‘Special’ won’t cut it for Villas-Boas at Chelsea

New Blues boss must outdo achievements of former mentor Mourinho and win Champions League to be a success at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea's appointment of 33-year-old former scout Andre Villas-Boas has surprised many

 

For someone who claims to be trying to avoid comparisons to Jose Mourinho, Andre Villas Boas has gone a funny way about it.

One of the Special One’s most trusted assistants over the course of eight years spent at Porto, Chelsea, and then Inter Milan, Villas-Boas ultimately decided to leave his mentor’s side and carve out his own legacy in management.

Yet after an impressively overachieving but brief stint at unfashionable Academica, where did this single-minded and ambitious young coach choose to go to make his mark? Porto, a club still struggling to emerge from the shadow cast by Mourinho’s monumental domestic and European achievements there six years earlier.

Still, make his mark Villas-Boas certainly did. Under the 33-year-old’s astute guidance, Porto won four of the five tournaments they entered, romping to victory in the league by 21 points without losing a single match as well as triumphing in the Portuguese Cup and Europa League.

Along the way, Portugal’s latest coaching whizz-kid broke many of Mourinho’s old records and established himself as a top managerial prospect in his own right. The footballing world was at his feet, with Inter Milan and Chelsea both weighing up the possibility of a summer move to procure his services.

Neither option would have done much to discourage the perception of the 33-year-old as ‘the Special One: Mark II’. 

 

But Villas-Boas is a smart man as well as a talented young coach. While he may continually stress the differences between him and his former boss in press conferences, he has recognised that comparisons with arguably the greatest coach of the past decade could only boost his career prospects, and has used this image to his advantage.

Reportedly the Italian giants were unwilling to stump up the outrageous sum of £13.3million required to release Villas-Boas from his contract, leaving Chelsea the only viable suitor. But even had it been a straight choice between the two, it is likely the Porto boss would have favoured a move to west London anyway.

Why? Partly because the Premier League currently has the edge on Serie A in terms of quality of competition and prestige. Partly also because Villas-Boas underwent much of his coaching development in the UK, first on Uefa coaching courses and then in the corridors of Cobham.

But mainly because although either option would have placed the burden of expectation on Villas-Boas to match Mourinho at the scene of one of the most spectacularly successful chapters in the Special One’s illustrious career, only Chelsea could offer the opportunity for the student to surpass the master.

For despite delivering a trophy haul unprecedented in the club’s history, Mourinho left Chelsea in 2007 feeling relatively unfulfilled by his own impossibly high standards.

The Champions League was the only major trophy to elude Mourinho at Stamford Bridge

Sure, he had ended the Blues’ 50-year wait for a league title and then repeated the trick a year later, but he had not – as he had done at Porto and would go on to do at Inter – brought the Champions League trophy back to Stamford Bridge.

The notable absence of the greatest prize in club football from Chelsea’s modern success story is still referred to with a degree of regret and frustration by Mourinho to this day, just as it is still the source of the unrelenting obsession which drives Roman Abramovich’s astoundingly lavish spending.

For Villas-Boas then, the Champions League represents the greatest opportunity of emerging from the shadow of his former boss. It also happens to be his only chance of long-term survival.

Carlo Ancelotti’s swift demise barely twelve months after he had led the club to its first ever Double illustrates that domestic dominance is now expected rather than cherished at Stamford Bridge. A league title can buy a Chelsea coach another season, at best, but only European glory can make him a permanent fixture.

Just matching Mourinho’s achievements, then, will not be enough.

Abramovich may be addicted to the thrill which success in football brings, but Premier League and FA Cup triumphs no longer provide a sufficient high. Villas-Boas will have to deliver him the ultimate prize, or recent history suggests he will become just the latest in an illustrious list of managerial casualties.

 

The 33-year-old’s task will only be made harder by the fact he inherits a considerably weaker squad to the one Mourinho assumed control of in 2004. 

 

The spine of that title-winning team remains the same in name only, lacking both in youthful hunger and vigour. There is also a distinct absence of cover in many areas – the result of an apparent cost cutting drive last summer, later rendered futile by January’s £75million spending spree.

As well as refreshing the first team ranks, Villas-Boas would also do well to rein in the player power at Stamford Bridge. The likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba have grown in influence as well as experience over the past few years, and the sway which Chelsea’s captain appears to have with Abramovich is a particular cause for concern.

 

The close relationship between Terry & Abramovich would worry any incoming Chelsea coach

 

But for all the potential pitfalls inherent within it, this is not an impossible job. It is merely a very difficult one. Moreover, it is one for which, despite his relative lack of experience, Villas-Boas may be uniquely well-equipped to flourish in.

Of each of the six previous managers Chelsea have hired and/or fired since 2004, Mourinho lasted the longest in the job – a relative lifetime of three years. 

 

Villas-Boas witnessed first-hand how the Special One managed to maintain a working dialogue with his impulsive and ruthless chairman for all this time, and he was also present as the relationship gradually broke down. This means he is arguably better placed than anyone not only to replicate Mourinho’s successes in this regard, but also to learn from his former boss’s misjudgments.

The other great advantage Villas-Boas has is an established rapport with the Chelsea players, many of whom benefited from the exhaustive scouting reports he diligently compiled during Mourinho’s reign and still retain a genuine respect for him as a result. 

 

Of course, it still remains for the 33-year-old to ensure this relationship now assumes a player-manager dynamic, but the emphatic nature of his success at Porto suggests this won’t be a problem.

It is clearly a massive risk for Villas-Boas to plunge himself into football's ‘lion’s den’ with only 18 months’ worth of managerial experience to his name, but equally massive are the potential rewards. 

