We are moving towards the conclusion of a memorable Premier League campaign, one that has seen plenty of twists and turns, and plenty of gambles that have paid off – and some that haven’t. The season has been difficult to predict, with every club – bar Arsenal – seemingly intent on self-sabotage at some point.
Of course, you don’t always know what will happen, and sometimes taking a punt on something as a football club can feel as random as spinning a slot game, but with hindsight, we can look at some of these bets as genius, whereas others look like big, big mistakes:
3 Gambles That Paid Off
Michael Carrick at Manchester United
Just a few months ago, the narrative around Manchester United was that the venerated club was heading for another disastrous season. Another crisis ensued once Ruben Amorim was sacked as head coach. United decided to bring in former player Michael Carrick, who didn’t cover himself in glory in his nascent coaching career. Now, who cares? United are 3rd, the form team in the Premier League, and suddenly everything looks great. Whether Carrick gets the big job full-time or not is a question for the summer, but his arrival now looks like a genius move.
Keith Andrews at Brentford
Another coaching change, but this time one that had more forethought. Brentford had to replace manager Thomas Frank before the season began, and they decided to give the job to a man who had never managed full-time before, certainly not at the Premier League level.
It looks like it was a masterstroke, with Andrews in with a chance of being named Manager of the Season, while Brentford could sneak a European place. Brilliant stuff.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Leeds United
Did you see the latest England squad? Dominic Calvert-Lewin has received a call-up, and it is all the more remarkable given that he was written off as finished not so long ago.
Leeds swooped in to take him on a free transfer in the summer, so perhaps you can argue it was not a true gamble, but few thought the former Everton man could get anywhere near his best again. He’s now one of the league’s top scorers and has a shot of making the World Cup. Incredible.
3 Gambles that Didn’t Pay Off
Liverpool’s Summer Transfers
Strengthening from a position of strength is the way to maintain sporting dominance, so it seemed that Liverpool’s spending over £440 million in the summer was a means for the champions to stay on top. It seems to have backfired. Liverpool are struggling badly, one of the limpest title defenses in league history.
Record signings like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have failed to deliver, and the pressure has been heaped on manager Arne Slot. They might not have the luxury of throwing money at the problem once the miserable campaign comes to an end, either.
Igor Tudor at Tottenham Hotspur
The fiery Croatian manager, Igor Tudor, was picked by Spurs to lead a firefighting campaign after Thomas Frank’s tenure did not work out. Spurs were bad when Frank left, but they are even worse now, having failed to win in the league for three months.
There is a real threat of relegation now, which would have been unthinkable earlier in the season. It’s been so bad that Tudor might not even last until the end of the season. An unmitigated disaster.
Trafford Chooses Manchester City
This is more of a personal disaster rather than something for the club. In the summer, Manchester City swooped to convince James Trafford that he should join the club. Trafford was seen as one of the top emerging goalkeepers in the league and was subject to a bidding war between City and other clubs, including Newcastle.
Yet, not long after the ink had dried on his contract, Gigi Donnarumma suddenly became available, joining Man City as the club’s no.1 keeper.
It has meant that Trafford’s career has suddenly been halted, though he has been used in cup competitions. Yet, his dream move – and World Cup hopes – is becoming a nightmare for the young keeper.