Manchester United
Last Season: Premier League – 6th; FA Cup – 4th Round; League Cup – 3rd Round – UEFA Champions League – Last 16 – Top Scorer – Cristiano Ronaldo (24)
The Question: Will Manchester United finally get it right?
In the end, they were glad to see the back of that. Manchester United entered last season with some murmurs of whether they might be ready to finally challenge for the title; which were amplified right at the end of the transfer window after the return of a certain former player – which of course led to typical masculine-led football fandom absurdity in running interference for a player who’s the subject of multiple assault allegations. At the end of the season, they ended not so much glad to be in a Europa League spot, but relieved that it was all over.
The 2021/22 season saw United finish sixth, 13 points off fourth spot, with a goal difference of 0, conceded 57 goals, and never won more than three games on the bounce. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked after two years and a bit of not seeming to have a plan; caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick spent seven months not seeming to know how to implement one; and even his initially planned stint as someone who’d help upstairs has been cut short.
So, United have another new manager, this time in Erik Ten Hag, and are in a position whereby excitement is battling with uncertainty. Some of the pre-season discourse (yes, caveat, it’s only pre-season) has featured notes over United’s play, not least their tactical shape and movement, and the goals of Anthony Martial. But they’ve heavily involved constant Frenkie de Jong speculation as well. For the Dutchman, Barcelona, United, and the general public, it all seems a bit much. United have made a few decent signings, but are still squad that need key holes to be plugged, especially given the way Ten Hag would want to play. Murmurs of discontent or lack of discipline haven’t quite reared their head, but they also spent the summer being held hostage by their expensive addition from last season.
As always, United are in fascinating position, and will make for great watch. It may contain perhaps a bit more optimism than the recent past, but fans have been here before. Fingers crossed, as always.
The Manager – Erik Ten Hag
The Dutchman leaves a solid footprint at Ajax, after four and a half years with the Amsterdam club; most noted for that 2018/19 side that thrilled to the cusp of a Champions League final. A lot of love for his time at Ajax can seem a bit dogmatic, as the former Bayern Munich II manager has shown himself to be adaptable, and that mix of flexibility and ideology will likely serve him well at Old Trafford. Just be prepared for the fraud talk after that 1-0 loss to a mid-table team in October.
Milan
Last Season: Serie A – Champions; Coppa Italia – Semi-final; UEFA Champions League – Group Stage; Top Scorer – Olivier Giroud/Rafael Leao (14)
The Question: How will Milan handle being the team to beat?
In simple terms; Milan are ahead of schedule. The 2020/21 season offered proper progress, one that they’d have been keen to build upon. But a Serie A title wasn’t quite on the docket for many, especially given the other teams who started the season in the hunt. Yet, the Rossoneri found their way to a first title in 11 years. Milan certainly pounced on the uncertainty plaguing the other sides in the league to the Scudetto, but this shouldn’t discredit their league campaign. They lost just four times in the league, and conceded just twice in their final ten league games, when the title was in sight. When others wavered, Milan were locked in, and made their way prize.
Now, the question is what Milan do next. This was probably the season when they were expected to be the big-hitters for Serie A, but that’s been checked off the list. Now, they’re the team to beat; the kings to be dethroned.
One of Milan’s best qualities last season was their exceptional defence – which conceded 0.82 games per game – but a lack of goals at the other end can be an issue. New arrival Olivier Giroud was the joint top-scorer, alongside Rafael Leao, but no one else reached double figures – Ante Rebic scored twice all league season. The arrival of Divock Origi will help with that, but Milan’s creativity is open to question – Brahim Diaz underwhelmed last term, as the club failed to compensate for the loss of Hakan Calhanoglu, while a deeper creator in Franck Kessie has left for Barcelona.
So, holes in the final third still remain to be plugged, especially with the club having a domestic target on their backs, as well as the aim to do better in Europe.