 

He has the opportunity to finally emerge from the sizable shadow of Mourinho by completing his former mentor’s ‘unfinished business’ in the Champions League and begin writing his own history in the process.

One thing is clear, however: Anything less than making Chelsea ‘kings of Europe’ will be regarded as a failure, because being ‘Special’ just doesn’t cut it at Stamford Bridge anymore.

Is the 'English premium' worth paying?

Big money moves for Henderson and Jones have reignited the 'English premium' debate

After a quiet start, the Premier League summer transfer window has suddenly exploded into life, with Liverpool swooping for Sunderland midfield starlet Jordan Henderson and Manchester United splashing out on Blackburn Rovers defensive wonderkid Phil Jones.

The deals, which could both rise to £20million depending on the youngsters’ eventual level of achievement, signify the ongoing commitment of both clubs towards securing the best young English talent regardless of the cost,  following on from the signings of Chris Smalling and Andy Carroll earlier in the season.

This shared commitment is undoubtedly admirable, but is it wise? After all, the two Premier League giants have now committed to shelling out a combined estimate of £82million on four players who boast just three England caps between them.

It goes without saying that the figures quoted in connection with the names above are, by any normal market standards, ridiculous. They are inflated, disproportionate to the players’ current abilities and unduly distorted by the tantalizing possibility of what they may go on to become.

They are, in short, examples of what’s become known in domestic football circles in recent times as the ‘English premium’ – the somewhat bizarre and often spectacular phenomenon which dictates that top young English footballers command much higher fees on the transfer market than foreign talent of equivalent, or sometimes even superior, skill and experience.

Sounds strange? That’s because it is. But it’s also true.

Jordan Henderson, a promising but relatively unproven young midfielder, has cost Liverpool an initial fee of £16million – the same price that Tottenham Hotspur paid to bring Luka Modric, at the time rated as one of the most gifted young playmakers in Europe, to White Hart Lane three years ago.

Phil Jones has already cost Manchester United more than double what Nemanja Vidic did in 2006, although admittedly the Serbian was an absolute snip at £7million.

And at £35million, Liverpool have paid around £10million more for a 21-year-old Andy Carroll than they did for a 23-year-old Fernando Torres – a player who, even then, boasted a far more extensive and impressive resume – back in 2007.

"Andy who?!? How much?!?"

Of course, player acquisition in football has never been, and never will be, an exact science. 

But even if we assume the likes of Modric, Vidic and Torres were unusually good value for money, the fact remains that, purely in terms of initial transfer outlay, a policy of pursuing foreign talent appears to represent both a far smaller risk of failure and far greater chance of reward.

So why do top Premier League clubs still consider the ‘English premium’ to be worth paying?

There are several reasons, the first of which constitutes the stick which is repeatedly used to beat football in this country. It is this: young English players with elite potential are a rare commodity.

Moreover, when you subtract the likes of John Terry, Jack Wilshere, Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard, who were fortunate to come through the youth ranks already at one of the Premier League giants, the number of feasible and worthwhile young English transfer targets shrinks even further.

All this means when an English ‘wonderkid’ surfaces at a middling top flight club, the Premier League giants are more inclined to consider an inflated transfer fee a risk worth taking.

Wayne Rooney has amply repaid the £30m Manchester United paid for him in 2004

Manchester United raised a few eyebrows when they made 18-year-old Wayne Rooney the most expensive teenager in football history by paying Everton up to £30million for him in 2004, but they gambled they were signing the best English talent of his generation. So it has proved.

Theo Walcott, who cost Arsenal £9million to prise from Southampton at just 16, has not proved such an emphatic success, but time remains on the side of him and his club.

That’s all very well, you might say, but one question inevitably now comes to mind: Why are English clubs so bothered about signing young English players in particular?

The cynic might argue it’s because of the Uefa Home-Grown Rules implemented at the start of this season by the Premier League, which require at least eight members of each club’s squad to have been trained for at least three years below the age of 21 in the English or Welsh professional system.

However, while this may factor in the thinking of Premier League clubs now, the ‘English premium’ has been around considerably longer than any home-grown restrictions.

Ultimately, the main reason why top Premier League clubs are consistently willing to pay marquee prices for top young English players is because they consider them a more fundamentally worthwhile investment than their foreign counterparts. 

And when you look at the evidence they can summon to back up their case, it becomes hard to argue.

This may seem counter-intuitive given the England national team’s dismal record at major international tournaments over the past decade, but whether youth team products or big money arrivals, the country’s finest footballers have been hugely successful assets for their clubs.

John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney have all been integral as Manchester United and Chelsea have shared the last seven Premier League titles between them, while Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher both played key roles in Liverpool’s sensational Champions League triumph in Istanbul in 2005.

Steven Gerrard inspired Liverpool to an astonishing comeback in 2005

The best young English footballers invariably mature not just to make up the numbers at top Premier League clubs, but to help form the spine of successful teams.

Their native knowledge of the English footballing culture and style of the Premier League, combined with their superb ability, means they can provide the sort of leadership which, even in the most illustrious of dressing rooms, may otherwise have been lacking.

Another reason why the Liverpools and Manchester Uniteds of this world consider the ‘English premium’ to be worth paying is the greater longevity of service top English players tend to provide.

There are many disadvantages to the Premier League being the all-consuming monster that it is, but one of the biggest plus points of having such a strong domestic club game is that, with the odd exception (I’m looking at you, Mr Beckham), English youngsters tend to grow up wanting to play for Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United, rather than Real Madrid, Barcelona or AC Milan.

What’s more, having this added familiarity with the environment they are in means top English players are far less likely to become unsettled and want to leave for non-footballing reasons. Even domestic transfers of high-profile English players between the country’s top clubs have been extremely rare in the Premier League era.

