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Bitter Much?
I just wanted to congratulate Chelsea on their title win. A great achievement, but an achievemant marred slightly....
The way in which Wigan, Stoke and Aston Villa capitulated at Stamford Bridge (not to mention Stevie G's magnificent through ball for Drog) must surely take the shine off? For everyone crowing about them sealing the title in style is it too much to expect for teams to actually make a f**kin effort?? Wigan knew they could have a say in the title race and also move themselves up the table but instead of putting up a fight they decide not ot defend and not to pressure Chelsea and not to try. Absolutely pathetic. In supposedly the most competitive EPL for years the deciding game finished 8-0. 8 F**kin nil!!
As for Drogba - what a royal pr*ck he really is. Refusing to celebrate his team-mates goals then calling every player to him when he scored? Absolute idiot. His sulking and arrogance and childishness is still shocking despite how many years we've had to get used to it.
A real shame about those three home wins gifted to Chelsea. They really have taken the gloss of an otherwise fantastic season for them. United for the title next year (hopefully!!).
Mangore (not at all bitter) United, Belfast
...Yes I know they scored eight but without trying to sound like a churlish United fan, Chelsea were handed the title by terrible reffing throughout the season. In the two games with United both games were decided by the officials, I don't care if Chelsea played better at OT the fact is they received favourable decisions in both games, even if one correct decision is given United are Champions.
The dirge of 'Chelsea beat the top four home and away so they deserve to win' doesn't mean a thing when in other games they should have lost or drawn they were handed three points by incompetent officials.
Summing up Chelsea may be deserved Champions in the eyes of the Southern Press but in reality they are hollow champions put there by terrible refereeing.
Paul (Bitter and Twisted) Murphy, Manchester
...Deserved champions, undoubtedly. Chelsea were the least rubbish out of the top three, (no, Scousers, those days are gone) so deserve to take the title.
Good to see, though, that in spite of racking up over 100 goals, that 2 of their best loved players are doing their bit to make sure that everyone still hates them.
Drogba schoolboy strop made you want to climb through the telly and beat him to death, whilst seeing 'Dad of the Year' John Terry on the front page of the Sun with kids and Toni has just made me sick into my mouth on the train.
Always next year...
Matt, Cheshire
...Chelsea deservedly won the league and there is no argument to otherwise suggest that they were the best team this season. This however does not make them a great team or to be classed as one of the greats to have won the Premier League despite smashing in over 100 goals in the process. The entire season has shown that the quality of the Premier League has overall taken a massive drop in standards. You have disgraceful footballing sides such as Wolverhampton Wanderers staving off relegation, not because they deserved to, but because there were teams that somehow managed to be worse than them.
The plaudits have been poured on Chelsea for winning four games by scoring seven goals in each, but the fact is that no side claiming to be in the top tier of English football should be beaten by such a margin. Those scorelines belong in Sunday league football not in a realm of players who claim to be at the top of their profession. Chelsea have been rightfully crowned the champions of England but that needs to be put in perspective much in the same way as being champions of Scotland.
Winning the title in your first season as manager in a new country should be a remarkable achievement but I am not convinced. Chelsea far and away had the best squad of players going into this season and were rightfully expected to win the league. The fact that it went to the very last day of the season and they only managed to win the league by one point over United who sold both Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez without replacing them, is quite frankly a disgrace. United even played about a month of premiership football without a recognized defender so its either United horrendously over achieved considering their playing resources or Chelsea managed to successfully flop. This was Chelseas league to lose from the very beginning so I congratulate them on winning the league but by no means is it an achievement of any substance.
United's failings however rest solely at the feet of Ferguson and his decisions tactically in the games that mattered, which can be described in two words Gary and Neville, and his transfer dealings last summer. Now for goodness sake Ferguson the market might be inflated but splash some serious cash. And finally, if Gary Neville loved the club as much as he says he does he would rip up that new contract and retire from football.
Sam Bench
...Thank God that's over, congratulations to Chelsea they deserved it and excess of 100 goals scored is some achievement. There was article by John Nic a few weeks back saying that without competition football is akin to self abuse. The league maybe more competitive but is that because of mediocrity rather than excellence. I don't think this Chelsea team is as good as their 2005 team, the Arsenal invincibles, or the Man Utd treble team yet none of those scored 100 goals. There was a time that safety meant getting to the magic 40 points, now it's 31.
