The MVP Blog is ecstatic to welcome three very special guest writers for today’s blog. Our three writers are scattered all across the United States, and their ages range from 14 to 25!

Let us introduce these wonderful guest writers to you.

• Cooper Winter is currently a 9th grader at Horace Mann School in New York City. He resides with the Winter family in the Big Apple. Cooper is one of the biggest sports fans you’ll ever meet. He can talk about any sport all day long. He is an avid Arsenal supporter.
• Jacob Gruber is currently a senior at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is studying digital media practices, and his goal is to direct movies in Hollywood someday. Jacob is quite possibly America’s biggest Norwich City supporter.
• Tyler Stevens is currently residing near Los Angeles, California with his fiancée. He is working for West Coast Elite of 3Step Sports. Tyler earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard University in stats and data analytics. He also earned a graduate degree in sports administration from Boston College. Tyler is a fervent Newcastle United supporter.

With the 2021/22 Premier League season at the midway point, The MVP and our wonderful guest writers will review each team’s season so far and assign them a letter grade. Each team will appear in the order of their current place in the Premier League table, from the top (Manchester City) all the way to the very bottom (Burnley). For your convenience, here is the Premier League table as it stands, split into a top half and a bottom half.

The MVP wants all of our readers to enjoy “the beautiful game”, so whether you watch every Premier League match or don’t know the difference between a throw-in and a handball, our summaries have been written to ensure that you can understand most (if not all) of what we’re talking about.

With all of that out of the way, let’s get this show on the road.

Manchester City (written by Ben Pawlak)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 1st Place (18-3-2)
Most Valuable Player: Kevin De Bruyne
Most Surprising Player: Bernardo Silva
Most Disappointing Player: Jack Grealish

Manchester City is officially an English dynasty. They’re in prime position to win their 4th Premier League title in the last 5 seasons, and they’ve looked unstoppable all season. Legendary manager Pep Guardiola continues to revolutionize his tactics, and Manchester City’s super-squad follow his orders religiously. Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus, and Riyad Mahrez are the scintillating three-pronged attack who are given the easiest job in the world: tapping the pinpoint passes of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva into the back of the net. Their dominant defense, led by world class club captain Ruben Dias, has conceded just 14 goals in 23 games. The only disappointment of their season so far has been the slow start of club record signing Jack Grealish. The winger was bought from Aston Villa for a whopping $135 million. City is Thanos, a titan in the universe of world football, turning their full focus onto lifting the Champions League trophy to finally complete their Infinity Gauntlet of trophies.

Grade: A+

Liverpool (written by Tyler Stevens)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 2nd place (14-6-2)
Most Valuable Player: Mo Salah
Most Surprising Player: Diogo Jota
Most Disappointing Player: Joe Gomez

Liverpool are having another really great season. All you can fault them for is too many draws. City are in a class of their own again, but Liverpool will comfortably finish in the top 4. Mo Salah is still one of the best players in the Premier League, and he’s been scoring outrageous goals all season.

Diogo Jota has emerged as a crucial complimentary attacking option for the Reds. Newcomer Ibrahima Konate has been a great addition as well. Looking back, Liverpool are only 2 or 3 late goals away from being right there with City. The first that comes to mind is Kevin De Bruyne’s equalizer in the 81st minute to rescue a draw for Pep’s men at Anfield, showing that Liverpool’s fortress is not impenetrable. If they had managed to turn more draws into wins, most notably the 3-3 draw away at Brentford and the 2-2 draw at home against Brighton, Liverpool could be breathing down the neck of Manchester City. Unfortunately for Liverpool, when the competition is as strong as this City team, you can’t afford to make those mistakes. Second in the league is probably the outcome for Liverpool, and there will be a sense of what could have been if they aren’t able to catch City.

Grade: B

Chelsea (written by Cooper Winter)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 3rd place (13-8-3)
Most Valuable Player: Edouard Mendy
Most Surprising Player: Reece James
Most Disappointing Player: Romelu Lukaku

