Guest writer Iain Anderson, of Why Say Anything fame, gives his take on the Premier League title race and Chelsea’s limited spending over the summer.
When you win the English Premier league title, it is almost a requirement that you strengthen your squad.
People may wonder why, when you already have the best squad, you need to strengthen.
The problem is that every other team in the Premier league, not just the top six, will be out to improve their squad and challenge for a higher position the following season. In this league every position carries a financial reward and, the higher you finish, the greater the reward.
Every team in the Premier league gets an equal share of the prize money which, in 2014/15 was £54.1 million each. Then there is the prize money for merit, or the position in which you finish. This, for example, was about £1.2 million difference per place last season. So QPR, who finished bottom, got £1.3 million and Burnley, who finished second bottom got £2.5million and so on upwards.
Finally there is the money dependant on live TV coverage. This ranged from the £21.47 million received by Manchester United for being shown twenty seven times, to the five clubs who were shown nine times or less and received £8.75 million each. So it is certainly in the interest of teams to firstly, stay in the Premier league and secondly, finish as near the top as possible.
When Manchester City won the title in 2014 they did not go on to significantly strengthen their squad. They added Eliaquim Mangala, who then struggled to get into the team due to some very indifferent performances. They also added Fernando, who suffered the exact same problem as Mangala. So, with these two either on the bench or not in the matchday squad, City started 2015 with the same team that finished 2014.
If you then add the losses of form suffered by Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany, the injuries to Aguero and Nasri then you can see why, when other teams had added to their squads, City finished second. This was no mean feat in itself when you take into account how weakened they became during the season.
This season City appear to have reacted. Having watched Chelsea take their crown with relative ease last time out, City have strengthened.
The first major signing they made was Manuel Pellegrini. With the comfort and confidence of a new contract dispelling rumours of a Pep Guardiola takeover, Pellegrini has appeared now like a man with a mission. At the time of writing this, City have played four games, won four games and conceded no goals. (OK, he has also worked out that playing with two strikers can be suicidal in some games).
This will not continue throughout the season but it doesn’t have to for City to win the league, they now have a squad good enough again.
They have added world class players in positions where some people would question the need. Raheem Sterling has been brought in and, despite his relatively small frame, can play anywhere across the front.
Nicolas Otamendi should displace Eliaquim Mangala. Not because he is a better player necessarily, but because he will be more consistent. The first choice centre backs will be Kompany and Otamendi.
Kevin De Bruyne was purchased from Wolfsburg. A new club record signing, will his arrival spell the end for Samir Nasri?
Nasri is an enigma. He can be a matchwinner, as he proved in Rome in last year’s Champions League, then he will be dropped from the national team for off the field misdemeanours. If he can accept a role playing from the bench then his future is probably reasonably safe. If not then, when you consider the competition in midfield, he may have to leave if he wants first team football guaranteed.
Fabian Delph, whatever he has been promised, will be on the bench for most league and Champions league games.
From what I have seen of Chelsea, they have not significantly added to their squad and this will cost them the title.
However difficult retaining the Premier league crown is, not strengthening your squad when in the ascendency will make it an almost impossible task, as history has shown us.
Like this article? Read more at Iain’s personal blog.
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