HT: Premier League Season Review

Sports - Football - Premier League - HT Season Review

It's been a while since my last sports blog, and with half of the Premier League season gone already, I thought it's about time to write up a little review of the season so far, looking at the winners and losers, and what it could entail and mean for the rest of the season. A lot has changed (or not really).

Main Gainers: 
Southampton and West Ham.

The Liebherr era has seen the Saints climb up the leagues and tables constantly since the lows of 2009 which saw them go into administration and relegated to League One. Two consecutive promotions and four managers later, Southampton are enjoying their third season in the top flight. Flirting with the Champions League qualification places, they have gained most points over the last couple of seasons (16), and their defence has improved most (22 less goals conceded). The question is, whether Ronald Koeman's men can continue the march up the table, or whether/when they reach their peak.

Meanwhile, the Hammers have jumped up a record 16 points compared to this point last season, and 8 points to the season before. Under Sam Allardyce, the Londoners have seen promotion back into the Premier League after just one season out. The bubbles flew much higher than expected, ending their first season back in 10th position, before dropping down three places last season, inviting the critics over Big Sam's tactics and choices. The more surprising it has been how they have bounced back and up again this season, also pushing for the European football qualification places.

Main Losers: 

Everton and West Brom.

Everyone expected the worst for the Toffees after David Moyes' departure ending his 11-year tenure at the club. But the blue side of the Mersey finished one place and nine points better off under Roberto Martinez. The former Wigan Athletic manager surprised most of us and proved he could cope and prove himself in the top half of the table. But the Spaniard definitely seems overloaded this season, his side crashing down 16 points compared to this point last season, 12 to the season before. Doubts have spread over the Spaniard's future, making the January transfer window vital to add to his squad and change the trend.

Compared to last season the Baggies haven't dropped that much, just one point, however, they ended that season 17th, one spot off the drop, and have a massive 16 points less than the season before. So, they don't want to see a repeat of the struggles of last season and it didn't come as a surprise when Alan Irvine received the marching orders this week. Former Stoke and Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis has been confirmed to take over the honours and has past and proven experience in Premier League survival and progress. 

Notable Changes (or not really): 

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

It's been all too familiar for the Gunners: long injury list, lack of signings, Arsene Wenger under fire for his complacency. However, the red Londoners are nine points worse off compared to last season and that cannot be ignored. On the other hand, they had the exact same number of points at this stage the season before and still ended up in the top four. So, same old, it seems.

Meanwhile Chelsea have been growing constantly in points and confidence, making progress season by season under Jose Mourinho, sitting comfortably at the top at the moment, six points better off than last season, and being favourites to take the crown at the end of this season. It all depends whether defending champions Manchester City can keep up with them, being two points better off than at this point last season shows they are more than up for it. It will be a close call.

After coming so close last season, Liverpool were expected to compete at the top again this season. But so much has been put and blown into Luis Suarez's exit and Daniel Sturridge's injury, with captain Steven Gerrard under fire, the Reds have been struggling, eight points and 18 goals worse off than at this stage last season. However, looking at the season before, where the SAS were part of the team as well, the Scousers are actually three points better and only two goals worse off. So, it seems to be a bit over-doom-and-gloom and hard on Brendan Rodgers.

And last but not least, Manchester United seem to be the high-flyers and main progress makers compared to last season's misery. Sitting up in third at this season's halfway point, Louis van Gaal has seemingly turned the corner for the Red Devils. But compared to last season at this point, they are only two points better off and 13 goals worse off than David Moyes' men (ten points and 15 goals worse 
than Sir Alex Ferguson's men the season before), which puts a very different spin on things. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's the full list of all the Premier League teams, in alphabetical order, comparing points and goals of the last couple of seasons after 19 games to now = how much better or worse they are off at the halfway point of this season compared to the couple of seasons before. 

So, if you read -1, that means that team is 1 point or goal worse off now this season than that season. If you read +2, that means that team is 2 points better off now this season than that season. And so forth. Same principle with goals scored and conceded. If you read 0, that means no difference, they totalled the exact same amount of points or goals both seasons.

And I've added my little prediction how this season will end for each team...

