Awards
Player of the Season: Luis Suarez
Young Player of the Season: Eden Hazard
Manager of the Season: Tony Pulis
Goal of the Season: Jack Wilshere Watch the Goal here
General Statistics
Top Goalscorer: Luis Suarez - 31
Most Assists: Steven Gerrard - 13
Most Red Cards: Sunderland - 7
Most Yellow Cards: Aston Villa 78
Player sent off the most: Wes Brown - 3
Player booked the most: Pablo Zabaleta - 11
Biggest Margin of victory: Manchester City 7-0 Norwich City
Longest run of games unbeaten: Liverpool - 16 games
Longest losing sequence: Crystal Palace - 7 games
Most Wins: Manchester City - 27 games
Most Losses: Fulham - 24 games
Most Goals scored: Manchester City - 102 goals
Fewest Goals Conceded: Chelsea - 27 goals
Most Clean Sheets: Chelsea - 18
Fewest Clean Sheets: Fulham - 5
Team Reviews:
Manchester City - Champions and Champions League
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Yaya Toure
Strengths: Goal-scoring and playing at home.
Weaknesses: Away form blips and Aguero injuries.
Who should they sign: Someone to partner Kompany - linked with Benatia from Roma.
My Opinion: Winners of the Premier League, League Cup Winners and reached the Round of 16 in the Champions League.
With the money they have invested into the club and the players they have, anything less than winning the title would have been seen as a failure. They made the Etihad a fortress, thrashing everyone earlier in the season at home which proved to be a vital factor in their title run. However, it wasn't until the end of their campaign when they went on a winning streak that they took control of the title race. Two trophies in Pellegrini's first season in charge of City was impressive but the Champions League is where they will be looking to improve next season. Getting to the round of 16 was an improvement this season but they will want to keep going further in it.
Liverpool - 2nd and Champions League
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Luis Suarez
Strengths: Attacking football, fast starts and scoring goals.
Weaknesses: Defensive errors and conceding too many goals.
Who should they sign: 3-5 players to build a stronger squad. Lambert has already arrived and Lallana will most likely be there soon. A couple of defenders to tighten up the defence.
My Opinion: Narrowly missed out on the title but a fantastic improvement from last season.
That was a brilliant season which nearly saw them claim the title. Rodgers was a very strong contender for manager of the season whilst his philosophy of attacking football was a joy to watch. They blew teams away in the opening twenty minutes of certain matches whilst Suarez and Sturridge formed a deadly partnership. Gerrard was instrumental in his defensive role whilst Henderson, Sterling and Coutinho all improved tremendously. Despite just missing out on the title, they will be overjoyed to be back in the Champions league and it should be really entertaining to see them play next year as well.
Chelsea - 3rd and Champions League
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Eden Hazard
Strengths: Clean sheets and beating title rivals.
Weaknesses: Lack of goals and beating the 'weaker' teams.
Who should they sign: A world class striker- Diego Costa
My Opinion: No trophies, third in the league and beaten in the Champions League Semi-Finals.
Much was expected with Mourinho back at the helm but in the end it was a story of getting close to a trophy and failing to win one. Eto'o, Torres and Ba all scored goals between them but neither was able to go on and score over 20 goals throughout the season. Hazard was brilliant as well as the partnership of Terry and Cahill at the back which was the strongest part of the whole team. Mourinho proved he's still a tactical genius and does a job on the likes of City, Liverpool and Arsenal but it was the inability to defeat weaker teams away from home which was their downfall. However, they did make it all the way to the Champions league semi-finals but it was a lack of goals that saw them defeated at Stamford Bridge. With the addition of a scoring machine up front, Chelsea will be a very strong outfit next season and should do better than they did this year.
Arsenal - 4th and Champions League
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Aaron Ramsay
Strengths: Great midfielders and passing football.
Weaknesses: Defensively poor at times and not good enough against the top teams.
Who should they sign: Another striker - Loic Remy and possibly a few defenders. Fabregas returning would be a huge bonus.
My Opinion: Fa Cup winners, Champions League round of 16 but only fourth once again.
It was a tale of two halves for Arsenal who were runaway leaders by Christmas but injuries saw them fall down the table. Ramsay, Ozil and Cazorla were all on top form for the first part of the season but injuries to key players such as Ramsay and Walcott halted their progress whilst Ozil struggled to maintain his good form. Wenger really should have signed another striker to help out Giroud, who had a heavy workload throughout the season, to keep their momentum going. It could easily have made the difference between them winning the title or not. However, fourth means champions league football whilst winning the FA Cup was a huge lift for the team and the fans. They could have gone further in the champions league had key moments gone in their favour against Bayern but another marquee signing this summer could see them have another good go at things next season.
