Manchester City
Last Season: Premier League – Champions; Top Scorer – Ilkay Gundogan (17)
Manchester City began the 2020/21 season looking to wrestle back the Premier League title. By early October, they looked listless and were languishing in the bottom half of the table. Yet, by the end of the season, they looked head and shoulders above the rest. A false nine tweak, a reinvention of Joao Cancelo at full-back and 13 wins in a row contributed to a third league title in four years. From uncertainty in October, City looked like the best team in Europe in May.
Except, they weren’t quite top dogs in Europe. City reached a first ever Champions League final last season, but fell apart in Lisbon, in a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea that probably flattered them. Now, it’s about getting back into gear, and going again. But it might not be easy this time around. City have looked off the pace in pre-season, key players will not quite start the new campaign, and their rivals are strengthening significantly (even though City themselves have spent big on Jack Grealish). City picked themselves up after a slow start last season, but it looks like they can ill-afford one now.
The Manager
Some eyebrows were slightly raised when Pep Guardiola signed a new contract in the first half of last season, especially with City struggling at the time. The decision proved vindicated in the end, but a Champions League triumph in May would have been the crowning glory in his time at City, his longest-serving job. Instead, there’s still pressure to deliver that ultimate prize.
One Thing to do: Get a striker. City did brilliantly to find a pattern without a recognised number nine last season, but that has its obvious limits. They surely can't have Ilkay Gundogan to be their top scorer once more. City’s knack of never seeming to win games when the machine doesn’t creak into gear is one that can be remedied by getting a prolific front man (the club remain interested in Harry Kane), and while Gabriel Jesus has his strengths, being a regular goal scorer isn’t quite one of them.
Time-turner (Ten years ago): Under Roberto Mancini, City spent big on Sergio Aguero in their bid to win the league title in 2012. Who knows how that turned out.
Manchester United
Last Season: Premier League – 2nd; Top Scorer – Bruno Fernandes (28)
‘Manchester United don’t have to win the title, they just have to challenge for it’. This is a point that’s been repeated over the past few post-Fergie seasons, and still goes on. Since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United haven’t quite challenged for the title. There have been a few second-placed finishes, but they simply squinted at the top team running away with it.
For a brief period during the previous season, it looked like United were in the Premier League title race. As the season entered its mid-point, any time United faced a challenge, they somehow managed to get over it, and scale that hurdle. But the issue is winning games via momentum is that it never really lasts, and the moment United’s title race bubble burst, they displayed no staying power.
Staying power is the one thing they need to discover this season, especially with the summer business they’ve done so far. Raphael Varane has joined to significantly upgrade the defence, while Jadon Sancho will bolster the attack. There are still a few squad holes to plug, but this is a squad that can’t be cut any more slack.
The Manager
If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finishes the season as manager, he’ll be the longest-serving Manchester United manager since Fergie, and a new contract in the off-season means he most likely will. The former Red Devils striker has faced accusations of a lack of tactical nous, which are not without merit, as the Europa League final showed. But he continues to make managerial progress, however little. The Norwegian seems to have gotten his ideal squad, after two and a half seasons, now it’s up to him to show he’s not holding them back.
One Thing to do: Get a defensive midfielder. United are still a transition team under Solskjaer, and when the tempo of a game is mellow, they seem to have no sense of control, especially in the middle of the pack. The arrival of a defensive midfielder will help with that, as well as provide needed security for the more enterprising players.
Time-turner (Ten years ago): In 2011/12, Manchester United had lost reliable goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar to retirement, and replaced him with a young David de Gea, whose first few months garnered some scepticism. Ten years on, the Spanish goalkeeper has proven doubters very wrong, but is back in a position where many are questioning his reliability.
Milan
Last Season: Serie A – 2nd; Top Scorer – Zlatan Ibrahimovic (17)
Last season was Milan’s highest finish in Serie A in almost a decade. Milan have finally made their way back into the Champions League, for the first time in seven years. But it could well have been more. For 17 weeks, Milan were top of the league, and while talk of a first title since 2011 wasn’t rife, whispers were definitely being made.
But the Rossoneri lost that leading spot after a humbling defeat to city rivals Inter, and never regained, and even had a mild scare of missing out on the top four entirely. Yet, this shouldn’t really put a stain on what was an impressive season. In the past, Milan have spent big, with little result, and went back to being less thrifty, and are reaping rewards under Stefano Pioli.
The Manager
Pioli has something of a reputation for being a managerial halfway house; the man who steadies the ship the actual chosen one takes the reins. And back at the end of the 2019/20 season, it looked to be the case again, with Ralf Rangnick seemingly poised to take over. But such was the impact of the former Inter manager and the team’s form that he couldn’t be binned off, and Milan will be glad they haven’t pulled the trigger yet.
One Thing to do: Score more goals. Of the teams in the top five of Serie A, Milan scored the lowest number of goals. A good defence was key to their exploits (joint third-best in the league), and the smart signing of Fikayo Tomori back in January helped in that regard. But that will be tested following the loss of goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma, even though Mike Maignan is a capable replacement. That their top two scorers were Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who turns 40 in October, and Franck Kessie, their penalty taker, doesn’t make for good reading. The arrival of Olivier Giroud is definitely welcome.
Time-turner (Ten years ago): Milan entered the 2011/12 season, under Max Allegri, as Serie A champions, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading the line, and Clarence Seedorf running the midfield.
Napoli
Last Season: Serie A – 5th; Top Scorer – Lorenzo Insigne (19)
If Milan felt a touch of disappointment at not quite keeping in touch with the Serie A title race, Napoli would feel even more so for not even coming close. At the start of the season, with other teams looking uncertain, Napoli looked like having a shot, and arguably the most stable side.
But the closest they came to a title challenge was when they briefly went top in Week Two, and they spent most of the season struggling for a Champions League spot, missing out due to a final day draw against Hellas Verona. Gennaro Gattuso has left the dugout (and then left another job after that) and has been replaced by Luciano Spalletti.
The Manager
Former Inter and Roma boss Spalletti returns to the Serie A with something of an unfinished business, following how his time with Inter ended. The 62-year-old got quite a record with Roma for getting close to the league prize, but not quite winning, and while getting it right in Naples would be an immense accomplishment, the aim is surely the top four.
One Thing to do: Look to Victor Osimhen. Napoli spent big on bringing in the Nigerian forward from Lille, but injury saw him sidelined for a bit. He only managed 16 starts, but got ten goals, and one wonders what he could in a full season and with better supply.
Time-turner (Ten years ago): 2011/12 saw Napoli, under Walter Mazzarri, get back to challenging the big names. Back in the Champions League after a long time away, I Partenopei saw off the challenge of Manchester City in the group stage, while taking eventual competition winners Chelsea to extra-time in the Last 16.
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