{"id":5428,"date":"2017-07-04T19:04:44","date_gmt":"2017-07-04T23:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonfootball.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=5428"},"modified":"2017-07-04T19:04:44","modified_gmt":"2017-07-04T23:04:44","slug":"2017-18-premier-league-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2017\/07\/04\/2017-18-premier-league-title\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best-Equipped Teams for the 2017-18 Premier League Title"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2017-18 Premier League season is just 39 days away and clubs are starting to make their moves in the transfer market in preparation for the big kick-off.\u00a0The top\u00a0six<\/span> from last season\u00a0will all be looking to\u00a0mount a serious challenge for the title. Where can each side can improve, both in terms of incoming transfers and tactically on the pitch?<\/span><\/p>\n

Chelsea<\/span><\/h3>\n

Chelsea’s 3-5-2 system won them a lot of plaudits throughout the season as Antonio Conte’s men clinched the title by a comfortable\u00a0seven points. Towards the back end of the season, however,\u00a0weaknesses started to emerge within the system, notably in games against Manchester United and Crystal Palace. In both games, Jos\u00e9 Mourinho and Sam Allardyce both deployed\u00a0two up front and unsettled the Chelsea back\u00a0three which had grown accustomed only to\u00a0having the one central striker to deal with. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the game against Manchester United especially, the pace and movement of Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard were too much for an aging Gary Cahill and bumbling David Luiz to handle and United ran out comfortable winners. Conte will have a big problem on his hands in the coming season if more managers pick on this and decide to use it against him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another area of concern for Conte will be in the striker’s position. Diego Costa admitted <\/a>that the Italian\u00a0told him that he\u00a0is not wanted at the club, and getting the right replacement in will be a difficult task. Romelu Lukaku, linked with a move all summer,\u00a0has all the required attributes, but question marks still remain over his ability to produce against the very best as consistently as he does against lesser opposition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Blues\u00a0have been looking to improve in the wing-back areas, having been heavily linked<\/a> with a move for Juventus left-back Alex Sandro. Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses were both major success stories last season, but while both have capabilities to do the role well, they both lack the dynamism that many modern full-backs possess. It is hardly\u00a0surprising that\u00a0the club are after someone like Sandro.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chelsea were undoubtedly the best team in the last season\u2019s campaign,\u00a0but work needs to be done over the summer to make sure that they are in a strong position to defend their title.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tottenham Hotspur<\/span><\/h3>\n

Tottenham’s young squad and fast, attacking football\u00a0is very easy on the eye, but this has not been turned into silverware. If they wish to get over the line and finally win their first league title since 1961, they’ll need to change the profile of player\u00a0they are\u00a0bringing into the club. The likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli are exciting young players, but lack the know-how to win titles. <\/span><\/p>\n

Since manager Mauricio Pochettino came to the club in 2014,\u00a0he has typically opted to purchase younger players who have the potential to develop and grow into world-class talent. He <\/span>and chairman Daniel Levy should\u00a0seriously consider revising this current strategy in the transfer market. The profile of player in the 27-32 age group with experience of winning titles and other big tournaments may just be the missing ingredient to help this very side reach\u00a0its full potential. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is particularly relevant considering that the side will be playing their home games at Wembley while the new White Hart Lane is being built. They’ve had a poor record in games played at the stadium in recent times and it’s a mental barrier that some of these young players may not be able to overcome. A few older and wiser heads in the dressing room may be just the tonic to break the Wembley curse and help them achieve great things. <\/span><\/p>\n

Manchester City<\/span><\/h3>\n

Pep Guardiola found life in his first season in Manchester tough after a brilliant start of tenwins from his first ten games. City finished thi<\/span>rd<\/span> in the Premier League and failed to pick up any silverware; the first time this has happened to Guardiola in his first season at any club he\u2019s managed. <\/span><\/p>\n

So far this summer,\u00a0City have\u00a0acted with an urgency not seen by any of the other leading clubs in England. Bacary Sagna,\u00a0Jesus Navas, Gael\u00a0Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta and Willy\u00a0Caballero have all moved on, with more facing the exit door. Joe Hart is certain to be the six<\/span>th<\/span> name out; the England number 1 has been frozen out and now replaced with Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson. As well as the departures, Guardiola sanctioned a move for winger Bernardo Silva on a deal worth approximately \u00a343 million.<\/span><\/p>\n

