EPL Season 2009/10 Review (12/5/10) Part 2 - The Football Blog at ChrisOnline.biz

10th: Blackburn Rovers

Comps: FA Cup - 3rd Round (Aston Villa)

League Cup - Semi Final (Aston Villa)

Last Season - 15th Chriso Said - 13th

What a season it has been for Blackburn, compared to last. Big Sam Allardyce has slowly resteddied the ship after Mark Hughes’ great physical team and turned them into... a Big Sam physical team. However they got the job done, get it done they certainly did with some impressive scalps on the way. A solid defence and an exuberant midfield were the foundations - just think what they could be if they signed a top goalscorer.

Star Performers: Paul Robinson, Chris Samba, David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen

Underperformers: Franco di Santo, Brett Emerton

11th: Stoke City

Comps: FA Cup - 6th Round (Chelsea)

League Cup - 4th Round (Portsmouth)

Last Season - 12th Chriso Said - 16th

Tony Pulis has achieved one of the most difficult feats - steering clear of relegation in year 2 and Stoke are very much an established Premier League side with hard-workers and one massive aerial weapon in the form of Rory Delap’s long throws. Added to a stellar defence and some under-rated stars further up the pitch and its easy to see why they are where they are.

Star Performers: Matthew Etherington, Thomas Sorensen, Ryan Shawcross, Ricardo Fuller

Underperformers: James Beattie, Salif Diao

12th: Fulham

Comps: Europa League - Runners-Up (Atletico Madrid)

FA Cup - 6th Round (Tottenham Hotspur)

League Cup - 3rd Round (Manchester City)

Last Season - 7th Chriso Said - 12th

13th: Sunderland

Comps: FA Cup - 4th Round (Portsmouth)

League Cup - 4th Round (Aston Villa)

Last Season - 16th Chriso Said - 10th

If Fulham win the Europa League it will complete a stunning story. Their league form has been sacrificed, but their fans won’t care, given the miraculous job Roy Hodgson is doing.

Star Performers: Mark Schwarzer, Damien Duff, Bobby Zamora, Brede Hangeland, Clint Dempsey, Danny Murphy

Underperformers: Chris Smalling

Sunderland’s league form is pretty much reliant on Darren Bent, but it has improved from last term. Some poor cup performances won’t hide the fact that the players around Bent are underperforming.

Star Performers: Darren Bent, Andy Reid, Craig Gordon

Underperformers: Kieran Richardson, Alan Hutton, Kenwyne Jones

14th: Bolton Wanderers

Comps: FA Cup - 5th Round (Tottenham Hotspur)

League Cup - 4th Round (Chelsea)

Last Season - 13th Chriso Said - 18th

15th: Wolverhampton Wanderers

Comps: FA Cup - 4th Round (Crystal Palace)

League Cup - 3rd Round (Manchester United)

Last Season - Promoted Chriso Said - 14th

Anyone that raised an eyebrow when Owen Coyle deserted Burnley should realize he owns a crystal ball. Mysticism aside, Coyle has saved Bolton from what would have been certain relegation.

Star Performers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Kevin Davies, Matt Taylor, Chung-Yong Lee, Gary Cahill

Underperformers: Johan Elmander

Who could possibly want Wolves relegated given the entertainment Mick McCarthy provides? On the pitch, key players in key areas and a workmanlike dedication eclipsed their poor cup performances.

Star Performers: Kevin Doyle, Jody Craddock, Matt Jarvis, Christophe Berra, Marcus Hahnemann

Underperformers: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake

16th: Wigan Athletic

Comps: FA Cup - 4th Round (Notts. County)

League Cup - 2nd Round (Blackpool)

Last Season - 11th Chriso Said - 11th

17th: West Ham United

Comps: FA Cup - 3rd Round (Leeds United)

League Cup - 3rd Round (Arsenal)

Last Season - 9th Chriso Said - 9th

Credit to Roberto Martinez for keeping them up after the sales of Palacios and Valencia, but Wigan have gone backwards under the Spaniard. Now known for erratic displays and as a bogey team.

Star Performers: Chris Kirkland, Charles N’Zogbia, Hugo Rodallega, Maynor Figueroa

Underperformers: Jason Scotland, Gary Caldwell

Where did it all go wrong for Franco Zola’s Hammers? Mainly key players not performing consistently I’d say in a season to forget. The loss of Dean Ashton didn’t help either. Zola is best off out of it.

Star Performers: Scott Parker, Carlton Cole

Underperformers: Rob Green, Jonathan Spector, Mido, Luis Boa Morte, Matthew Upson

18th (Relegated): Burnley

Comps: FA Cup - 4th Round (Reading)

League Cup - 3rd Round (Barnsley)

Last Season - Promoted Chriso Said - 20th

19th (Relegated): Hull City

Comps: FA Cup - 3rd Round (Wigan Athletic)

League Cup - 3rd Round (Everton)

Last Season - 17th Chriso Said - 19th

If anyone thought it impossible to send two teams down in one season, Brian Laws has proved them wrong. Sure, the players underperformed, but they were doing fine when Owen Coyle led them to early highs.

Star Performers: Wade Elliott, Steven Fletcher

Underperformers: Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Kevin McDonald, Dave Nugent, Robbie Blake

They say when Iain Dowie turns up at your club you should get out the crucifixes. As it is, Tango Man, Phil Brown sent them down long before Dowie got there and he managed a couple of wins, bless him.

Star Performers: Boaz Myhill, Stephen Hunt

Underperformers: Geovanni, Jozy Altidore, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Kevin Kilbane

20th (Relegated): Portsmouth

Comps: FA Cup - Final (Chelsea)

League Cup - 5th Round (Aston Villa)

Last Season - 14th Chriso Said - 17th

No-one could have imagined the lunacy going on in Pompey’s books but the team led by maverick, Avram Grant battled bravely, despite all adversity. One of the best cup records in the league too boot to add to a team that even the most hardened fan had sympathy for.

Star Performers: Jamie O’Hara, Frederic Picquionne

Underperformers: Anthony Vanden Borre

Feedback

NCTJ Preliminary Certificate in Journalism achieved 11/08

Football

Blog