Arsenal:
2012-13: 0 points, -5 goals, +2 conceded, ended 4th on 73 points.
2013-14: -9 points, -3 goals, +5 conceded, ended 4th on 79 points.
2014-15: 4th

Aston Villa:
2012-13: +3 points, -4 goals, -14 conceded, ended 15th on 41 points.
2013-14: +1 point, -7 goals, +3 conceded, ended 15th on 38 points.
2014-15: 15th

Burnley:
2012-13: Championship.
2013.14: Championship.
2014-15: 19th

Chelsea: 
2012-13: +8 points, +2 goals, -4 conceded, ended 3rd on 75 points.
2013-14: +6 points, +6 goals, -5 conceded, ended 3rd on 82 points.
2014:15: 1st

Crystal Palace:
2012-13: Championship.
2013-14: 0 points, +8 goals, +2 conceded, ended 11th on 45 points.
2014-15: 14th

Everton:
2012-13: -12 points, -3 goals, +8 conceded, ended 6th on 63 points.
2013-14: -16 points, -2 goals, +13 conceded, ended 5th on 72 points.
2014-15: 9th

Hull City:
2012-13: Championship.
2013-14: -7 points, -4 goals, +3 conceded, ended 16th on 37 points.
2014-15: 16th

Leicester:
2012-13: Championship.
2013-14: Championship.
2014-15: 20th

Liverpool:
2012-13: +3 points, -2 goals, -1 conceded, ended 7th on 61 points.
2013-14: -8 points, -18 goals, +2 conceded, ended 2nd on 84 points.
2014-15: 6th

Manchester City: 
2012-13: -3 points, +7 goals, +1 conceded, ended 2nd on 78 points.
2013-14: +2 points, -13 goals, -4 conceded, ended 1st on 86 points.
2014-15: 2nd

Manchester United:
2012-13: -10 points, -15 goals, -9 conceded, ended 1st on 89 points.
2013-14: +2 points, -13 goals, -3 conceded, ended 7th on 64 points.
2014-15: 3rd

Newcastle:
2012-13: +6 points, -1 goals, -2 conceded, ended 16th on 41 points.
2013-14: -7 points, -7 goals, +4 conceded, ended 10th on 49 points.
2014-15: 12th

QPR:
2012-13: +8 points, +5 goals, +1 conceded, ended 20th on 25 points.
2013-14: Championship,
2014-15: 13th

Southampton:
2012-13: +16 points, +6 goals, -22 conceded, ended 14th on 41 points.
2013-14: +6 points, +6 goals, -5 conceded, ended 8th on 56 points.
2014-15: 5th

Stoke City:
2012-13: -3 points, +3 goals, +9 conceded, ended 13th on 42 points.
2013-14: +4 points, +3 goals, -6 conceded, ended 9th on 50 points.
2014-15: 10th

Sunderland:
2012-13: -2 points, -4 goals, +3 conceded, ended 17th on 39 points.
2013-14: +6 points, +1 goal, -5 conceded, ended 14th on 38 points.
2014-15: 17th

Swansea:
2012-13: +3 points, -3 goals, 0 conceded, ended 9th on 46 points.
2013-14: +7 points, 0 goals, -2 conceded, ended 12th on 42 points.
2014-15: 11th

Tottenham:
2012-13: -2 points, -10 goals, -1 conceded, ended 5th on 72 points.
2013-14: -3 points, +2 goals, 0 conceded, ended 6th on 69 points.
2014-15: 8th

West Brom: 
2012-13: -16 points, -10 goals, +5 conceded, ended 8th on 49 points.
2013-14: -1 point, -4 goals, +1 conceded, ended 17th on 36 points.
2014-15: 18th

West Ham:
2012-13: +8 points, +8 goals, 0 conceded, ended 10th on 46 points.
2013-14: +16 points, +12 goals, -5 conceded, ended 13th on 49 points.
2014-15: 7th

Liverpool end season victorius at Anfield

Sports - Football - Premier League - Liverpool 2:1 Newcastle

Liverpool came back from behind to end the season on a winning note, beating 9-man Newcastle 2-1 at Anfield, but with Manchester City's comfortable 2-0 win against West Ham at the Etihad, it meant the title went to the blue side of Manchester for the second time in three seasons.

The Reds started the game a shadow of their usual fiery selves, shaky, wasteful and unable to keep the ball long enough to create a threat.

Star man Luis Suarez did have the ball in the back of the net on 18 minutes, the Uruguayan catching Tim Krul off his line with a quickly taken free kick, but too quickly for referee Phil Dowd's liking, who disallowed the goal as the ball was still rolling.

Seconds later, Anfield was stunned to silence when the Magpies took the lead after Martin Skrtel shinned Youan Gouffran's cross from the left into the back of his own net.

The Slovakian defender now holds the unwanted record of his fourth own goal of the season, taking Liverpool's total conceded to 50 goals in a 38-game top-flight season for the first time since 1914-15.

