Following a season that saw Chelsea dominate the entire campaign, Jonathan Wilson looks at what their rivals need to do to catch up with the Premier League champions.
Manchester City
City were simply never consistent enough to mount a sustained challenge. With Yaya Toure out of sorts for much of the season, they were too reliant for goals on Sergio Aguero, while Vincent Kompany, such a colossus last season, had a poor year, perhaps unsettled by the laxness of his central midfield. Major recruitment is likely at City — another striker and a holding midfielder are essential — although it is debatable whether it will come this summer or next, when a new manager is likely to arrive.
Arsenal
Arsene Wenger’s club never recovered from a poor start, although there was much that was encouraging about their form in the second half of the season. Structurally there is far greater flexibility in the starting XI than there has been for years, although the squad is still weighted towards diminutive creators. Arsenal’s policy these days seems to be to sign one star per summer so, although they have been linked with Raheem Sterling, they need a striker as well as defensive cover.
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Manchester United
The bizarre thing this season was that despite £160m (Dh903.8m) of expenditure last summer, United ended up heavily reliant on a 34-year-old midfielder: they picked up a point a game more when Michael Carrick played than when he did not. Both Falcao and Robin van Persie had poor seasons. With David de Gea probably leaving, there is need of a goalkeeper, if only as back-up to Victor Valdes, plus a high-class striker and additional midfield cover. Memphis Depay has already joined.
Liverpool
They started poorly as they struggled to come to terms with the loss of Luis Suarez and the injury problems of Daniel Sturridge, enjoyed a golden middle with the 3-4-2-1, and then capitulated at the end, Steven Gerrard’s final days at the club competing for coverage with Raheem Sterling’s contract negotiations. Brendan Rodgers has made clear he needs a striker who will stay fit and there is probably also a need for a classy driving midfielder to replace Gerrard, who will leave for the United States.
Tottenham Hotspur
Like Liverpool, Tottenham’s season fell in three parts: an inconsistent start as they adapted to manager Mauricio Pochettino, a promising middle and then a poor end as the fatigue of the Europa League campaign kicked in. Perhaps it was the attacking approach of the full-backs that caused the issue, but Tottenham never convinced defensively on the right, while Harry Kane had to carry too much of the burden of goal scoring. With Hugo Lloris likely to leave, they need a goalkeeper, as well as a right-back and a centre-forward.
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