When top young English players sign for Liverpool and Manchester United and succeed, they invariably stay. This inevitably has a massive bearing on the sort of prices the clubs are willing to pay for them in the first place.

Kenny Dalglish will have far fewer objections to spending over £50million on Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson knowing that the fee is being paid with a view to the pair seeing out their careers at Anfield, rather than spending a couple of seasons on Merseyside before wanting a new challenge. The same applies to Sir Alex Ferguson and Phil Jones.

That said, there is no denying the risk inherent in paying the ‘English premium’.

Having committed a huge amount of money towards the procurement of some of the country’s finest young talents, both Manchester United and Liverpool can now ill afford to fail to bring the best out of them.

But it is equally clear that United and Liverpool have made their investments with their eyes wide open.

They will have thoroughly run the rule over their new arrivals many times over the past year or so, analyzing all their strengths and weaknesses before agreeing to a deal. They will be as confident as can be of producing the next generation of English superstars.

Paying the ‘English premium’ will never be a safe bet. But one thing is for certain: If you win, the rewards are enormous.

2010/11 Season Review Part 2: European Team of the Season

And so, ladies and gentlemen, we’ve come to the end of another season, and it was a decidedly mixed bag.

In England, we we lured into predicting the tightest Premier League race in years only for the rest of the pack to limply fade away and leave Manchester United to amble over the line to a record 19th title.

Spain lived up to its billing as the most glamorous two-team league on the planet, Italy was competitive but short on elite quality teams, while Germany and France both yielded surprise champions.

And in the Champions League final, Barcelona left almost everyone except Sir Alex Ferguson feeling all warm and fuzzy inside with a virtuoso display that surely confirms the Catalans’ place among the all-time great club sides.

With all this in mind, I’ve compiled my team of the season. I’ve elected to play 4-3-3 because, as you all surely have heard, it’s like, so in right now.

In the first XI I’ve chosen who I think have been the best players in each position over the last year, and on the bench I’ve tried also to be representative of the players who shone outside England and Spain, and who invariably spurred their teams on to great things.

WARNING: Neither PFA Player of the Year Gareth Bale or FWA Player of the Year Scott Parker have made it into my squad – Bale because he only dazzled intermittently in an injury-disrupted season, and Parker because I feel that, with all due respect, being the best player in the worst team in the Premier League doesn’t actually count for all that much.

Have a read and let me know your views.

Goalkeeper - Edwin Van Der Sar, Manchester United

It is easy to forget that before Van Der Sar signed for United in the summer of 2005, Sir Alex Ferguson’s ill-fated search for a worthy successor to great Dane Peter Schmeichel between the Old Trafford sticks had become a source of comedy for rival fans.

The Dutchman has more than put paid to that though, oozing calm and consistency for the last five years and providing a reliable platform for Ferguson’s latest era of success at United. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have looked so imperious as a defensive pairing not least because of the confidence they share in the man behind them.

Van Der Sar’s place in my team is not assured by the fact he is retiring this summer, but simply as a result of him being the best keeper in the world this season (Champions League final blip aside). Mr De Gea, you have some big shoes to fill.

Right-back - Dani Alves, Barcelona

I don’t think there can be any arguments with this one. The decline of Maicon at Inter has given Alves the opportunity to assume the mantle of best right-back on the planet, and it is one he has grasped with both hands.

Rarely has a full-back carried such tactical influence on any team, let alone one of the greatest club sides in history, but Alves is undoubtedly crucial to the way Barcelona play.

A supreme athlete, his ability to ally potent attacking threat – he has 15 (yes, 15) assists in La Liga this season - with defensive awareness provides the Catalans with much needed width going forward without exposing themselves too much at the back. A worthy edition to any side.

Centre-back - Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United
 

Comfortably the best centre-half in the country this season and, as his inclusion here categorically proves (ahem), one of the two best in the world. The big Serb has symbolised everything which has marked United out as deserving Premier League champions through his confidence and unerring determination.

With regular partner Rio Ferdinand suffering from persistent injury problems, Vidic has regularly held makeshift defences together and occasionally stopped his team conceding through what seems nothing more than sheer force of will.

Despite Barcelona tearing him a new one in the Champions League final, there are still few people other than Vidic who you would stake your life on making a goal-saving block or tackle, and he brings much needed grit to this flamboyant team. The defensive lynchpin and natural captain of this mythical team.

Centre-back - Gerard Pique, Barcelona

A tall, elegant, ball playing centre-back, Pique would complement Vidic in this team in much the same way as Ferdinand does at United.

But make no mistake, the young Spaniard can also mix it in physical terms against the very best, as his astonishingly dominating display in the Champions League final proved.

Like Vidic, Pique earned his place in this team by holding his defence together for long periods in the absence of an illustrious partner, and at only 24, he can remain one of the best in the world for many years to come. 

And he’s doing it all with the added distraction of dating Shakira…

Left-back - Marcelo, Real Madrid

 

Marcelo just edges out Patrice Evra for my left back berth on the strength of what has comfortably been the best season of the young Brazilian’s career to date.

Long renowned for his exceptional attacking gifts, Marcelo had been regarded as something of a defensive liability by a succession of Real Madrid managers until Jose Mourinho arrived at the Bernebeu.

But the Special One appears to have corrected this issue, and now his young charge balances responsibilities on the left flank at both ends of the pitch almost as well as fellow Brazilian Dani Alves on the right.

Defensive Midfielder - Sergio Busquets, Barcelona

 

The biggest complement you can pay to Sergio Busquets is that Barcelona have not missed Yaya Toure since the big Ivorian moved to Manchester City last summer.

