This Premier League season sees Leicester City and Southampton return to the top flight of English Football for the first time of asking and the arrival of Ipswich Town after a 22-year absence. All three promoted sides will face a season of challenges in which they intend to survive in the strongest league in the world, which is only getting stronger.
With differing strengths and weaknesses, play styles, and transfer windows, the main question is, do these teams have what it takes to survive?
Leicester City: The Champions
Leicester City were relegated to the Championship after a poor 22/23 season, along with Southampton and Leeds. That summer saw much change at the club, including the departures of top players, James Maddison and Youri Tielemans. The club appointed Italian Enzo Maresca, an assistant of Pep Guardiola’s at Manchester City, and made several top signings – Harry Winks, Stephen Mavididi, Conor Coady, and Issahaku Fatawu. This saw the club dominate the Championship and, for much of the season, look unchallenged at the top apart from a slight dip in form towards the end of the season, which saw Ipswich finish 1 point behind The Foxes as Leicester finished Champions with 97 points.
However, while the 15/16 Premier League Winners have added depth to the squad, this transfer window has also seen the club lose manager Enzo Maresca and star player Keinan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea. This sparked a negative feeling around the club, with fans believing that the team had given in to the Premier League giants and lost their star player too quickly.
Leicester announced Steve Cooper as their new manager, bringing in a style of football that greatly differs from Maresca’s possession-based approach. But could this be of value to Leicester’s survival hopes, which now have a more organised, defensive, solid manager who is more proven at this level than Maresca and may benefit them if they are in and around the relegation zone this season? The Foxes have also secured the services of the experienced Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Oliver Skipp, who is yet to feature, but we could see him play in Game Week 2 against Fulham.
Squad: Strengths and Weaknesses
- Weakness – Lack of Proven Goal scorers
Jamie Vardy scored a goal and went close to adding a second in Leicester’s impressive opening game, a 1-1 draw against the Spurs, proving that even at the age of 36, he can still do it at the top level. The failure to sign a striker so far this summer could become a problem as the season goes on, with their only other option to an ageing Vardy being Patson Daka, who never reached the heights he was expected to, with 16 League Goals in 73 appearances in both the Premier League and Championship. The Foxes may face trouble as relying on Vardy all season could take its toll on the squad.
- Strength – Proven Experience within the Squad
Compared to the other two promoted teams, Leicester’s strength will be the Premier League experience within their squad. With players like Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, Harry Winks, Conor Coady, Ricardo Periera, Jannik Vestergaard, and De Cordova Reid, the squad’s top-flight experience cannot be questioned. If Steve Cooper can get the best out of this group of players, then there is no doubt that survival can be achieved.
- Weakness – Defensive Vulnerability
The squad’s vulnerability at the back is a key weakness, which led to their relegation in the 22/23 season. Since then, there hasn’t been much improvement in these areas, apart from the signing of young centre-backs Caleb Okoli from Atalanta and Michael Golding from Chelsea U21, both unproven at this level. It is still unclear how much they will improve Leicester’s defence. Leicester could line with the same back four as last in the Premier League.
Key Fixtures and Runs In’s
Leicester‘s first real run of games that will be crucial in their season comes from the 5th of October until the 2nd of November, in which they will face Bournemouth(H),
Southampton(A), Forest(H), and lastly, Ipswich(A) all in a row. How many points they can get in this run of games will be huge as they play the two other newly promoted sides, Bournemouth and Forest, who may also be down near the bottom at this time. Cooper’s side will be looking at this run, knowing how important it will be to pick up maximum points.
The Foxes will also face the same four teams in their final four fixtures of the season, which, if they are still in with a chance of survival with four matches remaining, this run-in will be monumental in deciding Leicester’s fate.
Ipswich Town: The Dark Horses
The promotion of Ipswich Town came as a massive shock to the football world as they completed back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League within two seasons under Kieran Mckenna, an incredible achievement. Last season saw Ipswich lose only four games, finish 1 point off the top, and boast the best attack in the league. Mckenna has been the master behind Ipswich’s rise back to the Premier League, who implemented a style based around possession football with an importance on building from the back.
