Premier League Season Analysis: Villa's Rise, Wolves' Decline, and Title Race - Episode Hero Image

Premier League Season Analysis: Villa's Rise, Wolves' Decline, and Title Race

The Athletic FC Podcast · · Listen to Original Episode →
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TL;DR

  • Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers' brace against Manchester United highlights his growing importance, demonstrating attributes Thomas Tuchel desires in an England number 10 and solidifying his claim for a starting role.
  • Wolves' decline stems from a consistent strategy of selling key players without effective reinvestment, leading to a squad quality deficit that even a top manager cannot overcome.
  • The current Wolves squad appears ill-equipped for the Championship, raising concerns about their strategic direction and the ownership's commitment to rebuilding a competitive team.
  • Liverpool's recent performances, particularly in the latter stages of games, suggest a loss of their championship aura, indicating potential fragility despite retaining talented players.
  • Dominic Calvert-Lewin's resurgence and goal-scoring form for Leeds United position him as a viable alternative for England's traditional number nine role, addressing a potential gap in their attacking options.
  • A competitive Premier League title race with multiple teams vying for the lead, alongside undecided Champions League qualification and relegation battles on the final day, would significantly enhance the league's jeopardy.

Deep Dive

Aston Villa's current success, marked by a ten-game winning streak, is largely driven by the emergent talent of Morgan Rogers, whose two goals secured a victory against Manchester United. While this streak positions Villa impressively, it also highlights a potential strategic tension: the club's ambition for European qualification versus the desire for domestic trophy success, complicated by a lean squad that may struggle to compete on multiple fronts.

Rogers' performances have not only bolstered Aston Villa but have also brought him into contention for the England squad, with his work rate and goal-scoring ability drawing comparisons to other top midfielders. His emergence from the Championship to become a key player in a top Premier League side demonstrates a successful transfer strategy, though his increased profile means he will face heightened defensive attention. This success, however, is juxtaposed with Manchester United's continued struggles, particularly their reliance on Bruno Fernandes, whose absence highlights a lack of depth and a diminished capacity to control games, even against depleted opposition.

Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers are facing a dire season, potentially on track to be one of the worst in Premier League history, with a record of two points from seventeen games. This decline is attributed to a long-term strategy of selling key players without effective reinvestment, leading to a squad that lacks the quality to compete. The recent change in interim chairman offers little immediate hope, as the core issue appears to be the ownership's waning appetite for investment and a lack of a clear strategy for recovery, raising concerns about their ability to even compete in the Championship should they be relegated.

In other matches, Tottenham Hotspur's resilience was tested in a match against Liverpool where they finished with nine men, yet managed to compete, a sign of their improved collective effort despite a string of poor results. Liverpool, despite their own challenges and a perceived loss of their "champion's aura," managed to secure a win, though their performance, particularly in the latter stages of the game against reduced opposition, raised questions about their consistency. The season also sees a resurgence from Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Leeds United, whose goal-scoring form has been instrumental in Leeds' improved performance under Daniel Farke, suggesting a potential, albeit injury-prone, option for England's attacking lineup.

Ultimately, the Premier League season is shaping up to be a fascinating contest, with Aston Villa demonstrating the capacity to challenge expectations, while teams like Wolves face the harsh reality of strategic missteps. The ongoing narrative involves teams balancing European ambitions with domestic league performance, and the potential for a more competitive title race, Champions League qualification battle, and relegation scrap by the season's end.

Action Items

  • Audit Wolves' recruitment strategy: Analyze player sales and acquisitions over the last 3-5 years to identify systemic weaknesses and prevent future squad depletion.
  • Design a framework for evaluating player performance: Define metrics beyond win-loss records to assess individual contributions and identify potential talent for England selection.
  • Create a runbook for managing squad depth: Outline procedures for player injuries and AFCON call-ups to ensure consistent team performance across competitions.
  • Measure the impact of VAR on game outcomes: Analyze 5-10 matches where VAR decisions were controversial to understand its influence on results and player behavior.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"The Premier League presented a Christmas cracker of a weekend of football. From Morgan Rogers’ magic in Aston Villa’s win over Manchester United, to Spurs’ red cards in their defeat to Liverpool. And... after Wolves lost once again - are they the worst Premier League team ever?"

