2022

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Let the prognostication begin!

After just barely catching our collective breath following a whirlwind summer, the new Premier League season is finally upon us. Tomorrow, the season officially kicks off when Arsenal travel to Selhurst Park to take on Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace side. In what could prove to be the most important season of Mikel Arteta's young managerial career, Arsenal have had a nearly note-perfect pre-season leading up the a new campaign, and expectations and hope are sky high.

The upcoming season is sure to be an exciting one as the top 6 have all ensured that there will be no lack of intrigue. Liverpool and City both improved their already ridiculous sides with exciting attackers, United has (yet another) new manager, Spurs have brought in a boatload of talent, and Chelsea are navigating the post-Abramovich era.

As is tradition, this is where we get to speculate wildly over what will (maybe) unfold over the next several months. So, let's get after it!

Champions: Manchester CityTop 4 (in order): Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, TottenhamRelegated: Bournemouth, Fulham, Southampton Arsenal finish: 3rdArsenal POTY: William Saliba

Oh look. Another Premier League season with Manchester City and Liverpool finishing top two. It's almost certainly going to happen again this year, and honestly, I can't be bothered with which of the pair win the title. It’ll be one of the two. Ho hum.

Arsenal are still at least a season from truly challenging either for supremacy in the league. I think the Gunners are as well-equipped to hang with the top dogs in individual matches as they’ve been in years, but I don't know that the squad has the depth or experience to really stack up the results you have to manage over and entire season.

Then again the Premier League is weird and unpredictable. Something strange always happens — a team that was supposed to be good is mediocre, a team nobody was talking about challenges for Europe, a key player gets hurt or has a down year, etc.

This might be the Arsenal-tinted glasses coloring my views, but I think the Gunners are pretty well-insulated from having a disappointing surprise this season. ***knock on wood*** Mikel Arteta and Edu have done a good job this summer adding quality depth to mitigate the potential impact of injuries. The squad will still be among the youngest in the Premier League. You’d rather bet on them to keep improving than, say, Tottenham who brought in the geriatric Ivan Perišić to be a key piece for Antonio Conte (for the record, at 33, Perišić is younger than me) and rely on Harry Kane, the world's oldest 29 year-old, and Heung-min Son, whose frozen rubberband hamstrings will keep him out for at least 3 weeks at some point this season, to carry their scoring load.

At the other end of the table, Fulham don't have the quality to keep up in the Premier League. They’ve shown that the last two times they’ve come up. Bournemouth will go back down because it's a safe bet to pick two promoted teams to go immediately back down. I think Nottingham Forest could be frisky, so it's the Cherries by default.

Southampton had a quietly poor season last year. All of the relegation talk was focused on Burnley, Everton, and Leeds because it was such a compelling race to avoid the drop so not much attention was paid to the Saints, who finished a meager 5 points above the relegation zone. Their 9 wins were tied-fewest with Leeds among teams that stayed up. That is not a team profile that inspires confidence.

As for William Saliba as my Arsenal player of the year, you wait. That dude is a baller. I’ve been incredibly impressed with him in preseason.

Champions: Manchester CityTop 4 (in order): Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, ArsenalRelegated: Bournemouth, Fulham, Everton Arsenal finish: 4thArsenal POTY: Gabriel Jesus

This is the season for Mikel Arteta's project to take the next step. He more or less has the first XI he wants, and a squad he wants. The defence has been strengthened by the return of William Saliba, and the attack looks to be going up a step by the arrival of Gabriel Jesus, who I think is going to go up a level from where he was at Manchester City. For Arsenal, it's all about adding goals. It's goals that cost Arsenal last season, but when I look at Chelsea's attack and Manchester United's attack, I don't think it's as good as Arsenal's. That wasn't true 12 months ago.

Tottenham worry me because they have a very good manager, but there's also huge burnout potential there, with Kane and Son on the wrong side of 28. But the World Cup has the potential to throw a wrench in anyone's season which is why I feel that Manchester City and Liverpool's grasp on the top two of the Premier League isn't as secure as last season.