Chelsea’s fans take pride in claiming that their club is London’s best. Their Premier League season so far backs up those claims. Chelsea currently sit in 3rd place under German manager Thomas Tuchel. He originally replaced Frank Lampard (Everton’s new manager) in late January of 2021, and he made an instant impact. Chelsea skyrocketed into the top 4, and they got their hands on the most coveted club trophy of all: the Champions League. This year, some stated that they would decline, but so far, that hasn’t really been the case. The Blues had a very strong start to the season with the likes of Mason Mount, a clinical finisher, Jorginho, their Italian maestro in the midfield, and Antonio Rudiger, who is a wall on defense. The story of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s rise to stardom is awe-inspiring, and I can confidently say that Chelsea’s keeper has the fastest reflexes I’ve ever seen. Although, the club record signing Romelu Lukaku has been a major disappointment, scoring just 5 goals in 16 Premier League appearances. Further, Lukaku even admitted that he misses playing for his former club Inter Milan, which (predictably) went over poorly with Chelsea and their supporters. Regardless, Chelsea is one of the scariest teams in the world of football at their best, and there’s still time to finish this season with a trophy to prove it.

Grade: A-

Manchester United (written by Jacob Gruber)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 4th place (11-5-6)
Most Valuable Player: Bruno Fernandes
Most Surprising Player: Fred
Most Disappointing Player: Jadon Sancho

It’s safe to say that Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United hasn’t exactly gone to plan, but his first goal back at Old Trafford made all of us shed a tear or two. You can’t help but appreciate his greatness.

United’s tumultuous season saw the firing of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after an utterly embarrassing 4-1 loss at Watford. The board hired Ralf Rangnick to be a temporary replacement.

Stepping off the pitch for a moment, Mason Greenwood was arrested on suspicions of rape and assault on January 30th, 2022. Of course, this type of behavior is unacceptable and has no place in society. We at The MVP Blog applaud Harriet Robson for speaking out against the vile actions of Greenwood, and we hope that the Manchester police prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law. Manchester United has done well in handling this abhorrent situation, removing him from all club activities and refusing to provide him with legal counsel.

Stepping back onto the pitch, an inconsistent United attack and poor play at Old Trafford has defined their season thus far. It’s not an understatement to say that the future of this storied club hangs in the balance in the second half of the Premier League season. However, with all the talent on their roster, their massive fanbase will expect United to pull away from West Ham, Arsenal, and Spurs to finish in the top 4 and securing Champions League football for next season. 

Grade: C

West Ham United (written by Cooper Winter)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 5th place (11-4-8)
Most Valuable Player: Declan Rice
Most Surprising Player: Jarrod Bowen
Most Disappointing Player: Nikola Vlasic

West Ham is one of the lesser-known clubs in London, but they are certainly one of the better ones. The Hammers came into this season after an amazing 6th place finish under experienced Scottish manager David Moyes in 2020/21. No one expected them to replicate that success this season, but here they are again, sitting pretty in 5th place heading into the second half of the season. Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen are the star Englishmen who provide both technical quality and playmaking ability. However, West Ham might have missed an opportunity to strengthen their top 4 chances in the January transfer window, as they failed to sign top transfer target Jesse Lingard. Lingard thrived for the Hammers on loan from Manchester United last season, and it’s unfortunate for both parties that a deal didn’t materialize. It will be interesting to see where this talented West Ham team finishes by the end of the Premier League season.

Grade: A

Arsenal (written by Cooper Winter)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 6th place (11-3-7)
Most Valuable Player: Bukayo Saka
Most Surprising Player: Aaron Ramsdale
Most Disappointing Player: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Arsenal may have a rich history and a prideful fanbase to match, but after subpar finishes in the PL in recent seasons, the club’s main aim is to regain legitimacy as one of England’s top clubs. The start of the season was a horror show for the Gunners, losing their first three games, including a 2-0 loss on opening night at newly promoted Brentford. Fans were ready to call for the sacking of third year manager Mikel Arteta, and it looked like another classic Arsenal disaster. But Arsenal persevered, bouncing back to grind out wins. Going into the North London Derby, Arsenal was in the lower half of the table, but young stars Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe provided the energy necessary to earn a 3-1 win over Tottenham. Arsenal’s youth, in the form of new signings Aaron Ramsdale and Ben White, has also been impressive so far. However, they haven’t won a Premier League match in a month, and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the key reason for this trend. Once upon a time, Aubameyang was one of the most electric players to light up the Emirates Stadium, a fan favorite who signed a massive contract extension to stay at Arsenal. Unfortunately, ever since he signed that contract, his performances have declined, and he just left Arsenal on a free transfer to Barcelona on Transfer Deadline Day (January 31st, 2022), ready to write a new chapter in his remarkable career. As the season continues, Arsenal will look to find some form in the Premier League to finish in the top 4, thereby securing Champions League football for the first time in 6 seasons.

Grade: B+

Tottenham Hotspur (written by Tyler Stevens)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 7th place (11-3-6)
Most Valuable Player: Son Heung-Min
Most Surprising Player: Sergio Reguilon
Most Disappointing Player: Harry Kane

Let’s start with the Nuno experiment. It lasted just 124 days. I have already written more characters than the number of days Nuno lasted in charge at Tottenham. He probably deserves a second chance at a big club. Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte came in to save the day for another London club, and to no one’s surprise, he’s done a good job so far at Spurs. The club has climbed from 9th in the league (when Nuno was sacked) to sitting just 1 point off 4th place right now. Despite getting embarrassed in a 3-0 loss at Chelsea on January 23rd, they are clearly heading in the right direction. Spurs can expect star winger Heung-Min Son to return to action early this month, and Conte’s men will look to take advantage of a slate of fixtures which will see them play three consecutive home games against Brighton, Southampton, and Wolves. Losing Dele Alli on a free transfer to Everton doesn’t sound as bad now as it would have a few years ago, and the additions of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus on Transfer Deadline Day strengthens Tottenham’s squad depth. However, Harry Kane will need to improve if Spurs want a chance at top 4. Kane has scored just 5 goals in the Premier League this season, a woeful mark by his typical standards. The British media won’t tell you that, but The MVP will.

Grade: C

Wolverhampton Wanderers (written by Ben Pawlak)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 8th Place (10-4-7)
Most Valuable Player: Ruben Neves
Most Surprising Player: Jose Sa
Most Disappointing Player: Raul Jimenez

Despite the departure of Wolves’ legendary manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who took charge of Tottenham in August, this team has been absolutely flying as of late. New manager Bruno Lage rarely changes his starting 11, and the stability of this balanced squad has key to their success. Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho are an experienced, irreplaceable duo in midfield, and their combined force has unlocked the talents of Daniel Podence and Francisco Trincao, two tricky Portuguese wingers. Behind the stellar play of Jose Sa between the goalposts, Wolves have the second-best defense in the Premier League, conceding just 16 goals in the 21 games they’ve played this season. Despite the fact that they’ve only scored 19 goals this season, Wolves have won their last 4 games in all competitions. The departure of their game-breaking winger Adama Traore, who joined FC Barcelona on loan in January, could lead to some struggles in the second half of the season. However, if Wolves can get star striker Raul Jimenez firing on all cylinders again, they can still push onward and finish in the top 7 to secure a place in next season’s Europa League.

Grade: A-

Brighton and Hove Albion (written by Cooper Winter)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 9th place (6-12-4)
Most Valuable Player: Shane Duffy
Most Surprising Player: Marc Cucurella
Most Disappointing Player: Yves Bissouma

Brighton are the Premier League’s definition of average. They are eternally between the 9-12 spots in the table and pose no threat of getting relegated, yet no threat of competing for European football either. However, sitting in 9th place heading into the second half of the season gives Seagulls supporters something to be optimistic about. Their English manager, Graham Potter, is highly touted as one of the Premier League’s best due to his relative success given the lack of talent in his Brighton squad. Potter has consistently been able to do more with less, a trend which is exacerbated by Yves Bissouma’s struggles in midfield. His many miscues on the pitch represent a huge dip in form, since last season Bissouma was clearly Brighton’s most valuable player. On the contrary, the likes of Shane Duffy and Marc Cucurella have been crucial to the team’s success this season. Duffy serves as an anchor for the defense and Cucurella is a young, dynamic player who possesses elite playmaking ability despite Brighton’s lack of attacking talent. Seagulls fans will be hoping for general improvement moving forward.

Grade: B

Leicester City (written by Tyler Stevens)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 10th place (7-5-8)
Most Valuable Player: Youri Tielemans
Most Surprising Player: Patson Daka
Most Disappointing Player: Timothy Castagne

It is a bit odd to say that Leicester City have been disappointing this season considering that they sit in 10th place in early February. The reason for this “disappointment” is that everyone has become accustomed to Leicester City challenging the status quo, playing the role of David slaying Goliath, which has set unrealistic expectations for this squad in the process. Whatever the case, manager Brendan Rodgers can definitely feel his seat getting warmer. Leicester are just as close to the relegation zone as they are to 5th, the spot in which they have finished for the last two seasons. Expectations have been raised tenfold for this club in the last 5 years, and with that in mind, this season looks like Leicester’s worst relative performance since the season before they won the Premier League title (2015/16). Although they have a few games in hand, they are 10 points behind 7th placed Spurs on equal games played. And after failing to get out of their Europa League group, the Foxes find themselves facing the Danish side Randers in the inaugural season of the Europa Conference League. Yippee! Add the FA Cup into the mix, and Leicester will be forced to deal with a very congested run of fixtures despite the club’s extensive injury list. A healthy Jamie Vardy and the return of Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho from the African Cup of Nations could breathe life into Leicester, but this season might be beyond salvation for the Foxes.

