So the season reviews are in, there have been some good moments, some hilarious ones and some heart breakers along the way.
Before the focus fully turns to Brazil and the World Cup, here is the final season review – and fittingly it comes from the eyes of a title winning Manchester City fan.
Best moment of the season?
Doing the double. Winning the Capital One Cup and the Premier League. People scoff at the Capital One Cup but it’s still silverware and it’s still going in the trophy cabinet. A season well done.
Best goal of the season?
Wow, hard to pick. As much as I’d like to say Martin Demichelis vs Fulham (!), it’d have to be Yaya Toure’s vs Sunderland at Wembley in the Capital One Cup Final. 1-0 down at the start of the second half, looking for a moment of inspiration and then BANG. Time stood still as we watched it rocket into the back of the net – then scenes. Oh the scenes.
Best result?
Everton away, the vital 3-2 win. A bogey ground of late for us, Roberto Martinez has got them playing some delightful football and it was the biggest hurdle left to jump in the title race.
Aguero went off injured early in the game just after the equaliser and nobody quite knew which way it was going to go. After going 3-1 up, then conceding a second, it set up the most nervy finish I’ve experienced since QPR at home in 2012. It wouldn’t be City if they did it the easy way though. They don’t half put you through it.
Best player?
Best signing has been Fernandinho, most improved is Samir Nasri but best player is Yaya Toure. Admittedly it’s close between him and David Silva, but Yaya has been a collosus. He’s a force of nature, a true game changer. Powering runs, effortless between defence and midfield or midfield and attack whenever it suits Pellegrini’s system.
He is capable of creating something out of nothing and that’s what wins you the games. He said it himself, he doesn’t even need to look up when taking a shot because the goalposts never move. Blessed to see him in the shirt.
Worst moment?
Getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Wigan 2-1 at the Etihad. It’s a cup I love, that I feel passionate about and I felt Pellegrini had both eyes on the Barcelona Champions League game at the time.
The players didn’t seem up for it which was infuriating to watch as a fan as it was one game away from the semi-finals at Wembley and two away from a potential trophy that we have won before. At the time a bitter pill to swallow, but all is forgiven now.
Worst result?
Losing at Cardiff 3-2 at the start of the season was grim, but the defeat at Anfield to Liverpool was the worst. Again a 3-2 defeat, but after fighting back to 2-2 only for Vincent Kompany to miskick his clearance to Coutinho in the area…well, you know the rest. That was a tough one. Hope had never ever gone, but it felt like we had an uphill battle from there.
Worst player?
Worst player when we’ve just won two trophies? Nope, not answering that one! (couldn’t pick one anyway).
Biggest f**k up?
The mix-up between Joe Hart and Matija Nastasic at Stamford Bridge in the final minutes of the game back in October that gifted Chelsea a 2-1 win.
It looked like we’d battled for a good point, but the disastrous calamity between the pair left Fernando Torres to slot home and give Jose Mourinho’s side the three points. Kompany’s sliced clearance at Anfield was up there (along with his comedy own goal at Craven Cottage) but that was horrific, leading to Hart spending time on the bench and a media frenzy.
Funniest moment?
Toss-up between Pablo Zabaleta singing along to Status Quo after the trophy presentation at the Etihad on the final day or Demichelis sprinting with the Premier League trophy.
I’m going for Demichelis, simply because he was made to be a scapegoat by some for the majority of the season and he’s proved a lot of people wrong. It was good to see his reap his rewards.
What needs to change?
The inconsistencies and irregularities in Financial Fair Play ruling. How can injecting millions of pounds into the local community like City do be punished? It’s not all about mega money signings, in fact last season City operated quite a crude couple of transfer windows. UEFA need to look at the bigger picture instead of gunning for setting a precedent.
What needs to stay the same?
The players. The majority of the first team. The spine of the team: Hart, Kompany, Yaya Toure and Aguero. The group of players we have are winners, they know what it feels like and can go on and continue to achieve for years to come.
Who should go?
He’s never really been in with much of a chance and has been blighted by injury, but I would like to see Jack Rodwell move on and try and forge a career elsewhere. Just for his own sake.
Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards have already dropped big hints that they are off too, and I will be desperately sad to see them both go. They’ve played their parts in the success story along the way. Yes we need our English quota of players but it’s not fair if the players aren’t getting game time.
Who should stay?
See ‘what needs to stay the same’. Add Pellegrini.
Rating out of 10?
9/10. Would’ve been 10 had it not been for the defeats at Cardiff, Villa and the FA Cup defeat to Wigan, but that’s being picky in a season of considerably measured success.
In general:
Best player?
Eden Hazard really impressed me when Chelsea came to the Etihad. He dictated the whole game and completely pulled the strings. If I’m not picking a City player it would be him, but overall it would be Yaya Toure.
Best goal?
Pajtim Kasami for Fulham vs Crystal Palace. Yaya’s scored a few contenders, notably the stormer vs Villa at home, but Kasami’s is my non-City choice.
Best club?
My club of course, City!
No, Everton have had an excellent season and Martinez has done really well with the limited transfer funds he has had. He plays open, attractive football and it’s great to watch. Big credit to Sunderland too for Gus Poyet’s houdini act/Connor Wickham’s vital goals in the final few games and Crystal Palace too under Tony Pulis. All three clubs have got great sets of fans too so good to see them do well/stay in the Premier League.
Best manager?
Pellegrini won’t get the praise he deserves because he goes about his business without controversy. But he does deserve the plaudits.
Pulis has done an excellent job at Palace and he masterminded the 3-3 draw against Liverpool, so let’s give him the nod. Shout out to David Moyes for the splendid job down the road too, was a shambolic decision to end his triumphant reign so prematurely.
Worst manager?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Can we have a worst chairman too? Make that Vincent Tan.
Worst player?
Rio Ferdinand, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Rafael…okay okay, serious answer. Super controversial but Luis Suarez. I can’t stand him. Technically yes, he can turn it on. But there are too many negatives that detract from his capabilities. He spends half the game on the floor looking at the referee for decisions. Simulation is a big part of his game and he’s incredibly frustrating to watch, especially when referees buy into it.
Funniest moment?
Steve Gerrard Gerrard, he slipped on his ******* arse, he gave it to Demba Ba, Steve Gerrard Gerrard. A moment that will haunt him forever.
Who would you like to see in the PL next season?
Sergio Ramos in a blue shirt. Or Iniesta. Messi is a) too predictable an answer and b) not going to happen.
Who is a waste of space and should go?
Rio Ferdinand, retirement beckons…
FINALLY, Who will win the World Cup?
The home country, Brazil. Predictable but honest. Home advantage too. My dark horses would be Belgium.
Manchester City fans. What did you think of the title winning season? Let us know your thoughts below or tweet us @LaFootyettes.