Recruitment was astute after gaining promotion to the championship, bringing in quality championship players with a blend of youth and experience. Axel Tuanbeze and Brandon Williams were two of these signings. Mckenna also kept the core of the squad from the season before in League One and built around this. In January, when promotion looked like a real possibility, Ipswich again recruited well, bringing in experienced striker Keiffer Moore on loan from Bournemouth as well as Lewis Travis and Jeremy Sarmiento to bring further depth and quality, which helped to secure promotion to the Premier League.
Ipswich’s most significant deal this summer was getting Keiran Mckenna to sign a new four-year contract. Following an intense fight to keep the Northern Irish manager, who attracted interest from Premier League clubs Brighton and Chelsea, the Tractor Boys also made many big signings in the transfer window, showing they are not here to make up numbers.
Spending a total of £85 million so far, incomings include attacking additions, Liam Delap from Manchester City, last season’s championship top goal scorer, Sammie Szmodics from Blackburn Rovers and last season’s loan Omari Hutchinson being made permanent for around £20 million. Ipswich also added defensive experience by signing Ben Johnson on a free transfer from West Ham, Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric from Burnely, and most recently, midfield signing Kalvin Phillips, who, if he can get back to his best form, could be huge for Ipswich.
Squad: Strengths and Weaknesses
- Strength – Strong Team Unit
One thing that can be said about Ipswich is that, together as a squad, they have a very strong bond and chemistry. Much of the team has been playing together since Mckenna first took charge, and this could be crucial in moments of the season when it may get tricky. Ipswich can use this strong team spirit to help them navigate their way to Premier League Safety and help them turn Portman Road into a fortress.
- Weakness – Lack of Premier League quality and experience
This is the number one weakness of this Ipswich team. The pure lack of Premier League game time in the squad could lead to Mckenna and his team’s downfall this season as they attempt to adjust to the top flight and the high level of demand that comes with it. In their opening game against Liverpool, seven starters were playing in Mckenna’s League One promotion team, questioning whether Ipswich will have the depth compared to other teams in the league as the season progresses as a few injuries could expose this team.
This lack of depth was seen in the opening weekend in which Mckenna’s team saw an excellent first half of football against Liverpool, drawing 0-0 at halftime. However, the lack of quality and depth made the difference, as Liverpool scored twice in the second forty-five minutes to win 2-0.
- Strength – High-pressing football and fast-paced football
Mckenna has established a high-pressing, attacking style at Portman Road, which may be capable of disrupting teams. This was seen in the first half against Liverpool, as Ipswich played quick football, which didn’t allow Liverpool time on the ball and looked to turnover and transition forward quickly.
This caused Liverpool some discomfort in the first half, and maybe against lesser opponents, Ipswich will be able to take their chances and win games.
Key Fixtures and Run In’s
The Tractor Boys face a tough start to the season, having already played Liverpool. Next up is Manchester City in their first away fixture of the season. After the international break, Ipswich will face the newly promoted side Southampton away from home on 21st September. This is a big game, and Ipswich will consider this fixture a must-win. Mckenna’s side will host Leicester on 2nd November, another key date for Ipswich in their fight for survival. Looking towards the end of the season, if still fighting for survival by this point, Ipswich will face Leicester in the penultimate game. A result here may be pivotal in who survives.
Southampton: Play-Off Winners
The Saints and Leicester were relegated to the championship after finishing rock bottom of the Premier League in the 22/23 season. Change was needed, and Swansea’s Russell Martin was appointed as the club’s new manager. Russell Martin brought new ideas and a brand-new style to the South Coast and would play a huge role in their playoff success. He implemented a high-pressing, possession-based style. Martin was also reinforced after the sale of Club captain James Ward-Prowse to West Ham.
He utilized the loan market, signing Ryan Fraser, Joe Rothwell, David Brooks, Flynn Downes, Mason Holgate, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis as loan signings and making Shea Charles, Ross Stewart, and Ryan Manning permanent transfers. This natural mixture of youth and experience is helping to rebuild the Saints squad.
