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The traditional Top 6 teams of the English Premier League have all encountered mixed fortunes early on in this season. Let's take a look at one position that seems to be a spot of weakness for each team based on early season performances.
The defending Champions Manchester City are showing no signs of change with their smooth, yet ruthless football catching the eye once again. At the time of writing, they do occupy the top spot in the league after 7 games, only on goal difference though. A Liverpool side that looks determined to take them off their perch are right on their tail, with a new look Chelsea right behind. Spurs and Arsenal have encountered similar starts to their career, with the North London rivals sitting equal on points at 4th and 5th place respectively.
The only tragedy of the traditional top 6 so far seems to be the dismal form of Manchester United. The team looks to be going through a rut that reminds everyone of Chelsea's disastrous third season under Mourinho, with things not looking up for United if recent performances are anything to go by.
Let us now take a look at a position that seems to be an evident chink in the armor of each of these sides and look at possible solutions or transfer targets that they might look to in the January transfer window to resolve the issue in hand.
#1. Manchester United: Center Back.
Jaap Stam, Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic. These were the rocks on whose efforts, the Premier League legacy of Manchester United was formed. It is of no surprise that the sad plight of Manchester United in the post-Fergie era can be directly attributed to a period where there hasn't been a notable center back pairing comparable to that of Pallister - Bruce or a Vidic - Ferdinand.
The current situation is such that with each passing game, it looks like the defenders are oozing confidence out, and even under the extremely pragmatic defensive tactician that is Jose Mourinho (also looking like a ghost of his past) they cannot seem to get a grip on games, and seem to be leaking goals. The latest reminder of this was when Mark Noble slid a pass between two center backs caught on their heels, right into the path of Marko Arnautovic who just had to pick his spot into the back of the net past a helpless David De Gea.
The current roster of Center Backs at United includes Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo. All of them have shown sparks of promise over the years, but none has been able to cement their place in the squad. Mourinho's attempt at tweaking the formation to have a three man backline also failed against West Ham and is creating further frustration amongst the Manchester United faithful.
If Eric Bailly is restored to the confidence level he showed in his debut campaign, that could be of huge relief for Mourinho, as he is a phenomenal athlete and showed incredible strength and solidity in his debut campaign for United. To partner Bailly however, none in the current roster seem ready enough.
United seemingly made a really desperate pursuit for Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld and we can all see why. Alderweireld is one of the best center backs in the world and has been consistent in his displays throughout his career. If United manage to secure his services with a lucrative offer that will satisfy his demands (which are reportedly unmet by Spurs because of their rigid wage structure), then this could finally be the solution to a very problematic scenario for United and their manager.
However, Alderweireld is approaching 30 years of age, and could only be a short-term solution. In Victor Lindelof, United have a good backup option, but he is another player who has had a mixed run of form during the course of his tenure at United. Milan Skriniar of Inter Milan and Danielle Rugani of Juventus could be realistic long-term prospects United can pursue to solve their long-standing issues in this problem.
Until then, all the United hierarchy can do is hope that this downward spiral is put to an end and that their fortunes turn a corner, as their rivals are sprinting ahead of them in the race for a Champions League spot and the Premier League title.
#2. Arsenal: Winger
Unai Emery and his charges have recorded a 7 game winning streak following their tough start to the campaign which included losses to Manchester City on the opening day and the closely contested match they had with Chelsea. There is hope around the Emirates, and Arsenal is looking to be adjusting to their new manager.
They spent wisely in the summer, claiming the services of Bernd Leno, Sokratis, and Lucas Torreira to strengthen three long-standing weak areas, at goalkeeper, centre back and defensive midfield respectively, while they also signed Stefan Lichsteiner to provide competition and guidance to Hector Bellerin at right back and also signed Matteo Guendouzi, who if early performances are anything to go by, could be a star in the future.
