Liam Kelly: Why Premier League return feels exactly like it should

By Liam Kelly

Football

Sat August 12, 2023 · 1y ago

As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Published before opening game between Burnley and Man City

We all deserved a break from football. The new normal made the scheduling of the sport absurdly abnormal, so much so that we’ve just had the first pronounced break in play since March 2020.

Of course, we miss the beautiful game when it is gone, but is that not part of the beauty? After all, hope springs eternal during those long summer weeks.

I certainly hold hope that the opportunity for everyone to recharge their batteries will make for a better product.

Despite suffering no consequences because it is simply too big to fail, the Premier League was and is damaged. Greed and gluttony continue to infiltrate our hobby as much as they do our governance, and the daily grind of the past three seasons has provided only a fraction of the escapism we expect from football.

Both fans and footballers are being pushed to breaking point, but sport always has its own saviour — the allure of competition.

Time to stop and take stock only builds the urge for the return of competition, and it is the competitive look of the upcoming campaign that has me more excited for football now than at any point in 3+ years, at almost every level of the Premier League table.

Manchester City lift the Premier League trophy

In 2022/23, Manchester City were admittedly made to work hard for a fifth Premier League crown in six seasons, even if their machine-like success was perhaps inevitable in the circumstances.

Arsenal entered the title chat with their performance and should remain in it this year, and what can build excitement for the neutral more than the prospect of a genuine title race?

The Gunners appear stronger than last term. As do Liverpool. As do Manchester United.

Chelsea and Tottenham are intriguing, starting afresh with Mauricio Pochettino and Ange Postecoglou in charge, rounding out a relatively settled ‘big six’ from a managerial perspective – not something we’ve seen for a while.

Newcastle attempt to back up a brilliant season and make it a ‘big seven’, but Brighton and Aston Villa rate a big threat for the European places, both showing the requisite quality last season and the willingness to invest and improve this season.

Even those fancied to finish around mid-table elicit curiosity. How will Brentford do without Ivan Toney for a sustained period? Does a disruptive transfer window affect Fulham?

Will Roy Hodgson leave the handbrake off or revert to type at Crystal Palace?

Wolves, West Ham and Everton are keeping us entertained by seemingly not learning any lessons from difficult domestic campaigns, infuriating their fans in the process.

Bournemouth continue to make smart decisions in their attempt to stay in the top tier for another year and move further away from danger, while things are rather quiet at Nottingham Forest right now, a stark contrast to the previous season.

As for the newly promoted clubs, it’s always nice to see a different name on the table.

Luton may be well short of the level required to stay up, but variety is the spice of life, and the Hatters will certainly provide that. Sheffield United’s stint might be short, too, having the most disappointing summer transfer window.

Burnley, under Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany, will be incomparable in style to the team that was relegated in 2020/21, joining a number of teams that refreshingly appear happy to sink or swim by sticking to their guns.

That’s 20 teams with plenty of questions to answer because we’ve had time to ask pertinent ones.

I suppose the competitiveness is always there, and perhaps it is just the absence that has me thinking I’ve rediscovered a level of fondness I had lost, but that’s fine, too. Less is more is a lesson that football needs to learn quickly.

Consequently, for the first time in what seems like a long time, the eve of the Premier League feels exactly like it should.

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