Hello Rank Squad!

Whilst the Premier League previews dominated our thoughts last week, we haven't forgotten that there's plenty of excitement taking place elsewhere as well, and so this week we're turning our attention to Spain, where La Liga got underway this weekend.

In Part One, Jack and Dean look through the big three of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, taking stock of their transfer business, where each team is ahead of the season, and the big questions that each have to face in a campaign where there is considerable pressure for all three to deliver on the silverware front.

In Part Two, Jack is joined by Ruairidh Barlow, Editor of Football España, to discuss some of the other big storylines - who pushes for the final Champions League place, which big teams could struggle, the promoted sides and their chances of survival, and a couple of hot takes and predictions for the season ahead.

Then, finally, in Part Three, Jack and Dean discuss the seemingly impending Liga game between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami, why it's happening, and our feelings about it - which are quite different, to say the least.

It's Ranks!

And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon?

Hello Rank Squad!

Here's the second half of our Premier League preview, where we flip down the bottom of the table, examining the three newly promoted sides in the shape of Burnley, Sunderland and Leeds United - and whether any of them can defy the gravitational pull that has seen the last six teams who have come up from the Championship all go straight back down.

We look at the teams who they'll be looking to reel in as well - Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United, Brentford and Fulham, as well as Community Shield winners Crystal Palace, European-bound Nottingham Forest, newly upwardly mobile Everton and Andoni Iraola's tricky Bournemouth, who caused all sorts of problems for teams last season.

Which of the mid-table pack will be dragged into the dogfight, and which will be looking skywards to try and challenge for Europe?

It's all up for debate in the final part of this double-edged Premier League Preview, and it's Ranks!

And, if you're interested in a new daily football news blitz every morning, have a listen to First Up Football - Jack would be hugely appreciative!

And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon?

Hello Rank Squad!

It's time for the first half of our Premier League preview, where we take a look at the top of the table - can Liverpool go back to back as Champions for the first time in 40 years, or will the revolution at Anfield take more time to settle down than they might imagine? Is Arsenal's stability enough to take them over the line? Will Pep Guardiola embrace the chaos with Pep Lijnders as his right hand man? And could World Champions Chelsea have enough to put themselves in the conversation?

We discuss all of that, before heading over to the conversation for the last Champions League place and beyond - where are Newcastle United after a difficult summer? Where are Aston Villa after effectively standing still for most of the summer? Are we expecting Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur to rally hard enough to bother Europe? And are Brighton genuinely contenders at this point?

It's all up for debate in the first part of this double-edged Premier League Preview, and it's Ranks!

And, if you're interested in a new daily football news blitz every morning, have a listen to First Up Football - Jack would be hugely appreciative!

And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon?