Premier League clubs facing off in preseason have advantage - opinion
It is not unusual for huge clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea to tour around the globe, facing each other in front of sold-out stadiums to please their international audiences who often only get to see these sides play once every few years when a tour comes to their part of the world.
Top Premier League teams often opt for a warmer climate such as Australia, the USA, Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and aim to face at least one major league opponent to not only attract fans but build up momentum and up their team's readiness ahead of the new season.
A great example of that this preseason is the tours of United, Liverpool and Arsenal which all intertwine as they faced each other in South Carolina, Philadelphia and California this year. These games do not allow players to play with minimal effort and cruise through preseason as two world class sides clash hoping to get one over another before the season begins.
Smaller Premier League clubs however often prefer a European training camp mixed with some local friendlies that help promote fitness and stamina after what is a long break for those who may or not have played internationally over the summer. It is rare that these clubs face each other as teams from lower leagues or equivalent sides from abroad are invited for friendlies rather than those the club are set to face that season.
Crystal Palace are a classic example of this. From last year as they faced an interesting variety of teams including Lyon, Crawley Town, Sevilla, Barnet and a few other sides but no Premier League opposition. Wolverhampton Wanderers faced FC Porto, Luton and Celtic whilst Nottingham Forest matched up against Valencia, Levante, Leeds United and PSV Eindhoven last year but still no Premier League sides.
This preseason seems to be different in contrast as a number of the so called “smaller” sides have arranged fixtures that go against their typical habits before the season begins.
West Ham, Palace and Wolves have snubbed their usual European camps and flown to the USA to face not MLS or USL sides but instead one another in a move that looks to have taken inspiration from those top six sides which have executed this tactic countless times.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner spoke on how facing top quality Premier League sides will serve the team well.
"I told the players before that it is very important to have these competitive games, because then you can see what you have to work on.
“We got a lot of information about the level we are playing at the moment."
A preseason friendly against a league rival is essentially a sneak preview of what to expect tactically over the course of the season. This is especially true for all three clubs here who have fresh managers in Glasner, Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil with all three desperate to make an impression early on with the fans and also implement a tactical style that the team are eager to adopt.
Interestingly all three clubs that were promoted from the Championship do not play a single Premier League side in their preparations. Leicester City, Southampton and Ipswich Town have played more German and French opposition than English teams from any division which could have an impact on the start to their seasons ahead.
The clubs that are set to face league rivals also include Bournemouth, meaning that only four teams outside of the top six are set to face Premier League sides in their preseason. This is a staggering stat which should baffle many.
Why would sides who struggle to face up to top six opponents not want to face them, let alone not copy a preseason blueprint which has aided them in success?
Top six sides do not simply face each other to attract fans and media coverage, such games are preparation for the season ahead and reveal what to expect in what is often named as the toughest league in the world.
Those four sides outside the league’s elite have a major advantage going into next season and could set an example to similar clubs who will most likely live to regret avoiding one another.
