PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON 2022/23 SHORT REVIEW
MANCHESTER CITY
Three is the magic number
Their third title win in a row was the most comfortable of the three, as they had the luxury of winning it with a few games to spare. In doing so, they added a new style to winning a title, spending the entire season chasing, holding their nerve, and reeling off win after win in the last few months to win the league. Also, spending only 14 nights at the top.
Season High: Arsenal 1-3 Man City
Season Low: Man City 1-2 Brentford
ARSENAL
Almost, but almost doesn’t count
If Arsenal were offered second at the start of the season, they would have bitten your hand off. But leading the league for 93% of the season to not win it must hurt, and naturally brings out the “bottling” tag. However, they were superb, and played some of the best football for the majority of the season, and the positives are there for everyone to be excited about and build upon.
Season High: Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal
Season Low: Arsenal 0-3 Brighton
MANCHESTER UNITED
Progress, progress, progress
After missing out on the top four last season, the priority for new manager Ten Hag was to qualify for the Champions League, and for that, the season was a success. Winning a trophy was a bonus. Although he had several bumps in the road, it’s progress, and the season can be looked back on as generally a positive one.
Season High: Man Utd 2-1 Man City
Season Low: Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd
NEWCASTLE
Back in the big time
The biggest compliment I can pay them is although they have spent money, they have not spent excessively. The achievement of finishing fourth is less about money and more about good management, and the quality performances of dedicated and committed players, who made it a memorable season with hopefully more to come.
Season High: Newcastle 6-1 Tottenham
Season Low: Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal
LIVERPOOL
Frustratingly frustrating
From going for a quadruple last season to not making the top four this, Liverpool must accept this season has been a failure. The drop-off was alarming, not to mention the frustrations in going from the sublime to the ridiculous, sometimes in the same month. Despite a good end to the season, no matter how anyone wants to slice it, there is no silver lining in finishing out the Champions League places.
Season High: Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd
Season Low: Liverpool 1-2 Leeds
BRIGHTON
The good got even better
It has been a particularly good season for Brighton. In fact, their best ever in the top flight, culminating in qualifying for the Europa League. Not many expected them to improve on Potter’s team, but De Zerbi has done that in all facets, especially playing some of the best football in the league this season.
Season High: Arsenal 0-3 Brighton
Season Low: Brighton 1-5 Everton
ASTON VILLA
Unexpected lows to unexpected highs
Villa went through a range of emotions throughout the season. From being very hopeful at the start to that hope slowly draining away in the first half of the season. To gaining that hope back midway through the season, to sheer joy, elation and optimism for the future. Unai Emery did an amazing job since his appointment in October and was arguably the manager of the second half of the season, taking his team from 16th to 7th in seven months.
Season High: Aston Villa 3-1 Man Utd
Season Low: Fulham 3-0 Aston Villa
TOTTENHAM
From bad to worse
It has been a disastrous season for Spurs, and more so because it started with optimism and many predicting big things. But it got steadily worse as the season progressed, with Conte leaving and being out of every competition early. Then the results in the last few months of the season were so bad, they went from being in the top four to finishing out the European places. At least the new manager will not have the distraction of Europe.
Season High: Tottenham 1-0 Man City
Season Low: Newcastle 6-1 Tottenham
BRENTFORD
Flexing with the big boys
The only team to do the double over the champions can feel very proud of a commendable ninth-place finish. Nobody relished playing them home or away, and it seems they have now established themselves in the top flight, as a team not to be taken lightly. This is despite now having to deal with the loss of their talisman Toney.
Season High: Man City 1-2 Brentford
Season Low: Newcastle 5-1 Brentford
FULHAM
Safe, sound, and secure
Although they came up as Championship winners, many were predicting them to have a tough season and go back down. However, I cannot remember a time when they weren’t comfortable and a tenth-place finish in their first season was a massive achievement and something that cannot be understated.
Season High: Fulham 2-1 Chelsea
Season Low: Fulham 0-3 Arsenal
CRYSTAL PALACE
Mid-table promise but mediocrity
It was an indifferent season for Palace. They started with hope, playing great, entertaining football under Vieira, with some new emerging talent. However, somehow it went wrong, and rightly or wrongly, Vieira lost his job. Hodgson then came in and steadied the ship, surprisingly to most. I suppose the priority was for them to be safe and stay in the league, but were they ever really in trouble?