Grade: D

Aston Villa (written by Tyler Stevens)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 11th place (8-2-11)
Most Valuable Player: John McGinn
Most Surprising Player: Matty Cash
Most Disappointing Player: Danny Ings

The $135 million sale of Jack Grealish left a gaping hole in the Aston Villa squad. His magical creativity on the pitch would be sorely missed. The season started poorly, but Villa’s new co-captain John McGInn has led the team away from the dangers of the relegation zone. However, after the aforementioned run of poor form, Villa parted ways with manager Dean Smith and brought in Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard to steer the ship in the right direction. The Villains have looked like a completely different team under Gerrard, and there is a great vibe around the club right now. The board has backed their new man in charge with the January additions of Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, and Robin Olsen. Coutinho is someone who can finally replicate Grealish wizardry, Digne is a quality defender who has been rescued from Everton’s ruins, and Olsen can provide cover for Emiliano Martinez in goal. Aston Villa is out of both the League Cup and the FA Cup, but this could be a blessing in disguise. There’s now full focus on the club’s performances in the Premier League, where Villa will aim to finish in the top half of the table for the first time since the 2010/11 season.

Grade: B-

Southampton (written by Cooper Winter)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 12th Place (5-10-7)
Most Valuable Player: James Ward-Prowse
Most Surprising Player: Tino Livramento
Most Disappointing Player: Adam Armstrong

This south English squad is, in my opinion, a complete bore to watch. There is a lack of passion and vision at Southampton and their spot in the table reflects that. They have played 22 games and sit in 12th place, which is just 6 points clear of 16th placed Everton, who have only played 20 games. Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has done a fine job during his 4 seasons with this club, but this year hasn’t been his best work. The Southampton squad is full of players who don’t reflect the talent level expected to be on show in the Premier League. However, two key players shine out of this mediocre bunch, James Ward-Prowse and Tino Livramento. Ward-Prowse keeps the ball on a string, controlling the tempo of the match at will. Free kicks, however, are his specialty, and they are just marvelous. His most outrageous free-kick this season came against Wolves: just watch how he knuckles this one into the top corner!

Tino Livramento may be just 19 years old, but his performances in defense have been nothing short of elite this season. His speed, agility, and intelligence are his defining qualities. Southampton will be looking to pick up some statement victories in the second half of the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they slip down the table and end up fighting for their Premier League lives.

Grade: C

Crystal Palace (written by Jacob Gruber)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 13th place (5-9-8)
Most Valuable Player: Conor Gallagher
Most Surprising Player: Marc Guehi
Most Disappointing Player: Wilfried Zaha

It’s remarkable that Crystal Palace have managed to stay in the Premier League for as long as they have. Every offseason, they’re seemingly written off as a club that’s bound for relegation. “It’s long overdue”, the analysts vow each August. But Palace lingers, steals points from your favorite club, and remains in the Premier League for yet another season. Managerial newcomer Patrick Vieira and his youthful team have been relatively impressive so far this season. The Eagles have an important stretch of matches ahead of them in the month of February. First, they head to Carrow Road to face a surging Norwich City squad before playing away against Brentford, home against Chelsea, and home against Burnley. They should realistically get at least 7 points from these 4 matches, but if they are unable to do so, they might find themselves in a relegation battle. The middle of the Premier League table is very tight: Leicester City sits in 10th, just two points ahead of Palace, but Brentford and Leeds are closing in on them from behind. It’s safe to say that Palace supporters have an action-packed month ahead of them full of crucial fixtures.