Everton - 5th and Europa League
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Seamus Coleman
Strengths: Attacking philosophy and good loan signings.
Weaknesses: Inability to keep pace with Arsenal and winning more games away from home.
Who should they sign: Barry and Lukaku again amongst a few others.
My Opinion: Came very close to 4th whilst Martinez has done a great job.
Martinez did a really good job with Everton this season and they came so close to finishing inside the top four. Signing Barry, Lukaku and McCarthy were brilliant decisions whilst Barkley was quite outstanding for them. They played some attractive football in a style that Martinez coaches which is good to see but the true test will be next season to see if they can keep this kind of level up. All the loan signings may not return which means that Martinez will have to attract some top players to keep the high standard up.
Tottenham Hotspur - 6th and Europa League
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Christian Eriksen
Strengths: Winning tight matches and playing fast paced football.
Weaknesses: Not scoring enough goals and losing key matches.
Who should they sign: A goalscorer and a few defenders.
My Opinion: Expected so much more after spending £100 million on new players.
Spurs kept winning games 1-0 earlier in the season but it was Andre Villas-Boas' defensive formations and tactics that eventually got him the sack. They were playing better football in the Europa League but it was their failure to keep that form going in the Premier League that was their ultimate failure. After spending £100 million to replace Bale, more was expected of the team but very few of their signings seemed worth the money they paid for them. Eriksen was the pick of the pack but there were too many flops as Soldado, Lamela and Chadli all failed to make a positive impact. Sherwood restored their preferred playing style when he came in but the damage had already been done. It must be tough for Spurs fans to see Modric and Bale shine at Real Madrid whilst their own team has failed to replace either of them since they left. Pochettino is the new man in charge and I expect a much better season from them next year now.
Manchester United - 7th
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: David De Gea
Strengths: Away form whilst De Gea and Rooney were their best players.
Weaknesses: Offensively, creatively, home form, poor results against the top teams and strange tactics from Moyes.
Who should they sign: A whole new back line, a left winger and a couple of world class midfielders. Potential signings include Shaw, Kroos and Fabregas.
My Opinion: Catastrophic season sees Moyes sacked and the players questioned.
Quite simply that was an atrocious season that should be forgotten quickly. The season started well enough under Moyes but as the season went on, Van Persie got injured and their form took a turn for the worse. I thought that the players ultimately let the manager down but the tactics and formations just didn't work. Fellaini proved to be a massive flop but at least Mata proved his worth since arriving in January. Failing to sign a top player last summer was their biggest mistake in what was a huge season of change. Rooney and De Gea gave it their all throughout but I can't say as much for the others. Their best football came in the Champions League and they came close to pulling off a major upset but in the end it just was not meant to be. People will argue that Moyes should have been given more time but I'm glad he was sacked and that a proven manager has come in to sort everything out. A couple of good things came out of it all though, Januzaj took his chance to impress whilst Giggs showed that he is capable of one day managing United.
Southampton - 8th
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Adam Lallana
Strengths: Great English talent, able to score plenty of goals.
Weaknesses: Conceding too many goals and struggling to win away from home.
Who should they sign: Players to replace the likes of Shaw, Lambert and Lallana. A manager who can replicate their success this season.
My Opinion: Best finish in the league for quite some time and some exciting English players.
Southampton enjoyed one of their best seasons for a long time and were really exciting to watch. Pochettino did a very good job with them in the league but I felt they could have had a much better cup run than they did. The English trio of Lambert, Lallana and Shaw all stood out from the rest but sadly for the Saints, I don't think either of them will still be there next season. They were a consistent team throughout the year and achieved many good results which saw them finish inside the top eight. It's going to be a real challenge for them this summer and they'll need to employ another ambitious manager who is able to sign players who can replace the ones who end up leaving.
Stoke City - 9th
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Marko Arnautovic
Strengths: Tough to beat at home and defensively adept.
Weaknesses: Away form can dip and no prolific striker.
Who should they sign: Someone to bang in more goals and a midfielder.
My Opinion: Hughes has done a solid job which saw Stoke finish in the top half of the table.
I thought that Pulis had taken Stoke as far as he could but they seem to have improved under Hughes. They play much more attractive football now whilst Arnautovic was their star player throughout the season. It's one of those strange things where Stoke will always be a hard place to win and they capitalised on that once more this season. They performed reasonably well at home but found it harder to produce their good form away from home but finishing inside the top half of the table will be seen as a good season. If they can sign a proven goalscorer than I expect they will enjoy another decent season again next year.
Newcastle United - 10th
Successful Season? Yes and No
Player of the Season: Loic Remy
Strengths: Playing well at home and having Remy up front.
