New Premier League managers assessed: Chelsea, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Wolves

The new manager bounce has been a commonly observed phenomenon, especially in the Premier League, where sometimes all it can take is a new boss at the helm.

There were 15 managerial sackings last season, with big clubs including Tottenham and Chelsea finding out that the new manager bounce doesn't always work out.

Both of those teams have started with new names at the top, Ange Postecoglou at Spurs and former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino now at Chelsea.

Wolves had Bruno Lage and Julen Lopetegui last season, parting ways with the latter this summer for Gary O'Neil.

The now Wolves boss replaced Scott Parker at Bournemouth, successfully keeping them up, before getting replaced by Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola.

So how are these new managers getting on in the league and what do they have to look forward to?

Tottenham - Ange Postecoglou

The feel good factor is back at Spurs.

For the first time since Mauricio Pochettino's spell nearly seven years ago, there is a positive feeling back at the club, all thanks to Ange Postecoglou.

Unbeaten in the first four games, and currently sitting second behind Manchester City, Spurs fans could not have asked for a better start.

With Harry Kane's future overshadowing much of their transfer window, weaknesses in the squad have been addressed, with Micky van de Ven solving their issues at left centre-back, James Maddison bringing a much-needed freshness to the forward line and the most expensive signing being Brennan Johnson on deadline day, completing a necessary overhaul for the club.

The underlying numbers so far have been encouraging – Spurs are second in the league for high turnovers (46), only behind Brighton for that metric, underlining their front-footed aggressive style under Postecoglou. With an average possession figure of 58.3%, they rank fifth highest in the league.

Only Brighton have attempted more shots from open-play than Spurs’ tally of 55 so far, with all signs pointing to a promising first season under 'Big Ange'.

Bournemouth - Andoni Iraola

Gary O'Neil rescued the Cherries from relegation last season, and one would have imagined that would buy enough credit for him to get a chance this season.

However, Bournemouth's hierarchy made the leap of faith to go with Rayo Vallecano's talented manager, Andoni Iraola.

And so far, it is safe to say that the appointment has been a good one.

Bournemouth are yet to claim three points in the Premier League so far this season, but there is plenty to be optimistic about.

Foley's investments in the squad have been shrewd, with Tyler Adams, Milos Kerkez, Hamed Traore and Alex Scott accounting for a significant chunk of the business done this summer.

Building on the excellent recruitment earlier in the January window, Iraola's direct style is already evidenced in the numbers.

The Cherries have been an intense pressing side, recording a PPDA figure of 10.9 so far, ranking sixth highest in the league. Furthermore, with 35 high turnovers, they are in the league’s top 10 for that metric. Iraola keeps it interesting.

Their fixtures after the international break will be the real test, with fixtures against Chelsea, Brighton and Arsenal coming up.

Chelsea - Mauricio Pochettino

There is a lot to unpack at Chelsea.

On top of an FM-style squad overhaul made possible by Todd Boehly’s money, new boss Mauricio Pochettino has also had to contend with some early injuries to key personnel, throwing a spanner in the works.

The likes of Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka are all out with long-term injuries, which has forced Pochettino to be creative with his selection, like pushing Enzo Fernandez further forward and using Ben Chilwell as a left-winger.

Nicolas Jackson is still adjusting to life in the Premier League and has only scored once, totalling a non-penalty expected goals (xG) tally of 3.0 so far. It's a small sample size, but things at the back look much better, with the Blues conceding just 2.29 xG from open-play according to Opta – only Manchester City have conceded less.

Pochettino does seem to have the buy-in from the players, with Raheem Sterling’s return to form a clear case of his positive influence. Their run of games after the international break offers the perfect window to put some more points on the board, with games against Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley coming up.

If Jackson can find his shooting boots, expect plenty of joy for Poch in the coming weeks.

Wolves - Gary O'Neil

The Molineux opening was probably the most undesirable job in the Premier League this summer.

With Julen Lopetegui departing, former Cherries boss Gary O'Neil was brave to step in, but it may ultimately be the wrong move from the Wolves board.

Three defeats in their first four games is far from an ideal start for the club. They were promising in the league opener against Manchester United, but were unlucky to come away with nothing.

Losses against Brighton and Crystal Palace most recently have followed, though a 1-0 victory against Everton did offer some respite.

Wolves' dire FFP situation meant that the club had to sell five first-team players, including the likes of Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes.

In terms of incomings, the club did manage to bag a few signings after sales were made, including Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Santiago Bueno and Boubacar Traore, as well as Paraguayan starlet Enso Gonzalez.

Only Fulham have conceded more expected goals against (xGA) from open play than Wolves’ tally of 6.74 and their tally of eight conceded is the worst in the league alongside Burnley.

Hiring O’Neil feels like a stop-gap appointment at best, and was certainly reactionary after half a season at Bournemouth where they just about survived.

Expect a similarly shaky ride for Wolves this season. Early signs are concerning.

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