In conclusion:
Chelsea: Still a good team who suffered from having a crap manager in big Phil.
Man U: Probably would have made it four in a row if they had kept Ronaldo.
Arsenal: Same old, same old.
Spurs: Eventually got some return on their Premiership investment.
Man City: Didn't get the return on their Premiership investment so will splurge more.
Aston Villa: Can't think of anything about sums them up.
Liverpool: Laughable or lamentable take your pick.
Everton: Still behind Liverpool so probably same conclusion.
Could go on but be thankfully we have the World Cup to look forward to, so not a complete football hiatus.
Grump over.
Gary
More Sensible United Fans Write...
Firstly congratulations to Chelsea, they are worthy and emphatic Champions.
A few positives about United's season:
Antonio Valencia - excellent buy, worked hard all season.
Wayne Rooney - Superb throughout, world class.
Nani - deserves his new contract after a good second half to the season.
Patrice Evra - I wouldn't swap him for any left-back in the world.
Van Der Sar - Still class.
Vidic - Still immense and another I wouldn't swap.
Our games against Man City - three injury-time winners to upset the bitters
Sir Alex Ferguson - peerless.
The United team - for keeping it going down to the wire.
Negatives:
The Bayern Munich exit - 'nuff said.
Burnley away - how did that happen?
Injuries - more than our fair share.
Fernando Torres - how does he do it against us every time?
Blackburn away - if only.
Glazers - £80m in transfer revenue, £60m unspent, Season Ticket Price etc...
Stoke Fans yesterday - loud as hell but totally and utterly classless.
Berbs - sorry mate but it isn't working.
Chelsea - for scoring so early yesterday and not even giving us hope - congrats though.
Overall, we have come second in the league, reached the QF of the CL and won the League Cup. Still a great season but it could have been so much more.
Hopes:
We buy a striker, a goalkeeper and two midfielders.
England look after our boys and there are no injuries sustained in the WC.
Sir Alex stays.
A good run in the WC... though something tells me I'm going to be hurting again in a few weeks...
Chris Wilkinson, Manchester United Football Club, LUHG
...Yes, it is disappointing how we end up with just the Carling Cup after our season looked so promising a few months ago. But we have to keep perspective. At the start of the season we were written off. Some even speculated we could be at threat to drop out of the top four. We've lost £105 million worth of striking talent in Ronaldo and Tevez. Any team would suffer. Especially if you replace them with an inexperienced yet effective Valencia and a past-it Owen. That with the fact we were without Van Der Sar for a few months and had an unreliable Ben Foster keeping goal behind a makeshift defence, we've done well to take it to the last day. We've lost the league by a solitary point, with just five points less than last year. Considering our circumstances, this is no embarrasment.
You can't argue that Chelsea don't deserve it. 18 points out of 18 against the rest of the big 4 is outstanding. You cant dispute that. Any team that scores over a 100 goals in the league has to be doing something seriously wrong at the back not to be worthy to be called the best team. Also, had Chelsea slipped up could you call Utd worthy champions after they lost seven games? Bottom line is Chelsea deserve it, they ploughed on in January when everyone thought theyd be crocked by the ACN, they got through Terry and Cole's off=field antics and they've scored 7+ on four occasions. Not many should begrudge them this victory, because they've done it in decent style and without the agonising arragonce that Mourinho endlessley emmited.
United have done well to keep themselves in it. We've shown our intent spending around £20million on two youngsters, there's talk coming out of the club for once about top drawer players coming in with Rooney and Sir Alex both saying it publicly. We are still a top team. That aura that surrounds the place is not likely to dissapear. If we hold on to Rooney and Vidic and build in the right places, we will still be serious challengers next year. Yes, its never nice coming second, but for once second place might just be an achievement for Man United
Nihil Morjaria
The Hopes Of An Arsenal Fan
I've been very disappointed with Arsenal this season - the last nine games have been terrible - even the 4-0 win yesterday at home to Fulham's reserve team was not good enough, considering the previous results: 1 win, 2 draws, 5 losses. That's relegation form for most teams and rightly ended Arsenal's title challenge. The Gunners have been very fortunate indeed to hang on to third place.