Weaknesses: Discipline and getting results in tough times.
Who should they sign: A striker and someone to replace Cabaye.
My Opinion: Great first half of the season was completely undone by awful end to the season.
Similarly to Arsenal, it was a tale of two halves for Newcastle. They started the season very strongly which was largely down to the brilliant performances of Cabaye and Remy. All seemed well for the toon army halfway through the season but it all changed for them when they lost Cabaye to PSG in January. They failed to replace him and he proved to be a massive miss. Remy was injured for the latter stages of the season which meant goals were few and far between in what was a dark period for the club. Pardew was under scrutiny after he headbutted Meyler and was lucky to keep his job in some people's eyes. The wheels just came off and they went on a horrendous run of form, losing game after game which saw them end their season in 10th. In order to improve next season, they need to spend wisely and get the right players in to replace the talent they had this year. It may prove tough for Pardew to get the fans back on his side and they will have to start next season well otherwise it's going to be a tough ride for Newcastle.
Crystal Palace - 11th
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Jason Puncheon
Strengths: Defensively strong and organised.
Weaknesses: Don't score too many goals and were poor under Holloway.
Who should they sign: People who will improve the team, not people to fill the numbers.
My Opinion: The aim was to stay up but Pulis achieved so much more.
The season started poorly under the management of Ian Holloway but he respectively stepped down after realising that the job may have been too much for him. They brought in a lot of new players over the summer but their signing was Tony Pulis who quite simply did an outstanding job with them once he took over. He transformed the team into a really well organised unit that were hard to beat. Jason Puncheon was their best player and scored some very vital winning goals throughout their campaign which saw them not only avoid relegation but finish near the middle of the table. It must have been much more than they expected to get out of the season and with the addition of a few more decent players, Palace should be looking to have another great season next year.
Swansea City -12th
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Wilfried Bony
Strengths: Home form and passing.
Weaknesses: Injuries and playing in the Europa League
Who should they sign: Fabianski has already arrived from Arsenal but a few others wouldn't go amiss.
My Opinion: Disappointing season which saw Laudrup sacked along the way.
Swansea were hampered by a couple of issues this season. Firstly, their squad wasn't really big enough to cope with the demands of playing in the Europa League and they suffered in the Premier League because of it. In addition, the extra games saw key players get injured. Most notably was the absence of Michu who scored so many goals last year but barely featured at all this season. Their form led to Laudrup getting the sack which seemed a little odd to me but Garry Monk did a decent job with them for the rest of the season. They enjoyed a good run in the Europa League but were eventually knocked out by Napoli. One positive was the goalscoring form of Bony who saved them from having a terrible season.
West Ham United - 13th
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Mark Noble
Strengths: Aerial threat and Carroll.
Weaknesses: Defensive errors and less attractive football.
Who should they sign: A couple of defenders and a few extra midfielders.
My Opinion: Tough season which saw fans question Allardyce as manager.
It was an average season in the end for the Hammers who could possibly have done so much better had Carroll been fit throughout the season. They are a much better side when he plays whilst Nolan's performances improve as they have a great partnership between them. Allardyce was the man who should have been in charge, despite protests from the fans, as he guided them to safety and another year in the top league. They should be looking to improve next season and if they can keep Carroll fit for longer periods then they should enjoy a more prosperous year.
Sunderland - 14th
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Vito Mannone
Strengths: Causing upsets and fighting to the end.
Weaknesses: Conceding too many goals and going on bad runs of results
Who should they sign: Borini on a permanent deal as well as a defender and midfielder.
My Opinion: League Cup finalists but a minor miracle saw Poyet's team beat the drop.
It was a rollercoaster ride for Sunderland this season as they found themselves in a cup final but in the thick of a relegation battle. There form was pretty poor over the season in the league but a great cup run kept the fans on their side. It could easily have been another case of a shock cup win, similarly to Wigan last year winning the cup and going down, but despite giving it a real go against City in the final, they lost 3-1. Their focus was then on avoiding the drop and Poyet managed his troops perfectly. Brining back Wickham into the starting eleven paid huge dividends as he proved to be their saviour in a time of great need. They pulled off some incredible results against the big teams and deservedly stayed up.
Aston Villa - 15th
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Fabien Delph
Strengths: Causing an upset at home
Weaknesses: Away form and scoring goals
Who should they sign: Keeping Benteke will be key but a few defenders and midfielders.
My Opinion: No progression whilst the team lacks investment.
