While previous English Premier League campaigns have signed off on the final day with a bang - most notably last year's spine-tingling last-gasp title-winning goal from Sergio Aguero - this year somewhat ended with a whimper as a number of drawn out farewells came to a close.
Remarkably, the managers at three of the Premier League's top seven teams walked away from their respective clubs on Sunday, and that's with Roberto Mancini having already departed runners up Manchester City after their FA Cup final loss to relegated Wigan.
All season, Piers Morgan has been giving shit to Robin van Persie after his move from Arsenal to Manchester United. He took to calling him "Van Pursestrings", implying that he was a mercenary. A few months after joining United, Van Persie has shown exactly why he left the club, with him winning the Premier League for the first time and Golden Boot again.
David Moyes has taken the toughest job in world football replacing the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford. The former Everton boss inherits a Premier League winning squad full of talent and a transfer kitty that he has never been used to at Goodison Park. With the aim for next season sure to be retaining the Premier League title, and putting a challenge in for the Champions League, smart moves in the transfer market are needed this summer.
Manchester United successfully regained the Barclays Premier League title this season for a record 20th time, and avenged their heartbreak of a finish last term losing the title on goal differential to rivals, Manchester City. Through the additional signing of Robin van Persie, Sir Alex Ferguson was once again able to mold a potent attack which threatened nearly every Premier League side week in and week out.
Manchester United and Real Madrid legends to clash in June game at Old Trafford - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
The chance to see Manchester United and Real Madrid legends from yesteryears is one that does not come along very often. However, a clash between two of the biggest clubs in world football is set for June 2nd, with legendary figures from each side's history set to don their boots once more.
Jack Wilshere feels that Arsenal should hit the ground running next season in order to mount a serious title challenge for the first time since 1997/98.
The Gunners have the fourth-lowest odds to win the 2013/13 Barclays Premier League title, according to several worldwide online sports betting companies.
Arsenal cannot win the title without major changes by SS
Every summer I hear Arsenal fans saying that next season the club will be back for a title challenge, I repeatedly laugh at that because I and anybody who is realistic knows that Arsenal simply cannot make a title challenge unless there is drastic changes to the whole club.
The jury has been in deliberation all season about Olivier Giroud at Arsenal. Of course, the French international has been given some leeway by us Gooners, although not much by some, as it is his first season with the Gunners and we have seen players take time to get used to the English Premier League before.
I have written articles about what the former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson has said before and it has pretty much been non-stop negativity, especially towards Arsene Wenger. Robson never played under the Frenchman, but he clearly considers himself an authority on him.
The Talksport regular has been telling us all season that Wenger should go and was clearly going to fail to finish in the top four this season.
One thing that was noticeable this season and in fact in a lot of the previous years is that our squad doesn't have many outstanding players that the rest of the team can revolve around. Last year we had Van Persie, and that's all in my opinion. Before then Van Persie and Fabregas, maybe Nasri.
According to popular opinion this summer is going to be different we are told we have money to spend, we are told we don't need to sell.
There is increasing clamour for expensive signings from the fans, the press are doing their best in fuelling the expectation further maybe with the clubs PR doing the briefing, who knows.
Don't get too excited the change in refereeing in the Premier League from next season is not the one we have been asking for (demanding even) in which we request the number of referees that PGMOL supplies to the Premier League is greatly increased. Such a move would reduce the [.
Somebody is having a right bubble. That is surely the only explanation for the story that Arsenal are prepared, or even eager, to sell our captain to anybody who is willing to cough up £5 million. There about a hundred reasons why this story is ludicrous, but I will just deal with a few of them.
Firstly, if Arsene Wenger had decided that Thomas Vermaelen was no longer a part of his plans for Arsenal in the future, he knows that he could sell him for much more than £5 million.
After a rousing finish to the Premier League season, Arsenal have managed to avoid the storm of protest that was seemed to be heading their way since August. By avoiding defeat in the last 10 Premier League games, Arsene Wenger and his players grabbed the final Champions League place and broke the hearts of Tottenham.
Arsenal need another striker, at least. I think we all agree on that. We don't necessarily agree on who it should be, other than the favt that we want someone who is a proven goal scorer. Of the transfer targets we have been linked with, all of them have some kind of drawback, whether that is fair or not.
Right end of the season, thank god Arsenal have made it into the Champions League, still feeling shaky today after those four added minutes! To calm everything down, I have created a transfer window game. The evaluation of a player's price and wages are dependent on current wage, the amount of years left on their contract, and their form over the past few seasons.
Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates the 1998-99 EPL Title (Image Via Manchester United official site)
In my weekly column on SWOL, I take a look back at the weekend's English Premier League and domestic cup action and the talking points that it throws up, as well as any significant news related to English football at large.
There is a chance that Arsenal could make significant progress in the Premier League next season while the other top three clubs, United, City and Chelsea, get themselves together after a period of upheaval. The fact that the rewards on offer in the English game makes it even more important to have a tilt at the title next season.
It was great for Arsenal fans to see Super Jack Wilshere back playing in the first team again this season. The 21-year old was obviously as glad as we were to get over his injury after what seemed like an eternity on the sidelines. Jack has put in some great performances for the Gunners, but he knows he has not been at his brilliant best, although he is sure we will see that next season.