In fact, the Catalans’ midfield is actually stronger, with increased La Masia connections facilitating their suffocating possession football, and Busquets’ defensive talents improving the team’s ability to win the ball back deep in the opposition’s half.

His play-acting frustrates and even disgusts at times, but his quality and place in this team cannot be denied.

Midfielder - Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona

 

No justification needed here. Xavi is the greatest midfield playmaker of his generation and one of the best of all time.

His passing is metronomic in its accuracy, his technique flawless, his awareness almost supernatural. Xavi not only sees gaps in opposing defences before they appear, he then has the poise and ability to find them, time and again.

He is also the man for the big occasion, having now dictated two Champions League finals and last summer’s World Cup showpiece against Holland in South Africa. Simply a joy to watch whenever he takes to the field.

Midfielder - Andres Iniesta, Barcelona

 

There's a reason they're the best team in the world, you know. Completing my midfield triumvirate is the third member of what will surely go down as one of the best footballing units in history.

Iniesta possesses vision if not quite on a par with Xavi, then at least in the same league, and combines this with the dynamism and skill to get into attacking positions and contribute goals for his team.

The 27-year-old earns his place in the team on his own merits, but the fact remains that when Xavi and Iniesta play together, their almost telepathic understanding allows them both to reach new plains of greatness.

Right-winger - Mesut Ozil, Real Madrid

Ozil won his big move to Real after a series of star-making performances for Germany at the World Cup last summer, but the odd question still remained about his ability to produce his best in the pressure cooker environment of the Bernebeu.

The young playmaker could not have answered those questions more emphatically. Not only has he matched the heights of South Africa this season, he has improved and matured into a consistently world class performer.

Ozil has created a chance on average every 22 minutes this season – the best ratio of anyone in the top five European leagues. It’s no wonder, then, that former World Player of the Year Kaka has been relegated to the role of understudy to the German.

Centre-forward - Lionel Messi, Barcelona

 

Who else? Messi has once again confirmed his status as the greatest player of his generation with the best season of his career to date.

53 goals and 23 assists yielded La Liga and Champions League winners’ medals, and the little Argentine capped it all with a masterful performance at Wembley.

The Messi has achieved all he has achieved is exceptional. That he is still only 23 is, frankly, frightening. No ultimate team would be complete without him.

Left-winger - Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

 

His trophy haul might not have been as impressive as Messi’s this season, but Ronaldo appears to have been inspired by the astonishing feats of his rival to reach new levels of greatness.

The Portuguese superstar broke the all-time scoring record in La Liga, recording 40 goals over the course of the campaign, and matched Messi’s total of 53 in all competitions. 

Those who accuse Ronaldo of being more individualistic than the Barcelona man might also be interested to know he has 15 assists in all competitions this term, the third highest in the team.

He may not be the best in the world, but he’s certainly done enough to ensure he’s still in the debate.

Manager - Pep Guardiola, Barcelona

 

As great as this Barcelona team is, it does not, as some like to believe, manage itself. 

Pep Guardiola has been just as integral to the club's phenomenal success over the past three seasons as the players he trains, and an astonishing haul of ten trophies from a possible 13 in that time reflects just as much upon him as it does his team.

For all he has achieved in his time in Catalonia, this season's triumphs may be his greatest yet. Managing a small (albeit exceptional) squad, the 40-year-old had to deal with the lengthy absences of  key players Eric Abidal and captain Carles Puyol. 

He also had to negotiate an unprecedented period of four intense El Clasicos in less than a month which defined the Catalans' season, and tested their young coach's resolve as well as his talent.

Guardiola has hinted he may take a break from football when he finally leaves the Nou Camp. After this season, you'd have to say he's earned one.

Substitutes

Edinson Cavani, Napoli – his 26 goals fired Napoli to an unexpected title push and eventual Champions League place.

Jack Wilshere, Arsenal – went from prodigious youngster to key man for both club and country in the space of a season. A superstar in the making.

Manuel Neuer, Schalke – brilliant all season for Schalke and produced arguably the outstanding goalkeeping performance of the season in his side’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester United.

Thiago Silva, AC Milan – Marshalled an aging Milan defence to 20 clean sheets on their way to a first Serie A title since 2004, as well as establishing himself as first choice for Brazil.

Eden Hazard, Lille – provided the skill and class which enabled his club to win its first top flight French title in 57 years as part of an historic league and cup double. Is all but assured of a move to a top club this summer.

Nuri Sahin, Borussia Dortmund – While boy wonder Mario Gotze attracted the headlines, it was Sahin who linked defence and attack for the surprise Bundesliga champions with his excellent vision and awareness. Deserves his move to Real Madrid.

Antonio Di Natale, Udinese – the very reason why Edinson Cavani’s phenomenal season still wasn’t enough to win the Serie A golden boot. Still outstanding at 33, Di Natale’s experience and quality was integral to an Udinese side which secured Champions League qualification for only the second time in the club’s history.

Brilliant Barcelona join football's pantheon

It was the final we all wanted: the champions of Europe's two strongest leagues meeting at one of football's most spectacular venues to determine the cream of the continent.

We were assured of a contest for the ages. Manchester United vowed they had learned from humiliation in Rome two years ago, while Barcelona insisted that victory in 2009 had not showcased the peak of their powers.

The level of quality on show, coupled with the presence of dominating, attacking football as a core principle within the proud traditions of both clubs would guarantee, we thought, a competitive match on the biggest stage of them all. 

But, alas, it was not to be.

What transpired instead resembled something more like a sporting apotheosis, as through the devastating beauty of their play Pep Guardiola's exceptional side transcended the boundaries of mere excellence and staked an irrefutable claim for the current Barcelona vintage to be considered among the pantheon of the game's all time greats.