This quote from the podcast description sets the stage for the episode's discussion, highlighting key matches and controversial moments. Ayo Akinwolere, the host, introduces the main topics: Morgan Rogers' performance, Tottenham's struggles, and the dire form of Wolves.

"Rogers he's kept the ball alive he has and he can run it you know this is morgan rogers oh it's a peach that is an absolute peach the stadium was cited across and it's come to morgan rogers he is the man his brace earned aston villa a 2 1 win over manchester united making it 10 wins in a row for unai emery's side."

Adam Crafton describes Morgan Rogers' exceptional performance, emphasizing his two goals that secured Aston Villa's victory. Crafton notes that Rogers' brace contributed to Aston Villa's impressive ten-game winning streak under Unai Emery.

"I think that if i was going to i mean i personally i would like to find a way to just shoehorn him into the squad because he's such a match winner but if i had to not take one of those guys i would probably be him just because i wouldn't i wouldn't know how he fits with the team in quite the same way"

Jack Pitt-Brooke discusses Cole Palmer's potential inclusion in the England squad, expressing a personal desire to include him due to his match-winning ability. However, Pitt-Brooke admits he would hesitate to select Palmer if forced to choose only two players from a specific group, citing uncertainty about how Palmer would integrate into the team structure.

"The only thing i'd say on that with regards to his the most cursed record signing i mean look this injury is a you know a freak it looks like an impact injury from the challenge and from the motion but like this is a player who's had injuries isak picking up a series of niggles i don't think will have been that surprising to newcastle fans based on his record over the last few years but clearly this yeah this is a horrible one because he's just started to score a couple of goals and you just start to think maybe you know his position can start to make sense"

Adam Crafton comments on Alexander Isak's injury, acknowledging it as a "freak" incident but also noting that a history of injuries might not surprise Newcastle fans. Crafton expresses sympathy for Isak, especially as he had recently begun scoring goals and seemed to be finding his form.

"I would love a last day where you have both the title in fact three things where you have the title champions league qualification and relegation all undecided and it's been quite a while since what onto the last day the last day i think that would be oh that would be really good and i think it's possible actually this time around we basically need west ham to win a game at some point soon to make that possible but i think that would be good you know we want jeopardy across the league and i'd also really like at least two of the promoted teams so probably at the moment looks like leads and sunderland to stay up i think that would be good for the division"

Jack Pitt-Brooke shares his Christmas footballing wish for the upcoming year, hoping for a dramatic final day of the season. Pitt-Brooke desires a scenario where the title race, Champions League qualification, and relegation battles are all undecided until the very last day. He also hopes for at least two promoted teams to avoid relegation, believing it would benefit the league.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • "The Athletic FC Podcast" by Ayo Akinwolere, Adam Crafton, Jack Pitt-Brooke - Mentioned as the source of the discussion.

Articles & Papers

  • "How Morgan Rogers is driving Villa's unlikely title charge" (The Athletic FC Podcast) - Mentioned as the episode title and topic.