Gouffran and Shola Ameobi kept working well together for the visitors, pulling a couple of nice stops out of Simon Mignolet, whilst at the other end Suarez and co looked more and more frustrated, not challenging Krul much.

Brendan Rodgers replaced Jon Flanagan with Aly Cissokho after the break, but the frustrating trend of slips and giveaways continued, Glen Johnson being one of the main culprits, and Ameobi not happy with Skrtel's hugs and shirt-rips either.

After the Reds' second change, just before the hour mark, Philippe Coutinho replacing Joe Allen, the game picked up for the home side, and just four minutes later, they were level thanks to Daniel Agger putting in skipper Steven Gerrard's free kick.

That certainly changed the mood at Anfield, and within three minutes, they were ahead after Daniel Sturridge netted another Gerrard free kick.

And things went from bad to worse for Alan Pardew's men when Ameobi was booked and then sent off within quick succession for his protests before the restart. The Nigerian striker went straight down the tunnel after being punished for all his stick and discussions with Dowd.

Newcastle rang in the changes after the dismissal, whilst Liverpool accepted the inevitable, winning here, but with City leading 2-0, the Reds had to concede the title to the Sky Blues.

Raheem Sterling saw his goal disallowed for an obvious offside, before the visitors were reduced to nine men, substitute Paul Dummett seeing red for a stupid lunge on Suarez, the Magpies' fifth dismissal in their last four meetings with Liverpool.

The Reds just ran down the clock after that, ending the game on top 2-1, and the season second on 84 points, five places and 23 points better than last season, their highest finish in five years, and qualified automatically back into the Champions League next season after four seasons away.

Anfield applauded their side and manager, but neither could hide their disappointment after having all their hopes of a first league title in 24 years dashed as Manchester City beat West Ham to be crowned champions. 

Rodgers will have to build around Stevie G. and the SAS/SSS*, especially the back line has to be strengthened after seeing Liverpool be the first team since Tottenham in 1962-63 to score more than 100 league goals and concede 50 goals in the same season.

Mignolet has had a great first season in goal, but the defence has been too shaky and leaked too much and many through. The likes of Skrtel, Johnson, Flanagan, Kolo Toure, and Mamadou Sakho have just not been good enough.

No discrediting the Reds' improvement through, and hopes and chances to challenge at the top again next season, domestically and in Europe. Thanks to BR, SAS/SSS* and Stevie G.! YNWA XxXxX

*SAS/SSS:
*9 - The joint-highest Goal/Assist combinations in the 2013--14 season were Suarez/Sturridge and Suarez/Sterling. (OptaJoe)
*31 - Luis Suarez's goal haul equalled a Premier League record for 38-game season, shared with Alan Shearer and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle

Liverpool Goals: 1.: 63' Daniel Agger (5), 2.: 65' Daniel Sturridge (15).

Newcastle Goals: 1.: 20' Martin Skrtel (37) OG.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 38 Flanagan (20 Cissokho 46'), 5 Agger, 37 Skrtel, 2 Johnson; 14 Henderson, 8 Gerrard, 24 Allen (10 Coutinho 59'); 15 Sturridge (21 Lucas 80', booked 89'), 7 Suarez, 31 Sterling. 4-3-3 Subs not used: 1 Jones, 4 Toure, 9 Aspas, 17 Sakho.

Newcastle Team: 1 Krul; 19 Haidera, 27 Taylor (18 de Jong 73'), 2 Coloccini, 6 Williamson, 26 Debuchy (booked 35'); 11 Gouffran (booked 65') (28 Ameobi 78'), 24 Tiote (36 Dummett 82', sent off 87'), 8 Anita (booked 63'), 7 Sissoko; 23 Ameobi (booked 66', sent off 66'). 5-4-1 Subs not used: 3 Santon, 13 Yonga-Mbiwa, 21 Elliot, 37 Satka.

Opta Match Stats: Liverpool-Newcastle

(Attack)
Attempts: 13-8
On target: 5-2
Blocked: 5-3
From outside the box: 7-3
From inside the box: 6-5
Shot Accuracy: 62.5%-40%

(General Play)
Possession: 66.2%-33.8%
Duels won: 52.6%-47.4%
Aerials won: 56.6%-43.5%
Interceptions: 11-16
Offsides: 3-2
Corners: 6-2

(Distribution)
Total Passes: 673-333
Long Passes: 79%-15.6%
Passing Accuracy: 89.9%-78.4%
Pass. Acc. Opp. half: 83.9%-63.6%
Total Crosses: 22-12
Successful: 22.7%-25%

(Defence & Discipline)
Tackles: 15-19
Won: 80%-94.7%
Clearances: 25-26
Fouls conceded: 8-16
Yellow Cards: 1-3
Red Cards: 0-2

Referee: Phil Dowd
Attendance: 44,724
Man of the match: Raheem Sterling

Palace fight back shatters Reds' title chances

Sports - Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace 3:3 Liverpool

Liverpool's star striker Luis Suarez was left in tears at the final whistle at Selhurst Park, after seeing his side throw away a three-goal lead against a defiant Crystal Palace side, the Reds' defence and title chances crumbled to bits with the 3-3 draw and two points dropped.

