Five Things We Noticed From The Opening Premier League Weekend

Another Premier convention play has begun, pinch new-look sides, new-look tactical approaches and plentifulness of optimism (and pessimism!) among nan fans.

We could person picked retired galore observations crossed each teams - but present are 5 that caught our oculus successful peculiar astatine nan weekend.

Arne Slot's Liverpool person brought successful attacking reinforcements but nan equilibrium of their broadside looks off. Against Bournemouth, they were agleam going guardant but looked susceptible to conceding connected nan break.

Last season, Liverpool only conceded 2 goals from accelerated breaks each season. In nan first crippled of this season, they equalled that number.

So what has changed for Liverpool?

The unit informs really strategies are executed and Slot pointed towards sloppy passing successful midfield arsenic a logic Liverpool were truthful exposed. These misplaced passes gave nan guidance clip and abstraction against a disorganised protect style while attacking nan centre of nan pitch.

This is much vulnerable than losing nan shot successful nan wide areas arsenic attackers are person to goal, successful amended shooting positions.

Although Slot focuses chiefly connected nan sloppy passing and dispossessions successful midfield, it is objectively existent that Liverpool committed galore bodies to their attack. At times, location were 7 aliases 8 players successful and astir Bournemouth's box, leaving Liverpool pinch very fewer players backmost to defend.

For Antoine Semenyo's 2nd goal, some Joe Gomez and Andy Robertson were attacking successful nan opposition's container truthful were incapable to get backmost to take sides nan counter-attack erstwhile nan shot was lost.

Yes, decision-making and passing value needs to beryllium amended but Slot whitethorn request to tweak nan positions of nan full-backs aliases cardinal midfielders erstwhile Liverpool are attacking for further protection against vulnerable counter-attacking sides.

Many group see Man City arsenic outsiders successful nan title title – only 5 of our 33 pundits foretell them lifting nan trophy successful May – but their awesome 4-0 win astatine Wolves intends that they've now taken 43 points from their 20 games successful 2025 - much than immoderate different side.

Rodri's season-ending wounded past September intelligibly derailed their Premier League run but alternatively than simply awaiting his return, Pep Guardiola has recovered a solution without him and nan erstwhile champions person been getting backmost connected way since nan commencement of nan year.

Below is Man City's 'non-penalty expected extremity quality per game' (that's a mouthful) since nan commencement of past season, which tells america really overmuch a squad dominates their games by creating tons of bully chances and limiting their opponents to few, bad ones.

It's nan X-ray stat, nan 1 that shows really bully teams are earlier basking finishing streaks and nan swipe of nan greenish travel into play.

As we tin see, Man City are now almost dominating games to nan level they were earlier nan Ballon d'Or winner's injury.

Anyone penning them disconnected does truthful astatine their peril.

It's adjacent to opportunity that Graham Potter has not had nan effect galore expected erstwhile he replaced Julen Lopetegui arsenic West Ham head successful January, pinch nan 3-0 defeat by Sunderland connected Saturday their ninth conclusion successful 19 Premier League games nether him.

In fact, he now needs to orchestrate a triumph complete his erstwhile nine Chelsea astatine location connected Friday nighttime simply to lucifer Lopetegui's Premier League grounds earlier he was sacked aft 20 games successful charge.

Potter has noticeably improved nan defence that he inherited, pinch nan Hammers conceding 13 less goals and 69 less shots than they did nether nan Spaniard (although those stats will beryllium somewhat worse aft nan Chelsea game).

However, that protect betterment has travel astatine a important costs to nan attack. While they've only scored 2 goals less (with a crippled to play), West Ham's changeable and expected extremity numbers person deteriorated dramatically.

Thomas Frank's Tottenham person adopted galore of nan aforesaid principles we saw activity for Brentford past play and nan caller usage of dead-ball situations is one. Of peculiar statement this play was nan usage of nan kick-off arsenic a set-piece routine.

Against Burnley, nan shot was passed backmost to Guglielmo Vicario from kick-off arsenic nan location squad shuffled up nan pitch. Burnley logically shuffled deeper, pre-empting a agelong ball. The deceptive quality of really Vicario shaped up sold this regular further earlier a shorter walk to Pedro Porro was played.

By uncovering Porro towards nan soul correct broadside of nan pitch, person to goal, nan perspective he could play nan transverse astatine was much apt to consequence successful a vulnerable chance. Porro is 1 of Spurs' strongest crossers and pinch Spurs getting an other assemblage astatine nan backmost post, connected different juncture this whitethorn person resulted successful an early goal.

By manufacturing a business successful which nan shot is launched agelong early has nan added use of getting nan shot distant from your ain extremity truthful unit from nan guidance can't beryllium applied.

Frank's sides purpose to maximise fine-margin gains crossed nan transportation and nan attraction connected a smart, well-worked kick-off regular is different instrumentality successful their expansive skillset. Across this season, they will surely proceed to research pinch their kick-off routines.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal person taken an replacement attack to their caller summertime transportation business. For a squad who person dominated nan ball, playing slow and methodically for nan past fewer seasons, they person now looked to present directness and counter-attacking threat.

Against Manchester United, Arsenal played much straight and it was to their detriment connected nan day. We saw galore speedy attacks consisting of players carrying nan shot quickly upfield complete ample distances earlier trying to play done balls for nan attackers. In seasons gone by, they would've apt opted to clasp nan ball, passing it backwards earlier restarting their attack.

Martin Odegaard was chiefly nan subordinate starring nan mostly of counter-attacks. Viktor Gyokeres' champion attacking zones are successful nan wrong correct channel. As nan Swede darted successful behind, Odegaard's weight of walk was disconnected and chances collapsed down. This made nan crippled end-to-end, suiting United's speedy attackers.

Odegaard being near footed present was somewhat problematic too. Angle-wise, utilizing a right-footed subordinate would let nan walk to spell towards nan extremity alternatively than curling distant from it, making it easier for personification for illustration Gyokeres to sprout early. Imagine Kevin de Bruyne's done balls (from correct cardinal midfield) to Erling Haaland if you're struggling to understand what I mean.

Although this style of play was ineffective successful nan opening game, location are positives. If Arsenal tin get nan last walk correct, they'll find themselves successful clear goalscoring opportunities much often. How Arsenal equilibrium their slower possession style pinch this newer, transitional value will beryllium an important thread to their season.