As for the teams going down; Fulham, Bournemouth, thanks for coming up. See you next time. It's hard to pick between Leeds and Everton, but I think Everton have a greater lack of quality, and Frank Lampard is crap.

Champions: LiverpoolTop 4 (in order): Liverpool, City, Arsenal, SpursRelegated: Bournemouth, Everton, Nottingham ForrestArsenal finish: 3rdArsenal POTY: Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal are in year 3 of the Arteta rebuild, and it is "put-up-or-shut-up time" for the gaffer. To his credit, it looks like things have finally taken shape across the board. The streamlining of the recruitment process has been tremendous - save for a few outgoings and potentially another incoming or two, the Gunners have a very solid and exciting roster with a core of 18 players that give fans hope that things will finally fall back into place.

Arsenal's late-season slump to the finish line last season may have been a gut punch, but the fact that the Gunners were one result away from a Champions League spot despite their youth, injuries, and a heavy roster turnover should keep fans positive in the club's upward trajectory under Arteta. The transfer of Gabriel Jesus could very well be one of the signings of the season, as his pre-season form has been better than anyone could have hoped. After sorting out the defense last season, the attack finally resembles the high-press buzzsaw that fans have patiently awaited under Arteta.

The Gunners have the pieces to push themselves back into a top 4 spot. The depth has been markedly improved, the roster is young and talented, and the ownership has done everything to back the manager. Time to shine. Arsenal finish 3rd and are back in the CL next season.

Champions: Manchester CityTop 4 (in order): Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, ChelseaRelegated: Bournemouth, Fulham, BrentfordArsenal finish: 3rdArsenal POTY: Gabriel Jesus

If Arsenal can get & stay healthy they are legitimate contenders for third. Manchester City appears to have an easy path towards another (boring) title. Liverpool should be locked in for second place, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them struggle this season after getting close to the quadruple last year. That leaves Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, & United in a four-way battle for two spots (again). On paper, and again healthy, Arsenal's starting XI can take three points off all of those sides. However, just as important is going to be Arteta getting the team back into a regular pattern of taking care of the matches against the bottom half of the table - easily.

The team has three wonderful additions - Jesus, Zinchenko, & Saliba. If all three pan out, Arsenal can not only challenge for third but should go very deep in the Europa League. With the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Pepe, and Tierney (?) Arsenal has plenty to take advantage of the five-sub rule.

As for the bottom, Bournemouth, Fulham, & Brentford seem to be strong contenders, while Nottingham Forest might get overlooked a bit because people are just happy to see a different club in the top flight. In general, it's becoming worryingly difficult to transition from the Championship to the Premier League. A salary cap/budget for each tier in the English pyramid would be great, but that's never going to happen in the current reality.

Champions: Manchester CityTop 4 (in order): Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, SpursRelegated: Bournemouth, Leicester City, Southampton Arsenal finish: 3rdArsenal POTY: Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal and Arteta look primed to make strides again this season and there is no doubt, that last year demonstrated progression. Arsenal's base defensively is legitimately 7 players deep - Tomi, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney, Zinchenko, and Holding. I still feel light a player in the central midfield, but maybe that's where Zinchenko slots in from time to time. The Gunners finally look like they have actual ammo across the front three, with major strides taken by Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli and Nketiah last season in addition to our newest star in red and white Gabriel Jesus.

Top sides are definitely going to be affected by the World Cup (here is my obligatory I hate this WC is in the winter comment) and Arsenal will no doubt have some players in Qatar, but there is a chance Ben White, ESR, and Ramsdale all miss out from Southgate's call which could propel Arsenal on when the league restarts. Even if Ramsdale goes out of the 3, there is a high chance he sees no field time and can be fresh upon return.

Arsenal to qualify for Champions League, via top 4 secured and a Europa League title that becomes the 2nd trophy Mikel Arteta puts in the our cabinet as manager.

Have a prediction of your own? Disagree with ours? Drop it in the comments section!