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With just a few games left to play, we’re approaching the business end of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign. And while there’s still some jostling left for the European places (and the less glamorous fight for 17th), most of the big storylines have already been written. What a strange & chaotic season it’s been. Let’s not waste any time here are, in my view, the main stories that have defined this season in the English top-flight.  Champions When Nobody Saw It Coming   Let’s be honest: not a soul outside of Merseyside had Liverpool pegged as title winners this year. Post-Klopp transition, new manager Arne Slot came in with questions around his tactical pedigree and how he’d manage the big personalities in the squad. What followed was a campaign of grit, energy, and, dare I say, old-school Liverpool relentlessness. While the style changed, the essence of Liverpool stayed the same. Mo Salah reminded us all that he’s not finished yet. Key players stayed fit, the defence tightened up, and the Anfield fortress was restored. Not everything was pretty, but they found ways to win. They ground out results when it mattered most. While the likes of Arsenal and City stumbled, the Reds surged. And now they’re champions again. It might not have been vintage Liverpool, but it was effective. Nobody saw it coming. And that’s exactly what makes it brilliant. Same Script, Same Ending   Arsenal were supposed to take that next step. After pushing City hard last season, the hope (and maybe expectation) was that they’d finally get over the hump. In truth, they never really got going this season. The defence has been top-tier once again and injuries didn’t help their cause, but they remained just close enough. But then came the familiar drop-off. They didn’t collapse in dramatic fashion, but the momentum quietly fizzled out. A draw here, a poor performance there and suddenly Liverpool had pulled away. What stings most is that this was arguably their best chance. City were vulnerable and this was their opportunity to capitalise. Fans will point to injuries being an important factor in them being left behind, but for me, that’s not a good enough excuse. It is just like Patrice Evra said, Arsenal are watching a Netflix show: you’re always waiting for the next season. The Empire Falters   No one's going to cry for Manchester City, but this has undeniably been their weakest league campaign under Pep. The signs were there early on; sluggish starts, laboured wins, and an overreliance on moments of individual brilliance. Rodri missing essentially all the season didn’t help, nor did an aging squad that started to run out of legs. Defensively, City have looked oddly vulnerable. Even the normally bulletproof Ruben Dias hasn’t been at his best. There’s also been a sense that Pep himself might be tiring, his rotations have been more erratic, his press conferences slightly spikier, his touchline outbursts more frequent. For a club that’s redefined domestic dominance, finishing third (or worse) feels seismic. Of course, City aren’t going anywhere. They’ll spend big in the summer and come back swinging. But for now, the aura of invincibility has faded and that alone is worth noting. Big Six No More?   We’ve been talking about it for a while, but this might be the season where we can say the traditional “big six” is no more. Newcastle & Aston Villa have continued to disrupt the big powerhouses. We’ve seen Forest now come into the mix for the European places.  Even Brighton have continued to rise, all while some of the traditional powers are in shambles (we’ll get to United and Spurs in a bit). It used to be that the same six teams would rotate the top six places. Not anymore. It shows that the gap is closing between yesteryear’s big guns and the ones that who want a seat at the table. There are now 8–10 clubs with legitimate ambitions of qualifying for Europe. That can only be a good thing, unless you’re one of the former big six, in which case, it’s an identity crisis in real time. Domestic Duds, European Dreams   Let’s lump these two together because, frankly, they’ve both been massive disappointments. Spurs made a decent start to the season, but it’s been a hard watch as the campaign has progressed. They’ve dropped too many silly points, and any hype has well and truly dissipated. To lose nineteen games already and the season isn’t even finished, that’s shambolic. United? Another joke of a season. Managerial changes have ensued, but things domestically have gotten worse. Any positive results have been due to individual talent bailing them out, but that’s no way to run a football team. And yet, both clubs still have a shot at European silverware. Both are in the Europa League semis and are on course to meet in the final. Winning a continental trophy won’t erase the league failures, but it would offer a silver lining and salvage what have been terrible seasons. The Yo-Yo Curse Continues   Just as we saw in 2023/2024, all three promoted clubs have suffered an immediate drop back to the Championship. Are we surprised? Not really. Southampton have a real claim to be one of the worst Premier League teams in history, just tragic across the board. Leicester have also been so bad, not showing at any time that they would survive. Whilst Ipswich were the most competitive out of the three, it was always going to be a struggle after back-to-back promotions. It shows that now more than ever, the gap between the Premier League and Championship is getting bigger and bigger. It’s a problem that the Premier League needs to address, as no fan wants to see the same teams chopping and changing between the top-flight and the second division. It’s not as simple as these promoted clubs spending more money to become Premier League ready, there needs to be a balance. This Week’s Hot Take   We keep hearing that the Premier League is the “best league in the world.” But maybe it’s just the most chaotic. You’ve got dominant teams crumbling, new powers rising, and the old guard flailing in the wind. That’s not a complaint—it’s brilliant entertainment. But maybe we should stop pretending there’s any kind of structure or order to this league. The only rule seems to be expect the unexpected.

