The world cup was great and all. Everybody watched a few games, rowed a few long boats and put their traffic cones on statues. It was nice while it lasted but the world cup is a fantasy, not the reality. Football isn't played in summer sun with happy cops waving at fans.
It's played on a cold miserable night in Stoke.
Since the world cup ended it's just been a month of my phone following ridiculous transfer rumors and listening to it pinging every time another random player is linked to United.
At least that wait is almost over and we have bought a few players along with all of the other teams.
With that said it's back to the real business. The premier league.
Look at the landscape we’re facing for the upcoming campaign. For the last few years, we’ve watched Mikel Arteta play the role of the hyper-focused challenger trying to throw punches at a Manchester City machine. But the script has completely flipped. Arsenal are walking out as the defending champions. The hunter is now the hunted. They kick things off under the Friday night lights against a newly promoted Coventry City side, and suddenly the pressure isn't about chasing down Pep—it’s about protecting what’s yours.
Then you look down the road at the absolute financial insanity of the last few weeks. We’ve just witnessed a gross summer spend that shattered the records. Nobody is content to just sit back and watch North London celebrate again.
The tactical board has been completely wiped clean. Following Pep Guardiola's departure from Manchester City, Enzo Maresca has stepped into the biggest shoes in world football. Xabi Alonso is at Chelsea, Michael Carrick is navigating a massive second-year project at Manchester United, and Liverpool are hunting consistency after standard-setting transitions. Incredibly, nine clubs are starting the season with brand-new managers. This is the madness that we love to see.
It starts again tonight and the one thing that we know for sure is that we know nothing.
According to the experts Arsenal have it all wrapped up and there is nobody to challenge them. But in my experience the crown sits heavy on the head. Especially after a long break from the summit.
I'm not so sure. City and Liverpool looked to have slipped back but United and Chelsea have been buying up players.
The new teams this year look poor but Spurs will surely do better than 17th after spending a fortune.
We have until May to see how it plays out but there will be plenty of talking points between then and now.
