SOCCER - A.Klagenfurt vs Southampton, test match KLAGENFURT,AUSTRIA,18.JUL.22 - SOCCER - ADMIRAL Bundesliga, Premier League, SK Austria Klagenfurt vs FC Southampton, test match. Image shows a ball. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUTxSUIxSWE GEPAxpictures/xFlorianxMori

It’s not long now until the Premier League kicks off again. In just over two weeks Manchester United host Leicester City to jumpstart the 2018/2019 campaign. But enough about the football, let’s focus on what’s really important. The kit. The jersey. The shirt. Whatever you want to call it. They are new, and they’re spectacular. Well some of them that is. Andrew Flint questions why grown men even wear them.

Join me as I review each team’s new look, showcase the fabulous and wave off the ugly. Let the controversial opinions begin!

Arsenal:

This is a safe design. Nothing spectacular, but nothing truly awful either. A quick look through the replies to Arsenal’s reveal suggests Arsenal fans want Puma out the door. At the end of the day, this design is typically Arsenal. Basically the same as last year, with very little risk taken. 7/10

Bournemouth:

At first glance, this new kit looks identical to last year’s. But look closer. The new gold trim around the collar and diamond Umbro pattern around the sleeve give the Bournemouth look a bit more personality. In this case, a lack of deviation is a good thing. 8/10

Brighton:

Some may call this kit underwhelming. I, on the other hand, think it looks sharp. Last year the kit featured blue sleeves and four smaller vertical strips. There was a yellow Nike swoop accompanied by a yellow collar trim. This year the look is much cleaner. All white with three blue stripes. Unfortunately, the dash of red doesn’t do it for me and therefore takes away from the overall appeal. 7/10

Burnley:

Well, Burnley fans are in for a treat this year. As the players duke it out in the Europa league, supporters of the Lancashire side can proudly say, “we look good this year.” No, not because of the football, because this new kit is chic. While maintaining the iconic Burnley look, a subtle hexagonal pattern is just enough to catch the eye without distracting you from the overall ensemble. 9/10

Cardiff City:

Wait, this isn’t the Chelsea kit? It sure looks like it. By all accounts, the Cardiff fans love it. And why wouldn’t they? The last time they played in the Premier League, owner Vincent Tan forced the Bluebirds to wear a red home kit. The ‘blue’ birds. Yeah, I don’t get it either. This time, however, the South Wales side showcases a more traditional Cardiff look. Sexy blue stripes with a bluebird on their shoulder. Well, back of the neck at least. 9/10

Chelsea:

I’ll be honest, I hate it. It looks last year’s kit had a child with a blurry freeway photograph. Not sure what Chelsea was trying to achieve with this look, but it missed the mark completely. Solid blue on its own would have been nice, but unfortunately, the incorporation of random red and white highlights appears lazy. Nike can do better than this. 4/10

Crystal Palace:

I wouldn’t say I love it, but I wouldn’t say I hate it either. I always feel funny when I see solid line gradient patterns on jerseys. This kit would have looked lovely without it too. The traditional red and blue stripes are welcomed with a yellow trim, making the outfit pop. Maybe that’s just Benteke’s muscles, but I digress. Take away the pattern and I think you have a winner. Unfortunately, I can’t ignore it. 7/10

Everton:

The Umbro sleeves looked nice on the Bournemouth kit, but I don’t like it on the Everton Blue. This kit, like Chelsea’s, is screaming for simplicity. With that being said, the white collar is a spiffy addition to the uniform. I studied the tweet’s replies, hoping to understand the true fan’s reaction. Unfortunately, most of them read something along the lines of, “But when is Allardyce leaving?” 5/10

Fulham:

I really like a good black and white strip. This year, Adidas’ simplistic design has paid off for Fulham. No silly designs. No twirls or swirls. It’s just black and white. I would like to see a version of this without the black strip across the middle, but hey, life isn’t always perfect. Fans likely won’t care too much about the kit if The Cottagers perform well enough to stay in the top flight another season. 8/10

Huddersfield:

It’s nice. That’s about it. Umbro’s design team are obviously lacking creativity, as the logo design on the sleeves appears yet again. At least this time only half of the sleeve has the design. Nice to see them taking some risks. This kit is respectable and unassuming, but an overall bore. 6/10

Leicester:

This is what the Chelsea kit was lacking. The kit is solid blue with subtle gold trims on the sleeves and neck. Unlike many of these kits, the sponsor fits like a charm. Adidas have once again nailed their design. 9/10

Liverpool:

While the collar on the jersey has mixed reviews, fans seem overall impressed with this year’s home kit. It’s your typical Liverpool kit. Simple but bold. The opposition will be scared seeing Salah charge down the side of the park while wearing this. Maybe not so much when they see it on Lovren. I agree that the overall kit looks nice, but I’m siding with the 50% of fans who disapprove of the collar. 7/10

Manchester City:

Classy. I like it. The full baby blue kit is hardly a surprising design, but who cares? After the season they just had, fans won’t give a rat’s arse about a new look. The pattern on the sleeves is modest and clean. Overall, Nike has done a great job with this kit, but it’s nothing special. 8/10

Manchester United:

What did I say about solid line gradients? They just don’t work. I don’t know who told designers at Adidas that this was an acceptable design to submit, because it’s truly a mess. At least Manchester United fans have inspiring Jose Mourinho football to look forward to. Oh…wait. 3/10

Newcastle:

To be honest, I really, really like it. Maybe I’m just a fan of black and white kits? It’s quintessentially Newcastle with a touch of golden flair on the Puma badge. There isn’t much to say about the design, as it’s so simple, but it’s my one of my favourites this year. 9/10

Southampton:

At first glance I hate it. At second glance, I still hate it. It’s too busy and nothing really makes sense. Just look at the positioning of that Under Armour logo if you don’t believe me. They’ve stretched a line just to make it fit. The black neckline looks like a whale’s tale, and I can’t find anything I like about it. This is a classic example of trying too hard. Shame on you Under Armour, shame on you. 2/10

Tottenham Hotspur:

Again with the solid line gradient! When will they learn? I admit it looks slightly better in the white and dark blue, but it still doesn’t work for me. Please stop this trend. A solid white kit would have been a welcome site. Plus, they could have tricked Harry Kane into thinking he was finally playing for Real Madrid. 4/10

Watford:

The Hornets live up to their name with this stunning kit. It’s black, it’s yellow and it has an actual hornet emblem on the neck. Everything about this kit is appealing. It’s bold and beautiful. While the red sponsor would usually ruin the overall design, it provides the perfect accent for the Watford logo. Well done Adidas, it’s another home run. 10/10

West Ham:

Another classy design, but again with the Umbro design on the sleeves. At least this time its barely noticeable, so we’ll ignore that. Like the Leicester kit, this design impresses me with its elegance. It’s the best Umbro kit in the Premier League this season. 9/10

Wolverhampton:

It must just be me, but this is a stunning kit. If only that logo wasn’t so big. Like black and white, I love a kit with just yellow and black. Oops, sorry, I forgot Wolves are calling that gold, not yellow. Regardless of what colour it is, the kit looks amazing. Scale down the W88 logo and it could be the best kit in the league. 9/10

What are your thoughts? Take a look at all the kits side by side and make the call for yourself. Make sure to come back next week when I list the league’s best and worst away and third kits.

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