Life is full of euphoric moments, closely followed by bottomless lows. For some, the highs are superior, for others life seems to be an eternal downhill slide. The feelings are transferable to the world of sports. Sometimes the worlds blend together, and you feel the realities of life in the middle of what is basically supposed to be a passionate pastime. We experience it every now and then, these moments that make us forget about sports, and see people, and how fragile everything can be. It would be wrong to start an article about the upcoming Premier League season without mentioning Diogo Jota. The man who had everything, who had recently married, who had a family that meant everything to him, and who had also been crowned league champion in England. In the blink of an eye, everything was torn away, and football became meaningless. It will always be like that in moments like these, and that's how it should be. Take care of each other, and remember that life is what happens outside the rivalry, what happens between the games. If the tragic death of Liverpool's eternal number 20 can be an eye-opener for some, then at least it is something, because no matter whether you are a high-profile footballer, or a completely ordinary person on a completely ordinary street, never forget to be generous and welcoming. Be a difference.
The upcoming season will once again contain everything. There are teams that performed well below par, there are teams that once again stumbled in the goal line that revealed itself, and there are league champions who strengthen an already solid squad. There are new acquaintances, there are juicy transfers, and there is a desire for revenge, lots of desire for revenge! We are guaranteed to get big headlines, sporting crises, managers who disappear out of the gate before Christmas, as well as some new stars in the sky. There will be temperature from the first kick of the ball, and there will definitely be enough events to discuss. And do we love it? Yes, we do! Football from England engages, across generations, and across social classes. It is approaching now, and for better or worse, we can hardly wait!
The holidays have been good. Both for fans and players. The glossy images on social media have run their course, and that's no mean feat for a luxury. You park your city bike, feel the crisp autumn air, and stroll to work. The fantasy team is starting to take shape, and you've bitten the bitter apple and renewed your subscription with Viaplay. Last year's season was brutal, but maybe this year is? There have been some new faces coming through the gates, but is that enough? You can't bear the thought of watching Liverpool and Manchester City fight for the title again. You almost feel nauseous at the thought. If only we could change clubs... You smile at the thought, it would have worked out. No, you're standing there with your guys, because sooner or later it has to go all the way? The club has finally signed a striker, and the fans have been heard. Is he good enough? I wonder if you know, but we can hope now. The core of the team is solid, and maybe there will be a new left winger too. Yeah, this can last all the way! You take the elevator up to the second floor, nod to the pretty lady who works in the third floor, but can't think of anything to say. You get off, and see Tobias and Lars hanging out by the water cooler. "You know that Salah is a must from the start," Lars shouts. "You can't go without Salah!" He's right, you know that. Oh well, back to the drawing board, luckily you still have a couple of weeks. This is the year for both you and your guys in England. You can feel it, this year your dreams are coming true. If that happens, you'll have to think of something to say to the girl in the third floor too. This is your year!
Liverpool make the list – City and Arsenal are chasing close behind
The title in England, yes, the most valuable of all that has been given. Liverpool was the league's best team by far last season, and brought home title number 20. The team looked solid from start to finish, and there was never really anyone who was able to fully challenge Slot's boys. The team from the Beatles city has lost its Portuguese elegance, and it is not good to say how this will affect the performances. If they manage to focus on the sporting aspect, and honor Jota through football, things could go well. Trent has gone to Madrid, and a bunch of quality players have entered the training field. Florian Wirtz, one of the world's most talented players, will threaten in the middle, and we will not be surprised if this just raises the attacking game another notch. Salah, Gakpo, Wirtz, Ekitike and maybe even Isak. You will have to get up early in the morning if you are going to hold off these guys. Liverpool will probably be the team to beat this year too.
Manchester City and Arsenal are the two closest contenders. The light blues have brought in a couple of men in the middle, while Arteta has finally got his striker. Or has he? The Swede is good, but is he good enough to lift Arsenal all the way to the top? Time will tell, but at least the problem has been addressed now. If it works, the Londoners will be deadly. City can be that again. So much quality, and so much youthful drive. And not least, Rodri is injury-free again. Pep's boys with and without the Spaniard are two different crews. We assume that the desire to recapture the title is great in the light blue part of Manchester.
The battle for the top four
Behind the top three, it is more open. Chelsea just looks better and better, and both Newcastle and Aston Villa have become capable football teams. Alexander Isak is the big talk these days, and it is clear that Newcastle will be a worse football team if the Swede goes down to Liverpool. A replacement will of course come, but trying to match what Isak has achieved in the last couple of seasons is almost impossible. You will probably hold your breath in the port city for the rest of the month. Villa has built brick by brick, and is therefore reasonably well equipped for a new season. It was a steep learning curve last year with Champions League games, and not everyone can ride two such wild horses at the same time. The learning can possibly ensure a better league season this year. Chelsea have signed Joao Pedro, an ever-so-small favorite of the undersigned. The Royal Blues have a solid team on paper, and the prerequisites for mixing into the top are certainly present. Is the breadth a bit weak though? Anyway, Chelsea can be counted on.