The Manager – Stefano Pioli
It has been noted so often it’s become its own cliché, but one of the greatest footballing ‘what ifs’ of the past five years is what would have happened had the Rossoneri followed through to get rid of Pioli and appointed Ralf Rangnick back in 2020. But ‘what might have been’ can rest for now, the man usually seen as the one you use to get to the one has become the one, and is pretty much untouchable at San Siro. Pioli displayed his tactical acumen last term, even in Europe, where they lost games mostly due to the inexperience of being a young teething side. The experiences of last year will have done his side some good.
Napoli
Last Season: Serie A – 3rd; Coppa Italia – Last 16; UEFA Europa League – Knockout play-off; Top Scorer – Victor Osimhen (18)
The Question: How will Napoli deal with the rebuild?
Napoli started last season in a blazing trail. With a manager who has unfinished business with the league, they began Serie A with eight successive wins, and stayed top of the league till Matchday 15. But after dropping off the top spot, Napoli never went back there, as their title credentials kept fading, till they were no longer in the picture, extending their long wait for a Scudetto.
Napoli have been here before. In fact, they’ve been here way too many times in the past six years, that you wonder if they’re capable of being anywhere else. Play impeccably, look to be genuinely gunning for the title, then fall short. In the past seven years, they’ve finished with 82, 86, and 91 points on different occasions, but won nothing. And those seasons make last year’s pseudo-title challenge even more underwhelming. They may have finished third, but only had two more points than 2020/21, when they finished fifth, even they could boast the best defence from last season.
Napoli’s issues might well be a mentality thing, as much as an on-pitch one. Which makes the departures they’ve witnessed this season even more interesting. Skipper Lorenzo Insigne had begun a farewell tour from January when he agreed to join Toronto; Dries Mertens has waved goodbye, while Kalidou Koulibaly has finally seen a summer of speculation involve him actually moving clubs. So, key players, on the pitch, and in the dressing room, have left Naples, and speculation that Piotr Zielinski leaving might be a fourth isn’t going away yet. Perhaps last season was something of a final shot for their most fruitful era in decades, and talk of glory has to take a step back for a rebuild for now.
The Manager – Luciano Spalletti
The experienced Serie A gaffer saw it happen to him again; come close, but no cigar, or this time, not even close. Now he is in charge of making sure Napoli remain on a solid footing despite losing many key players at the same time. His nous is there, and his hunger for Serie A hasn’t dimmed, but right now, it’s still 0 and everything for the former Roma boss.
Newcastle United
Last Season: Premier League – 11th; FA Cup – 3rd Round; League Cup – 2nd Round; Top Scorer – Callum Wilson (8)
The Question: How much progress will they make in Year One?
No disrespect to Newcastle (caveat before obvious disrespect, of course), but a preview rundown for teams in Europe’s limelight wouldn’t usually feature a side who finished 11th, got knocked out early in both their domestic cups, and haven’t finished above eighth place in the top division in a decade. Yet, everyone knows why the Toon are here. They looked to be a Championship side in the Premier League for much of the first half of last season. In came the new owners, out went Steve Bruce, and January’s transfer window (financially subsidised by the lives of Yemenis, among other things, of course) later, Newcastle were comfortably in mid-table, following nine wins in their final 14 games.
Now, Newcastle are looking forward on the pitch, and the question is how far they can climb in Year One. The Magpies haven’t quite gone splash-about in the summer window. Partly because they can’t quite do so, and partly because they seem to have a cohesive plan of upgrading the side. Hardly any big names have come in, rather players that fix positions or upgrade them. This speaks to the fact that Newcastle aren’t quite keen on jumping the queue just yet, and are more interested in the long-term picture. European football might be too soon, but progress should still happen.
The Manager – Eddie Howe
There’s no denying the impact spending almost £100 million in the winter had on the team, but Howe’s coaching shouldn’t be overlooked either (particularly in terms of being an upgrade to what came before). Right from the start of his tenure, Newcastle looked more enterprising, and the window spend boosted that. Now, it’s about looking up, and proving he can be the man for a team with long-term ambitions of success, and not just the guy before the long-term success; all while being coy about his team’s ownership.
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