Search the Community

Premier league managers are not all gone- yet. On February 1st 2024 I wrote that we could see the biggest amount of change ever in the Premier League by the start of the new season. I was wrong, at least so far. Six teams changed managers with only Burnley of the relegated teams, and even then, Kompany left of his own accord for a much bigger team in Bayern Munich. Crystal Palace fired Roy Hodgson as expected, De Zerbi left Brighton, Pochettino was fired from Chelsea, Klopp really did leave Liverpool, David Moyes was pushed out at West Ham. We still have a little bit of time yet but I don’t anticipate much more to come. There might be a job at Everton, David The only one I got seriously wrong was David Moyes. It seems West Ham fans just didn’t like him. But it was the most unjust sacking I have seen in a while. West Ham never win trophies but somehow Moyes managed the miracle. I cannot see them winning another any time soon. Ten Hag is the miracle man Lots of managers got a late reprieve with Ten Hag at Manchester United perhaps the most notable. Winning the FA Cup saved him although he is probably a strong contender for the sack if he gets off to a bad start. Ten Hag - I need the ten best players in the world to come to Utd or I will be sacked Thomas Frank dropping down towards the relegation zone didn’t help his prospects of getting a big job but I feel he is in some owner’s minds all the same. Roberto de Zerbi moved to Marseille but that’s not much of a step up. Arteta is going nowhere but who is going out? Arteta could have been tempted by Barcelona but the job went to Hansi Flick. Arteta surely has a power at Arsenal that he would not have at another club? The team is his, the players are his, and he seems to have the backroom team on his side as well. A move would see him having to create a lot of new relationships. I feel only a severe bad spell could see the Arteta out brigade gaining traction. Arteta to stay, then. Arne Slot - he won't slot in Who could go, then? Arne Slot is in a high pressure job, probably the second most such after Chelsea. He needs results and a good style of play. Otherwise one season may be his achievement. Enzo Maresca? Chelsea are rapidly becoming a graveyard for managers. Under Abramovich they would win and still be fired so at least they were employable. Now, they don't win, get fired, and maybe end up on the dungheap. Maresca has no Premier League experience, faces a divided club, with lots of high salaries and no-one has any clue who their best players are, with the exception of Cole Palmer. I suppose, in comparison to Arne Slot though, he has a little more leeway. If he brings them up a little he may get a stay of execution. What does the betting say? Ten Hag has proven resilient at Manchester United. The new system in place may benefit him, however, he needs top players to come in and make an immediate impact. Players like Erikson and Casemiro seem to be coming to an end and Rashford, Anthony and Martial along with others are going or need to improve. It will be hard to have a top season but he needs green shoots to get another chance. Is a strong candidate for the sack I feel, and is 10-1 in the betting. Enzo Maresca - bye bye Russell Martin of Southampton is 14-1 and teams who come up via the playoffs have it difficult. They will probably struggle but I am not sure he will go until the end unless they have a real disaster. Sean Dyche is also 14-1 and that must be surprising but honestly I am more surprised that someone has not come in for him. He is a top manager, particularly with limited resources. The chaos at Everton is the reason he is so high in the betting but I don’t believe he will be fired, although he may leave. The London boys won’t be sacked Oliver Glasner of Crystal Place is 12-1 and I can’t really understand why. They did well and have a lot of good young players. I think they will be comfortable. He won’t be fired. Marco Silva at Fulham is 12-1 and again I would be surprised if he gets fired. Buying in Smith-Rowe could be the latest in his normally good signings and it is a bit of a little Arsenal now with Leno and Iwobi already there. I see them above mid-table. Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth is also 12-1 and I also don’t know why. They will probably be bottom half but high bottom half. The first 100 year old to play in the Premier League? Steve Cooper is 10-1 and yes he has a hard task as Leicester, of the 3 promoted teams, have the highest expectations. They did win the Premier League not too long ago and have experienced players at this level, including 100 year old Jamie Vardy, who will probably continue to bang in goals. Cooper’s record at his various teams and the England youths, is quite good and I expect he will keep them up without too much bother. He never seems to stay a long time, though. I will be astonished if Eddie Howe gets the boot Eddie Howe of Newcastle is 8-1 but that is down to the off field problems they are having with finances. Top players are up for sale and there is talk of Isak coming to Arsenal. If they sell off and are weakened then Howe could go but I really do not see it as his fault. Again, unless he has a disaster and he never does at any club, then he will be there at the end of the season. Santo lost in the Forest Nuno Espirito Santo is 10-1 and he is one I fancy will not last. He seems to have lost his mojo and a bad run at Nottingham Forest will see him booted out. If you can get better than 10 -1 I would grab it but I feel that is free money. A thousand on that gives you 11 back and that would make it a good year for you. He will go, I am certain. There is a way out of the Forest, Nuno - the sack Arne Slot can get you up to 50-1 and that seems a bargain. Even a small bet there will pay off most likely. A bad run could give you the option to cash out and I am certain that will happen. Enzo Maresca is 16-1 and that also is nearly guaranteed to pay out. Definitely, once Chelsea have their usual disaster run you will be able to cash out. These last three are value to me. You heard it here first. Put your money on those three straightaway and once there is good cash out value, take your money. And don’t forget to say thanks Gus.

