Conclusions from the Premiership's Final Day
Manchester City fans finally had something to (scream and) shout about on Sunday teatime as they flooded onto the Etihad Stadium pitch and toasted their joy at pubs all across the country.
In perhaps the most memorable Premiership final day of all-time, the blues eked out a 3-2 victory against QPR to win their first title since 1968, and deny their great rivals Manchester United back-to-back championship wins.
There was more drama across the league throughout the day however as Bolton were relegated, Newcastle returned to Europe and Arsenal clinched the third and final guaranteed Champions League spot.
Here’s how the final day’s events should be remembered:
- How do you sum up the emotion on a day like this? Those involved either personally and spiritually will undoubtedly be at a loss for words for some time.
City looked all but dead and buried as they moved into stoppage time. Newspapers were heading for ‘Same Old City’ or ‘Glory, Glory Man United’ headlines, but Dzeko’s equaliser and Sergio Aguero’s winner inside the final four minutes of the game capped a truly dramatic season.
- The emotions of QPR could have been so different had Bolton’s relegation not being confirmed at the Britannia Stadium. In a strange twist of fate, former Manchester United player and ex-City manager Mark Hughes’ team collapsed late on to hand Manchester City the title. His connections with City run deep, particularly seen as the talk before the game was all about revenge for the way the club chose to ‘dispose’ of him eighteen months ago.
- Manchester United’s team may not have been vintage Fergie but they performed admirably to claim second. The 89 points they recorded is highest ever haul for a runner-up, and not including the City team that deprived them of their 20th title, only 93/94, 99/00 and 08/09 United, Arsenal in 03/04, Chelsea in 04/05 and 05/06 have recorded higher points totals.
- Arsenal were helped into third place by some less than top class goalkeeper by Martin Fulop in the West Brom goal. Spurs will be cursing their former player who gifted the Gunners their first and third goals in a 3-2 win. Wenger has performed miracles once again with limited resources, and dealt admirable with the departure of his two most creative players in the first portion of the season, and having to play without Jack Wilshire for the entire campaign.
Securing Van Persie’s signature is now key to the club moving forward.
- Tottenham only really have themselves to blame if Chelsea swoop in and claim the fourth Champions League spot by default. In January, Spurs were discussed as title contenders when they hosted Manchester United, but they fell away around the same time as their manager spent as much time in court as on the training field, and when Redknapp was linked with the formerly vacant England job.
- Newcastle should be proud of themselves (despite finishing the season on a low) fifth place was well above what anyone expected from them after losing so many key players in 2011. Praise should go to Pardew who has made some astute signings and filled his players with belief.
It will be interesting to see how Newcastle perform next season under loftier expectations, and also if they can withstand a barrage of bids for the likes of Tiote and Cabaye.
- Bolton Wanderers’ relegation demonstrates the importance of home wins to a struggling side. Winning their opening game of the season against QPR was a high point as they spent the remainder of the campaign inside the bottom five. They gave themselves little chance of meeting the usual 40-point target, and gaining just sixteen points of their 36 points at home and conceding 39 goals (a rate of almost two a game) left them with a mountain to climb come the final day.
- Stoke should be grateful to Bolton, not just because victory over them allowed the Potters to finish the season a respectable fourteenth, losing just four games at home, but also because their stability in the top flight has been secured in the same way that Bolton’s initially was after their promotion in 2000.
Home is where the heart is for Stoke, as the Reebok Stadium once used to be a difficult place to play for opposition teams; the Britannia has become one of the Premiership’s trickiest fixtures. Tough, physical and hard working, Stoke are everything Bolton used to be, and if the Trotters hope to return to the league they will have to learn to survive the ‘Stoke way’.
- The nature of the Premier League means that a team’s performance is assessed over thirty-eight games, and teams invariably finish where they deserve to finish.
Spurs are in a unique quandary however as their tenuous position in fourth place means that the success of their season will be dictated by a game which does not even involve them. Harry Redknapp’s men must be cursing Liverpool whose success in the Champions League during 2005 caused UEFA to re-write the rulebook to allow the competitions holder’s to qualify automatically had they not finished in a suitable position to do so. Spurs’ season, and possibly their future could be dictated by the outcome of Saturday’s Champions League final despite finishing five points and two places better off than a team who might replace them in the competition next year.
