As
the football season approaches the business end for many clubs it is
perhaps a good time to reflect on what has been an extraordinary
season.
The
TV money on offer to the top clubs next season should have proved
sufficient incentive to all to remain in the Premier League. That
said, I can’t recall a season when so many teams have
underperformed. Chelsea had a dreadful start to the season and never
recovered. On paper both Liverpool clubs should have been challenging
for Champions League positions yet indifferent performances in key
matches has cost them dear. Neither Arsenal nor Manchester City have
achieved the consistency that would have secured them the league
title. That distinction went to the exceptional Leicester City, who
started the season as 5000/1 outsiders to win the title.
The
turn around since last season, where only a late run of good results
saved them from relegation from the top flight has been probably the
greatest sporting comeback I have seen in any sport during my
lifetime. I really hope they can keep the side together for next
season since the blend they have in the squad and the style of
football they play would seem well suited to the Champions League.
Manchester
United have been consistently poor throughout the season, having
seemed to forget where the opposition’s penalty box is, let alone
their goal. In a season that has seen so much that is good about the
game it is sad to say that with 2 games to go till the end of the
season United are still in with a chance of securing the 4th
Champion’s League spot. In most clubs disgruntled supporters leave
the ground early, in United’s case this season the supporters have
fallen asleep through boredom before they have the chance to walk
out. One statistic that I heard this week was that they were ranked
2nd in the league in terms of possession of the ball yet
15th in number of shots on target.
On
the plus side Tottenham have demonstrated the merits of a great
youth team set up that saw them blood several youngsters in their
challenge for the title, with many of them home grown players, you
would think that they now have a firm base on which to build next
season.
Over
recent seasons the big money clubs have been able to go out and buy
established, big name signings that have brought them success; with
the increasing influence of soccer in China, America and the Middle
East the competition for top names will be even stiffer so perhaps
the emphasis will switch to building a cohesive squad rather than
relying on one or two big name ‘match winners’.
Leicester
having sealed the title with 3 games to spare meant that the focus
now shifts to the more pressing issues of the relegation battle and
whether Gary Lineker will fulfil his pledge to present Match of the
Day in his underpants should Leicester win the league.
It
is perhaps symptomatic of this strange season that the talking point
of the week should be whether the Leicester grocer is a boxer or
tidy-widey man. Personally, there are more pressing concerns on my
agenda than Mr. Lineker’s choice of intimate apparel – Generally
I don’t trust presenters who smile too much on TV but my guess is
that he is not a thong man.
As
to the thorny issue of relegation – Aston Villa have been woeful
all season with the off-field antics of their players generating more
headlines than their poor performances on the pitch.
My
favourite story of the week was a picture of a Villa fan’s car with
a broken driver’s window and the caption. ‘Left 2 tickets to the
game on the dashboard, found the car broken into overnight and
someone has added 2 more tickets!’
The
only good thing to come from Villa being relegated is that it gives
David Cameron one less thing to crow about.
The
remaining 2 relegation places would seem to be between Norwich City,
Newcastle and Sunderland. All have been poor throughout the season,
especially Newcastle who spent a lot of money on transfers for
players who, in most people’s eyes, did not warrant the huge fees
and have certainly not done anything to repay the club. Norwich, the
eternal yo-yo team, has always had a core of good quality
Championship players but no one capable of scoring goals. Their 2 top
goalscorers this season have scored 10 goals between them, which is
never going to be enough at the highest level. If they are relegated
this season, as I think they will be, then it will be the 4th
time they will have been relegated from the Premiership.
Sunderland
must be in the driving seat to stay up – they have a game in hand
over Newcastle plus they have Sam Allardyce at the helm, who has
never managed a side that has been relegated and they have a proven
goalscorer in Jermain Defoe.
It
will be interesting to see what personnel changes will transpire over
the next few months both on the pitch and in management. We already
know that there will be changes at Manchester City and Chelsea. There
are also question marks concerning Everton, Newcastle and Manchester
United. It is plain to see that the big clubs will be getting their
cheque books out over the Summer, the European Championship will
provide a wonderful shop window for those wanting to play at the
highest level, though as we have seen over recent seasons some
players who have performed well in Europe and on the world stage have
struggled to fit in playing for clubs in England.
The
Premier league was at risk of becoming jaded by the strength of the
bigger clubs, this season has been like a breath of fresh air.
Roll
on next season – Dilly Ding, Dilly Dong.
