This should be one of the strangest starts to a Premier League season in recent memory. Teams that had a lot of representation in the Euro’s and Copa America will have players enter their own mini-preseason to start the season.

Here is a list of the teams most affected by the absences:

Arsenal should be fine because they have great depth. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba, and David Raya will be back, but they have sufficient cover and quality.

Aston Villa lost key midfielder Douglas Luiz and would have benefited from having everyone ready from day one to adjust to that major loss, especially their two most important players, Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins.

Chelsea is a massive wildcard because of how extreme the transition will be for the players coming from the break integrating into Enzo Maresca’s very precise positional system. How awkward will Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher, and Marc Cucurella look?

Crystal Palace was flying at the end of last season. How will not having Jean-Philippe Mateta (U23 France), Ezeberchi Eze, and Adam Wharton affect their rhythm? I’d like to think they will pick up right where they left off.

Liverpool are without Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Alisson in the preseason. Arne Slot plays in a completely different way to Jurgen Klopp; they are more patient, and they play to feet on the ground. That’s a massive adjustment.

Manchester City’s entire squad core is out: Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Jérémy Doku, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Matheus Nunes, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Kyle Walker. Easy fixtures, especially ones where the opposition will play in a low block, look more daunting. They had trouble breaking down teams that sat back last season, and it shouldn’t be easier without those key players, especially Rodri.

Manchester United are without Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, and Diogo Dalot, but maybe that is a blessing in disguise because they won’t be subjected to Erik Ten Hag’s strenuous training.

Tottenham have fielded midfielders and fullbacks in defense, no center-backs, with Cristian Romero and Mickey Van de Ven unavailable. They had trouble defensively last season and would have benefited from having the time to work on organizing before the season.

Pep Guardiola put it bluntly:

I would have preferred to bring [on tour] Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Kyle Walker, all the guys the people are waiting for but the schedule is the schedule and it would not be possible for them to come here.

We will arrive late, but not against United, against Chelsea, and Ipswich. We will be late, it’s try to not drop many points, try to compete well. We don’t have players because they have to rest, if the big bosses and all the institutions like FIFA, UEFA and the Premier League don’t think about the players then the managers have to think about them, otherwise they will die.

It’s too much. That’s why three weeks or one month is necessary, but the competition is there and you have to adapt.

How far have we fallen as a football community that the teams have to be put at this much of a disadvantage?

I watch football year-round; it is very hard for me to get burned out, but if you are, imagine how burned out the players are. Pep Guardiola touched on this:

Come back when you have the desire to touch the ball again. If you don’t feel it, stay at home. I guess it will be before the Community Shield, if not a few days after.

Rodri hinted that players might strike if there is no change in the schedule. With comments like this, “Come back when you have the desire to touch the ball again,” there should be change.

Most of the teams that were at the top of the table last season will immediately be behind the eight ball to start the season. I’d expect teams to stick with the players, young or old, that you see starting now in preseason to start week one of the new season. We’ll probably see changes in formation to compensate, and then changes again once players work into the team. It is a mess.