City have already been linked with\u00a0moves for Kyle Walker<\/a> and Benjamin Mendy,\u00a0<\/a>both of whom\u00a0would\u00a0offer a new dynamic in the wide areas which the previous, older full-backs were unable to provide. <\/span><\/p>\n

If\u00a0the Sky Blues\u00a0want to have a real push at winning the league in the coming season then the\u00a0centre-back problem will also need to be addressed. \u00a350 million-man John Stones hasn\u2019t progressed as expected and captain Vincent Kompany\u2019s continued injury problems have been a massive issue. Nicolas Otamendi has also failed to impress for the majority of the time he\u2019s spent at the club. At least one more quality player in this position is needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Liverpool<\/span><\/h3>\n

When they found their rhythm, Liverpool played some of\u00a0the best attacking football in the league last season, but it was defensively where their title bid ultimately fell down. 42 goals conceded\u2014the second worst in the top six\u2014was a major area of concern which manager J\u00fcrgen Klopp wasn\u2019t able to fix as the season went on. <\/span><\/p>\n

The constant uncertainty with goalkeepers Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius caused the side major headaches throughout the season and although Mignolet did improve at the back end of the campaign, a\u00a0more stable number\u00a0one will be required if Liverpool want to win their first league title since 1990. <\/span><\/p>\n

The back line in front of the goalkeepers were also a huge problem. Ever-versatile James Milner was filling in at left-back to cover for the hapless Alberto Moreno; Joel Matip had some good performances but had a lot of injuries and couldn\u2019t really find any consistent form; question marks still remain over Dejan Lovren’s ability at the top level. Klopp will need to sure up his back line in time for the start of the season. <\/span><\/p>\n

The club have already added Mohamed Salah to the ranks to bolster their impressive attacking options, but it\u2019s the defence that is Liverpool\u2019s weak spot. If this is\u00a0not addressed, any chances of winning the title will be slim. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Arsenal<\/span><\/h3>\n

Arsenal have the most to sort out in the summer of anyone. While Ars\u00e8ne Wenger’s situation is now clear, there are still many things that are up in the air, namely the futures of record signing Mesut \u00d6zil and star player Alexis Sanchez. Both players only have one year remaining on their current deals and could easily be sold in the summer. Several other players have been linked with moves away, including midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain<\/a>, who has enjoyed a fine run of form in a wing-back role in the side’s new 3-5-2 system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arsenal failed to finish in the top\u00a0four for the first time under Wenger last season\u00a0and will play in the Europa League next year. The club have a big job on to get themselves back into the Champions League at the first attempt and Wenger will have to be decisive in the transfer market in order to do this.<\/p>\n

The Arsenal manager is under severe pressure to\u00a0spend in this transfer window, and the club were linked with a record-breaking move for Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 earlier on in the summer. Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette<\/a>, at the very least,\u00a0looks set to join the club and Wenger has also a made public<\/a> his interest in Leicester midfielder Riyad Mahrez. Both would be welcome additions to get the squad closer to where it needs to be to challenge for the title.<\/span><\/p>\n

Manchester United<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jos\u00e9 Mourinho had a very mixed first season\u00a0at Old Trafford. A sixth place finish in the league was obviously disappointing, but United won both the\u00a0EFL Cup and the Europa League, the latter triumph securing a place in the Champions League. There was a serious problem with the lack of attacking flair and cutting edge being produced, and Mourinho has looked to address this firstly with the failed attempt to sign Antoine Griezmann and now the pursuit of Spanish forward Alvaro Morata<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

There has been difficulty in forging a cohesive centre-back partnership, which prompted the signing of Victor Lindelof,\u00a0but the<\/span>\u00a0full-back issue<\/a>\u00a0still needs solving. Luke Shaw’s struggles since his long-term injury in the past meant that the likes of\u00a0Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian have all filled in, but none are of the quality which is\u00a0needed. The foundation of any title-winning side is having a defence that can be relied upon and played every week and the left-back position will have to be addressed if United are to challenge,<\/span><\/p>\n

The sales of Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger left United with only\u00a0four recognised central midfielders in the second half of the campaign. The holding midfield area has become pivotal in the modern game, and although Michael Carrick has been fantastic for over the last decade, a long-term replacement must be secured. It could be the missing piece in the jigsaw to allow United to win their first league title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n