Grade: B

Brentford (written by Ben Pawlak)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 14th Place (6-5-12)
Most Valuable Player: Ivan Toney
Most Surprising Player: Vitaly Janelt
Most Disappointing Player: Shandon Baptiste

Brentford might be the smallest club in the Premier League. That being said, they also might be the smartest. The club’s financial management and transfer activity has been remarkable ever since 2012, when analytics expert Matthew Benham became Brentford’s owner. Summer signings Kristoffer Ajer and Frank Onyeka have provided much-needed defensive solidity for a Brentford team which presses out of possession like their life depends on it. Congolese winger Yoane Wissa has been inconsistent, but his heroic late equalizer off the bench against Liverpool was a wonderful finish to one of the Premier League’s best matches of the season.

Brentford have been stumbling as of late, losing 4 matches on the bounce, but they have also battled a myriad of injuries during that stretch of fixtures.

To help bolster their squad, the club was able to secure the services of Denmark’s legendary midfielder Christian Eriksen on Transfer Deadline Day. Eriksen is reportedly ready to return to the sport, and he has been outfitted with a heart monitor as a safety precaution. We at The MVP Blog wish him nothing but the best, and we hope he finds success in the next chapter of his remarkable career.

All things considered, Brentford are one of the Premier League’s most entertaining teams. I have faith that they’ll return to form in the months to come to secure their spot in next season’s Premier League.

Grade: B

Leeds United (written by Ben Pawlak)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 15th Place (5-7-9)
Most Valuable Player: Illan Meslier
Most Surprising Player: Raphinha
Most Disappointing Player: Rodrigo

What happens when a club has a successful season, doesn’t improve the squad in the summer transfer window, and then enters the following season with high expectations? Leeds United shows us that the answer to this question is… utter failure. They entered the 2021/22 season as dark horses to finish in the top half of the table, and now they’re stuck in a relegation battle. Without the heroics of their phenomenal young French goalkeeper Illan Meslier, they’d likely be even further down the Premier League table. Leeds’ defense is shaky at best and completely invisible at worst. Their lowest moment of the season came when they were battered 7-0 by Manchester City in December. Raphina’s rise to superstardom has drawn the attention of German giants Bayern Munich, but thankfully for Leeds, the Brazilian winger didn’t make his move to Germany in January. They’ll need him to keep delivering in the goal column, since star striker Patrick Bamford has battled injuries all season Rodrigo has been a no-show in his place. Leeds have been a massive disappointment, and time will tell whether manager Marcelo Bielsa is able to inspire his team to avoid the drop.

Grade: D-

Everton (written by Jacob Gruber)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 16th place (5-4-11)
Most Valuable Player: Abdoulaye Doucouré
Most Surprising Player: Demarai Gray
Most Disappointing Player: José Salomon Rondon

It has been an absolutely atrocious campaign for Everton. Poor is too kind a word to describe their effort and performance thus far. Their humiliating 2-1 defeat at Carrow Road on January 15th was Rafael Benitez’s final match as manager of the Toffees. Everton has secured the services of Frank Lampard to be Benitez’s replacement. Everton fans have declared their current situation as a club in crisis, and while I do think that Everton will avoid relegation, they have a right to be outraged. They have way too much talent to slip behind Norwich, Newcastle, Watford, and Burnley in the table, but that’s the direction that the club is headed. I think that Everton will right the ship sooner rather than later, but don’t expect them to replicate last season’s 10th place finish.

Grade: F

Norwich City (written by Jacob Gruber)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 17th place (4-4-14)
Most Valuable Player: Grant Hanley
Most Surprising Player: Adam Idah
Most Disappointing Player: Todd Cantwell

It hasn’t been pretty in East Anglia. Norwich were promoted after winning the Championship (England’s second division), but Daniel Farke’s squad got off to an abysmal start, resulting in his sacking. Norwich appointed former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith to replace Farke, and Smith has found magic in this squad. There is a healthy mix of veterans (Teemu Pukki, Tim Krul, Grant Hanley) and young-uns (Max Aarons, Adam Idah, Josh Sargent, and more) at Norwich City. After a long spell of COVID in the squad, Norwich have put together a truly remarkable month, notching back-to-back wins for the second time this season, miraculously vaulting the club out of the relegation zone in the process. The defining moment of this run was an outrageous goal from American striker Josh Sargent in Norwich’s 3-0 win at Watford.

The club resumes play in Premier League by hosting Crystal Palace, who beat Norwich 3-0 in December. This match will be crucial for them, with Newcastle breathing down their neck for the safety of 17th place. Norwich’s great escape for Premier League survival will be televised.