The Table of Doom Update Arsenal Current 75 Max 93 Man City(a) Newcastle (a) Brighton(h) Man City Max 94 Brighton (a) Arsenal (h) Man Utd Max 83 Brighton(a) Newcastle Max 83 Arsenal(h) Brighton Max 76 Man Utd(h)Man City (h) Arsenal(a) Liverpool gone Tottenham gone And so the hapless Spuds are gone, hit by a tornado, juggernaut, hurricane, express train, tsunami and a Howe as six disasters fell upon them at the new, the shiny, and the emptying White Hart Lane. Champions league is looking difficult for them and I feel the only answer is to bring back ‘Arry. Harry Redknapp is the answer, Spuds. But don’t tell any Gooner I told you that, I might get lynched. If Harry Kane goes, life could get worse for the Spuds Brighton now look like kingmakers. They play Man Utd and could easily have won their FA cup semi-final. They were the better side and I think they will beat them at home, leaving the Mancs with a maximum of 80. Brighton are just hanging on to the Table of Doom but could have a big impact on Champions league places and the title. Once we destroy Man City in our next match Man Utd will have 80 max, in this scenario, leaving them almost gone from the table of doom. Then Brighton have Man City at home. They might just get something, they are a tough side home and away. And then they have us away. Beating them could be key if we are still in it. I reckon most neutrals want us to win. The City money machine is not popular. Nuke Hassle away is also going to be tough for us. Every game is going to be crucial. I hope we can stand up and be counted. This is a great season And if I could turn this season on its head, I feel we would have totally different emotions. If City had blazed out in front and we were coming up behind them now for top spot, winning all our matches like earlier and they were struggling a bit, and we end up a close second, ahead of Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, the Spuds, and even the new moneybags, Nuke Hassle, we would be so happy. Some happy Gooners Oh, and by the way, if anyone had read my previous piece, The Art of Prediction, you would see that I was hit by the commentator’s curse. I said that we either win or lose, rarely draw, and now we have had 3 in a row. Let’s get back to being Arsenal, Mikel, I told you many times, the only currency you can trade in is wins. And let’s start by putting ourselves right back in it by beating City. Although, as I have said last week, it is common for teams to drop points in the squeaky bum part of the competition. Has this been the strangest season in the modern era? Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham all look pretty certain to finish outside the top four and Champions league places and only Liverpool have not gone through traumatic manager changes. I wondered if this is the first time only one of the top four remain from the previous season. I decided to go back to 1998 when Uefa changed the qualifying rules allowing multiple entrants from countries. Frankie ready for the boot So, in 2021, Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea all qualified but Spurs changed with Man Utd. The world is as we expect. In 2020, we had the same top four, Liverpool, City, Man Utd and Chelsea. In 2019 we had Man Utd change places with Spurs. No surprises, so. In 2018, Spurs changed places with Chelsea. In 2017, Chelsea changed places with Man Utd. In 2016, we had 2 changes, Leicester won and Arsenal came second with Tottenham and City also there. In 2015, Chelsea and Man Utd for Leicester and the Spuds. Again 2 changes. A merry go round with the same faces In 2014, Liverpool came in for Man Utd. In 2013 we had Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Utd and Man City with Utd replacing Liverpool. In 2012 we had the Spuds come in for Chelsea. In 2011 they swopped places. In 2010 City was replaced by the Spuds. This was the last time City was out of the top four. Even this seismic event only produced 2 changes In 2009, Liverpool replaced the Spuds. In 2008, same again. In 2007, again the same. In 2006, the same. In 2005, Everton under David Moyes replaced Liverpool. In 2004, Liverpool had been in, alongside the 3 main contenders, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. In 2003, Newcastle were there instead of Liverpool. In 2002, Liverpool were there instead of Chelsea. In 2001, Leeds Utd were there instead of Newcastle. In 2000, It was no change. In 1999 we had Man Utd, Arsenal, Leeds and Chelsea. In 1998 we had Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea. In 1997, the first year of challenging for multiple entrants, we had Man Utd, Newcastle, Arsenal and Liverpool which is one change. Money is the deciding factor I am pretty certain if I went back further it would be similar. Only one of the current top four to remain has to be very unusual. Of course, Liverpool could make it in to the top four this year but they are 9 points behind Man Utd and Newcastle with Utd having a game in hand and only 7 matches for Liverpool to make up the deficit. It’s possible but unlikely. In fact the normal seems to be one change or no change since Arsene Wenger’s fourth trophy has been up for grabs. Leicester’s remarkable season and the one before produced 2 changes. Roberto De Zerbi has done an amazing job at Brighton One thing that has changed in football has been money. Big money brings Champions league and Man City, Man Utd, Newcastle and ourselves have big money at their disposal. So have Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham. Villa, making a probably doomed late charge for CL, have billionaire owners. Brighton has more modest ownership and is the only one of the contenders who has. Also he is English, a rarity in the Premier league. Spurs have a quasi English ownership. I would love Brighton to do it but as I also want us to beat them we could make it even harder for them. As has Unai Emery at Villa The craziest year And so we are left with a crazy year. Liverpool, the mentality monsters, look very fragile. Chelsea spent zillions but are playing like headless chickens. Tottenham refused to back Mr Conte and he very definitely showed his displeasure in an unexpected outburst. It all seems to have gone wrong for them. Newcastle jumped up from 11th but spent a lot. Credit must go to Eddie Howe, an unlikely choice but it seems like an inspired one. And it is probably good to have an English manager challenging. Could Balogun make an impact? It makes me wonder about next year. 8 teams with big money, and Brighton, Brentford and Fulham looking good. Logically, Champions league is going to be a mighty battle next year. City, surely, will be there, but of the rest? Who knows? Maybe we could go astray because we have Champions league to negotiate. We need to strengthen, particularly at centre back and centre forward. Could Balogun make the grade? Maybe a top goalkeeper as well as Arteta doesn’t seem to trust Turner. But above all else, no matter what happens this season, we need our young boys to improve, we could do with some of the academy guys pushing for places, and we need to develop that killer instinct which makes us Arsenal. The process continues and long may it reign.