Here we are, mid-April, and we’re supposed to be in the thick of it: the title race heating up, the relegation scrap turning ugly, and everyone clutching their calculators to figure out how many points they need for European qualification. Except, that’s not really the case this year, is it? The 2024/25 Premier League season has been, in my opinion, one of the worst we’ve seen in a long time. A forgettable campaign full of limp storylines & underwhelming performances. There’s always something to talk about in the Premier League, but for once, it feels like we’re scraping the barrel. So, let’s break it down. A Title Race in Name Only   The most exciting part of this season’s title race? Probably the brief spell in September when it looked like Arsenal, City, and even Chelsea might mount a real challenge. That hope evaporated quicker than a Spurs top-four charge. In reality, Liverpool have coasted their way to the top. Yes, they’ve been good—but not vintage Klopp-era good. The truth is, they haven’t had to be. The competition has been so underwhelming that just being vaguely competent was enough to pull clear.   City never quite found their usual rhythm. Pep’s lot looked tired, flat, and occasionally disinterested—like they knew they were in third gear and couldn’t be bothered to shift up. Arsenal promised a lot, but once again, fell short when it really mattered. Chelsea had a short-lived revival before returning to their natural state of chaos. And that’s it. That’s the race.   Even Liverpool’s win feels muted. The farewell narrative for Klopp should’ve added more emotional weight, but there’s been a weird sense of indifference around their success. It’s not their fault, but it says a lot when one of English football’s biggest stories feels like background noise. No real jeopardy. No memorable head-to-head clashes. Just a slow, predictable march to the finish. A European Chase with No Real Bite   On paper, the race for European places should be fun. Tight margins, surprise packages, and the prospect of Thursday nights in Latvia for someone unexpected. But for some reason, it just hasn’t gripped me—or, seemingly, anyone else. Sure, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest being in the mix adds a fresh twist, but it doesn’t feel like a proper race. It feels like a bunch of teams stumbling towards a finish line they didn’t realise was there.   Part of the problem is that the usual contenders have been so inconsistent that their failures no longer shock us. Spurs have regressed badly since the turn of the year. United are barely functional. And Chelsea, as always, are flirting with disaster and overperforming it in equal measure. So instead, we’ve got teams like Aston Villa and West Ham sitting quietly in the top seven without ever threatening to light up the league.   There’s also not much jeopardy. The difference between finishing 6th and 9th doesn’t carry the same weight it used to. European football is still on the line, but no one’s really fighting for it like their lives depend on it. And when the stakes don’t feel high, it’s hard to care. This race needs more bite, more chaos, and a bit less mediocrity. A Drop in Quality Across the Board   Let’s not sugarcoat it—the overall standard of football this season hasn’t been great. And it’s not just the bottom clubs. Some of the so-called “elite” teams have been shockingly bad. Manchester United, a team with the wage bill of a Champions League semi-finalist, look more like a Championship mid-table side half the time. Their football has been directionless, their performances abject. It’s no surprise they’re on to another managerial reset already.   Tottenham started brightly, but the injuries and lack of depth caught up with them. What once looked like a promising new project under Ange has quickly unravelled. Chelsea have shown flashes, but for the money they’ve spent, finishing 8th would be laughable if it wasn’t so predictable. Newcastle, too, have gone off the boil, with their Champions League honeymoon long since over.   Then there’s the relegation battle. Or lack thereof. The three promoted teams—Burnley, Luton, and Sheffield United—have offered minimal resistance and look destined to go straight back down. There’s been none of the drama we got from last year’s final-day madness. The league has always relied on its competitiveness, but this season, too many teams have simply not shown up. And when the standard drops this far, the product inevitably suffers. Lower Points, Lower Standards   The points totals this season make for grim reading. At the top, Liverpool may flirt with the 90-point mark, but it’s not been done in dominant fashion. City and Arsenal are well off their usual pace, and everyone else is miles behind. Look further down the table, and you’ll see a bizarre cluster of teams hovering around the low 40s with just weeks to go.   