Premier League preview: Twenty3’s guide to the new season
The 2023-24 Premier League season is here, and is sure to bring plenty of twists and turns with it.
Manchester City face another fight to retain their title, with Arsenal breathing down their necks after some fine additions to the squad.
At the other end of the table, newly promoted Luton Town are set for their first venture into the Premier League.
The tantalising race for Europe involves a a wide range of clubs, with a top seven spot a realistically attainable objective for several teams.
We used the Twenty3 Toolbox to pick out the most interesting narratives ahead of the new season.
Arsenal better equipped
City have claimed the title in five of the last six campaigns.
It will take a mammoth effort to disrupt this dominance but Arsenal are the team best-equipped to try.
The Gunners made Pep Guardiola’s side sweat for large portions of the 2022-23 season and have now added some new signings as they look to go one better this time around.
A catalyst for Arsenal’s inability to see out the campaign as champions was the lack of depth in midfield, as Thomas Partey found his high-level performances difficult to sustain.
However, the signing of Declan Rice from West Ham United has added quality and competition in that area.
The England international’s key actions visualisation reveals how much ground he covers, especially on the left-hand side.
The 24-year-old is capable of playing a part in first phase build-up, as shown in the Community Shield final, where he dropped deep to form a back three in possession to help Arsenal gain control.
However, he can stride forward as well, and is an efficient operator in the left half-space — this complete skill-set is why Mikel Arteta was so desperate to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.
In conjunction with Arsenal’s improvement, City have been weakened in midfield by the loss of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona.
The Germany international was a key player for Guardiola, with his knack for scoring vital goals late in the season a particularly useful trait.
In the final seven games of last season, the midfielder scored six goals, including a brace in the FA Cup final win over Manchester United and two more doubles against Leeds United and Everton, which were decisive games in the title race.
Additionally, Riyad Mahrez has been a productive asset on the right-hand side for a number of years, so his loss is another that will be keenly felt.
Arsenal will be hoping their gain and City’s losses can bridge the gap between themselves and the treble-winners.
New arrivals
There are plenty of exciting new arrivals to keep an eye on this campaign.
James Maddison is certainly an interesting prospect — Tottenham were in dire need of creativity and the 26-year-old seems to be the perfect solution.
The English international is a menace in zone 14 — notoriously the most dangerous area in build-up play. He is equally capable of slipping balls into the box to set up his team-mates or having a shot himself.
Kai Havertz’s move to Arsenal is among the most interesting moves of the window.
The forward had not lived up to his potential at Chelsea but Arteta was keen to lure him to North London.
However, the underlying data suggests that Havertz could be a success with the Gunners.
He ranked high for touches in the opposition box, proving he was getting into dangerous areas.
In Arteta’s free-flowing attacking system, the German international could finally unleash his potential.
Mason Mount’s move from boyhood club Chelsea to Manchester United is another eye-catching move.
The midfielder is capable of playing a variety of roles — he can advance and press from the front or drop deep to help ball progression.
This could help prevent Casemiro from being isolated but also contribute to United’s pressing structure — perhaps featuring more naturally in the role Wout Weghorst awkwardly played last season.
Battle at the bottom
In the last couple of years, the bottom of the Premier League table has provided more drama than the top.
That narrative looks set to continue this season, with Luton’s Premier League debut of particular interest.
It is their first appearance in the top tier since 1992 and, incredibly, they were in non-league less than 10 years ago.
Their miracle promotion was built on a sturdy defence that conceded only 42 goals in 46 Championship matches.
If they are to defy the odds again, their well-drilled 3-5-2 system under Rob Edwards will be key to ensuring they frustrate sides with higher-quality players.
Another promoted side that already have their backs to the wall is Sheffield United.
The Blades’ mission to survive has been dealt an early blow following the loss of star striker Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille.
The Senegalese striker enjoyed a productive Championship season last year, racking up 14 goals and nine assists — both rank within the top 10 in the league.
End product aside, his 100 progressive runs and 130 completed dribbles suggest he was crucial to dragging his side forward in possession.
It is no wonder that a Champions League side in Marseille opted to swoop in, but it does leave the Blades looking light on firepower as they bid to avoid the drop.
Wolves have been in the top tier since 2018 but may be sleepwalking towards the Championship.
The West Midlands outfit parted company with manager Julen Lopetegui after a breakdown in relationship just three days before the start of the season.
Gary O’Neil, who kept Bournemouth up impressively last year, is his successor but performing similar miracles may be impossible given the financial restraints at the club.
For the second season in a row, Everton secured survival on the final day.
The last campaign was the Toffees’ 68th consecutive year in the top flight but they only finished two points clear of 18th-placed Leicester City.
European race
The top half of the Premier League grows in strength every year, making the race for the European places a tantalising affair.
Arsenal and Manchester City will be expected to achieve top-four finishes with relative ease, given they were battling for the title last term.
However, the battle for the remaining two spots will be fascinating — Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United were the trio battling for those positions last term, with the Reds narrowly missing out.
The Magpies’ fourth-placed finish last term was their first Champions League qualification since 2002, — their bid to repeat this will be one of the most interesting narratives of the campaign.
The Magpies were a very well-rounded outfit last term, ranking high for clean sheets, shots attempted and progressive runs.
Eddie Howe’s biggest task will be trying to navigate midweek Champions League games while maintaining — or even improving on — last season’s standards.
Both Tottenham and Chelsea will also be aiming to involve themselves in the race, but it is difficult to predict the strength of the London sides as they navigate transitional periods.
Chelsea’s passing network from the 2022-23 Premier League campaign depicts a side that struggled to progress through the middle of the pitch and into their dangerous forwards.
Tottenham, meanwhile, were simultaneously negative yet leaky, leading to a disappointing eighth-placed finish.
But the appointments of Mauricio Pochettino and Ange Postecoglou at Chelsea and Spurs, respectively, have boosted morale.
Brighton and Aston Villa qualified for European competition last term and will be keen to repeat the feat.
However, their midweek adventures could see their domestic campaigns suffer.
The 2023-24 Premier League season is shaping up to be an exciting one.
All visualisations in this article were produced with the Twenty3 Toolbox. For more information, please get in touch below.