Grade: B-

Newcastle United (written by Tyler Stevens)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 18th place (2-9-10)
Most Valuable Player: Allan Saint-Maximin
Most Surprising Player: Javier Manquillo
Most Disappointing Player: Jamaal Lascelles

October 7th, 2021 is the only date that matters for Newcastle United and their supporters this season. The club had finally been sold to a new ownership group, and as a result, they became the richest club in the world overnight. So is Newcastle finally great again? Not exactly. The Toon currently sit in the relegation zone after winning just 2 of their first 21 games under new manager Eddie Howe. However, Newcastle have bagged 5 points in their last 3 games, which includes an impressive 1-1 draw at home against Manchester United and a crucial win away at Leeds. The match sandwiched between those two triumphs encapsulated Newcastle’s season in 90 minutes, as Watford equalized in the 87th minute, turning a Newcastle win into a 1-1 draw in the process. In the January transfer window, Newcastle splashed some of their unlimited cash and brought in 5 players who will walk right into the starting 11. Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimarães, Matt Targett, and Dan Burn join the Magpies with the immense weight of a club’s future on their backs. If they gel together, there’s no reason that Newcastle shouldn’t be able to climb out of the relegation zone with relative ease. If they don’t, things could get ugly. Newcastle is out of the FA Cup and they still get to play a spiraling Everton twice. If they can avoid relegation, this could be the start of a magical era in Newcastle’s storied history.

Grade: C-

Watford (written by Jacob Gruber)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 19th place (4-2-14)
Most Valuable Player: Emmanuel Dennis
Most Surprising Player: Joao Pedro
Most Disappointing Player: Moussa Sissoko

Another Premier League promotion, another Premier League relegation for Watford. Owner Gino Pozzo has already (and characteristically) fired two managers in this campaign, Xisco Munoz and Claudio Ranieri. In fact, Watford has employed 18 managers in their last 10 seasons. Unbelievable, right? That’s not a recipe for success, it’s a recipe for disaster. Managerial veteran Roy Hodgson has been hired as Ranieri’s replacement. He most recently served as Crystal Palace’s manager from 2017 to 2021, and Hodgson also managed England from 2012 to 2016. This is a smart hire by Pozzo, but the 74-year-old manager has a lot of work ahead of him to keep Watford in England’s top flight. Additionally, Watford supporters can look forward to Ismaila Sarr’s imminent return from the African Cup of Nations. The valuable Senegalese winger will surely provide a shot in the arm for this struggling squad, but it will take more than that to keep the Hornets in the Premier League.

Grade: D-

Burnley (written by Ben Pawlak)
PL Table Position (W-D-L): 20th Place (1-9-8)
Most Valuable Player: Dwight McNeil
Most Surprising Player: Maxwel Cornet
Most Disappointing Player: Ashley Barnes

Burnley are the most boring and talentless team in the Premier League and that is an indisputable fact. The Premier League will be a better place with them relegated. This is a team that lines up in a standard, defensive 4-4-2 formation for every single match, and their only form of tactics are their ultra-aggressive approach to set pieces. Other than that, they battle for draws by digging in and defending for the full 90 minutes. With an average player age of 28, Burnley is far and away the oldest squad in the Premier League today. They do have two youthful gems in Dwight McNeil and Maxwel Cornet, but their potential is being wasted by having to play in manager Sean Dyche’s team every week. Burnley are a team that should, and probably will, get relegated from the Premier League for the first time in 6 seasons.

Grade: F

Which grades did we get right? Which grades did we get wrong? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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Authors: Ben Pawlak, Cooper Winter, Jacob Gruber, Ryan Macdonald, and Tyler Stevens

Published: 2/3/22 at 6pm EST

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Sources/Works Cited:

Google Images, Google, https://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en.

“Cristiano Ronaldo Marks His Manchester United Return with a Goal | Premier League | NBC Sports.” YouTube, 11 Sept. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw_875ifm1U. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.

“James Ward-Prowse Gives Southampton Late Hope v. Wolves | Premier League | NBC Sports.” YouTube, 15 Jan. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opDb9EfyMmQ. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.

“Josh Sargent Wondergoal Gets Norwich City Ahead of Watford | Premier League | NBC Sports.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2qidMwQVtw. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.

“Mohamed Salah Stunner Gets Liverpool Back in Front of Manchester City | Premier League | NBC Sports.” YouTube, 3 Oct. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpZiw7TC-eo. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.

“Yoane Wissa Nets Late Brentford Equalizer v. Liverpool | Premier League | NBC Sports.” YouTube, 25 Sept. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fUY_NL4Jss. Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.