Despite inconsistent periods throughout the season, Southampton finished in fourth place. It beat West Brom 3-1 over two legs to face Leeds United in the playoff final. They won the game 1-0, securing their promotion back to the Premier League.
Southampton, over the summer, have once again recruited in a similar way to last season, bringing in a combination of young, exciting players and some older, more Premier League experienced players, like the return of Adam Lallana and Burnley defender Charlie Taylor signing on free transfers. The signing of last season’s fan and manager favourite Flynn Downes on a permanent deal for £18 million could prove crucial as Downes was a vital part of last season’s team that won promotion.
Attacking talent Ben Brereton-Diaz, who scored six times in 14 games while on loan at Sheffield United last season and completed a move from Villareal, is also a brilliant piece of business from The Saints as they look to add attacking depth. The club also spent a lot to bring Harwood-Bellis back permanently, as did striker Cameron Archer.
Young EFL talents Ronnie Edward and Nathan Wood also moved to the south coast in significant business from Martin and the club, who are thinking beyond this season. Portuguese midfield talent Mateus Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon and Right-back Yuki Sugawara from AZ Alkmaar were added to Martin’s disposal, bringing further depth to the squad and taking The Saint’s spending to just under £100m.
Squad: Strengths and Weaknesses
- Strength- Great depth and quality for a newly promoted team
Southampton’s effective recruitment over the summer has led to Russell Martin having a great squad at his disposal, with great additions all over the pitch helping to bolster the team. Adding players with lots of top-flight games and knowledge to this young, talented squad could boost their hopes of survival. If Martin can get it right this season, Southampton may be able to avoid the drop successfully.
- Weakness- Inconsistency problems
Last season saw the Saints drop standards several times, leading to some poor runs of form. To ensure their best chances of keeping their Premier League status, Martin and his squad will need to maintain a consistent level of performance and not allow themselves to take their foot off the gas for several games, as playing at this level is a big step up to The Championship. However, the club may set a higher performance standard with this impressive transfer window.
- Strength – Attacking talent and versatility
The attacking style Southampton showed in the Championship last season has the potential to be highly successful this season, with their dynamic and quick-paced attacks, including the ability to hit teams in more than one way. With the added talent of Cameron Archer and Brereton-Diaz, The Saints have a lot to offer going forward and could be an exciting team to watch this season. However, whether they can keep the goals out the other end is an important question.
Key Fixtures and Run In’s
They showed promising signs after defeat in their first game away at Newcastle. Southampton will host Forest in game week two and face Brentford, Ipswich, and Bournemouth in their next five League games, giving them a chance to try to pick up valuable points early in the season.
Looking towards the tail end of their schedule, in the last eight match weeks, the Saints will face Spurs, West Ham, Man City, and Arsenal on the final day of the season, which could be their downfall. However, between these sides, Martin’s side will also face Fulham, Leicester, and Everton, which will be seen as crucial in their survival.
Who has the best chance of Survival?
It is hard to answer this question honestly, with only one game being played so far this season; therefore, there is no real idea of who is and isn’t playing well and which teams are down near the bottom. However, all three newly promoted teams will face struggles this season. For Leicester, the biggest struggle will come from a lack of attacking presence when Vardy isn’t on the pitch and the question of how the defence will hold up as the season progresses.
For Ipswich, it is whether their lack of Premier League experience will win enough points over the 38 games to survive the drop and whether their defence can deal with Premier League attacks, as they faced six big chances against Liverpool and created 0 of their own. In the case of Southampton, something that can be taken from match week 1 is that while they played well and impressed throughout the game, they struggled to capitalize on their excellent play against 10-man Newcastle. The worry is that this could become a key theme of their season, similar to Luton Town last season.
So, any of these three teams could have the best chance of survival. On paper, Ipswich looks the weakest of the three sides, but can Mckenna keep the tight team spirit going and guide his side to safety? Leicester and Southampton both have squads that, on paper, can achieve survival. Still, it’s how quickly they can readapt to the league after a year’s absence from it. We will see as the season progresses if any of these sides have what it takes for Premier League survival.
Image by Kelvin Stuttard from Pixabay