Moreover, the reality that such an outcome was not due to the faults of their opposition only amplifies the Catalans' achievement. For make no mistake, United tried their best to meet them on equal terms. 

The likes of Park, Giggs, Valencia and Hernandez, so influential in wrapping up the Premier League title, were again trusted to deliver on the big occasion, and immediately set about preventing the Spanish giants from getting into their mesmerising rhythm with typical zeal and endeavour.

For the first ten minutes, the ploy worked, and United were even able to pin their opponents back as they cautiously looked for a way to test Victor Valdes. But as soon as Barcelona began to warm to the task at hand, the gulf in class became evident.

The lethal quintet of Messi, Villa, Pedro, Iniesta and Dani Alves eagerly swarmed all over the scrambling United backline with Xavi, imperious as ever, conducting proceedings from deep. 

Sir Alex Ferguson's side looked in trouble long before the midfield maestro found Pedro with a sublimely-timed flick of his right boot and the young winger outwitted the despairing duo of Vidic and Van Der Sar with a clinical near post finish.

This United side have been accused on many occasions this season of compensating for a lack of fantasy with an abundance of resilience, but in their response to going behind both qualities were present in spades. 

Wayne Rooney's forceful but controlled finish following a rapid-fire exchange of passes with first Michael Carrick and then Ryan Giggs contained within it a level of craft which would not look out of place on the hallowed fields surrounding La Masia. 

At such a moment, the red half of Manchester may have allowed itself to believe once again that the force of destiny was with them. At the very least, their team had done more than in Rome in 2009: they had asked a question of Barcelona.

The Catalan response was emphatic. Rooney's strike proved nothing more than a spectacular anomaly in an otherwise uninterrupted pattern of suffocating Barcelona pressure, and it did not take long for the irrepressible genius of Lionel Messi, the world's best player, to finally make its mark on English soil.

As the beleaguered trio of Park, Carrick and Giggs found itself completely in the thrall of Barcelona's midfield passing carousel, Messi found himself 25 yards from goal with the United defence at his mercy.

The diminutive Argentine took his chance brilliantly, curling a venomous low short with minimal backlift around the prone Nemanja Vidic and towards goal. Van Der Sar was still diving when the ball hit the net.

It is a measure of the formidable winning mentality fostered so expertly by Ferguson that United's natural instinct was to attempt to pour forward in search of another equaliser, but Barca were by now in no mood to allow their opponents such an opportunity.

Instead the Catalans attacked with even greater vigour, appearently seized by the desire to make the scoreline reflect their utter dominance. They quickly got their wish, David Villa brilliantly curling the ball into the top corner to put the result beyond doubt.

Although they were not overawed as in 2009, United were no less overwhelmed by Barcelona, and the Spaniards third goal did what few, if any, have ever succeeded in doing to a team of men from Old Trafford: it broke their resolve.

In the last twenty minutes, Pep Guardiola's side dimmed their attacking ambitions but still held the Premier League champions at arms length with ease, defending, as they do so well, with the ball.

As the final whistle blew at Wembley to rubber-stamp Barcelona's fourth European Cup triumph at the place where it all started for them in 1992, many of those who witnessed the match were left wondering if they had ever seen a more dominant performance in the final of the continent's premier club competition.

The response, almost unanimously, will have been no, and in the answering of this question alone the greatness of this Barcelona team becomes clear. But for any who remain unconvinced, there is further evidence to back up the case.

In the last three seasons, Pep Guardiola's side have won 10 of the 13 tournaments they have entered. This astonishing trophy haul includes three consecutive La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and a World Club Championship. It is their results as much as the beauty of their methods which makes this exceptional group worthy of a place among the greatest club sides in history.

But perhaps the ultimate proof of the greatness of this Barcelona side can be found in the way other top teams approach the task of facing them.

Pep Guardiola's side alter their methods for no one, whereas even illustrious opponents such as Manchester United and Real Madrid are forced to focus their efforts on stifling the Catalans, accepting that any attempt to impose themselves will result in disaster.

And more often than not, as this season has proved, they still lose. There is no other side in recent memory - possibly ever - which has provoked such fear, and so justifiably, in its rivals.

When Barcelona demolished Real Madrid 5-0 in the Clasico last November, I claimed that Pep Guardiola's side were knocking on the door of history. On Saturday at Wembley, they crossed the threshold. 

2010/11 Season Review Part 1: Premier League Predictions

And so, 10 months and 380 matches later, the Premier League season has come to a close. We've had everything: goals, comedy, drama, controversy - and that was just Mario Balotelli.

While this season may have been less than vintage in terms of the quality at the top (although the revisionist pundits will go into overdrive if Manchester United manage to see off Barcelona on Saturday), it can rival any in the Premier League era for sheer unpredictability. 

Ok, so the title 'race' may have ultimately resembled more of a procession towards Old Trafford, and there may have been no surprise entries in the top six, but this year's relegation battle was one of the most dramatic and open in recent memory, with six teams going into the final round of matches still not assured of safety.

And despite the fact that Manchester United ultimately won their record 19th league title fairly easily, they still finished with the lowest points tally of any Premier League champions for a decade. 

None of the top teams looked invincible this year - United were vulnerable on their travels, Chelsea went on holiday for the best part of three months, Manchester City were too negative and Arsenal were, well, Arsenal.

All of which means I wasn't exactly confident when it came to reviewing how my start of season predictions had measured up. It actually turns out I haven't done too badly, although there were also a couple of glaring misjudgments which had the voice of hindsight cackling smugly in the back of my head. Have a look below and see what I mean...

