EPL Season 2009/10 Review (12/5/10) - The Football Blog at ChrisOnline.biz

Champions: Chelsea

Comps: Champions League - 2nd KO (Inter)

FA Cup - Final (Vs. Portsmouth)

League Cup - 5th Round (Blackburn a.e.t.)

Community Shield - Winners (Man Utd)

Last Season - 3rd Chriso Said - 1st

Breaking Chelsea’s Mourinho hoodo isn’t easy but, with exception of the Champions League capitulation to the Special One’s Inter; Ancelotti has managed to finally deliver the football Roman Abramovich so lusted after, as well as the Title. To succeed where many have failed is not easy and Carlo will be looking to imprint more of his own personnel, you would think, over the summer. It should also be noted, his dealing of the John Terry situation was damage-limitation at its finest.

Star Performers: Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Ashley Cole, Nicolas Anelka

Underperformers: Michael Ballack, John Obi Mikel

End of Season Awards

Managers of the Season:

Harry Redknapp (Tottenham)

Roy Hodgson

(Fulham)

Worst Managers of the Season:

Brian Laws (Burnley)

Gary Megson

(Bolton)

Players of the Season:

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)

Didier Drogba

(Chelsea)

Worst Players of the Season:

Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd)

Jozy Altidore (Hull City)

Dave Nugent (Burnley)

Golden Boot:

Didier Drogba (29)

Young Player of the Year:

Adam Johnson

Signing of the Season:

Carlos Tevez (3rd party contract)

Worst Signing:

Alberto Aquilani

(£20m from AS Roma)

Most Deserved Sacking:

Phil Brown (Hull)

Most Undeserved Sacking:

Mark Hughes (Man City)

Best Takeover:

Birmingham City (Carson Yeung)

Worst Takeover:

West Ham United (or Olympic, Gold/Sullivan)

Runners Up: Manchester United

Comps: Champions League - QF (Bayern Munich)

FA Cup - 3rd Round (Leeds United)

League Cup - Winners (Aston Villa)

Community Shield - Runners-Up (Chelsea)

Last Season - 1st Chriso Said - 4th

It just wasn’t to be for Sir. Alex in what could have been the season he finally ended Liverpool’s record at the top. This was in no doubt due to the over-reliance on Wayne Rooney and the inadequacy of Dimitar Berbatov to hit the back of the net. Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves unsurprisingly spent most of the season crocked, though Nani somewhat emerged. In the UCL it was sheer complacency that cost them and perhaps in the FA Cup too. The Carling Cup is small consolation in an unsatisfying season for the Red Devils.

Star Performers: Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra, Edwin van der Sar, Antonio Valencia, Darren Fletcher

Underperformers: Dimitar Berbatov, Ben Foster, Anderson, Rio Ferdinand

3rd (CL): Arsenal

Comps: Champions League - QF (Barcelona)

FA Cup - 4th Round (Stoke City)

League Cup - 5th Round (Manchester City)

Last Season - 4th Chriso Said - 5th

It’s fast becoming a hot potato at pub quizzes, but Arsenal’s last honour was the 2005 FA Cup and that doesn’t look like changing anytime soon. The kids have grown up yet they still fail to find that final ball or just don’t shoot when given the chance. The Champions League was lost when Wenger decided to move Alex Song to defence, rather than “risk” Sol Campbell - one of their star performers. Embarrassing domestic cup progress is no different from their patchy league form. How long do we trust in Arsene?

Star Performers: Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Thomas Vermaelen, Andrey Arshavin, Sol Campbell

Underperformers: Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Alex Song, Eduardo, Theo Walcott

4th (CL): Tottenham Hotspur

Comps: FA Cup - Semi Final (Portsmouth)

League Cup - 5th Round (Manchester United)

Last Season - 8th Chriso Said - 8th

Well he may have left Portsmouth in a mess but Harry Redknapp has pulled off something special at Spurs. Taking full advantage of Liverpool’s fall and Man City’s inconsistency, Spurs have sneaked 4th and performed strongly in all dometic competitions. Whether they can now take that to the next level in the Champions League remains to be seen but Redknapp has one hell of a juicy carrot to dangle in the face of potential star signings. They’ve deserved their spot and almost stamped out that famous erratic form.

