English Premier League Second Five Preview 2021-22

Our Second Five EPL preview 2021 – 22 includes Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Plus, Leicester City and Brentford round out this tier. There’s a good chance that one of these clubs will earn a spot in the Europa League. Plus, one or more possess dark horse potential when it comes to breaking through into the top five. With a long season, an impactful transfer pool, and intensely volatile rivalries, the English Premier League always holds the potential for upsets, surprises, and spoilers.

Second Five EPL Preview 2021 -22

6. Tottenham Hotspur

First things first, disgruntled striker and star Harry Kane will stay with the Spurs. Despite his protestations at the end of last season, Kane will not be going to another league or club. It’s helpful that manager Jose Mourinho, whose philosophy and methods did not in any way inspire a winning culture, is gone. Nuno Espirito Santo, formerly with the Wolves, takes over as Tottenham Hotspur’s manager.

The North London team includes South Korean winger/forward Heung-min Son. He and Kane are a formidable scoring duo. Plus, Tottenham has added Sevilla winger Bryan Gil and £47m Atalanta defender Cristian Romero. The rest of the group offers skilled play. However, it’s difficult identifying another key contributor. Perhaps Santo’s schemes can inspire this team to break through into the top tier?

7. West Ham United

Our Second Five EPL preview 2021 – 22 observes that after enjoying a successful season, the Hammers have habitually struggled the following year. Thus, their sixth place EPL finish and qualifying for Europa play could signal a downward trend. However, manager David Moyes, who has a penchant for getting quality results from understaffed teams, will have something to say about that. Thus, if West Ham can buck tradition, they will be in the mix for a commanding spot in the EPL. Premium midfielder/centre-back Declan Rice returns.

Along with Rice, defensive midfielder Tomas Soucek and forward Michail Antonio are difference makers. In the end, it won’t be easy for the Hammers to find a balance between English Premier League and Europa League play. Adding quality players like Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma or Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard would help. We expect Moyes will be trying to work deals and beef up the team into late August.

8. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Last season was frightening for this team and Wolves’ fans. Along with top striker Raul Jimenez’s season-ending collision on the pitch against Arsenal, which resulted in a serious skull fracture, the team, which had finished seventh the following two seasons, ended EPL play in 13th place. However, there’s good news, as Jimenez is healthy and back. Plus, promising winger Pedro Neto and winger/wing-back Adama Traore return. Goalkeeping, which was problematic last season, has been addressed by acquiring Olympiakos’ José Sa.

However, there are plenty of questions plaguing this club, especially on defense, which was porous last season. At this point, there’s not much depth in back. Finally, a change in manager, as Bruno Lage comes in and Nuno Espirito Santo goes to Tottenham, could certainly help. The scheme, which Santo could not pull off, is to have the Wolves aggressively attack opponents, playing an up-tempo game. Lage, who’s noted for successfully devising and implementing a fast-paced, attack-orientated strategy, looks to be the right man for the job. However, will such strategy expose the defense even more?

9. Leicester City

The Foxes are in good stead. Manager Brendan Rodgers, who’s coming off a season where Leicester City beat Chelsea to win the FA Cup for the first time, sees top players return and quality additions come on-board. However, last season came with its disappointments, as once again, Leicester City faded down the stretch and, thus, missed finishing in the top four. Going into this season, the team will be a bit thin in back, as top-notch defender Wesley Fofana is out due to a brutal injury. In early August, the young talent sustained s a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle in an ugly tackle. He wants to come back and Rodgers wants him back, but it will take time.

Returning are talented performers Harvey Barnes, at wing, and defender James Justin. Prime additions include forward Patson Daka, midfielder Boubakary Soumare, and left-back Ryan Bertrand. Daka, a dangerous striker who possesses speed, football smarts, and finishing skills, is an especially exciting new face. Finally, forward Kelechi Iheanacho came on strong late last season. If he can create and sustain that same aggressive energy through the season, our Second Five EPL preview 2021 – 22 finds that it will be a big boost for the Foxes.

10. Brentford

The West London Bees are the 50th team to play in the EPL, as they move up from the Championship League where they finished third last season. Manager Thomas Frank is positive about this team’s possibilities and so are we. In fact, we think they have the potential to be a true dark horse in this highly competitive league. Why?

First, it’s their style of play. The Bees push the ball up the pitch quickly, in short spirts, and aggressively attack. Second, they are a club comprised of talented players who have been developed through their unique B team and been promoted to the primary squad. This is a solid group that includes star striker Ivan Toney, a massive scoring threat. Plus, left-back Rico Henry and defensive midfielders Christian Norgaard and Vitaly Janelt are solid. Finally, goalkeeper David Raya looks to be up to the task. Watch out for this football club.

Final Thoughts – First Five EPL Preview 2021 - 22

Without a doubt, both Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United possess great potential. In the middle of this group, the Wolves have addressed some issues and new manager Lage looks to be a solid choice. However, their D is not without its question marks. Our Second Five EPL preview 2021 – 22 finds that if Leicester City can sustain steady play throughout the season, they will be a contender. Unfortunately, they’ve struggled to do so in the past. Hopefully, the Foxes won’t fade this time around. Finally, we expect the Brentford Bees to be an exciting and surprising addition to the English Premier League. Watch out for this club.