MANCHESTER CITY
Position: 14th

Points: 42

When you finish the season with the same number of goals scored as bottom side Watford (29 goals), and with midfielder Joey Barton as your top scorer with 6 goals, you just know that it’s going to be a long hard summer in training.

Coupled with the fact that Manchester City racked up the lowest ever goals scored at home in the league in their history (just 10 goals from 19 games and not a single goal at home since January), fingers were pointing at Stuart Pearce (a former England left back) and his misfiring strike force even before the end of the season.

Upfront, the trio of one-time England striker Darius Vassell, new signing former Italian international Bernando Corradi and Greek record signing Georgios SamarasPaul Dickov though, who didn’t even manage a single goal on his return to his beloved Manchester City.

With Barton’s much-publicised disciplinary problems (especially his attempts at another vocation as a plastic surgeon, see Oliver Dabo) and Ben Thatcher’s thuggery early on in the season on Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes, it seemed that the only newsworthy piece the press would be getting from ‘Citeh’ would be off-the-pitch rather than on it. In fact, calls for the manager’s head were coming in as early as Feb, barely a situation that helps a team’s cause, especially one that has underachieved since the days of Kevin Keegan.

Even reaching the FA Cup quarter-final couldn’t save their season, as the entire team contrived to put in their most limp performance in a 0-2 loss to Blackburn Rovers. The blue half of Manchester had a right to expect much more from their team, and it was no surprise when the board finally decided to sack Pearce barely days after the season ended.

The jury is still out on whether Pearce’s lamenting that he lacked the necessary funds and time from the board to build a successful team were justified, but the fact remains the blue half of Manchester now have to get on with life and just banish the memories of a truly forgettable season 2006-07.

NEWCASTLE UNITED
Position: 13th

Points: 43 points

Sigh…Newcastle United. How in the world does one find a reason for why a side with one of the biggest support in the country week in, week out, bar Manchester United and Arsenal, flatters to deceive consistently every season?

The signing of Obafemi Martins for £10.1 million (S$30 million) at the start of the season indicated the ambition of the club—to lift it up to European heights once again. The prospect of a Martins-Owen partnership leaves many drooling, but unfortunately, the occasions that that has happened during this season can easily be counted on one hand. Michael Owen, hailed as the saviour of the Magpies after his move from the Real Madrid bench last season, was crocked after the World Cup (yet again) and stayed out until late Apr.

To his credit, Martins did enough to justify his transfer fee in his first season in England. A return of 11 goals in the EPL showed that the pacy exciting Nigerian has already made the transition from Serie A to the English game after 5 years at Inter Milan. Unfortunately, it was due to injury to key players like Damien Duff, Shola Ameobi and Owen that left Newcastle hanging throughout the season.

However, that cannot be cast as the main fault of another season of mediocrity for the biggest club in the Northeast (though Sunderland fans will beg to differ). Glenn Roeder’s poor management of the backline left the team unsettled—I mean, who seriously expects Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo to be quaking in their boots when they meet a backline of Steven Taylor, Peter Ramage, Titus Bramble and Nolberto Solano?

Roeder will point at the injury crisis for his constantly changing back 4, but one wonders why Bramble was even in the starting lineup at all this season.

Sam Allardyce’s introduction for the eventually resigned Roeder should ensure that Newcastle at least begin to fulfill part of the wishes of their long-suffering fans next season—to see their side play consistently week in, week out.

MIDDLESBROUGH
Position: 12th

Points: 46

In my opinion, Middlebrough actually did rather well this season in coping with the departure of Steve McClaren. The season 2006-07 was Gareth Southgate’s first full season as manager of the club, and while the North Eastern club didn’t exactly set the league alight or reach another Uefa Cup final, they did manage to progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup where they were dumped out by eventual finalists Manchester United.

How they must hate the guts of Cristiano Ronaldo though, as twice this season, his dives in the penalty box caused Boro league points and eventually, an FA Cup semi-final.

In the league, however, rookie boss Southgate did a credible job of consolidating, even managing to provide unexpected but pleasant surprises in an early season win over Chelsea as well as 2 draws with Arsenal.

The acquisition of England international Jonathan Woodgate from Real Madrid proved to be a masterstroke, with the long-injury proned man of English football bringing much needed stability at the back, giving Southgate a sound base to build from.

Upfront, the strike partnership of Viduka and Yakubu reaped 26 goals in the league, with Viduka in particular in spectacular goal scoring form for most of the season. The burly Australian played like a man rejuvenated, and on many occasions this season, commentators marvelled at his ‘unplayable’ form. Probably the best striker in England playing with his back to goal, the fact that Boro chairman Steve Gibson himself has pleaded with the Australian to extend his contract at the Riverside shows how highly they regard their No. 9.

With promising youngsters like James Morrison, Lee Cattermole and Stewart Downing continuing to be given chances in the first team, it would appear that there’s more to come from the Riverside next season.