This is going to sound like a broken record but PLEASE, Mr. Wenger, a goalkeeper. If Arsenal do not get a goalkeeper, I think (oh dear God) that Sp*rs may well finish above us next season, simply because they have competent goalkeepers (Gomes, Cudicini) and not guys training to fly (Almunia, Fabianski are both guilty of flapping at countless times). I think possibly Fabianski needs a loan to a Championship side to learn how to deal with physical forwards... As far as replacement goalkeepers, Hugo Lloris, Seb Frey or even Brian Jensen from Burnley (who has had a fine season) would be better than Flapianski and Almunia.
Another centre-half is also a matter of urgency. I hope Gallas isn't re-signed - he's been utter pants since before Touré took the money and ran. Vermaelen has been excellent in his first season, but he can't do everything by himself. Silvestre simply can't keep fit and Campbell is getting a bit long-in-the-tooth - what about maybe Marc Planus from Bordeaux? He's had some fine performances in the Champions League this season, though he isn't a good bet in the long-term due to age, but will do for now until someone else comes through the youth team. He's French, so you know there's a good chance there.
Midfield needs a tackler. As crafty as Diaby, Denilson, Fabregas and Rosicky (the most appropriate name ever) are, they need a strong man behind them to tackle, which Gilberto and Vieira used to so ably do.
Step up Stephen Ireland from Manchester City - I'm sure he'd move to a club who are actually playing in the Champions League, especially since he doesn't have much chance of getting back into City's side, due to Johnson and Wright-Phillips.
As for another striker, please get rid of Vela and bring in Kris Boyd from Rangers. He's also available on a free, so even if he does flop (which I doubt, since I'm certain he's better in all departments than Vela), it won't have cost much. If not Boyd, what about Aruna Dindane? He's played pretty well for Portsmouth this season - few would argue against him being their best player this season.
Here's hoping Le Boss read this.
Tim Hargreaves
Arsenal Have Won A Trophy!
First off I would like to congratulate Chelski on a magnificent league title. 18 points against the other Big Three is an impressive feat.
As an Arsenal fan though I have a point to make about something curious that happened in Arsene Wenger's post-match interveiw last night. Anyone see it? It's some of the most absurd and alarming nonsense I have ever heard. Judge for yourselves:
"In England there are for me two big domestic trophies. The first is the league title. The next is qualification for the Champions League."
Oh God he really did say that. So to all those fickle Arsenal fans moaning, stop your bleating Arsenal have won a domestic trophy for the past 12 consecutive seasons! And I'd also like to congratulate Spuds on their domestic trophy this season also.
His disregard for the FA Cup is obscene and disrespectful. It looks even more outrageous when you consider how fruitless Arsenal have been for five years. I think it's a shocking mentality to encourage personally. He will throw it again next season, guarantee. Also guaranteed will be an army of plebs excusing it. Followed by an Arsenal implosion and empty season again.
Oh well no point going on. Because as we're constantly reminded 'Who would you replace him with' (Van Gaal, Hodgson, Hiddink, Mourinho, Lippi after the World Cup, Guardiola when his contract expires next season etc.)
Stewie Griffin (so does that mean Wenger never won a Double since the FA Cup isn't a trophy!!)
Bring On The World Cup
Being an ardent Liverpool fan, I caught the amazingly insipid 0-0 draw with Hull instead of watching Chelsea ravish Wigan or Manchester United dispatching Stoke with utter quality and it was really hard to tell which side got relegated. That is what you call being a fan.
Anyhoo, although the standard of the EPL has seemingly dipped following the departure and non-arrival of quality players due to the global financial meltdown bar Real Madrid, it was an interesting season which provided plenty of interesting twists, drama and talking points. Chelsea will complete the Double quite easily and deservedly but stranger things have happened (Arsenal finishing third without a goalkeeper and with nine men when Diaby was playing ) and it is with sincere hope that Portsmouth will leave with a bang.
I'll be following England for the World Cup and I hope that the last of the 'golden generation' a la Gerrard, Lampard, Terry , Ferdinand, Ashley and Joe Cole will finally shine on the international stage under proper management. If England were to play the role of the muscular stud who could never last more than three minutes again, there will be always Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Spain, Brazil and the mandatory scintillating performances of the precocious but unknown players to provide the spice.
