We have already seen tactical acumen at the forefront of the new Premier League season, but some managers are struggling to adapt to the new competitiveness of the English top flight.
While the arrivals of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho on the sidelines has reinvigorated both halves of Manchester, last season’s champions and runners-up – in the forms of Leicester City and Arsenal – have already seen some poor results.
Outside90’s Hugh Schuitemaker takes a look at three managers who are at an early risk of having 2016-17 fall by the wayside if a spark is not quickly ignited among their respective teams.
Arsene Wenger
This season more than ever, the Frenchman’s prudent transfer policy has been under the microscope, and in the first two games of 2016-17, the deficiencies in Arsenal’s squad have been clear to see.
READ MORE: Talking Points: Leicester City 0 Arsenal 0 – Champions earn hard-fought point
After conceding four times at home in the season opener against Liverpool, Arsene Wenger’s men were ineffective during Sunday morning’s 0-0 stalemate with Leicester City, recording just four shots on target for the 90 minutes. Fans will hope the full return of Mesut Ozil to the starting XI can inject some potency back into this side, although striking options Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott are still not performing at the required standard.
Taking just one point away from two games, the Gunners sit 13th on the table and already need to make up ground on their fellow top four contenders, with the Manchester sides and Chelsea in particular all registering two wins.
Wenger now has little more than a week if he wants to add to his stocks, or face another top-flight gauntlet with the personnel he has. European and cup commitments will only make the manager’s job markedly harder, so turning to the market in the final days of the window should be a must at the Emirates.
Claudio Ranieri
It may still be harsh to fault the Italian after he pulled of last season’s miracle, yet the tag of being champions will always bring waiting critics, no matter how heroic the story.
The opening weekend’s loss to Hull City shattered the image of a glorious Leicester that so much hard work had produced, and while observers have pointed to the loss of N’Golo Kante from the midfield, that extra bit of luck that was so firmly on the Foxes’ side last season has disappeared in their first two outings: the slight knocks on Jamie Vardy that would be called as a penalty, or a yard of space that Riyad Mahrez could turn into a devastating counter-attack.
Many expect that Leicester will now drop back down to the lower table, but Nampalys Mendy’s anchoring of the midfield, coupled with more of the spirit they showed at home against Arsenal, could keep them in top-six contention while earning some continental respect.
Jurgen Klopp
It was another case of the same old Liverpool this past weekend, going down 2-0 at the hands of newly promoted Burnley in a meek display that could not have been a further cry from the opening game’s efforts against Arsenal.
Complacency and a lack of focus saw Sean Dyche’s men leading within two minutes, while a frustratingly inaccurate outing in front of goal for the Reds brought no rewards for their 26 attempted shots, with the majority failing to test goalkeeper Tom Heaton.
READ MORE: Talking Points: Burnley 2 Liverpool 0 – Vokes and Gray stun Reds
Klopp’s biggest issue could be at left-back, where James Milner took up a very unfamiliar role for most of the match against the Clarets, as fans revolt at the sight of Alberto Moreno’s name on a team sheet. However, Sadio Mane’s injury is also a major blow, after the new signing was inspirational among the attack against the Gunners.
The German, like many before him in the same position, faces the challenge of keeping this team’s head in the contest to generate consistency as too often a big result for Liverpool is followed up by embarrassment.
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