Season High: Leeds 1-5 Crystal Palace
Season Low: Crystal Palace 0-4 Tottenham
CHELSEA
An expensive disaster
The butt of many jokes this season, and rightly so, as they only have themselves to blame. Spending almost £600m in January to go and have the worst season in their Premier League history says it all. Sacking Tuchel and hiring Lampard didn’t do them any favours either. The only plus is it can only get better… Well, you would think.
Season High: Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea
Season Low: Chelsea 0-1 Southampton
WOLVES
No frills, no spills
Wolves cannot be too upset at their 13th-place finish. Considering in their previous two seasons, they finished 10th & 13th. Having a fourth consecutive season in the topflight is nothing to be scoffed at, not to mention being comfortably mid-table with no real relegation fears. Many a team would kill to be in that position, and it’s also stability and a foundation for Lopetegui to build on.
Season High: Wolves 3-0 Liverpool
Season Low: Brighton 6-0 Wolves
WEST HAM
Positives outweigh the negatives
The league season was disappointing, but much of that was masked by their European exploits. For what it’s worth, at least it will provide more experience in navigating such a season in the future, as being in Europe is where they want to be on a regular basis. But the end justifies the means as regardless of their final league position, this season will always be looked upon as a resounding success.
Season High: West Ham 1-0 Man Utd
Season Low: West Ham 1-5 Newcastle
BOURNEMOUTH
From rags to riches
Just staying in the league is a success for Bournemouth, but to do it comfortably with games to spare was outstanding. The board were vindicated by relieving Scott Parker of his duties after just four games and sticking with the unlikely candidate of Gary O’Neil, who at one stage went on a six-game unbeaten run to secure their league status and his job.
Season High: Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool
Season Low: Liverpool 9-0 Bournemouth
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Believe and you will achieve
I do not think anybody outside of Forest expected or predicted them to stay up this season. After buying over twenty players in the summer, it felt desperate, and there were times in the season when it seemed being relegated was inevitable for them. But Steve Cooper steadied the ship, credit to the board for sticking with him, and the players responded to make it a season to remember.
Season High: N.Forest 1-0 Liverpool
Season Low: Man City 6-0 N.Forest
EVERTON
This cannot continue
Although dramatically surviving on the last day of the season left them on a high, to be in that position in the first place, and not for the first time was embarrassing. So questions must be asked for their constant failings. Apart from the last few games, it has been a season to forget, and wholesale changes are desperately needed as they may not be so lucky again.
Season High: Everton 1-0 Arsenal
Season Low: Everton 1-2 Southampton
LEICESTER CITY
Mistakes were made and paid for
It was a sad end to thrilling recent times for Leicester, who became everyone’s second team when they won the league in 2016. But they never got going this season. Not investing hurt them, not recruiting crippled them, and allowing players to let their contracts run out ultimately ended them. However, they still have the memories, I guess.
Season High: Leicester 4-1 Tottenham
Season Low: Leicester 0-1 Bournemouth
LEEDS UNITED
Leaking leads to leaving
Having survived on the last day of last season, this time they weren’t so lucky. Their final day drubbing at home summed up their season. They conceded the most in the league this season (78), making them the first team to concede more than 75 goals two seasons in a row. The 157 goals conceded in two seasons is the most for any team in the top five leagues in Europe.
Season High: Liverpool 1-2 Leeds
Season Low: Leeds 1-6 Liverpool
SOUTHAMPTON
Down, out, and dreadful
The club paid for the board making a catalogue of errors. Sacking Hasenhuttl, who has struggled but always kept them up. Getting a young inexperienced manager to lead a young inexperienced squad, then sacking said manager only to get another inexperienced manager. Inevitably, the players suffered and the results showed, especially winning only two games at home to finish six points adrift at the bottom.
Season High: Chelsea 0-1 Southampton
Season Low: Southampton 0-1 N.Forest