That might sound like a sign of a balanced league—“anyone can beat anyone,” as the cliché goes—but in reality, it’s a symptom of decline. Teams are taking points off each other, yes, but not through brilliance or tactical ingenuity. It’s mostly been through chaotic defending, poor finishing, and a general lack of control. The games are messy. The football is erratic. There’s a difference between competitive and chaotic.   And when clubs that should be aiming for 60+ points are instead languishing in the 40s, you have to wonder what’s gone wrong. It’s hard to think of many teams who’ve consistently impressed over the course of the season. Even Brighton and Brentford, last year’s darlings, have regressed. In the end, a league’s quality is reflected in its numbers—and these numbers aren’t painting a pretty picture. This Week’s Hot Take   If you stripped the badge names and history away and just looked at the football on display this year, you’d probably think this was a glorified Eredivisie season. The football hasn’t been good. The narratives haven’t gripped us. The title race is a procession. The relegation battle is a non-event. Even the race for Europe feels hollow. It’s the Premier League equivalent of a filler episode in your favourite series you’re watching it, but only because you’re committed, not because you’re enjoying it. Next season needs to be better. Not just for the fans, but for the league’s reputation as the global gold standard.

You know what time it is… the next instalment of my top five mini-series. So far, we’ve gone through the traditional back five: goalkeeper, centre-back and both full-backs. Now we move slightly further up the pitch to arguably the most underappreciated role in modern football: the holding midfielder. Whilst these players are more than just defensive midfielders, doing the dirty work, they are now seen as deep-lying playmakers, keeping the game ticking, and making it all look so simply that they barely get the praise they deserve.  So, without further ado, let's dive straight into it. #5 Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)   When Liverpool signed Gravenberch, I wasn’t entirely convinced. His time at Bayern Munich was underwhelming, and it felt like Liverpool were taking a punt on potential rather than proven quality. Fast forward to today and, well, safe to say they knew what they were doing. Gravenberch has quietly become one of Liverpool’s key operators at the base of their midfield this season. He's got this wonderful combination of composure, dribbling ability, and physicality that makes him so effective both in and out of possession.   He’s press-resistant, deceptively quick, and has that rare ability to glide past players even from deep positions. There’s a real smoothness to his game when he’s on it. You can see echoes of a young Yaya Touré in the way he drives forward. At times, though, he can still drift through games at times, but he’s still young. That’ll come with time. Given his age, his clear improvements, and the way Liverpool are grooming him for a big role, he’s absolutely earned his spot here. Watch this space: he’s only just getting started. #4: Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea)   Caicedo’s record-breaking move to Chelsea brought with it sky-high expectations – and initially, it looked like he had forgotten how to play football entirely. But credit where it’s due, Caicedo has quietly turned things around. As Chelsea have stabilised (well, relatively speaking), so has he. Caicedo is everything you want from a modern holding midfielder: tenacious, brilliant at sniffing out danger, and deceptively progressive with his passing. He's also got that South American grit that you simply can’t teach, the kind that makes opponents' lives miserable.   He covers ground well, breaks up play effectively, and he’s starting to form a better understanding with Enzo Fernández in midfield. The issue? He still looks a little raw at times, especially when the game gets chaotic. His decision-making under pressure isn’t quite elite yet, and occasionally he bites into tackles a little too eagerly. Still, considering the weight of expectation and the sheer madness at Chelsea, the fact Caicedo is finding his feet now bodes really well for the future. Chelsea fans should be quietly excited. #3: Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle)   If Newcastle's midfield is the engine room, then Bruno Guimarães is very much the engine and the oil and the guy turning the ignition key. Quite simply, he makes everything tick. Guimarães has been his usual great self this season, even when Newcastle’s form has been up and down. He's tenacious in the tackle, fearless when flying into challenges, and his passing range is fantastic. Whether it’s a sharp one-two to escape pressure or a raking diagonal ball, he’s got it in his locker.   