Page 18 - Soccer360 - Issue 103

It’s intriguing to
see how Vincent Kompany’s Burnley will fare in the Premier League
Moises Caicedo signed for Chelsea in a £115m transfer
Burnley
It wasn’t entirely clear what to expect from Burnley when they appointed Vincent Kompany as manager following relegation in 2022, but they ended up sweeping aside all before them in the Championship to secure an instant return to the top-flight in eye-catching fashion. With their adventurous style of play, which will cause plenty of problems for their Premier League opponents this season and be entertaining for the neutrals, the Clarets should have enough to stay up comfortably and could even emerge as one of the surprise packages. In terms of players to watch, winger Manuel Benson can produce many a magic moment, while new signings James Trafford and Zeki Amdouni are very promising talents at opposite ends of the pitch.
Chelsea
It’s still difficult to comprehend how shambolic things were at Chelsea in 2022- 23, where increasingly abject performances on the pitch were coupled with chaotic spending and questionable decisions at boardroom level. The Blues have addressed the situation by hiring Mauricio Pochettino as head coach
and trimming an inflated squad, with big names such as Cesar Azpilicueta
and Mason Mount among those to leave. On paper there is serious quality at the club, which was bolstered with the signings of RB Leipzig’s goal machine Christopher Nkunku - currently injured - and £115m midfielder Moises Caicedo among others, while more is expected of the likes of Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk.
The last time Chelsea weren’t competing in Europe was in 2016-17 and they went on to win the title. A repeat seems unlikely this time, but with Pochettino at the helm they’ll at least expect to threaten the top four.
NICKNAME:
The Blues
MANAGER:
Mauricio Pochettino
LAST YEAR FINISH:
Premier League, 12th
DID YOU KNOW?
Petr Cech has kept the most Premier League Clean Sheets. Cech kept 202 clean sheets in the for Chelsea (162) and Arsenal (40).
NICKNAME:
The Clarets
MANAGER:
Vincent Kompany
LAST YEAR FINISH:
EFL Championship, 1st
Crystal Palace
NICKNAME:
The Eagles The Glaziers
MANAGER:
Roy Hodgson
LAST YEAR FINISH:
Premier League, 11th
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace
At the age of 76, Roy Hodgson’s managerial career is still in full swing. The veteran boss oversaw an impressive run of results to guide Crystal Palace to 11th place in 2022-23 after returning to the club in March, and in doing so unleashed their attacking potential. Playmakers Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise showed glimpses of the star quality they’re capable of producing, so a lot will be expected
of them this season as the club adjusts to the departure of long-term talisman Wilfried Zaha. The Ivorian’s exit shouldn’t be as keenly felt as it may have been in the past, so the Eagles are again expected to be fairly comfortable in mid-table.
Joachim Andersen of Crystal Palace in action
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2023-24 EPL SEASON PREVIEW