It was a disappointing season for Villa who only showed glimpses of form this season. Benteke was nowhere near the level he produced last year and Villa paid a heavy price for his lack of goals. Lambert did an okay job managing the team this year but there is clearly a lack of investment into the club which it desperately needs. They did enough to stay up but that's about all they can hope for if they don't bring in better players. It seems like Lerner is going to put the club up for sale and that is probably for the best. If they get someone who is willing to invest in the club and they bring in better players, Villa should be looking to finish mid-table next season.
Hull City - 16th and Europa League
Successful Season? Yes
Player of the Season: Ahmed Elmohammady
Strengths: Signing good players and going on a cup run
Weaknesses: Picking up wins rather than draws.
Who should they sign: Wingers and full backs to give them more options.
My Opinion: FA Cup finalists, avoided relegation and European football to look forward to.
Hull's objective was to stay up and they managed to do that. What made it an even better season was that they made it all the way to the FA Cup final. Despite taking a 2-0 lead, Arsenal overcame them in extra time but it was still a great achievement. Bruce realised by January that they needed someone to score more goals for them and he did that really well. Both Long and Jelavic arrived and they struck a great partnership between them. The goals went in and they managed to avoid relegation. Huddlestone and Livermore proved to be a couple of good signings in what was actually a pretty good season. Progress will be expected next season but Bruce can be happy with this year went.
West Bromich Albion - 17th
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Ben Foster
Strengths: Avoiding relegation
Weaknesses: Failure to hold on and win more games
Who should they sign: Defenders and Midfielders.
My Opinion: Finished nine places lower than last year and just about avoided going down.
West Brom enjoyed a really strong season last year but it was a completely different story this time around. Steve Clarke couldn't get his players to produce the same kind of results early in the season and was eventually shown the door. Pepe Mel came in and did a reasonable job as they just about avoided relegation. Vastly disappointing for the fans but there were a few players who caught the eye. Foster was decent in goal whilst Berahino and Amalfitano posed a threat going forward. Plenty of work to be done in preparation for next season and Mel will have a big job on his hands to try and achieve a mid-table finish.
Norwich City - 18th and Relegated
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Robert Snodgrass
Strengths: Set plays
Weaknesses: Scoring goals and conceding way too many goals.
Who should they sign: Players who can get them back into the Premier League and strikers who can score.
My Opinion: Relegated, Hughton sacked and strikers failed to deliver.
Norwich were going throughout their season picking up a few points here and there but their main problem was that they just conceded far too many goals. If they were going to get beat, they were going to get beaten badly. This was demonstrated when they lost 7-0 away to Man City. However, it didn't look as though they were going to be relegated until their final five games. Hughton was sacked, which seemed a little odd as he could have pulled off a few upsets, in what was an attempt to make a quick and sudden impact. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way and they lost their last five games. This poor run of results saw them fall into the relegation zone as Sunderland managed to get themselves out of it. A really disappointing season for the Canaries and they may find it difficult to bounce straight back up next season.
Fulham - 19th and Relegated
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: Ashkan Dejagah
Strengths: Sacking a manager
Weaknesses: Defensively weak and scoring goals.
Who should they sign: Experience players to compliment their youth team graduates.
My Opinion: Three managers, woeful defence and relegated.
Fulham started the season slowly and it only got worse for them as it went on. There was no confidence in the team and they just kept losing match after match. Jol was sacked before Christmas whilst Muelensteen came in. He wasn't really given much of a chance as the owners panicked and opted to go for someone who had more experience in keeping a team up. In came Magath but he struggled just like the others. Hangelaand and Stekelenberg were injured for key periods of the season whilst they spent £10 million on Mitroglou who hardly featured after picking up injuries. Nothing seemed to be working and despite a hard-working midfield, they failed to find the back of the net frequently enough and conceded goal after goal. There is plenty of optimism and high hopes surrounding their youth academy but it could still prove to be a challenging season next year.
Cardiff City - 20th and Relegated
Successful Season? No
Player of the Season: David Marshall
Strengths: Caulker in defence.
Weaknesses: A disillusioned owner and buying too many players.
Who should they sign: Players who are good enough to get them back up next year.
My Opinion: McKay should not have been sacked and owner contributes to relegation.
The season started pretty well for Cardiff under McKay but it all turned sour when the owner started to make a lot of controversial decisions. I maintain that Cardiff would probably have stayed up under McKay but the owner had different ideas. He changed the colour of their kit from blue to red which saw the majority of the fans turn against him whilst the decision to let McKay go only increased the supporters frustrations. Solskjaer was recruited but his methods just didn't seem to work as well as expected. In the end it was too much and they went down with a whimper. Marshall was their best player this season and that says a lot when your keeper is your start man. Caulker led the team impressively but there were too many new faces that didn't contribute as much to the team as others. It will be interesting to see how Vincent Tan reacts next year but they need to sign players who are committed to the cause.
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