Star Performers: Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson, Huerelho Gomes, Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon

Underperformers: David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas

5th (EL): Manchester City

Comps: FA Cup - 5th Round (Stoke City)

League Cup - Semi Final (Manchester United)

Last Season - 10th Chriso Said - 3rd

Sheikh Mansour departed mid-season with the services of ‘Sparky’ Mark Hughes and it cost him the League Cup. However when Roberto Mancini did get to grips with the side, he actually did a decent job and the signing of Adam Johnson was inspired. The chance of instant Champions League football was only lost on the 37th game in a crucial six-pointer, so it’s hardly been a disaster. Next season will be crucial for Mancini and I for one, think he will lead them to greater heights next time around. Should he not, he’ll be swiftly gone.

Star Performers: Carlos Tevez, Shay Given, Vincent Kompany, Gareth Barry, Craig Bellamy, Adam Johnson

Underperformers: Joleon Lescott, Wayne Bridge, Roque Santa Cruz

6th (EL): Aston Villa

Comps: Europa League - Playoff Round (4) (Rapid Wien)

FA Cup - Semi Final (Chelsea)

League Cup - Final (Manchester United)

Last Season - 10th Chriso Said - 3rd

On paper, it looks a fairly good season, minus the Europa League. In reality, Villa yet again crumbled from February in what is fast becoming a regular form guide. Football is all about expectations and if you overachieve, expectation rises and that is what counts against Martin O’Neill. Whether Villa can progress any further under him is questionable, so next season could be make-or-break.

Star Performers: James Milner, Richard Dunne, Brad Friedel, Gabby Agbonlahor, Ashley Young

Underperformers: Emile Heskey, Nigel Reo-Coker

7th (EL): Liverpool

Comps: UCL - Group Stage (3rd) Europa League - Semi Final (Atletico Madrid)

FA Cup - 3rd Round (Reading)

League Cup - 4th Round (Arsenal)

Last Season - 2nd Chriso Said - 2nd

I’m not the only one with egg on my face about this lot, it was a truly awful season by their standards. Abysmal showings in both domestic cups, capitulation in the Champions League and a limping performance in the Europa. In terms of their football, it’s pretty much car-crash syndrome, watching the election would beat watching the Reds this season. Rafa Benitez’s record with players is pretty horrendous with Alberto Aquilani, the latest failure. Having said that, the man’s been a darn sight more dignified about it all!

Star Performers: Jose Reina, Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt, Fernando Torres

Underperformers: Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Alberto Aquilani, David N’Gog, Martin Skrtel

8th: Everton

Comps: Europa League - Last 32 (Sporting Lisbon)

FA Cup - 4th Round (Birmingham City)

League Cup - 4th Round (Tottenham Hotspur)

Last Season - 5th Chriso Said - 6th

I think this has to go down as a disappointment for David Moyes and co. In terms of the job he has done at the club, no-one will argue with the consistent finishes Everton have achieved under Moyes, but this seaon was a step back. Out of every competition early, they were always playing catch-up in the league after their usual awful start. Injuries played their part, but maybe without the distraction of Europe, like Spurs, they can take advantage of the extra fatigue suffered by other sides.

Star Performers: Steven Pienaar, Leighton Baines, Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill

Underperformers: Phil Neville, Phillipe Senderos

9th: Birmingham City

Comps: FA Cup - 6th Round (Portsmouth)

League Cup - 3rd Round (Sunderland)

Last Season - Promoted Chriso Said - 15th

First season syndrome for Brum or is it? I predicted they’d stay up, but no-one knew what a fine defence that McLeish had installed at St. Andrews. It is for that reason and the inspirational form of loanee, Joe Hart that the club achieved a somewhat unexpected top-half finish. Up front, there is likely to be investment but there’s no reason why Birmingham cannot build on this next season with such a top manager in charge.

Star Performers: Joe Hart, Cameron Jerome, Lee Bowyer, Roger Johnson, Liam Ridgewell

Underperformers: Christian “Chucho” Benitez, Lee Carsley

Feedback

NCTJ Preliminary Certificate in Journalism achieved 11/08

Football

Blog