1st - Manchester United (My prediction: 1st)

It was United's superior squad depth, combined with a greater hunger and resilience, which ultimately saw off Chelsea and brought a record 19th title to Old Trafford. 

That it was achieved in spite of Wayne Rooney's horrific start to the season and Rio Ferdinand's persistent injury problems may well make it one of the sweetest for Sir Alex Ferguson too. 

Chris Smalling and twins Fabio and Rafael showed signs they may be stars of the future, while the astonishing Javier Hernandez must be regarded as a star of the present. 

And when the chips were down, the experience and quality of Van Der Sar, Vidic and Giggs enabled United to stand up and be counted. Worthy champions.

2nd - Chelsea (My prediction: 2nd)

Chelsea never even got close to matching last season's double-winning exploits in a frustrating season. 

Attempting to challenge on several fronts with a razor thin squad comprising ageing stars and raw youngsters was never likely to end well, and the mysterious sacking of Ray Wilkins, combined with injuries to the key duo of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, marked the beginning of a dramatic slide out of the title picture.

A belated £70million January deadline day transfer spree failed to reignite a stuttering campaign, and the Blues were comfortably seen off by United in both the Premier League and Champions League. 

Marquee signing Fernando Torres looks just as disinterested and off the pace as he did at Liverpool, and only time will tell whether the Spaniard will ever justify his lofty price tag.

The Chelsea squad needs a major overhaul this summer, but the fact that Carlo Ancelotti has now been ruthlessly dismissed, and the club once again plunged into a state of flux, does not bode well for next season. 

3rd - Manchester City (My prediction: 4th)

That Manchester City ultimately finished above Arsenal and, indeed, level on points with Chelsea, says more about the late-season deficiencies of the two London clubs than the class of Roberto Mancini's men.

They certainly deserve their place in the top four, and appeared to grow in confidence as the season went on, but there remains the nagging feeling that this was a 'good' season which could have been 'great', if only Mancini had been brave enough to take the handbrake off his team and challenge the top two.

Not, of course, that City fans will be complaining, and nor should they. A third place finish means they avoid a potentially tricky Champions League qualifier, and victory over Stoke at Wembley gave the club a first trophy in 35 years.

Next season promises much for Old Trafford's 'noisy neighbours'. It will be up to Mancini to deliver.

4th - Arsenal (My prediction: 3rd)

Arsenal continue to be the architects of their own downfall. Once again, a season which appeared so promising fell apart after Easter, and serious questions have been raised as to whether this current Gunners crop possesses the mental strength to end the club's trophy drought, now six years and counting.

This season's Carling Cup should have been the perfect moment for the club to get that particular monkey off it's back, but instead a shocking defeat to Birmingham at Wembley provided the catalyst for another spectacular collapse.

Manager Arsene Wenger has thus far stubbornly refused to be swayed by those suggesting he must be more active in the transfer market, but growing unrest among the Emirates faithful may well force his hand this summer.

As ever with Arsenal, many of the raw components of a successful side are already present. Not many teams in world football can boast the kind of fantasy provided by the likes of Fabregas, Nasri and Arshavin, and Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny can be stars for years to come.

But the Gunners are still lacking in quality at both ends of the pitch, and their mental fragility in times of adversity has become a source of comedy among the club's rivals.

Wenger must heed the criticisms of his team soon. If he doesn't, one of the most beautiful marriages in football could end in a very messy divorce.

5th - Tottenham Hotspur (My prediction: 6th)

As the more cynical among us suspected, the Champions League proved both a gift and a curse for Tottenham. For a time, Harry Redknapp's side were the must-watch team in Europe, and gave their fans a number of memorable nights on a run which claimed the scalps of both Milan giants.

Inevitably, though, Spurs' league form suffered as a result of their European adventure, and when the latter was ruthlessly ended by Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, the north Londoners didn't have enough left in the tank to catch the top four.

Still, Liverpool's awful start to the season ensured a fifth placed finish and a shot of the Europa League net season. Whether Redknapp is a fan of the tournament or not, it is European football and represents a realistic chance of silverware.

It may also persuade key players like Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Rafael Van Der Vaart to remain at the club. If they do stay and a joined by a couple of astute signings, Spurs will be well in the Champions League hunt again next year. 

6th - Liverpool (My prediction: 5th)

 

My prediction that Liverpool would finish fifth was clearly not based on the assumption that Roy Hodgson would lead the club to its worst start to a league season for over 50 years and depart eight days into the new year, and even a stellar second half of the season wasn't enough to unseat Tottenham in fifth.

The Anfield giants' league position was clearly not reflective of the talent at their disposal when club legend Kenny Dalglish took over in January, and their spectacular resurgence under the Scot since then has done much to create an atmosphere of optimism going forward.

The replacement of a jaded and sulky Fernando Torres with the exciting young strike duo of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez has reinvigorated a team which had looked in danger of stagnation, and the accomplished performances of local youngsters such as Jay Spearing, John Flanagan and Martin Kelly have raised hopes of a return to the values which originally made Liverpool great.

Significant investment is still needed if the Dalglish's team are once again to challenge the country's elite, but the early signs are that there may be good times ahead for the red half of Merseyside.

7th - Everton (My prediction: 7th)

David Moyes must be wondering why his Everton team never turns up until after Christmas. Once again, an awful start for the Toffees took the shine off a campaign in which one of the Premier League's best managers worked wonders on a criminally small budget.

Despite being without a regular source of goals (top scorer Tim Cahill netted just nine times this term) and enduring a prolonged flirtation with the relegation zone at the start of the season, Moyes has yet again led his team to a respectable top half finish in the league.