- Andy Carroll’s Wembley winner in the all-Merseyside FA Cup semi-final may have broken Everton hearts, but the Toffees certainly had the last laugh domestically. A seventh place finish, one spot above Liverpool must give the blue half of the city great delight. David Moyes cannot be praised highly enough for the job he has done at a club without any financial power. They compete admirably on the most uneven of playing fields and consistently hold their own.
The fight back that Everton showed against Manchester United in their 4-4 draw weeks before the end of the season, perhaps cost the Red Devils the title and gave them an example of why the Scotsman in charge of Goodison Park should certainly be on their post-Sir Alex shortlist.
- Roy Hodgson’s final game as West Brom manager may have ended in defeat, but a tenth place finish for a Cottagers proves that they have now established themselves in the top flight. The new man in the FA’s main job earned his new role with his rescue act at the Hawthorns last season, and the belief he instilled in them has clearly been beneficial in a mid-table finish in 2012.
- The team who finished above them should also be proud of their achievements. Fulham finished solidly once again, and join Everton and Liverpool as team’s looking to take the next step.
- Speaking of the Merseyside reds, thank goodness for the final day drama at the Etihad Stadium. Few noticed that Liverpool crashed to a fourteenth defeat this season. Carling Cup and FA Cup finals are all well and good, but a club with a proud history of domestic success need to take a long hard look at themselves this summer.
- Has there ever been a feel good story like Swansea in the Premier League? Many have tried to step up to the top flight and entertain, but Brendan Rodgers’ men have gone way beyond what Wigan and Stoke have achieved in just one season. The Swans represented their nation with pride and took some notable scalps on their way to an 11th place finish. Vorm, Graham and Sigurdsson will all attract a plethora of attention during the summer months; hopefully the Swans can hang on to them and avoid the dreaded second season syndrome.
- Swansea’s success has taken some of the gloss of the season Norwich have had. Few batted an eyelid last week when Norwich drew 3-3 with Arsenal and that is a measure of how well they’ve under Paul Lambert. The effort and commitment they have shown all season has allowed them to finish in such a lofty position in their first season back in the Premiership. Southampton and Reading should be encouraged by the two newbees performances this year.
- Although the Martin O’Neil bubble burst rather quickly, Sunderland steered themselves clear of trouble relatively easily and will look to re-establish themselves as a mid-table team. The Irishman helped Villa and Leicester to over achieve, so will the Mackems finish next season inside the top eight?
- If any of the ‘big’ jobs come up this summer, will chairman be calling Dave Whelan to ask about Roberto Martinez’ availability? Wigan’s push towards safety was once again remarkable, and although they just about pushed their head above water, it appears that things are being doing ‘the right way’ at the DW Stadium. Martinez is a talented coach who is forced to work in difficult circumstances and one wonders how he could perform on a slightly bigger stage.
- Liverpool and Chelsea have both disappointed their fans this season with dismal seasons, but has any club under-performed more than Aston Villa? Although harsh, there will be few shocked if Alex McLeish loses his job in the coming months, but the atmosphere around the once successful club seems to have soured even more this season than in recent years. Villa fans were unimpressed with Houllier and never took to McLeish, but they booed Martin O’Neil on his return to Villa Park so it makes the mind boggle as to what they expect and if they’d ever be happy.
- Another manager who will fear for his job is Steve Kean. In the face of protests about his reign, and the ownership of the football club, the Scottish manager almost dragged his team away from the abyss; in the end it proved too great. Away form cost Rovers in the end as they won just two games away from Ewood Park, but the inevitable protest at the end of every game was hardly and ideal working environment for their beleaguered manager.
- Wolves made a mess of this season from the moment they decided to sack Mick McCarthy. Usually teams get a lift when a new manager in place, but the appointment of Terry Connor (through no fault of his own) worked in reverse. Without a win in their final ten games, Wolves are perhaps the most asset-ridden team who will have players departing this summer.
- The Premier League proved once again why it is the most entertaining and engaging division in world football. Each week the Premiership had us on the edge of our seat with its thrilling matches and incident packed weekends. The world’s biggest stars may be plying their trade in Spain and Italy, but the English leagues product is superior because of its watch-ability.