Brendan Rodgers' men had bossed the game for about 70 minutes, before the London side turned the match on its head, cracking for all neutrals and football fans watching.

The visitors took the lead in the 18th minute, Joe Allen heading in his first Liverpool goal off a corner. Selhurst Park stayed loud and defiant, but the Reds kept control till the break.

And the game looked all but over, when Daniel Sturridge at the edge of the box, made, turned, shot and deflected a shot in to double the lead, followed by Suarez, who made no mistake off Raheem Sterling, netting past a stunned Julian Speroni, to make it 0-3 within under two minutes.

The Eagles were rewarded for the noise and defiance, when Damien Delaney smashed a cracker of a shot past a helpless Simon Mignolet to make it 1-3 and kick-off a great comeback.

Seconds later, Philippe Coutinho missed a chance before Palace hit back on the counter attack, with a great break and run by Yannick Bolasie, leaving sub Dwight Gayle with an easy finish, to make it 2-3 with under 10 minutes to go, turning on the crowd even more and louder.

It was all Palace in the end, and Liverpool crumbled to bits, caved in under all the pressure. Mignolet made some strong stops, but was well beaten when Gayle slid a shot under him to double his tally and make it 3-3, completing Liverpool's heartbreak in the final minutes.

Tony Pulis can be proud of his side and job, not just in this match, but in the last few weeks. From relegation destined and written off, to mid-table comfort and delight for the London side.

The Reds meanwhile, were devastated the opposite way, not just in this match, but in the title race. As Martin Tyler said, it went from all right to all wrong for Liverpool, as their title chances are now in Manchester City's control, after this reverse deja vu of the 2005 Champions League final (Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan, three goals in nine minutes for the Reds). 

Crystal Palace 3-3 Liverpool

Crystal Palace Goals: 1.: 78:19 min Damien Delaney (27), 2.&3.: 80:18 & 87:24 min Dwight Gayle (16).

Liverpool Goals: 1.: 17:44 min Joe Allen (24), 2.: 52:45 min & 3.: 54:43 min Luis Suarez (7).

Crystal Palace Team: 1 Speroni; 2 Ward, 27 Delaney, 6 Dann (booked 67'), 3 Mariappa (booked 30'); 8 Dikgacoi (11 Ince '85), 15 Jedinak; 7 Bolasie, 28 Ledley, 13 Puncheon (16 Gayle 65'); 29 Chamakh (17 Murray 71'). 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 4 Parr, 12 O'Keefe, 19 Gabbidon, 26 Hennessey.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 38 Flanagan, 17 Sakho, 37 Skrtel (booked 63'), 2 Johnson; 21 Lucas, 24 Allen (booked 25'), 8 Gerrard; 15 Sturridge (12 Moses 86'), 7 Suarez (booked 50'), 31 Sterling (10 Coutinho 78'). 4-3-3
Subs not used: 1 Jones, 4 Toure, 5 Agger, 9 Aspas, 20 Cissokho.

Opta Match Stats: Crystal Palace-Liverpool
(Attack)
Attempts: 10-26
On target: 6-8
Blocked: 1-9
From outside the box: 6-10
From inside the box: 4-16
Shot Accuracy: 66.7%-47.1%
(General Play)
Possession: 34.9%-65.1%
Duels won: 53.8%-46.2%
Aerials won: 41.5%-58.5%
Interceptions: 18-11
Offsides: 0-3
Corners: 7-7
(Distribution)
Total Passes: 295-608
Long Passes: 13.9%-6.7%
Passing Accuracy: 73.6%-88%
Pass. Acc. Opp. half: 60.8%-79.9%
Total Crosses: 28-14
Successful: 14.3%-35.7%
(Defence & Discipline)
Tackles: 19-16
Won: 78.9%-93.8%
Clearances: 21-28
Fouls conceded: 7-12
Yellow Cards: 2-3
Red Cards: 0-0

Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Attendance: 25,261
Man of the match: Dwight Gayle