Premier League News, Schedule and Standings 2014-15: Manchester United, Arsenal Surge; Manchester City to Decline?
The Premier League gets underway this weekend, and a lot of people will be intrigued as to whether this upcoming edition can live up to the tension and drama of the 2013-14 season in which the title race leaders fluctuated from week to week.
Some teams will undoubtedly improve this year while others will probably decline. Here is a look at teams on the rise and sides lagging behind in this upcoming season:
On the Rise
Manchester United went from league champions to utter embarrassment in 2013-14. Despite possessing the same team for the most part, the Red Devils lacked creativity and were consistently overwhelmed by middling opposition.
David Moyes was the cause of those issues and they should be resolved by the arrival of Louis van Gaal. The Dutchman has been a powerhouse coach throughout his career and he already has the team playing well in the pre-season. He still needs to make a few moves (and all indications are that he will make some big ones), but when he does, this team will be a bonafide contender.
Arsenal also had a terrific summer with the acquisitions of Alexis Sanchez, David Ospina and Calum Chambers. The Community Shield winners already look much improved, but the same was said of them at the start of the 2013-14 season. A lot still depends on the health of Aaron Ramsey as well as the consistency of Mesut Oezil. But this is a team that should and will compete for the title yet again. The only difference is that this time around they are much deeper.
Chelsea is also a team that should be a favorite to win it all. Jose Mourinho looked at his team and fixed its major weaknesses. Poor defense? Get rid of culprit David Luiz and bring in Filipe Luis. Need some creativity in the midfield? Bring in Cesc Fabregas. Need a real striker that can score? Diego Costa and Didier Drogba were brought in. Even the goaltending, which was a position of strength, was arguably improved with the return of Thibaut Courtois. Chelsea is arguably the deepest team in the Premier League and probably the most suited to win it all.
Everton was a revelation in its first year under Roberto Martinez. The side has retained Romelu Lukaku and will have another year of the maturing Ross Barkley. Tim Howard is a Top Five goalie in the world and this team should be more competitive in 2014-15.
On the Decline
Tottenham was disastrous in 2013-14 as the squad struggled early on and wound up firing coach Andre Villas-Boas. This is a team that sorely missed Gareth Bale, and the fact that it has no viable replacement speaks volumes about its prospects. There could be some improvements, but this is still a team without a real leader in the midfield and too many question marks.
Liverpool was tremendous in 2013-14, but that rise was the result of the brilliance of Luis Suarez. He scored an astounding 31 goals and 12 assists last year for the team. The perennial biter is now in Barcelona, and the team has a huge hole to fill. Steven Gerrard will be a year older and continue his decline while Daniel Sturridge will be asked to carry the load of his team in Suarez's absence. There are some serious doubts that he fills it. And if he fails to do so, then this team will fall back down the standings. Champions League play will also force them to play extra games this year. This could be detrimental in the long run.
Manchester City won the Premier League, but the English side made no major changes over the summer and looks far more vulnerable after a mediocre preseason. David Silva and Jesus Navas have not been at their best, and there are serious injury concerns revolving around Sergio Aguero. Without Aguero, this team's offense remains inconsistent. The fact that Willy Caballero was brought in to backup Joe Hart speaks to Manuel Pellegrini's lack of faith in the goalkeeper.
Which teams do you think are on the rise and decline in the Premier League this season?
Schedule for 2014-15 Premier League action can be found here.
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