- Those who doubt football’s power to unite should ask a neutral fan how they felt about City’s last minute winner. Football has, is and always will be more than just a game.
There was more drama across the league throughout the day however as Bolton were relegated, Newcastle returned to Europe and Arsenal clinched the third and final guaranteed Champions League spot.
Here’s how the final day’s events should be remembered:
- How do you sum up the emotion on a day like this? Those involved either personally and spiritually will undoubtedly be at a loss for words for some time.
City looked all but dead and buried as they moved into stoppage time. Newspapers were heading for ‘Same Old City’ or ‘Glory, Glory Man United’ headlines, but Dzeko’s equaliser and Sergio Aguero’s winner inside the final four minutes of the game capped a truly dramatic season.
- The emotions of QPR could have been so different had Bolton’s relegation not being confirmed at the Britannia Stadium. In a strange twist of fate, former Manchester United player and ex-City manager Mark Hughes’ team collapsed late on to hand Manchester City the title. His connections with City run deep, particularly seen as the talk before the game was all about revenge for the way the club chose to ‘dispose’ of him eighteen months ago.
- Manchester United’s team may not have been vintage Fergie but they performed admirably to claim second. The 89 points they recorded is highest ever haul for a runner-up, and not including the City team that deprived them of their 20th title, only 93/94, 99/00 and 08/09 United, Arsenal in 03/04, Chelsea in 04/05 and 05/06 have recorded higher points totals.
- Arsenal were helped into third place by some less than top class goalkeeper by Martin Fulop in the West Brom goal. Spurs will be cursing their former player who gifted the Gunners their first and third goals in a 3-2 win. Wenger has performed miracles once again with limited resources, and dealt admirable with the departure of his two most creative players in the first portion of the season, and having to play without Jack Wilshire for the entire campaign.
Securing Van Persie’s signature is now key to the club moving forward.
- Tottenham only really have themselves to blame if Chelsea swoop in and claim the fourth Champions League spot by default. In January, Spurs were discussed as title contenders when they hosted Manchester United, but they fell away around the same time as their manager spent as much time in court as on the training field, and when Redknapp was linked with the formerly vacant England job.
- Newcastle should be proud of themselves (despite finishing the season on a low) fifth place was well above what anyone expected from them after losing so many key players in 2011. Praise should go to Pardew who has made some astute signings and filled his players with belief.
It will be interesting to see how Newcastle perform next season under loftier expectations, and also if they can withstand a barrage of bids for the likes of Tiote and Cabaye.
- Bolton Wanderers’ relegation demonstrates the importance of home wins to a struggling side. Winning their opening game of the season against QPR was a high point as they spent the remainder of the campaign inside the bottom five. They gave themselves little chance of meeting the usual 40-point target, and gaining just sixteen points of their 36 points at home and conceding 39 goals (a rate of almost two a game) left them with a mountain to climb come the final day.
- Stoke should be grateful to Bolton, not just because victory over them allowed the Potters to finish the season a respectable fourteenth, losing just four games at home, but also because their stability in the top flight has been secured in the same way that Bolton’s initially was after their promotion in 2000.
Home is where the heart is for Stoke, as the Reebok Stadium once used to be a difficult place to play for opposition teams; the Britannia has become one of the Premiership’s trickiest fixtures. Tough, physical and hard working, Stoke are everything Bolton used to be, and if the Trotters hope to return to the league they will have to learn to survive the ‘Stoke way’.
- The nature of the Premier League means that a team’s performance is assessed over thirty-eight games, and teams invariably finish where they deserve to finish.
Spurs are in a unique quandary however as their tenuous position in fourth place means that the success of their season will be dictated by a game which does not even involve them. Harry Redknapp’s men must be cursing Liverpool whose success in the Champions League during 2005 caused UEFA to re-write the rulebook to allow the competitions holder’s to qualify automatically had they not finished in a suitable position to do so. Spurs’ season, and possibly their future could be dictated by the outcome of Saturday’s Champions League final despite finishing five points and two places better off than a team who might replace them in the competition next year.
