It truly has been one of the most astounding Premier League seasons in history. And one of the most astounding things in this most astounding of seasons is that the team that will be most remembered from this campaign aren’t the league winners but the runners-up. This season, was all about Liverpool.
This is the story of the Merseyside club who went from 7th in the league last season to the most attractive looking team in the country. Attractive meaning the way they play football of course, although I’m sure a few of them could be quite good looking chaps too. Who knows? Liverpool were genuine title contenders and they did it with a brand of attacking football and defensive disregard not seen since Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle side challenged Man United in the mid 90’s.
They were surely the neutrals choice with fans all over the country wanting to see Steven Gerrard lift the Premier League title that his exemplary career has deserved. And so many outside of Liverpool would have despaired along with the Anfield faithful when they threw away that three goal lead away at Crystal Palace.
Sir Alex was out of the way and it was anyone’s guess who would be the new dominant force from here on out. Liverpool truly struck while the iron was hot in what was always expected to be the most open title race in years. In a way that Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs threatened to do in pre-season.
Chelsea had the return of ‘The Special One’ to lead their charge, but while they remained in the title race until near the end they were always fighting an uphill battle due to their lack of quality up front.
Arsenal were buoyed by the fact that they finally had the marquee signing that their fans yearned for, Mesut Özil bought for £42.5million. While early on Arsenal looked like they could run away with the league, Özil’s dip in form paired with injuries to key players like the born again Aaron Ramsey curtailed their season, leaving an FA Cup win to put a little gloss on another season battling for fourth.
Across North London, Spurs were meant to be rejuvenated by how the Gareth Bale money was heavily invested in the squad. But the bulk of their new signings failed to adapt to the Premier League and one ‘Daniel Levy Manager Sacking’ later Spurs seem to have taken a step back rather than a step forward.
There were certainly metaphorical pats on the backs of a few other managers across the league. Mauricio Pochettino led Southampton to their highest ever Premier League finish using a blend of hard working/passing football and young English talent. Roberto Martinez showed that there was more to him than a struggling Wigan team as he transformed Everton into an attractive passing team who very nearly broke the top four.
And of course Tony Pulis took a relegation bound Crystal Palace team and somehow led them to an 11th place finish, while Steve Bruce saw unfancied Hull City comfortably safe and into an FA Cup Final.
But these impressive managerial performances didn’t fill a fraction of the column inches that David Moyes and his first (and only) lacklustre season at Man United did. Moyes didn’t become a bad manager overnight and will work at the highest level again, but his United reign seemed doomed from the start and two poor transfer windows helped them slump to 7th in the league. United’s demise was spectacular and for every one neutral who cheered Liverpool towards the title, there were probably three or four who enjoyed seeing pantomime villains United suffer.
At the wrong end of the league things were just as unpredictable as they were at the top. Every week you could look at the bottom three and confidently say “it’s those three, they’re the ones that are gonna go”. And each time that you would make this bold claim someone would break free of the pack and prove you wrong.
In the end, it was Fulham, Cardiff City and Norwich City who fell, although there were others who had a near miss. Interestingly, these three relegated sides all saw fit to press the panic button and sack their managers while actually being outside of the relegation zone. All were made to pay for their haste. Cardiff especially, who seemed to be getting on just fine with Malky Mackay.
Last, but certainly not least, there was Manchester City, the champions. The league table does not lie, not ever. City are champions because they deserve to be. The performances of birthday boy Yaya Touré were a big part of City’s success but a big well done should go to the manager too. Cynics will say that Manuel Pellegrini had a big budget to play with, and that is true, but for a South American to come to the Premier League for the first time and mould a team into title winners in his first season, that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Whatever uncertainty surrounds next season’s title challengers doesn’t hang around Man City, they will be challenging for the country’s top honours once again. We can only hope that next seasons campaign will be as exciting as this one.