Manchester United and the new friends
If we put the spotlight on the middle of the table, we find teams like Brentford, Bournemouth, Palace, Tottenham, Manchester United and Brighton. To name a few. Here are teams that probably say they are happy with an existence in the middle, while some former greats would like to climb a few notches. The Reds from Manchester stand out, because this is not where Amorim's team wants to be. The Portuguese did not do it last year, and his team performed their weakest league season in living memory. A 15th place with a total of 18 league losses is almost unbelievable. Some steps have now been taken, and Premier League figures in Mbeumo and Cunha have been brought in. But, no matter how necessary it is, this also says something about the state of affairs in the former big club. There is a big difference in quality between the aforementioned Cunha and, for example, Wirtz. This is the problem for the Red Devils now, even if you strengthen yourself, you will only fall even further behind. It takes a lot of hits in the transfer market to turn the tide, and you have to give the right people time to put their stamp on the team. If you land on Amorim being the right man, he must be given the opportunity to play his game, with his chosen ones. The boardroom must also play as a team, and patience must be the key word. Because this team is not going to fight for the title for a few seasons. The list must be lowered for a period.
It must be the same at Spurs. The league season was a sad chapter, but then they somehow salvaged it by winning the Europa League. Finally a trophy. Ange left anyway, some say it's a shame, and Frank has come in. Son has also left. He leaves as a legend at the club, but with a declining level of performance. All in all, we will probably get a better Tottenham this season, and it would be surprising if Thomas Frank's Spurs are not a bit harder to beat than what was the case last year. The naivety has been replaced with more control, and a somewhat lower defensive line. Not that it took much.
We predict both United and Spurs to be higher this year, but neither of them will finish in the top four.
New acquaintances and an old greatness
Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland were promoted from the Championship this spring and will try to make their mark on England's top division. Leeds in particular has a large following here in this country, and we will once again have fast-paced and intense matches against Manchester United and Liverpool, among others. A happy reunion! The question then is whether any of these can gain a foothold and not just have to take the elevator down again next spring. You have to look at Nottingham and what they achieved last season. They ended up finishing seventh, just one poor point behind fifth place, which would have given them Champions League football. An unreal performance from the team that was long in England's top four. Of course, it will be a lot to ask of the newcomers to copy something like that, but it must at least show that it can be done. The gauntlet has been thrown down!
Us Anglophile Norwegians and our favorite teams
No matter who you follow the most, what the logo on your chest says, it's intense and nerve-wracking. That's kind of how it is with football from the ball island. You can close your eyes, let time rush back to the happy 90s, and relive how you already knew during the first day of school who supported Manchester United, who liked Arsenal the most, or where the Liverpool fans were. That was often the first question you asked when you met new faces. The reasons for choosing a team didn't always run that deep, but the ownership of the club was rock solid. Don't come here and tell me I don't agree with the best football team in the world! And that's how the rivalry went. You held players with names you could hardly pronounce close to your chest, and the weekend's results were often directly linked to whether you walked straight on Monday or not. Remember that feeling? Your team had won 2-0 over your arch-enemy, and you couldn't wait to rub it in during the first break over the weekend. If you could even wait that long. That English football would get such a standing is simply fascinating. A country far away for small children's feet, with cities you've barely heard of. Here young men from all corners of the world play that you've never met. But they're still "your" boys. They play for "your" team. Where you walk in stiff, freshly washed jeans, a slightly too-big sweater, and dirty shoes, and dream of one day wearing the same kit. To run out onto the biggest stages and be one of those that others look up to. The dream of England, and the dream of being able to copy the guys who adorn the walls of the boys' room. There wasn't much bigger than this.
And in adulthood, is it just as big, and just as important? Yes, it is, of course. The mood and the straight back are still connected to the team's performance. You do everything you can from the corner of the sofa, and you roar like never before. You whip them forward, and chase them home in defense. You read the table at least five times a week, and calculate the tiebreakers and goal differences. The commitment and excitement for the Premier League is and will be a study in itself. But as we all know, the joy of a three-pointer, and the euphoria of a trophy, is almost immeasurable. It is a wonderful relaxation from the hustle and bustle of life, and the free time you get where dreams and emotions can run wild is worth its weight in gold. Autumn and winter become a lot more tolerable.
The first analysis of the season by 90minutefamily comes Friday, August 15th!
So then it's just a matter of controlling your nerves as best you can. On Friday 15 August, the reigning league champions kick off the season, at home to Bournemouth. Anfield will be ready to party, while Jota will be on the minds of many. In the 20th minute, the cheers will make the roof lighten, and once again we will feel the unity and what is actually most important in life. Football is nothing without the fans and the wild emotions, and together we have formed some unbreakable bonds across the North Sea. So no matter who you support next season, good luck, and let's hope there will be more ups than downs. We can guarantee that we will visit the whole spectrum before the season is over.
And back to Tobias and Lars and their statement that you MUST have Salah from the start as a Fantasy manager – we're afraid there's no way around it, no matter how expensive the Egyptian is. You can always try to go without, but the question is whether you won't have to follow the opening match from behind the sofa. We hope you're looking forward to the season's analyses, and hopefully to many bets!