People

  • Ayo Akinwolere - Host of The Athletic FC Podcast.
  • Adam Crafton - Guest on The Athletic FC Podcast.
  • Jack Pitt-Brooke - Guest on The Athletic FC Podcast.
  • Abi Paterson - Executive Producer of The Athletic FC Podcast.
  • Mike Stavrou - Producer of The Athletic FC Podcast.
  • Paul Iliffe - Producer of The Athletic FC Podcast.
  • Morgan Rogers - Aston Villa player discussed for his performance and potential England call-up.
  • Unai Emery - Aston Villa manager.
  • Thomas Tuchel - England manager.
  • Jude Bellingham - England player.
  • Phil Foden - England player.
  • Cole Palmer - England player.
  • Bukayo Saka - England player.
  • Ibrahima Konaté - Player discussed in relation to England's number 10 role.
  • Gareth Bale - Former player, used as a comparison for Morgan Rogers' goal-scoring season.
  • Liam Delap - Player mentioned as having come through Man City's youth system.
  • Matheus Cunha - Manchester United player.
  • Bruno Fernandes - Manchester United player.
  • Kobbie Mainoo - Manchester United player.
  • Casemiro - Manchester United player.
  • Scott McTominay - Manchester United player.
  • Lisandro Martínez - Manchester United player.
  • Emi Martínez - Aston Villa player.
  • Ollie Watkins - Aston Villa player.
  • John McGinn - Aston Villa player.
  • Raul Jimenez - Player discussed in relation to Wolves' transfer strategy.
  • Pedro Neto - Player discussed in relation to Wolves' transfer strategy.
  • Nélson Semedo - Player discussed in relation to Wolves' transfer strategy.
  • Rúben Neves - Player discussed in relation to Wolves' transfer strategy.
  • Adama Traoré - Player discussed in relation to Wolves' transfer strategy.
  • Matheus Nunes - Player discussed in relation to Wolves' transfer strategy.
  • Rayan Aït-Nouri - Player discussed in relation to Wolves' transfer strategy.
  • Rob Edwards - Manager discussed in relation to Wolves and Middlesbrough.
  • Nathan She - Interim Chairman of Wolves.
  • Jeff She - Former Chairman of Wolves.
  • Strand Larsen - Player linked to West Ham.
  • Derby County - Team mentioned for historical low points in a Premier League season.
  • Southampton - Team mentioned for historical low points and struggles in the Championship.
  • Leicester City - Team mentioned for struggles in the Championship.
  • Birmingham City - Team mentioned for spending money and struggling in the Championship.
  • Leeds United - Team mentioned for promotion struggles and current form.
  • Burnley - Team mentioned as an example of successful Championship promotion.
  • Brentford - Team mentioned for a win against Wolves.
  • Bournemouth - Team mentioned as a potential future relegation candidate.
  • Brighton - Team mentioned as a potential future relegation candidate.
  • Micky van de Ven - Tottenham player shown a yellow card.
  • Javi Simons - Player discussed for a red card incident.
  • Virgil van Dijk - Liverpool player.
  • Alexander Isak - Newcastle United player discussed for injury.
  • David Ornstein - Reporter who reported on Isak's injury.
  • Nick Miller - Journalist who asked about Isak being a cursed record signing.
  • Eddie Howe - Newcastle United manager.
  • Harvey Elliott - Liverpool player.
  • Cody Gakpo - Liverpool player.
  • Mohamed Salah - Liverpool player.
  • Dominic Calvert-Lewin - Leeds United player discussed for form and England potential.
  • Tony - Player mentioned in relation to England's number 9 role.
  • Danny Welbeck - Player mentioned in relation to England's number 9 role.
  • Dominic Solanke - Player mentioned in relation to England's number 9 role.
  • Daniel Farke - Leeds United manager.
  • Blendi Idrizi - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Tyler Adams - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Jack Harrison - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Dan James - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Crysencio Summerville - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Raphinha - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Kalvin Phillips - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Illan Meslier - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Wilfried Gnonto - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • Georginio Rutter - Player discussed in relation to Leeds United.
  • West Ham - Team mentioned in relation to potential title race and player transfers.
  • Sunderland - Team mentioned as a promoted team that might stay up.

Organizations & Institutions

  • The Athletic FC Podcast - Podcast discussed.
  • Aston Villa - Football club.
  • Manchester United - Football club.
  • England - National football team.
  • Manchester City - Football club.
  • Liverpool - Football club.
  • Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Venue.
  • Tottenham - Football club.
  • Newcastle United - Football club.
  • Everton - Football club.
  • Leeds United - Football club.
  • Crystal Palace - Football club.
  • Brentford - Football club.
  • Wolves - Football club.
  • California Lottery - Mentioned in a commercial break.
  • Tommy John - Brand mentioned in a commercial break.
  • Progressive Insurance - Sponsor.
  • Acast - Hosting platform mentioned.
  • Odoo - Business software company.
  • iHerb - Online wellness retailer.
  • Royal Match - Mobile game.
  • Nordstrom Rack - Retailer mentioned in a commercial break.
  • Whole Foods Market - Retailer mentioned in a commercial break.
  • Momentous - Supplement brand.
  • The Premier League - Football league.
  • Europa League - Football competition.
  • Champions League - Football competition.
  • Conference League - Football competition.
  • FA Cup - Football competition.
  • National Football League (NFL) - Mentioned in relation to data analysis.
  • Pro Football Focus (PFF) - Organization mentioned in relation to data analysis.
  • New England Patriots - Team mentioned in relation to data analysis.