Can't wait.
Dominic Neo, Singapore, LFC
Observations Of A Wolves Fan...
Things I have observed about the Premier League this season...as a Wolves fan:
1) Having watched over the years the managers face the cameras one by one on MOTD complaining about the referee, I was always sceptical. Having spent 38 games in the league, I can confirm, the level of officiating in this league, including the linesmen, is atrocious.
2) I fully accept that bad decisions even themselves out, we've scored a couple of offside goals this season I am well aware. However, what doesn't even itself out is that the smaller clubs, will never, ever, get a meaningful 50-50 awarded their way against the big sides. The only time small clubs get 50-50s their way is when playing other small clubs and the only time a big side will lose a 50-50 decision, is when they're a playing other big clubs.
3) Mick McCarthy is a Premier League manager. Having often topped 'worst manager in the Prem' polls at the start of the season, Mick has got on with his job of exorcising the Sunderland ghost within him, without all the moans of many others. Wolves have looked odds on for relegation once or twice this season, but a change in formation shows a tactical side to McCarthy that many thought didn't exist and the survival of Wolves is very much down to this change away from McCarthy's usually favoured 4-4-2 formation.
4) Kevin Doyle at £6.5 million has been worth every little penny.
5) However, we will desperately need to score more goals next season and be more formidable at Molineux.
6) Since the Premier League reverted to a 20-team format in the 1994/95 season, Wolves' record of 38 points and goal difference of -24, would have seen Wolves safe in ten of the previous 15 seasons before this one. Wolves also finish 15th, Wigan and West Ham sit between Wolves and the bottom three, enough to suggest we survived by our own merit, not just because there are three really rubbish sides.
7) The image of the Premier League brand is the most important thing. When setting out the marketing material to sponsors both domestically and internationally, Richard Scudamore will be quick to point to the close nature of the top two and race for fourth. However he'll be equally quick to distance himself from financial meltdown at the bottom half of the table, suffered by West Ham, Hull and Pompey.
8) The Fit and Proper Persons test is a joke. The various ins and outs of the Portsmouth directors box should have raised many an eyebrow within the Premier League board. Not least the extraordinary numbers of owners the club has had in the space of 12 months, but also that each owner somehow, seem to have had some kind of tie to Arcadi Gaydamak, a convicted arms trafficker and father of former club owner Sacha Gaydamak.
9) Arsene Wenger, whilst a brilliant, brilliant manager, could do well to learn just a little humility in victory. He is possibly the only manager who is worse in victory than defeat.
10) The Respect campaign was massively undermined by the referees themselves through their refusal to take action in the face of blatant decent. Gerrard's two fingers in the face of a referee is an obvious example, but also players arguing, disputing every decision and surrounding the referee were evident from every side in the league. If the officials want respect, they must command it and this can only be achieved by better enforcement of the rules introduced to facilitate this.
Andy the Wolf
Looking At A Different Table...
Anyone think that goal difference can be a better indication than points of a team's underlying quality, before the intervention of luck or failings of character at key moments?
Look at the final goal difference table: Chelsea win by a distance, Man Utd easily second, Arsenal comfortably third. Man City sneak into fourth, with Tottenham beating Liverpool to fifth place on goals scored (Liverpool scored less than one goal per game away from home - it's hard to see the real (away) FANS being too delighted with Benitez' management). Then Villa just edge out Everton for the last Europa spot.
Fulham squeeze into ninth ahead of Sunderland and Birmingham. Blackburn and Stoke drop a couple of places. Then West Ham, Wolves and Bolton. Portsmouth escape relegation, and are replaced at the bottom by Wigan, who manage to finish behind Hull and Burnley thanks to the drubbing at the Bridge.
I'm not saying that this is where these teams deserved to finish - the likes of Wigan deserve the points they won by pulling out results where it mattered, no matter how pathetically they capitulated elsewhere. But the table may be a closer reflection of where all the teams should have finished given their ability.
Gus Park, London
Rooney? Really?
Should a player win 'Player of the Year' when his team did not win the league and he did not score the most goals as a striker. Why was this award justified?
Patrick, Dublin
