Ally McCoist has identified Chelsea as potential dark horses to challenge Arsenal for the Premier League title, as Mikel Arteta's side prepare to defend their crown. The Gunners ended a 22-year wait for the league title last season after three consecutive runner-up finishes, but McCoist believes Chelsea's summer overhaul under new manager Xabi Alonso could make them a formidable force.
Arsenal's title defence and transfer activity
Arsenal have been active in the transfer market, securing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge and Illan Meslier from Leeds United. They are also closing in on a £75million deal for Bruno Guimaraes, while still hoping to land Vinicius Junior, who is in crunch talks with Real Madrid over his future. Despite these moves, McCoist remains confident Arsenal are the team to beat, though he acknowledges the difficulty of defending the title.
Speaking to talkSPORT, McCoist said: 'Arsenal, I think at this moment in time would be my favourites, just, at the start of the tournament. I think there’s improvement in Liverpool, improvement in United. United obviously have European football to think about as well, but I think it’ll be interesting to see.'
Manchester City's uncertainty without Pep
McCoist also weighed in on Manchester City's prospects, noting the uncertainty surrounding the club following Pep Guardiola's departure. He singled out Rodri's performances at the World Cup as a positive sign, calling the midfielder 'massive' and 'outstanding.' However, he stressed that City's title credentials remain in question without their long-time manager.
'Manchester City, we don’t know with no Pep, but I thought Rodri was massive, outstanding at the World Cup. I thought that was him back to his best. I thought he was immense. So he’s vital, absolutely vital,' McCoist added.
Chelsea's revival under Xabi Alonso
McCoist expressed excitement about Chelsea's chances, pointing to the appointment of Xabi Alonso as a 'clever, clever move.' The Blues have spent heavily, including a £117million fee to bring Morgan Rogers from Arsenal, and have addressed their lack of experience by signing Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck from Brentford and Brighton, respectively.
'I’m very excited. I think the manager [Xabi Alonso] is a clever, clever move,' McCoist said. 'What is important, as much as anything, is what goes on in the dressing room before training, after training, all that kind of stuff.'
Henderson and Welbeck's impact on the dressing room
McCoist highlighted the influence of Henderson and Welbeck, suggesting their arrival could solve Chelsea's previous issues with cohesion and direction. He noted that the duo command respect and will help monitor the squad's dynamics.
'And we’ve looked at Chelsea and one of the criticisms has been that they look as though they’re a young group of players. They looked as though they didn’t have any real direction or togetherness at times. But those two signings, Henderson and Welbeck, they get right into that dressing room and one thing they get is respect, you know. And they’ll be able to see and monitor things,' he explained.
McCoist's verdict on Chelsea's potential
McCoist concluded that Chelsea could be 'one to watch' this season, praising their quality and the addition of experienced heads. He believes Alonso's leadership and the new signings could provide the togetherness and direction that were previously lacking.
'I’m really interested to see how Chelsea start the season. I think they could be one to watch; they’ve obviously got some real quality players. Of course they have. And I just think with a bit of togetherness, a bit of direction, I like the manager, and I think it’s a shrewd move bringing those two in,' McCoist said.
