100 POINTS IN STYLE BUT WHO CAN CATCH THEM?
Can other teams catch this City next term?
I just finished watching the MNF interview with pep Guardiola. Such a gracious, humble man, inspite of this season’s domination.
If there is any good news for the rest of the Premiership big boys, it is the positives I gathered from him.
What he did this season is no different from what he did last season, the only difference being; time, maturity, quality of additions and player’s belief in his methods.
If you believe in luck, okay lets add the last minute winners, right up to the final minute of the season against Southampton to reach 100 points mark.
How close is your team to closing the gap on the Champions?
Can your players produce peak performances at the right moments?
Can the quality of recruitment be excellent to fill the gaps needed in your squad?
Do you trust your young players to mature and be ready for the season? Not as talents but as finished products?
Do you think your players would believe in your manager’s philosophy?
Once again congratulations to Pep and Manchester City FC, but the next English Premier League Champions deserve the greatest compliments; because if it is Guardiola and City again, that would be phenomenal, but if it is another manager, wow! That would be some work to be able to close the gap and overcome a minimum of 19 points.
So I say a big congratulations already to that manager and team that would lift the premiership title in 2018/19, its a tough job ahead!
FINALLY, THE GOLDEN GLOVES FOR DEGEA
To think arguably the best goalkeeper in the world had not kept the most clean sheets in a season for the past five seasons is baffling. But when I realised after Manchester United’s game against WestHam that David DeGea had won the golden gloves, I was ecstatic for him, he truly deserve it.
If United are second on the league table, DeGea has two big hands in it as some of the saves he made this season were outstanding and singlehandedly at times, he handed the three points to his teammates. No wonder he is the goalkeeper in the team of the season. No wonder his double saves against Sanchez and Lacazette at Arsenal won him the save of the season.
We are privileged to be watching one of the best shot stoppers ever in the modern game.
Congratulations David!
MO SALAH MO SALAH THE EGYPTIAN KING RUNNING DOWN THE WINGS
What a breath of fresh air! Rewriting the history books and becoming the first player in a 38 game premier league season to score 32 goals, Mo Salah definitely deserves all the praise he is getting.
I watched Liverpool against WBA and to think he was still unselfish and gave his teammates the ball from positions no-one would have faulted him for shooting, says a lot about the man from Egypt. And he was still chasing the goal king award alongside Harry Kane at the time.
Humble, unassuming and always smiling, what a professional and what phenomenal achievements.
Can he do it again next season?
Would he still have the hunger and drive?
Can he do it again and again, even in Europe against the big boys? Time would tell, but kudos to the African king for a fantastic season and fantastic achievement.
RELEGATED THROUGH DECISION MAKING?
When WBA decided to part ways with Tony Pulis, I was astounded. This was a manager who had been keeping the club up in the premiership through his style: hard to beat, organised, big on set pieces, at least they had an identity.
Amidst the constant barrage from the stands, the board gave in to the fans’ request of beautiful football, but several games after the departure of Tony Pulis. All they have at Albion is Relegation
It’s almost a similar story at Stoke. Under Mark Hughes, Stoke FC was a difficult team to beat; dogged, determined, hard to break down. But the fans wanted more, they wanted exciting football and entertaining weekends on the pitch. The pressure bore down on the manager, the players froze on the pitch and the recruitment team delivered panic acquisitions.
The result: Relegation for a team that was once stable.
And Swansea? Well you can’t sell your best and most influential players without suitable replacement.
In all sincerity, Swansea were relegated when they sold Sigurdsson and Llorente at the beginning of the season.
It’s going to be a tough ask to climb straight back up from the championship and it won’t be a smooth ride at all. It’s a shame!
Let’s not forget the ones who missed the boat by a whisker: Southampton, Watford, West Ham and Crystal Palace: don’t fix it if it’s not broke and don’t change too soon because you want to look pretty. The consequences could be very fatal.
Let’s hope several teams have learned their lesson this season.