for his transfer. So the Reds have big shoes to fill and to keep up with City they landed Darwin Nunez. City will be favourites and Liverpool shall be their closest rivals but no one should be surprised if the Reds pip them to it. Tottenham and Arsenal could surprise, Chelsea would be the challenger to a Champions League spot but they have lost key defenders. Erik Ten Hag may improve Manchester United but I do not think they will be up there. Newcastle are the new rich men's club and could continue to rise. Let the battle begin...

Crystal Palace v Arsenal - Patrick Viera has done a good job with the Eagles last season. Even without big names, Palace can surprise. They have gotten Sam Johnstone on a free transfer and signed Cheick Doucoure. The Gunners have made some good signings and had a good pre-season. Gabriel Jesus should be a regular and will bring in the goals. Bukayo Saka should add to his growing reputation. They have added Fabio Vieira and Zinchenko. Arsenal have beaten Palace just once in eight meetings and last season the Eagles crushed the Gunners 3-0 at Selhurst Park and drew 2-2 at the Emirates. Arsenal look capable of winning here and have a strong season but Palace can make things difficult and this is the first game and opening game of the season and a London Derby. 1-1.

Fulham v Liverpool - Fulham like Norwich City are too good for the Championship a rung lower but too weak for the Premier League and that is why they are like yo-yos going up and down. Don't get me wrong, again like Norwich they play good football but like Norwich they also go up and down. Liverpool will experience life without Sadio Mane for the first time but Darwin Nunez is an excellent addition. Fabio Carvalho looks like he has great potential. The Reds have been very good and even if everyone knew how they would line up and play, few teams could stop them. They could and should reinvent themselves. Keeping a high defensive lines could be varied, their midfielders could contribute with more assists and goals which they have not done enough. Luis Diaz and Mo Salah would cut in from the wings but Nunez would provide a different solution to Firmino and a bigger target they have never had. They will also need to have lots more of long shots from outside the box. These are elements of surprise they need. It will also help them overcome many teams with low blocks. Marco Silva does not really do low blocks and he has signed Bernd Leno and Paulo Gazzaniga meaning he has improved the keeping department. 0-3. 

Bournemouth v Aston Villa - Bournemouth have beaten Villa 2-1 in their last 3 games but have not done much, Villa has made good signings in Diego Carlos ( to beef defence), Philippe Coutinho has signed and Robin Olsen ( at goal) and were pretty good last season including the season's ending cliff hanger. Scott Parker did a great job at Fulham and has again done so well with the Cherries who are back to the top division. Their pretty football may not be enough to stop Villa. 1-2.

Leeds v Wolves - Leeds have not defeated Wolves at Elland Road in their last four games. Jesse Marsch's Leeds were saved by the skin of their teeth last season to stay on. Wolves are difficult to beat but could also fall short. Last season they drew 1-1 at Elland but the Peacocks won 3-2 at the Molineux. At best they are evenly matched. 2-2.

Newcastle v Nottingham Forest - The once great Nottingham Forest are back! Their first 6 games in the Championship were so poor that they were last but came back roaring to gain promotion. Eddie Howe totally transformed the Magpies who shot up the table from their relegation zone. Newcastle have added Nick Pope, Matt Target, Sven Botman. Bruno Guimaraes was brilliant for them last season.  Forest are a good team but their visit to St. James Park will not be an easy one. 2-1.

Spurs v Southampton - Conte has beefed up his squad and have spent well. He also has the benefit of a full pre-season. Harry Kane is still prolific, Son has been nothing short of fantastic. Kulusevski was brilliant. Signing Fraser Forster ensures they have a good backup. Loan signing Clement Lenglet will provide experience and steel in defence, Ivan Perisic offers versatility while Yves Bissouma provides protection in midfield. Richarlison will give them aggression but he will miss this opener through suspension. Ralph Hassenhuttl has not made much changes so they will remain somedays good and some days bad but give them a free-kick and James Ward-Prowse will score. With such attacking abundance and Kane starting from early there will be goals as Son Heung Min was not only their top scorer but joint top scorer in the league. 3-1.

Everton v Chelsea - The Toffees need a good start after a harrowing season last year. Frank Lampard brought in James Tarkowski to plug his leaky defence. Dele Alli cuts a sad and forlorn figure when at one time he was just so brilliant for Spurs. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was just starring for Everton and on the cusp of England fame when his injuries set him back. He is injured again and where will Everton's goals come from after they sold Richarlison? Chelsea was leaky last season and with Rudiger and Christiansen gone they may be even weaker though they have signed a prominent Kalidou Koulibaly but Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and Hakim Ziyech are unsettled. Their other players on the up are Mason Mount, Ben Chiwell, Reece James and Kai Havertz. New signing from City, Raheem Sterling will give them a buzz and they will surely be too good for Everton. 0-2. 

Leicester v Brentford - The Foxes have never lost to Brentford in their last 10 meetings but legend Kaspar Schmeichel is gone. Not much has been added by Brendan Rodgers. For all the talks, Youri Tielemens is still around. James Maddison was outstanding last season but still not selected by England. Dewsbury-Hall was a fine discovery. Jamie Vardy is now 35 and still banging in the goals. Harvey Barnes has been exciting. The Bees did not add much but have gotten Ben Mee in defence. Ivan Toney was brilliant but he needs more support. Maybe Bryan Mbeumo will increase his output. 2-2.

Manchester United v Brighton - The Red Devils have never lost to Brighton at home and won all of the last 8 matches. Ten Hag is good when he was with Ajax but Man U has more problems than just that. Their rebuilding program is no good with Ronaldo around. They didn't look too bad in pre-season but Graham Potter's team play good football and will not be afraid of their host who are on transition. United will want a win badly for starters but if they do not play to form, the Seagulls could get a draw. 1-1.

West Ham v Manchester City - West Ham have not defeated City in the last 14 games they have met but held City to a draw in their last 2 at home. David Moyes has not rung in too many changes. The most significant signing has been Italian striker Gianluca Samacca. This lad has potential. City on the other hand has Haaland - a monster of a player and a terrifying striker. Julian Alvarez got his first goal in the Community Shield. The rest of the stars are still there with the exception of Raheem Sterling (now Chelsea) and Gabriel Jesus (now Arsenal). That Guardiola could afford to sell both meant he is confident that they will be as good if not better. It also meant he did not view Chelsea of Arsenal as a threat to their dominance. West Ham/City matches have been close in recent years with City winning by a goal or ending in draws. The last two at London Stadium ended 1-1 and 2-2 and then on the EFL Cup it was 0-0. That meant Moyes knew how to deal with them. Will City hit the road running or the Hammers can put a dent? 2-2.

The games are gonna come fast and furious due the dubious venue and timing of the World Cup so I won't be sure how I could cope when there are too many games especially on weekdays. The performances of players and clubs are somehow going to be affected. From there on after the World Cup, you may even see strange things and surprising results. From tomorrow, weekends will get more exciting for soccer fans.