10 Reasons Why the New Premier League Season Is the Most Intriguing Yet

Now in its 21st edition, the Premier League still has the same amount of magic and unpredictability as it did in 1992. So, as the new season rolls into Gameweek 2, we look at 10 factors that could make it the most intriguing yet.

How important will new managers and new players be to their respective clubs? How many foreign signings can successfully adept to the English game? Who will flop? What about the players that have gone to pasture; will they be missed? If Gareth Bale is to move to Real Madrid, how will they fare without him and how key is Luis Suarez to Liverpool's success this season?

Last year’s top three clubs all have new managers, including the return of the Special One, who left Real Madrid after a trophyless season to come back to a Chelsea club he seems to see as his true home. Can he emulate the success he had last time around?

He has stated that, if he does not win trophies, he will leave. Is he serious, or is this just another one of his famous mind games, applied to fire up his squad ahead of their trip to Old Trafford on Monday?

Meanwhile, Manchester United must learn to live without the familiar sight of Sir Alex Ferguson pacing frantically up and down the Old Trafford touchline, one I’m sure the referees will not miss.

Is David Moyes, a man who failed to win a trophy at Everton and lacks experience in Europe, capable of filling Sir Alex’s enormous shoes? This is a new era for the Red Devils, one they must approach with caution, especially when considering just how difficult their fixture list is in the early stages of the new season. 

Is Manuel Pellegrini the man to return the Premier League trophy to the Etihad Stadium having seen neighbours Manchester United retain a 20th league title in convincing fashion last season?

Widely praised for his work at Malaga, he has made several big-name signings and spent a fair amount of money on a squad he believes is the best in the country.Their 4-0 victory against Newcastle shows the side is strong and have plenty of goals in them, but can they do so consistently?

Last season they faltered too many times, with defeats to Southampton and Manchester United hurting them badly. The question is whether or not they can bounce back or if their 2011/12 title is a one-off? 

What about the league’s dark horses?

Which teams can ascend the table higher than expected and which of those teams can beat the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City? It was results like QPR’s victory of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and City’s loss away at Southampton last season that went a long, long way in deciding the final league standings.

Which of the teams promoted from the Championship can handle the quality and pace of the Premier League? How many of them will be fighting for survival come July? What about teams who only just survived the drop last season? Can they avoid a similar scenario or will it be as close and nailbiting as it was last time around?

There are so many fascinating contributing factors to this season to be considered. Here, we look at a selection of the biggest ones.  

New Managers for Last Season's Top 3

Last year’s top three clubs will all start the 2013/14 season with new men in charge, although Chelsea have recruited a somewhat familiar face. With new tactics, playing styles and training regimes, it will be interesting to see how the clubs change under their new management and how well the players can adapt to those changes.   

Defending champions Manchester United are beginning a new era at the club, with David Moyes succeeding the club’s most successful manager to date after an incredible 26-year tenure.

Moyes—who was handpicked by Sir Alex Ferguson to take his place in the Old Trafford dugout—has started life at the club well, with a 2-0 defeat of Wigan in the Community Shield that was swiftly followed by a 4-1 triumph on their opening-day visit to Swansea.

Their passing style is familiar, with Moyes showing why he was the man deemed good enough to replace Sir Alex. However, no major signing has yet to be made, which will cause some concern for the United faithful.    

For Manchester City, the arrival of Manuel Pellegrini seems to be a positive one. The man responsible for bringing Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema and Kaka to Real Madrid seems has been busy again in the transfer market. New signings like Navas, Jovetic and Negredo look to add a great deal more venom into their attack, which at times lacked last season as they conceded the title to their famous neighbours.

For Chelsea, the second coming of Jose Mourinho is a big one. As soon as he was unveiled as the successor to interim boss Rafa Benitez, Chelsea instantly became hot prospects for the league title. He seems to have a genuine affection for the club where he won the league twice last time around.

Can he add a third to his glistening trophy cabinet?     

New-Look Tottenham

If Spurs lose Bale or not, they still look a formidable team with their new signings.

Andre Villas-Boas has drafted in some top name players like Soldado—who scored on his debut and twice in midweek—Paulinho and Capoue. Thought to be still doing business in the market (perhaps looking to quickly reinvest the money they will get for Bale), they look a top-class side now.

Neighbours and closest rivals for a top-four spot, Arsenal should be seriously worried. 

Luis Suarez and Liverpool

Despite claiming he was unhappy at Liverpool and being appealed to the prospect of Champions League football, Luis Suarez has shocked us all again by his recent U-turn; it seems he will be staying at Liverpool after all.

With players like Sturridge and Coutinho on the rise, can Brendan Rodgers’ side mount an assault of the top reaches of the table?

