Premier League – 5 takeaways from the first half of the season
Jim James
The premier league season has kicked off its second half, and there are some things that we can take away from the first half of the season. Without further ado, let’s start!
- Manchester City are unstoppable
Manchester City have won their last 8 premier league games, and haven’t lost since November 21. They have been unstoppable recently, and if they continue this form, they will win the league, definitely.
With goals from all around the pitch, Man City have been a great team, exploiting teams with Pep’s tiki taka style of football. This could potentially be their best season yet, which is saying a lot, but don’t underestimate this side.
They may not win because they have failed to show a big performance verse any of their title challengers so far this season, with a 0-0 draw vs United, 2-0 Loss vs Spurs, 1-1 draw vs Liverpool, and a 2-5 Loss vs Leicester. Poor stuff.
- Manchester United are back
It appears that gone are the days of ridiculing and laughing at Manchester United are gone, as they look like they may be returning. With the unexpected brilliance of Edinson Cavani, the class of Bruno Fernandes and the coaching masterpiece of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, they are challenging for the title again.
However, they are one of the most streaky teams in the league, as well as one of the most lucky. One day they win 4-0 and the next they lose 6-1. VAR has favoured them more than most other teams and luck has really been on their side, scoring more than a few last minute goals to salvage priceless points.
Man U’s luck is going to run out sometime, or maybe it won’t and a new era of Man U has been ushered in. For the time being though, they are back.
- Harry Kane & Son Heung-Min are the most deadly combination in years
For the last few years, Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane have no doubt been a superb duo, but this season has taken that to another level. Around 10 connections resulting in a goal this season. They’re on track to become the best strike combo in premier league history in the next couple seasons if they keep this form up.
Their form alone was one of the key factors to Tottenham’s early success, getting them top of the league in November-December. I still think that this is one of the most underrated duos in premier league HISTORY, with, as I said earlier, this duo has been performing throughout the years, and are now proving to the world that they are one of the best ever. They will do well for the second half of the season, if they both stay healthy, of course.
- Sheffield have suffered “Second Season Syndrome”
Well, this is awkward. Sheffield United, after doing so well and shocking so many last year, people thought that they were unlucky not to qualify for Europe, now, they’d be lucky not to finish last (spoiler for my PL predictions article), and this may be a stretch, but they may even get the lowest points tally in a premier league season, and surely they will be up there.
But why this decline you ask? Well, to be honest I don’t know, maybe it was a lucky run of form in early last season, sort of like Teemu Pukki at the same time, and then they just declined, they couldn’t capitalise on the transfer business in ANY of the last windows, and the loss of Dean Henderson to Man U. That may be the culprit of this decline.
Whatever the reason, Sheffield have been added to the long list of culprits of second season syndrome. Maybe a return to the championship is needed, and with the transfer window over officially now, the only thing they can rely on now are free agents.
- Liverpool are EXTREMELY unlucky
Over the past few years, it had seemed as if Liverpool had been lucky… a little TOO lucky. However they’ve had most of the decision turned against them… in the worst way. They had 3 centre backs to start the season, and somehow they all had season ending injuries.
That kerfuffle had them need more CBs, and they had to call up Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams, and they had to sign the 2nd best Ben Davies in the world and Ozan Kabak.
They haven’t had the defensive capabilities needed to play Jurgen Klopp’s favoured style of football, they had Virgil and Gomez to hold the line while Klopp played relentless attacking football with the rest of the squad, and with both out they can’t do that, they have to play a more possession based game, which is sort of awkward for Klopp.
Well, I hope you liked my article, stay tuned for more content like this, and see you around!