The start of the Premier League season is a crucial moment, and teams prepare for months. Despite this, they often present with obvious deficiencies. Although pre-season friendlies are useful, nothing can replicate the intensity of an official match with points at stake. After the first day, perfection is not expected, but some of the country’s most prominent clubs showed difficulties, which probably led their coaches to analyze possible adjustments and solutions. It is necessary to quickly correct certain aspects. Let’s analyze the problems that affected some of the most important teams and see what suggestions we can offer.
Contents
Arsenal: Solving the Pressure
Arsenal had a poor performance in their 1-0 victory against Manchester United. Ball possession, with 39%, showed the difficulty in maintaining control of the game. Last season, they recorded less than 40% possession in three matches, and in two of them players were sent off with red cards. Although the “Gunners” seem to be leaning towards a more direct and counter-attacking game, with Martin Ødegaard making two successful through passes, it is surprising how often they lost possession. Arsenal also conceded 22 shots at Old Trafford, a high figure for a defensively solid team. Despite this, a solid defense and a well-executed corner secured them three valuable points. Beyond the need to improve possession, coach Mikel Arteta could review his team’s pressing structure. Arsenal has been one of the best pressing units in recent Premier League seasons, especially in rival goal kicks, but they were repeatedly outplayed on Sunday. Initially, United facilitated the advance of the ball towards right-sided center-back Leny Yoro, allowing him to advance with the ball. Then, goalkeeper Altay Bayindir began sending long passes towards the full-backs or midfielder Matheus Cunha, who dropped back to receive the ball. It’s unusual to see the “Gunners” so easily outplayed. The pressure they faced was a direct result of their inability to disrupt United’s play. Arteta will likely reconfigure the pressure, although it could be a boring week for the players in training.
Chelsea: Finding a Replacement for Levi Colwill and Utilizing Cole Palmer on the Wing
On the eve of the season, Chelsea suffered a major blow when Colwill’s cruciate ligament injury sidelined him for much of the 2025-26 campaign, forcing coach Enzo Maresca to seek a solution. Colwill was key to Chelsea’s game build-up. Adarabioyo’s return will improve the situation. Maresca has publicly suggested a new signing, but Jorrel Hato, recently signed from Ajax for more than 40 million euros, could grow into this role. Meanwhile, considering the possibility of returning Palmer to the wing, where he shone, could be an option. Playing as a number 10 midfielder against Palace did not have the desired impact. Playing as a winger could give him more space and facilitate receiving the ball, allowing him to move into dangerous central areas in front of the goal.
Liverpool: Trust in Ryan Gravenberch
The defeat against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield suggested that something was not right at Liverpool, and the start of the Premier League confirmed this concern. Although the “Reds” beat Bournemouth 4-2, they did not show a convincing game and needed late goals from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah. There have been many changes at Anfield during the summer, with over £200 million in revenue from player sales, despite Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah renewing their contracts. The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid caused a revolution in the full-back positions, with the arrival of Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, while almost £200 million was spent to sign Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz. These players need time to adapt. It’s crucial that Arne Slot finds a way to integrate them quickly, and an important step is simple: include defensive midfielder Gravenberch after serving his one-match suspension. His return would also free up Kerkez to make runs down the wing. If Gravenberch can take on the role of third defender, Slot could allow both full-backs to join the attack and exploit their skills.
Aston Villa: More Rhythm, Width, and a Personnel Adjustment
The Arsenal were not the only Premier League team that struggled to complete passes on the first matchday. Only four clubs had a worse completed pass percentage than Arsenal (74.5%); one of them was Aston Villa (73.2%), the second worst in the league.Their problems began from the start of the match, when Newcastle United exerted intense pressure. The PPDA (the number of passes allowed to Villa before a defensive action) of the “Magpies” was only 6.08, a low figure. Villa was easily caught and repeatedly dispossessed, partly because they were operating in a reduced area of the field.
The Villa coach, Unai Emery, fielded four central midfielders in his starting eleven. They are all good players, but none are very fast, and McGinn can’t stretch teams with runs. Perhaps a better balance can be achieved by adding a more dynamic presence outside of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers. It can also be argued that if Tielemans plays as a number 10, Pau Torres needs to play so that ball progression and retention are not affected.
