[ad_pod ]

We’re now a quarter of the way through the season and the narratives of 2018/19 have been formed. We know that Manchester United are entrenched in a crisis that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. W

e’re almost certain that the title race will be a three-way affair with City most likely to prevail. Given the swiftness in which they’re adapting – while accumulating a healthy haul of points in the process – we’re sure that Arsenal and Chelsea will be just fine under Emery and Sarri respectively and could very conceivably scale great heights in the not too distant future.

Lowering our gaze, we can also definitely attest that Cardiff are destined to revisit the Championship post haste while Burnley and Huddersfield are each, in their own way, experiencing the debilitating trauma of Second Season Syndrome.

There are a hundred more too as the season takes shape and becomes a distinct entity in its own right.

Yet what really fascinates is the unknowns that still linger, offering up the possibility of one thing or the other; teasing us with probables that lead only to personal opinion and debate.

Some of the examples below have already been prematurely decided upon. In reality their truths are still to be revealed.

Will Liverpool’s front three fire into life?

An assumption has been made; an entirely understandable assumption and because it’s entirely understandable it’s been made by pretty much everyone.

It goes something like this – considering how awesome Liverpool’s defence have been so far and considering too that it’s only a matter of time before Mane, Firmino and Salah explode back into the devastating form that wreaked so much havoc last term then when the latter inevitably happens the Reds will be an unstoppable force.

Admittedly this is more likely to occur than not and additionally eight league goals from the trio is hardly a meagre return. Yet we’re seen sustained drop-offs in form before from players who were nothing short of exceptional throughout the previous campaign and with every passing week it’s becoming apparent that Mo Salah in particular but Firmino too are producing blurry photocopies of last season’s manifesto.

The longer this continues the more Klopp’s newly configured solidity will be viewed less as a bonus and more as something to rely upon.

Will Leeds implode under Bielsa?

The arrival of El Loco to Elland Road was one of the summer’s biggest talking points and our intrigue has only grown as the tactical innovator has successfully forged his high-pressing, thoroughly entertaining brand of football into a young team that was previously drifting aimlessly in the Championship.

Leeds have lost only once and boast the second highest amount of goals in the league while their high-energy commitment to Bielsa-ball has made for compulsive viewing for fans of the Yorkshire giants and neutrals alike.

But before we rub our hands in anticipation at the thought of the intensive Argentine prowling Premier League touchlines next August, taking on the managers who he has directly inspired (Guardiola, Pochettino, and Pellegrini to name but three), some caution is required.

At Lille the coach was suspended then relieved of his duties just 13 games in. At Lazio he quit after two days. At Marseille he resigned one game into his second term in office.

When it goes well for the fiery genius is can go brilliantly. When it goes awry however it ends very suddenly.

Is Celtic’s dominance slipping?

Brendan Rodgers’ two years in charge at Parkhead has been an unmitigated success presiding over an era of dominance that borders on the extraordinary.

Consecutive titles have nudged the Hoops closer to an unprecedented ten in a row while a historic 63 games unbeaten domestically helped sweep up all of the silverware in Scotland. Last season Celtic secured the treble for the second time running.

An early Champions League exit to AEK Athens back in August however prompted rumours of ‘issues’ emerging within the Glasgow club and that was swiftly followed by substantial whispers of the former Liverpool boss leaving town.

Presently Celtic lie third in the Scottish Premiership after losing two of their opening eight games. Above them are Hearts and Hibs offering a symbolic transferal of power from Glasgow to Edinburgh even if at this juncture symbolism is all it is.

It’s hardly a crisis. But then again, when the bar has been set so meteorically high anything below that is deemed a failure.

Are Lacazette and Aubameyang masking Arsenal deficiencies?

After a worrying start to Unai Emery’s succession at the Emirates his side have now strung together nine straight wins across all competitions and all is swell in North London. “We’ve got our Arsenal back” is being sung with gusto in the stands. Their expensively-assembled strike force meanwhile is taking it in turns to tear defences apart with ten goals between them already.

Yet there are some statty types who are insisting that Arsenal are dramatically over-performing according to their XG and that it’s simply not sustainable to expect your forwards to convert 25% of the chances that arise throughout the course of a season.

How much this matters is up for debate (because surely the fact that the Gunners are in a period of transition should be factored in?) but even so it will be an interesting one to follow, particularly if and when their prized hit-men begin to dip in their prolificacy.

Spurs. Just Spurs.

For the past three years Spurs under Pochettino have finished no lower than third and for each of those years we’ve been told on numerous occasions that they are a great example of how a Premier League club should be run. They had a fantastic and what’s more likeable man at the helm. They resisted the temptation of shelling out fortunes and instead bought sensibly, nurturing their talents into a cohesive and high-achieving collective. They had a style of play that was distinctly theirs.

Now though, after precisely one summer of standing still what have they become? Who are Tottenham and what do they represent besides existing and awaiting their new stadium to be fit for purpose?

After a perfectly okay start can they now kick on and be a relevant force again? Like all of the unknowns above only time will tell.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”308991″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Fixture in Focus West Ham v Tottenham”]