There’s a sort of chaotic elegance about him; he’s not the most polished player you'll ever see, but his ability to influence games is second to none. Plus, he likes to get under the skin of opponents. Where he sometimes struggles is with discipline – not just in terms of bookings (though he’s good for a yellow every other week), but tactically. He can occasionally get pulled out of position in the heat of the battle and leave gaps behind him. Even so, few players in the Premier League dictate the tempo as naturally and effectively as Guimarães. He’s the beating heart of Newcastle. #2: Declan Rice (Arsenal)   Since making the switch to Arsenal, Rice has looked like he’s been wearing the shirt for his entire career. As complete deep-lying midfielders go, he’s nearly that: physically dominant, tactically intelligent, excellent in possession, and perhaps most importantly, an outstanding leader. Whether it's shielding the back four, carrying the ball through midfield, or pinging passes out to the wings, he does it all at an elite level.   What’s scary is how quickly he’s adapted to Mikel Arteta’s tactical demands. Rice doesn’t just break up attacks; he starts them too. His ability to turn defence into attack in a blink makes him the lynchpin of Arsenal’s setup. If you really wanted to nitpick (and I do love a good nitpick), you could argue that his passing is still a shade below the very, very best in the world. He can keep things ticking over, no problem, but when it comes to those killer vertical balls through the lines, he’s not quite at those elite levels. That said, given how much he’s improving year-on-year, that minor flaw might not exist for much longer. #1: Rodri (City)   I know, Rodri has missed huge chunks of this season. But it’s clear, City without Rodri have looked like Superman without his cape: still powerful, but suddenly very, very mortal. When he plays, Rodri is the ultimate safety blanket. His reading of the game is frankly absurd, he’s calmness personified on the ball, and he controls games with such ease that you sometimes forget he’s even there. That’s the mark of a truly great holding midfielder: making the impossible look routine.   He doesn’t just keep the ball ticking over either. Rodri has become a real goal threat, popping up with crucial strikes when City need them most. His ability to step up in big moments – both defensively and offensively – is second to none. Weaknesses? Honestly, there aren’t many. If you want to really reach, you could say he’s not the quickest over long distances, but it never seems to matter because he reads the game so well. Until someone consistently outperforms him over a full season, Rodri remains the gold standard. City’s drop-off without him tells you everything you need to know. This Week’s Hot Take   Gone are the days where deep-lying midfielders are simply protectors of the backline. Whilst it’s still a crucial part of their job, they need to also be able to connect the defence to the attack. In modern day football if, as a number six, you can’t advance the ball up the field and offer something in the attacking third, you can’t be considered elite in that position.

ABOUT Welcome one and all to Let’s Talk About Football: your one-stop blog for all things football. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Daniel and I’m a football enthusiast, Economics graduate and a Manchester United supporter through and through. I’ve always loved football. My dad has been an Arsenal fan since he moved from Nigeria to the UK in his early twenties, and my sister is also an Arsenal fan (I guess you could say that my passion for football runs in the family). Those who aren’t football fans see the sport as just 22 men trying to kick a ball into a goal. While that is true to a degree, football is so much more than that. It’s those moments that fill fans with suspense and excitement. It’s the joy in revelling in the success of your favourite team. It’s the emotion that it creates where one can go from agony to ecstasy in a matter of moments. Simply put, football is the beautiful game, unlike any other sport in the world. During the pandemic, I started reading more blogs and it got me thinking about starting my own. When it came to picking a topic, football was naturally the first thing that popped into my head. I’ve been following the sport since I was basically a toddler, I have plenty of opinions on all footballing affairs and I feel I’ve got a good amount of insight to share with those who are interested. This blog exists to share some of those opinions with readers who also love the sport & introduce people who wouldn’t see themselves as football enthusiasts to the sport. What can you expect from me? In three words, objectivity, unfiltered, and candour. My aim isn’t to share opinions that are biased to one particular team, manager, or player. I plan on saying things as I see them, being as direct and impartial as possible. In each entry I'll offer my thoughts on all things Manchester United, the Premier League and football as a whole, as well as some special segments depending on what’s happening in football. Also, each entry will offer a hot take that will hopefully spark some lively debates amongst readers. I hope you enjoy reading the blog and if you have any feedback, feel free to reach out. So, without further ado, let’s talk about football. Love, Daniel

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