- Andy Carroll’s Wembley winner in the all-Merseyside FA Cup semi-final may have broken Everton hearts, but the Toffees certainly had the last laugh domestically. A seventh place finish, one spot above Liverpool must give the blue half of the city great delight. David Moyes cannot be praised highly enough for the job he has done at a club without any financial power. They compete admirably on the most uneven of playing fields and consistently hold their own.
The fight back that Everton showed against Manchester United in their 4-4 draw weeks before the end of the season, perhaps cost the Red Devils the title and gave them an example of why the Scotsman in charge of Goodison Park should certainly be on their post-Sir Alex shortlist.
- Roy Hodgson’s final game as West Brom manager may have ended in defeat, but a tenth place finish for a Cottagers proves that they have now established themselves in the top flight. The new man in the FA’s main job earned his new role with his rescue act at the Hawthorns last season, and the belief he instilled in them has clearly been beneficial in a mid-table finish in 2012.
- The team who finished above them should also be proud of their achievements. Fulham finished solidly once again, and join Everton and Liverpool as team’s looking to take the next step.
- Speaking of the Merseyside reds, thank goodness for the final day drama at the Etihad Stadium. Few noticed that Liverpool crashed to a fourteenth defeat this season. Carling Cup and FA Cup finals are all well and good, but a club with a proud history of domestic success need to take a long hard look at themselves this summer.
- Has there ever been a feel good story like Swansea in the Premier League? Many have tried to step up to the top flight and entertain, but Brendan Rodgers’ men have gone way beyond what Wigan and Stoke have achieved in just one season. The Swans represented their nation with pride and took some notable scalps on their way to an 11th place finish. Vorm, Graham and Sigurdsson will all attract a plethora of attention during the summer months; hopefully the Swans can hang on to them and avoid the dreaded second season syndrome.
- Swansea’s success has taken some of the gloss of the season Norwich have had. Few batted an eyelid last week when Norwich drew 3-3 with Arsenal and that is a measure of how well they’ve under Paul Lambert. The effort and commitment they have shown all season has allowed them to finish in such a lofty position in their first season back in the Premiership. Southampton and Reading should be encouraged by the two newbees performances this year.
- Although the Martin O’Neil bubble burst rather quickly, Sunderland steered themselves clear of trouble relatively easily and will look to re-establish themselves as a mid-table team. The Irishman helped Villa and Leicester to over achieve, so will the Mackems finish next season inside the top eight?
- If any of the ‘big’ jobs come up this summer, will chairman be calling Dave Whelan to ask about Roberto Martinez’ availability? Wigan’s push towards safety was once again remarkable, and although they just about pushed their head above water, it appears that things are being doing ‘the right way’ at the DW Stadium. Martinez is a talented coach who is forced to work in difficult circumstances and one wonders how he could perform on a slightly bigger stage.
- Liverpool and Chelsea have both disappointed their fans this season with dismal seasons, but has any club under-performed more than Aston Villa? Although harsh, there will be few shocked if Alex McLeish loses his job in the coming months, but the atmosphere around the once successful club seems to have soured even more this season than in recent years. Villa fans were unimpressed with Houllier and never took to McLeish, but they booed Martin O’Neil on his return to Villa Park so it makes the mind boggle as to what they expect and if they’d ever be happy.
- Another manager who will fear for his job is Steve Kean. In the face of protests about his reign, and the ownership of the football club, the Scottish manager almost dragged his team away from the abyss; in the end it proved too great. Away form cost Rovers in the end as they won just two games away from Ewood Park, but the inevitable protest at the end of every game was hardly and ideal working environment for their beleaguered manager.
- Wolves made a mess of this season from the moment they decided to sack Mick McCarthy. Usually teams get a lift when a new manager in place, but the appointment of Terry Connor (through no fault of his own) worked in reverse. Without a win in their final ten games, Wolves are perhaps the most asset-ridden team who will have players departing this summer.
- The Premier League proved once again why it is the most entertaining and engaging division in world football. Each week the Premiership had us on the edge of our seat with its thrilling matches and incident packed weekends. The world’s biggest stars may be plying their trade in Spain and Italy, but the English leagues product is superior because of its watch-ability.
- Those who doubt football’s power to unite should ask a neutral fan how they felt about City’s last minute winner. Football has, is and always will be more than just a game.