Michael Laudrup Sitting Pretty at Swansea

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has transformed the Welsh club. Taking over from Brendan Rodgers last season, his slick tiki-taka passing style and the arrival of bargain signing Michu (for £2 million) helped them claim the League Cup a ninth-place league finish and a place in this season’s Europa League. 

Laudrup’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. Scouted by and linked to the likes of Barcelona, PSG and Everton over the summer, he made a surprising decision to stay put at a club that has been so good to him.

The same can be said of Michu. Linked with various moves to bigger clubs like Arsenal, he too seems to be staying in South Wales.

And with that, they can continue to build on last season's accomplishments. With the club record signing of Wilfried Bony for £12 million also joining the fold, the Swans look a real threat for a top-seven finish.

Goal-Line Technology

For the first time in the league's history, goal-line technology is being used at every ground. The Hawk-Eye system has been welcomed with open arms by just about everybody and looks to finally put an end to the oh-so common "did it cross the line" disputes.

It might take a little while to get used to, but its presence should be a positive, revolutionary one. 

The Mind Games and Villainy of the Special One

When Mourinho said that England players need to be getting consistent games if they want to play at next year’s World Cup, it was blatantly obvious he wasn’t speaking generally. It was a crafty sound bite used to get inside transfer target Wayne Rooney’s head and provoke him to force a move from Manchester United.

Now it seems that, perhaps concerned about the danger that new-look Tottenham possesses, he has made a last-ditch move for Brazilian midfielder Willian, who had completed a medical at White Hart Lane. With competition from Mata, Oscar, Van Ginkel and Schurrle for a starting 11 spot, how many games he will get is unclear. It seems that him joining the side is less of an addition for Chelsea as it is a loss for Spurs.

If you’re not a Chelsea fan, then Mourinho is a true villain. He is the kind of figure you love to hate and, in that respect; it’s good to have him back.

Small Clubs Thinking Big

Nowadays, money is everything in football. Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham have all been able to splash the cash this summer, giving their team the upper hand and deeper squads.

For the mid-table clubs like Southampton, Fulham and Norwich, there just isn’t the same expenditure at their disposal. Their managers, however, look to have spent wisely. At £12.5 million, Wanyama looks a fantastic addition to a squad whose style of play looked very strong under new boss Mauricio Pochettino in the latter stages of last season.

Gary Hooper, Wanyama’s former Celtic teammate, joined Norwich along with Ricky Van Wolfswinkel (£8.5 million) and Swedish striker Johan Elmander (on loan). The Canaries have a much more promising attack compared to last year, when Grant Holt was their sole striker.  

The Rise of the English Youngsters

With more and more foreign players joing Premier League clubs, it is refreshing to see so many Englishmen impressing of late.  

Having been told by manager David Moyes that he needs to score more goals, Man United striker Danny Welbeck has responded emphatically with a goal for England in their friendly win against Scotland, then bagging a double for United against Swansea three days later.

Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge is another promising prospect, whose game time has increased drastically since switching to Liverpool from Chelsea in January. He also scored on the opening day of the season.

Elsewhere players like Tom Cleverley and Jack Wilshire have big seasons ahead of them. As heirs to the heart of England’s central midfield (Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard), their playmaking will be vital for both club and country this season.  

The Relegation Battle

As is the case with every season, the relegation battle looks to be a tough one.

Newcomers Cardiff have spent well this summer in a bid to survive in the top flight, while Hull’s Steve Bruce is an intelligent manager who has been at this level. Crystal Palace meanwhile may look slightly more uncertain to stay up with Wilfried Zaha’s move to Old Trafford, but with veteran and proven striker Kevin Phillips in the ranks, their mission is not impossible.

The two Northeast clubs (Newcastle United and Sunderland) will find it tough again this season.

Both fought relegation battles last season, and with Newcastle taking a 4-0 beating to Manchester City in their first game, the quality of the side who finished fifth in 2011/12 looks a distant memory. Sunderland meanwhile will be hoping their 10 new signings will work well, while they won’t miss their 11 newly departed players.    

Tight to Call

The new season looks to be fiercely contested in every area of the table. If Liverpool hang onto Suarez and players like Coutinho and Sturridge perform consistently, there could be theoretically six teams competing for a top-four spot.

In the mid/upper reaches of the table, Everton, Swansea and Southampton are real contenders, with West Brom and Fulham slight dark horses.

There are also plenty of teams in danger of dropping down to the Championship, and I don’t think anyone will be surprised if it goes down to the wire once more.

Have we missed anything? We’d love to hear your thoughts and predictions for the season in the comments section below.