But one thing that comes to notice in this squad is that they lack an out and out winger. In the current formation, a 4-2-3-1, with Lacazette and Aubameyang both starting together, it is Aubameyang functioning from the left winger slot in the attacking 3 behind the striker, with Mkhitaryan or Ramsey normally slotting in on the right. Their only pure winger remains Alex Iwobi, who is an industrious player but lacks the end product to contribute in the bigger stages.
In matches against teams that chose to sit deep and defend, they will need to use the width of the field to penetrate the defence, and they lack the personnel to do so for them. With young star Reiss Nelson also out on loan to Hoffenheim, Arsenal will have to look into the market in January for some options to use along the wing, as an injury to Aubameyang or Lacazette could make this formation difficult to stick to over the period of a lengthy season that involved long trips across Europe as part of their Europa League campaign as well.
Julian Draxler, currently on the fringes of a superstar filled PSG squad, and a player linked almost perennially to Arsenal could prove to be a clever buy and could be the solution to this issue for Arsenal. Leverkusen's Leon Bailey and Julian Brandt are two pacey wingers who have been linked to bigger clubs over the past one year and could be really good options, but Arsenal will have to face heavy competition from multiple clubs amongst the European elite for their signings.
Although not a significant weakness, this could go a long way into solving multiple problems in attack for Arsenal and could be a significant point in the Emery reign for Arsenal if resolved.
#3. Tottenham Hotspur: Striker
One of the most consistent squads in England over the past few years, Mauricio Pocchettino has indeed shaped this into a very competitive squad and Spurs have definitely punched above their weight considering how less they spend compared to their rivals, and with the wage structure imposed on the players.
After a frustrating transfer window where they signed a grand total of zero players, Spurs have endured a tough start to the Premier League and haven't been able to match the levels expected of them.
One of the biggest problems they are facing right now, is the form of their talisman, Harry Kane. Kane has been one of Europe's best players over the past couple of years and his goalscoring record is simply unbelievable.
But due to their fallings in the transfer market, Spurs have once again failed to supply Kane with a backup striker who can reduce the pressure on him for the goals. Fernando Llorente and Vincent Janssen have failed to light up the fans hopes during their time at the club, and as a result, Kane has often been over-relied on by the club and even at international level with England.
Coming off the back of a Golden Boot winning World Cup campaign with England, Kane seems to be off the pace and does not look his usual self in the earlier stages of the campaign. He finally broke his August curse and has scored 5 goals so far, but 2 of them have been penalties and his overall game hasn't been as impressive as it normally is.
If Spurs are to mount a serious title charge and compete in Europe, they need to alleviate the burden on Kane and invest smartly in an attacker who can guarantee them goals. Spurs seemed interested in acquiring the services of Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha over the summer.
This could be a very smart acquisition as Zaha's trickery and pace in the final third provides a different approach to Kane's direct style of play and could provide Spurs with something different up top. Zaha has proven Premier League credentials as well and is a safer bet as compared to the risks Spurs took with the likes of Georges Kevin-Nkoudou and Vincent Janssen.
#4. Chelsea: Striker
Chelsea have begun life under Mauricio Sarri with great aplomb, winning 5 and drawing 2 of their first 7 games in the Premier League, ending Liverpool's winning run most recently. Eden Hazard has been in fabulous form for the Blues, while new signings Kepa, Jorginho, and Kovacic have all impressed in the games so far.
The vertical tiki-taka system of Sarri seems to have put an attacking edge to Chelsea's playing style and with blistering wingers of the calibre of Hazard, Willian, and Pedro, Chelsea is armed with great pace and trickery, but they need a more reliable figure up top to convert the chances created by their wonderful wingers and their new midfield maestro Jorginho.
Alvaro Morata has started the season where he left of last season. The Spaniard cannot seem to find his confidence back and has continued his miserable run of form in front of goal. While Chelsea can also call upon the services of World Cup winner Olivier Giroud in the same position, neither can guarantee them with 25-30 goal seasons that other top strikers offer their teams.