Everton are unbeaten at Goodison Park in the Premier League in 2011, and only Chelsea gathered more points in the last 12 rounds of the season. If the Toffees had started their charge earlier, they may well have found themselves in the European hunt.

Moyes' extraordinary feats on Merseyside have prompted many to wonder what he could do at a club with greater financial resources. If he isn't backed by chairman Bill Kenwright in the transfer market this summer, the Scot may well begin to ask himself the same question.

8th - Fulham (My prediction: 9th)

 

A 9th place finish is a just reward for the patience Fulham showed towards Mark Hughes during a shaky start to this season.

The west Londoners always had the class to avoid the relegation dogfight, and as soon as strikers Moussa Dembele, Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson recovered from lengthy injury layoffs, the goals and results flowed.

Fulham have one of the most underrated squads in the Premier League, and in Hughes they have one of its most capable managers. They may also have another crack at the Europa League next season if the Fair Play award comes through...

9th - Aston Villa (My prediction: 8th)

The £24million Aston Villa paid for Darren Bent in January proved an absolute masterstroke as Gerard Houllier's side finished strongly to drag themselves out of the relegation dogfight and paper over the cracks of a disappointing season.

The former Sunderland man banged in nine goals in 16 appearances after his big money move to ease the Villans' worries and once again prove he is one of the most potent goalscorers in the Premier League, the club may still pay the price of a campaign which fell well short of expectations.

Star winger Ashley Young is widely expected to move on to bigger and better things this summer after a season in which he has impressed for club and country, and it is unclear how willing owner Randy Lerner will be to invest in the squad.

It isn't even clear whether Gerard Houllier will be able to continue as manager after the Frenchman suffered a recurrence of the health problems which blighted his time at Liverpool.

In short, there is much to be done at Villa Park in the coming weeks and months if the club is to once again become a force in the top half of the Premier League.

10th - Sunderland (My prediction: 11th)

It's been a season of two halves for Sunderland. A brilliant start - including that demolition of Chelsea - left Steve Bruce's side dreaming of Europa League football, but a dramatic collapse since the turn of the year briefly left the Black Cats in danger of being sucked into a relegation battle until victories over Wigan and Bolton checked the slide.

The loss of Darren Bent to Aston Villa certainly didn't help, even if the club were compensated to the tune of a cool £24million. Bruce was unable to replace his star striker before the close of the January transfer window, and injuries to Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck meant the side were briefly without any strikers.

Despite their wretched form for much of 2011, Sunderland's first half showing means they are well deserving of a top half finish. If Bruce can find a good striker to replace Bent in the summer and keep midfield prospect Jordan Henderson, they could well repeat the feat next year.

11th - West Brom (My prediction: 18th)

West Brom defied a legion of pre-season predictions - not least this one - by soaring clear of the relegation dogfight and into the comfort of mid-table in their first season back in the Premier League.

The reason? Roy Hodgson. Having failed in the thankless task of managing Liverpool during the slow and painful death of the Hicks and Gillett era, the 63-year-old came to the west midlands determined to restore his reputation. And boy, did he succeed.

Hodgson took over the Baggies mired in the relegation zone and led them on a run which saw only two defeats - one against Wolves with safety already assured, the other against Chelsea - and included a victory over his previous employers at the Hawthorns.

What's more, he managed to do it all whilst allowing offensive talents such as top scorer Peter Odemwingie and Chris Brunt the room to flourish. West Brom have a talented, settled squad and if they spend wisely in the summer, there's no reason why they shouldn't be looking up rather than down next term.

12th - Newcastle United (My prediction: 17th)

Newcastle achieved mid-table respectability almost in spite of themselves this season.

First owner Mike Ashley sacked Chris Hughton midway through the campaign for what appeared to be no better reason than a flying, talking horse in his dream told him to.

Then star striker and former local hero Andy Carroll was sold to Liverpool in January with new boss Alan Pardew having no time to reinvest any of the phenomenal £35million it took to prise the big man away from St James' Park.

Yet in spite of it all, the good ship Toon never strayed into the choppy waters of the relegation battle. Why? Quite simply, because it turns out there was always more to this Newcastle side than a be-ponytailed young target man with a left foot like a cannon.

Alan Pardew proved himself just as capable a Premier League operator as Hughton, the hard working duo of Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton ensured the side were rarely short of drive and invention, and tough-tackling Ivorian Cheik Tiote did enough 'getting stuck in' for an entire midfield.

Oh, and they also had one of the best left-backs in the Premier League in Jose Enrique, who may well follow Carroll to Anfield this summer.

13th - Stoke City (My prediction: 12th)

When the dust settles on their FA Cup disappointment, Stoke fans and players will quickly realise this has been a fantastic season.

Just taking part in the Wembley showpiece against Manchester City was a testiment to the amazing job manager Tony Pulis has done over the last five years at the Britannia, but the fact the Potters didn't allow their glorious cup run to affect their Premier League form (a la Birmingham) is perhaps their greatest achievement of the campaign.

The physical presence and tireless work rate of summer signings Kenwyne Jones and Jonathan Walters gave Pulis' side a formidable attacking threat, while fellow summer arrival Jermaine Pennant opened up a whole new avenue of service for the frontmen on the right flank.

Believe it or not folks, but there's now more to Stoke than Rory Delap long throws, and like them or not, it seems unlikely they'll be exiting the Premier League any time soon.

14th - Bolton Wanderers (My prediction: 15th)

For much of this season Bolton looked on course to embarass me utterly by topping the league below the big boys and finish 7th, but ultimately a wretched run of five defeats from their last five games saw Owen Coyle's side tumble to a much less impressive 14th.

