The 2019-20 Premier League has had an eventful start and it hasn’t gone quite how many predicted ahead of the season. Liverpool have run away at the top of the league while defending champions Manchester City have had a big fall. There have been a few other surprises coming at the top of the table, while the gap from mid-table to the bottom of the league is pretty narrow.
There have been three managers apart from the big names, that have pleasantly surprised us this season.
Let’s take a look at 3 managers who have surprised with their tactical brilliance so far this season:
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
When Frank Lampard was appointed as Chelsea manager, returning to the club where he became a hero and one of their greatest players, many expected him to be a stop-gap option. This was mainly due to the London side’s transfer ban which did not allow them to sign any players in two transfer windows. But, Lampard – who managed Derby County in the Championship last season in his debut managerial year – has taken everyone by surprise with his tactics and use of players.
Lampard’s team have fought back from a huge defeat on the opening day of the season to Manchester United, winning 8 of the subsequent 11 games, with their only loss since the first matchweek coming against Liverpool. The English manager has used a young side which is quick in attack and plays with flair and fearlessness – which wasn’t seen under Maurizio Sarri last season. Lampard has got the best out of his young players, while also improving the performances of the likes of Jorginho and Kovacic.
He has used two different formations – 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3, switching between the two depending on the opposition and their formation, and it seems to have worked so far. Their defence needs a lot of work, though, as they have conceded 17 goals in 12 games.
Chris Wilder (Sheffield United)
Ahead of the season, many predicted that Sheffield United would go down after being promoted from the Championship, but manager Chris Wilder has put together a resilient team that have exceeded expectations. The Blades are fifth in the Premier League table, losing just 3 of their 12 matches so far in the season, and conceding the second least amount of goals in the league.
Wilder has used a three-man defence which has allowed midfielders like Oliver Norwood and John Lundstram to bomb forward. Their direct, high-intensity style of play has caught many defences off guard, thanks to their dynamic wing-backs. They have been very effective aerially and Wilder’s no-nonsense approach has worked wonders for the Blades this season.
Brendan Rodgers (Leicester City)
Another manager who has transformed his team this season is Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City. Rodgers raised many eyebrows when he joined the Foxes mid-way through the season from Celtic, but it seems that the former Liverpool manager has silenced his doubters this season.
Rodgers has built an enthusiastic and exciting young team that is second in the Premier League. The Foxes have several young players throughout the side, as well as the likes of Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel and Jonny Evans to add the required amount of experience. The likes of James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, Youri Tielemans, Ben Chilwell and Caglar Soyuncu have done exceedingly well this season. Rodgers has used his players to play with intent and directness, with the ball moving quickly along the ground in his current system.
Leicester City are great to watch in attack, while also being solid at the back, conceding the fewest goals in the league.