We don't know for sure that Arsenal are definitely looking to sign another keeper this summer, but it seems fairly likely, with the problems there have been with Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski over the last few years. I really hope that Arsene Wenger has got a clear idea of who he wants to bring in, even if it is between a few keepers, because according to the media he has about 39 different possibilities.
After a mixed first Season for Liverpool's Manager Brendan Rodgers, where the team started off in August with Luis Suarez as their only striker, the team and squad were of the pace actually being as low as 12th place at one stage.
However, the new passing and pressing game being introduced by Rodgers began to see a gradual improvement in results and performances as the team moved up to 8th in the League around Christmas.
I've been asked a number of times this week to put a poll up on what readers think of Alan Pardew staying on as the Newcastle manager. Alan Pardew Newcastle manager We didn't want to put this up during the season, but there's no reason we cannot now gauge how supporters feel good [...]
Newcastle gave out many signals over the last few weeks, that Alan Pardew and his coaching staff, including the popular John Carver would not be fired, and sure enough, we learned yesterday that the management team will be kept in place for next season. Pardew and assistant Carver one season to prove themselves But [.
Mike Ashley, Derek LLambias and Mike Ashley met in London yesterday to go over what the heck happened last season, when Newcastle found themselves fighting relegation and finally finished up 5th bottom of the Premier League, and that was after we were 5th top in the previous season. Derek LLmabias constructive meeting Derek LLambias [.
The numbers behind Tottenham's transfer plans - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
After the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League once more, Tottenham have a busy summer in the transfer window ahead. Andre Villas-Boas has the core of a side that can challenge consistently for the top four, and more, but needs a quality addition or two to bolster his contingent.
While many of the Premier League's big boys have headed off to the USA for post-season tours, Tottenham travelled to Bahamas to face Jamaica. In this age of wall-to-wall football coverage, there's surprisingly footage from Spurs' Caribbean venture. But one supporter captured this proof that not everything Gareth Bale attempts comes off at the moment.
Starting next season, the UEFA Europa League champions will have a protected place in the Champions League the following season.
UEFA confirmed the news on Friday, hoping to give teams more motivation to play stronger sides in the competition. The decision would also ensure a the winner of the Europa League a place in the Champions League despite where they finish in the league.
Tony Pulis' second spell as Stoke City manager has come to an end following a disappointing season in which the club finished 13th in the Premier League. After his initial three years with Stoke between 2002 and 2005, Pulis returned in the summer of 2006. He won promotion to the Premier League and eventually led Stoke to their first ever FA Cup final in 2011 and a spot in the Europa League.
The new Manchester City kit by Nike - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
The one-week tour of New York was kicked-off in style by revealing the new 2013-14 Manchester City home kit by Nike in the heart of the Big Apple.
As City fans performed the 'Poznan' in front of the dramatic Manhattan skyline, Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta, Jack Rodwell, Carlos Tevez, James Milner and Matija Nastasic revealed Manchester City's first-ever Nike kit.
New Manchester City Home Kit 2013-2014 is a post from: Just Football
Manchester City have unveiled their new home kit for the 2013-2014 season.
The new sky blue home kit is sponsored by Nike, after Nike sold former kit makers Umbro to Iconix Brand Group last year for £140million, ending City's association with the Manchester-based firm.
No matter how good Manuel Pellegrini is as a manager, Manchester City are setting him up for failure before he's even been hired as the new boss. Today while on tour in the United States, Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano said this:
"I think that next season is going to be much better.
Tonight marks the first of many Premier League matches on US soil this summer. Chelsea plays Manchester City in St Louis tonight with the game kicking off at 8:30pm ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com (for viewers in the United States). If you live in the United Kingdom, the game will be shown live on ESPN.
Fernando Torres has played down the negative perception of Chelsea, adding that the club are now striving for a Premier League title.
The Spanish striker was speaking ahead of Chelsea's games this week against Manchester City, when he told reporters, "At least since I'm here it always looks a bit worse than it is really.
Manchester City look set to embark on a major overhaul of their squad when the summer transfer window opens, as owner Sheikh Mansour targets regaining the Premier League title and a vastly improved performance in the Champions League.
Much of the speculation has focused on which stars the big-spending Citizens want to sign, with Napoli's £50 million-rated Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani and Cagliari defender Davide Astori said to top their shopping list.
Paul Lambert is probably well aware that he faces an uphill struggle to stop his star striker from joining Arsenal. Although we have not heard anything about Arsene Wenger getting in touch with Aston Villa about a transfer, the Frenchman must be aware that Christian Benteke has hinted about moving and has even specifically mentioned the Gunners.
Guardiola v Mourinho on the horizon once more - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
The predicted lull to wash over the footballing world come the close season has altogether failed to materialise. Instead of drab, end of season reminiscing, the airwaves have been flooded with the current managerial runaround, one that threatens to trump the entire summer transfer market.
Your whistle-stop guide to the latest Premier League arrivals Name: Fernando Amorebieta Age: 28 Position: Centre-back Signed from: Athletic Bilbao Fee: Free Did you know? During Athletic's successful 2009–10 season, Amorebieta picked up an impressive 18 yellow cards and two red cards. What's the deal?
With less than 90 days to go before NBC Sports begins televising the Premier League on US television, the number of TV providers who will providing access to every single Premier League match next season still only numbers five. They are Comcast xFinity TV, DISH Network, Verizon FIOS, Suddenlink and Cablevision — all of whom will be providing access to NBC Sports Live Extra as well as NBC Sports Network, etc.