Websites & Online Resources

  • acast.com/privacy - URL mentioned for privacy information.
  • livemomentous.com - Website for Momentous supplements.
  • progressive.com - Website for Progressive Insurance.
  • odoo.com - Website for Odoo business software.
  • iherb.com - Website for iHerb.
  • theathletic.com - Website for The Athletic.
  • youtube.com - Platform mentioned for The Athletic FC Podcast.

Other Resources

  • Christmas cracker - Idiom used to describe a weekend of football.
  • PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) - Financial regulations in football.
  • Coca-Cola Cup - Former name of the League Cup.
  • VAR (Video Assistant Referee) - Technology discussed in relation to football matches.
  • Championship - Second tier of English football.
  • Old-fashioned number nine - Type of striker discussed.
  • Set pieces - Method of scoring goals discussed.
  • Christmas footballing gift for 2026 - Hypothetical request.
  • Title race - Competition for the league championship.
  • Champions League qualification - Achieving a top-four finish in the Premier League.
  • Relegation - Being demoted to a lower football league.
  • Promoted teams - Teams that have moved up from a lower league.
  • AI-native CRM - Type of customer relationship management software.
  • AI automations - Automated processes using artificial intelligence.
  • Research backed science - Approach to product development.
  • Pure ingredients - Quality of product components.
  • Fillers - Non-active ingredients in supplements.
  • Creapure creatine - Specific type of creatine supplement.
  • Gold standard - Benchmark of quality.
  • Climate controlled state of the art facilities - Description of iHerb's storage.
  • Gorgeous graphics - Visual quality of a mobile game.
  • Super fun puzzles - Gameplay element of a mobile game.
  • Wi-Fi - Wireless internet connection.
  • Mini games - Additional game modes.
  • Traditional holiday must haves - Common holiday food items.
  • Creative twists - Variations on traditional holiday dishes.
  • Strict ingredient standards - Quality control measures.
  • Impressive centerpiece mains - Main dishes for a holiday meal.
  • Limited time desserts - Seasonal sweet treats.
  • Quality seafood - Fish and shellfish.
  • Holiday gifting made easy - Convenience of purchasing gifts.
  • Cozy sleepwear - Comfortable nightwear.
  • Comfiest underwear - Undergarments designed for comfort.
  • Best fitting loungewear - Comfortable casual clothing.
  • Big gifts, big perks - Loyalty program benefits.
  • Extra 5 off - Discount offer.
  • Nordy Club - Nordstrom Rack loyalty program.
  • Best deals - Discounted prices.
  • Holiday gifts - Presents for the holiday season.
  • Ugg, Nike, Rag & Bone, Vince, Frame, Kurt Geiger London - Brands available at Nordstrom Rack.
  • Scratchers - Lottery tickets.
  • Gift of play - Concept related to lottery tickets.
  • A little play can make your day - Slogan.
  • Please play responsibly - Responsible gambling message.
  • Must be 18 years or older to purchase or play - Age restriction.
  • Potential savings will vary - Disclaimer for insurance.
  • Not available in all states - Geographic limitation for insurance.
  • Bundle your home and auto policies - Insurance product offering.
  • Switching insurance companies - Action related to insurance.
  • Save some cash - Financial benefit.
  • AI native CRM - Type of customer relationship management software.
  • Scale with your business - Business growth capability.
  • Instant setup - Speed of implementation.
  • Syncing your email and calendar - Data integration.
  • Relationships in one place - Central

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