As for alternatives, Chelsea can choose to call back Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi who seems like he could be a good fit in the Sarri system. Batshuayi recently became the first person in this century to score in the Ligue 1, the La Liga, the Premier League and the Bundesliga. He has been a consistent goalscorer everywhere he has played and deserves a chance at Chelsea under Sarri.
Looking aside that option, Chelsea should ideally look to spend big and make an attempt to make a marquee signing such as a Mauro Icardi or a Robert Lewandowski to show their statement of intent to return to the top of their game and challenge for the Champions League under Sarri rather than looking for another experimental option up top to spearhead their charge.
#5. Liverpool: None
What a squad Liverpool have put together. Sure, on the field there might be certain issues that still need some improvement on, but on paper, there is no squad in England as mighty as that of the Reds.
With the signing of Allison, Liverpool seems to have plugged their biggest weakness of recent years. Mignolet still serves as a good deputy. With the promising Joe Gomez fit again and forming a formidable centre-back partnership with the rock-solid Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool's issues at the centre of defence also seem to have been solved. The much improved Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip provide alternative options at Center back.
At right back, the find of last season, Trent Alexander Arnold continues to impress one and all with performances years ahead of his age, while Scottish skipper Andy Robertson provides industry and great delivery from the left, with Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno providing further depth in these positions.
At the centre of midfield, Liverpool strengthened themselves considerable with the signings of Naby Keita from Leipzig and Fabinho from Monaco. Add to this the evergreen James Milner who seems to be getting better with age and Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana and Gini Wijnaldum who are ever ready to put a shift in, Liverpool have a multitude of options to pick their midfield trio from. Once Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also makes his return from injury, Klopp has a real dilemma in his hands as to which 3 to go with to start a game.
In attack, the supreme attacking trident of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah need no introduction. But unlike last season, Liverpool have provided them with able back up this term. Xherdan Shaqiri for a price of less than 15m looks like a real bargain, while a fit again and rejuvenated Daniel Sturridge adds another dimension to their already potent attack force.
Looking at this, the author believes that there are no weaknesses that require immediate sorting out at the red side of Merseyside. Issues may arise during games, for sure, but atleast on paper, Liverpool look like they've got it all.
#6. Manchester City: Center Midfield.
The Champions have made a rampant start to their season, dropping points only once so far. They look to have added more venom to their already dangerous attacking lineup with the addition of Riyad Mahrez, while the fit-again Benjamin Mendy and his powerful runs and incredible crossing have provided City with another outlet down the wing.
However, City failed in their pursuit to land Jorginho or Fred over the summer and this might prove to be a problem as the season progresses. At the base of midfield, they have the brilliant Fernandinho, but at 33, there is only so much running that can be expected from his ageing legs. Considering the fact that Kevin De Bruyne is also injured, an injury setback to Fernandinho could ruin Guardiola's plans as they do not have another recognized player who can deputize for Fernandinho in the same role.
Phil Foden and Fabian Delph are their other midfield options, but with Phil Foden posing more of an attacking threat and Delph not deemed good enough to directly fill in Fernandinho's boots, City should ideally be looking into the market for options rather than conducting experiments like playing John Stones in the base of midfield. In a highly competitive Premier League and combined with European aspiration, such experiments might prove costly and Guardiola would not want to toy with his fortunes with such a talented squad at hand.
Manchester City are reportedly in the market for multiple young defensive midfielders with Adrien Rabiot, Ruben Neves, Tanguy N'Dombele, Julain Weigl and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic being linked with a move to the Etihad in recent months. Julian Weigl would be a perfect fit in the Guardiola system and with his career almost stagnated at Borussia Dortmund, he would also welcome interest from a manager of Guardiola's stature and could be the ideal replacement in the long run for Fernandinho. Ruben Neves also fits the billing, but it is highly unlikely that the ambitious Nuno Espirito Santo would let his prize prodigy leave the Molineux midway through the season.
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