For most clubs, 2015 will merely represent a change in the calendar, showing no marked difference in play from the year that preceded it. But there is change on the horizon for others. Let’s take a closer look at what may take place in 2015.
Manchester United are poised to win the English Premier League in 2015
At the onset of their fall campaign, the Red Devils were all but written off for dead, and with good reason. They had just come off a dismal spring season, barely finishing in the top ten of the EPL. They sacked their manager after just one season with the team and made wholesale changes to their roster.
While their new manager, Louis van Gaal, had success with the Dutch National Team, no one could definitively predict how this success would translate into success on the pitch in Old Trafford and elsewhere. Shortly after the start of the 2014-15 season, Manchester United found themselves positioned as low as fourteenth place, and many supporters were starting to question the tactics of their manager and the recent high-price acquisitions by the team.
Fast forward to January, 2015, and the Red Devils are in third place in the EPL, a mere nine points out from first place Chelsea. Veterans like Wayne Rooney have taken up leadership roles on the pitch, and new additions like Radamel Falcao have proven their worth.
Their defense has been somewhat shaky but serviceable, and the current winter transfer window might just provide Man U with some needed improvement in their back four. Couple all of that with a loyal supporter base and solid financial footing, and this is a team poised to take the top spot in the EPL in 2015.
Barcelona will regress and take a few steps back
Currently in the second spot of the La Liga table (just behind Real Madrid and clear of Atletico Madrid by three points), one would assume that Barca is positioned to solidify their second place spot while eating away at a slight lead by Los Galacticos. With a net worth of $3.2 billion, and world renowned players like Messi, Neymar and Suarez, their immediate future should be looking bright.
But while their front line is laden with talent, there are other areas of concern. Mainstays in the midfield have seen their best days behind them. Xavi will turn 35 years old later this month, and Iniesta has seen his work rate on the field decline.
Their back line has been suspect for awhile, and mainstays Martin Montoya and Dani Alves have long been expected to leave after the 2015 spring campaign. Gerard Pique may be only 27 years old, but recent injuries seem to have taken a toll on his body (and level of play). Recent acquisition Marc Bartra has been a disappointment at the back, and the 40 million euros spent on Thomas Vermaelen and Jeremy Mathieu seem to be lacking in value based upon their performances on the field. And there’s more trouble for Barcelona on the horizon.
Barcelona has been banned from obtaining players through the transfer window until January 2016, a result of the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejecting Barca’s appeal of an initial ruling that resulted in them being found guilty of signing underage overseas players. This virtually guarantees that the team’s shortcomings mentioned above cannot be addressed through the transfer window and must be dealt with utilizing their current roster.
And, of course, should any injuries befall their star players, there will be a lack of quality support beyond Barca’s first team starters. Until Barcelona can participate in the transfer window, expect them to fall to as low as fourth place in La Liga (behind Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Valencia) and to have an earlier than expected exit this year in the Champions League.
The EPL managerial roller coaster
Not surprisingly, while a few managers in the EPL have been sacked, the “hot seat” as a whole seems to have cooled for now. But make no mistake—there are several managers whose teams must improve in the spring or they will be seeking employment elsewhere this summer. They are Everton’s Roberto Martinez, Aston Villa’s Paul Lambert, Liverpool’s Brendan Rodgers and most notably Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger.
It seems clear that all of their respective teams are underperforming, and whether their departure is voluntary or a result of an ownership sacking, all four men should be seen as vulnerable headed into the second half of the season.