Owen Coyle's side won plaudits as well as points for much of this campaign with their expansive passing style and attacking mentality, but their midfield creativity was severely curtailed when the hugely impressive Stuart Holden suffered a horrible leg break against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The balance of the team never truly recovered - although their stuttering Premier League form was briefly but significantly boosted by Daniel Sturridge's prolific loan spell - and a promising FA Cup run was emphatically and devastatingly ended by Stoke at Wembley.

Bolton showed signs of real promise this season, but much needs to be done in the summer if the club is to avoid going backwards next term. A little more squad depth wouldn't go amiss, and a replacement must be found for the outgoing Johan Elmander. A decent season though.

15th - Blackburn Rovers (My prediction: 10th)

Ok, I hold my hands up. I predicted Blackburn for a top half finish, and got it badly wrong.

But in my defence, there was no way I could foresee:

1) the club being taken over by Indian chicken magnates (something in me has always wanted to use that phrase) who harboured delusional aspirations of bringing Ronaldinho and Champions League football to Ewood Park

2) reliable Premier League operator Sam Allardyce being mysteriously sacked midway through the season (it appears that flying, talking horse gets around) and replaced by a man with no managerial pedigree whatsoever.

Looking back on it now, the fact that Blackburn are still in the Premier League at all is nothing short of a miracle. Venkys simply got lucky, but they will have to do a crash course on how to run a football club over the summer if Rovers are not to pay for their mistakes in the long term.

But I suspect they won't, and next season will be all the more infuriating for the club's fans and interesting for the rest of us as a result.

16th - Wigan Athletic (My prediction: 16th)

Another year in the Premier League for little old Wigan and a return to prediction form for yours truly (I'm going to enjoy this, because it all disappears up the proverbial cows backside from here on down).

Roberto Martinez's side blended attractive attacking football with at times comical defending to just about sufficient effect to earn another year in the top flight. Survival was once again borne out of a life and death struggle, though, only assured through back-to-back wins over West Ham and Stoke in the final two games of the season.

As has been the case in previous years, Wigan could pay for their continued presence in the Premier League with the loss of their key players. Star winger Charles N'Zogbia is surely destined to play at a higher level, while striker Hugo Rodallega and midfield wonderkid James McCarthy could also leave.

If they do, Martinez will once again have to remodel his side on a shoestring and hope for the best. The good news for him and the club's fans, however, is that Wigan appear to be becoming perennial Premier League survivors.

17th - Wolves (My prediction: 19th)

Wolves stayed in the Premier League by the sheer force of George Elokobi's six pack on the final day of a tortuous season. 

In a topsy turvy campaign, Mick McCarthy's side found themselves deep in the relegation mire despite beating each of England's top three sides at Molineux. 

Misfiring in attack and leaky in defence, it was only Wolves' heart which kept them in the top flight - well, that and the fact there happened to be three sides even worse than they were.

But while survival was ultimately assured - and only just - this season, McCarthy needs to be given the funds to improve the side in every area of the pitch if this is not to prove merely a stay of execution.

18th - Birmingham City (My prediction: 13th)

One of the main lessons we learned from this season is that no good can come of reaching the Carling Cup final. 

Arsenal and Birmingham only recorded five victories between them after their date at Wembley, but the Midlanders' late season collapse was to have much graver consequences.

Just one point from their final six games saw Alex McLeish's side time their plummet into the relegation zone to deadly perfection, and the club's first trophy in 48 years has been sullied by a return to the Championship.

Goals had always proved elusive for this Birmingham team, but the decisive difference this season was the decline of their defence, with Scott Dann's lengthy absence through injury proving a fatal blow.

McLeish has been given the green light to lead the club's promotion charge next term, but with financial difficulties and the departures of key players on the horizon, it will be no easy task.

19th - Blackpool (My prediction: 20th)

Blackpool have so greatly exceeded incredibly low expectations this season that Ian Holloway and his players have had to endure what must have been an infuriating level of condescending praise - not least the odious expression 'breath of fresh air' which has been employed time and time again to steadily less flattering effect.

But this must not take away from the fact that the Tangerines have set a new benchmark for the way low budget Championship sides are expected to approach their season in the big time.

Many observers - this one included - queued up at the start of the campaign to dismiss them as whipping boys, but Blackpool have done so much more than make up the numbers.

They have played with unerring spirit and enterprise, taking on (and occasionally beating) teams of far more lavishly gifted stars, and have done it all with a style which has made them the entertainers of the Premier League.

Most considered it impossible for Blackpool to stay up this season, but they bloody well nearly did it. Ian Holloway's side may have lost their top flight status, but they have gained a legion of admirers.

20th - West Ham United (My prediction: 14th)

For pure dramatic effect, I've saved the biggest misjudgment for last. West Ham entered the season with one of the best squads of all the bottom half teams, and yet have somehow contrived to exit the Premier League ten months later.

In what has been a car crash of a season, it isn't easy to pin point any one factor as most important in the Hammers spectacular demise, whether it be clueless owners who undermined but didn't sack an even more clueless manager, players who wallowed in self-pity and refused to take responsibility for events on the pitch, or just plain old bad luck.

The loss of talismanic captain and FWA Player of the Year Scott Parker for the crucial final weeks of the season was certainly a hammer (excuse the pun) blow, but it need not have been fatal if any form of leadership had been present in the dugout.

Avram Grant's continuing career as a Premier League manager seems more bizarre with each passing week, and it is only to be hoped his moment in the limelight is over.

But even with Grant gone, for West Ham, the damage is already done. The club must now embark on a slow and steady process of rebuilding in the Championship, in the hope that by the time they move into the shiny new Olympic Stadium in Stratford, they have a team worthy of the venue.