The 2016/17 Premier League‘s three magic words turned out to be: "Three-four-three". Many teams attempted it but none better than Antonio Conte's Chelsea who bulldozed their way to the title after changing tactics and strategies in October.
Tottenham Hotspur had their best ever season in the Premier League era but that was not enough to dethrone the Blues at the top. The battle for the fourth spot was between Arsenal and Liverpool but Jurgen Klopp's men pipped the Gunners in a battle that went down to the final game.
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At the other end of the table, Sunderland had a horrible season and finished rock bottom. Despite changing managers, Hull and Middlesbrough could not stop the rot whereas Swansea City miraculous escaped the relegation zone after the appointment of Paul Clement.
Also read: EPL 2016/17: How much prize money did each Premier League team win this season?
Defending champions Leicester City could not replicate last year's form as they failed to make the top ten.
In terms of individuals, Harry Kane continued his dominance as he won the Golden Boot for scoring 29 league goals. Romelu Lukaku finished a close second with 25 whereas Kevin De Bruyne's 18 assists were the highest in the season.
It was a season to remember for many and one to learn from for others. Here is a detailed report card for the clubs who finished in the upper half of the table:
Chelsea
This title must have been the sweetest for Chelsea supporters after a disastrous previous season saw them finish 10th. The manager was sensational, to say the least, and the players responded splendidly to Conte's demands to give the Blues their sixth league title.
Star player: N’Golo Kante. Though Eden Hazard was back to his terrifying best, it was the industrious and consistent performances in the middle by Kante which gave Chelsea an upper hand over the other teams.
Biggest flop: Branislav Ivanovic. He was not at his best last season and continued his bad run in this campaign too. He could not offer much in the seven games he played in August and was subsequently offloaded to Zenit St. Petersburg.
Areas to improve: It turned out to be a complete team performance by the Blues, but at times, the strikers at their disposal failed to get the job done. Conte is looking out for a striker to replace Diego Costa which will make his Chelsea side more balanced.
Grade: A+
Southampton
A top ten finish was the aim for the Saints and they managed that but with a relatively low points tally. The players were not at their best in the last few games which might lead to Claude Puel’s sacking in the summer. Moreover, their Europa League campaign turned out to be a disaster.
Star player: Oriol Romeu played brilliantly throughout the season in a shielding role and was the pillar for his side against the big teams. He also dictated the tempo for Southampton which made them one of the sides with the best passing percentage.
Biggest flop: Sofiane Boufal was expected to light up the Premier League with his skills and dribbling abilities but he failed to get used to the demands of the Premier League and had an average season.
Areas to improve: Goals dried up for Southampton after Manolo Gabbiadini went out of form and securing a top striker to partner the Italian should be the main aim for the Saints this summer.
Grade: C+
Bournemouth
The main aim for the Cherries was to remain in the Premier League at the end of the season and they managed that with style as both Eddie Howe and his players did a brilliant job of securing the club's highest ever finish.
Star player: Joshua King has been of the best players since the turn of the year and the forward has scored goals at will. The Norwegian finished just behind Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku on the list of goals scored in 2017.
Biggest flop: Sadly it has to be Max Gradel who suffered a knee injury in the beginning of the season and never recovered. Bournemouth paid a huge price for him but he was unable to justify that price tag.
Areas to improve: Bournemouth have done themselves proud in their last three years in the Premier League and just have to continue on this road under Eddie Howe's management.
Grade: A
West Bromwich Albion
Tony Pulis has never been relegated as a manager and he maintained that record with another satisfactory performance with the Baggies. Though they missed out on their highest ever points tally, West Bromwich Albion made significant progress this season under the taskmaster.
Star player: Ben Foster made many match winning saves to prove his worth to his side. Jonny Evans comes a close second with the veteran showing no signs of slowing down.
Biggest flop: With just one goal in 2017, Solomon Rondon was disappointing for the Baggies.
Areas to improve: Funds must be made available for Pulis to build on this season as West Brom have a very thin squad to choose from. A number of signing in every department would be helpful as they target a top ten finish next campaign.
Grade: C+
Tottenham Hotspur
Mauricio Pochettino kept his reputation of being one of the brightest managers in Europe intact by guiding Tottenham to a second successive top-four finish in the league. But a trophy still eludes him and his young crop of players.
Star player: Dele Alli. Just like Harry Kane, Alli proved his consistency this season and the comparisons with Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are slowly gathering steam.
Biggest flop: Spurs spent a record amount on Newcastle United's Moussa Sissoko but the £30 million man could not impress Pochettino enough for a starting berth.
Areas to improve: Spurs still need an able partner for Kane as last season's recruit, Vincent Janssen failed big time despite his much-hyped move from the Netherlands.
Grade: B+
Manchester City
A lot was expected from Pep Guardiola's first season in England but it turned out to be a learning curve for the Spaniard. Guardiola failed to have a crack at the title and was exposed tactically against quite a few teams.
Best player: The former Bayern Munich boss made David Silva play in a slightly deeper role in midfield and that turned out to be a masterclass as the maestro dictated games like never before.
Biggest flop: None other than Claudio Bravo! The custodian arrived in the summer but failed to impress due to some incredibly feeble shot stopping. The manager must be ruing his decision to let Joe Hart go on loan to Italy.
Areas to improve: The whole backline needs an upgrade as Manchester City struggled defensively throughout the league campaign. The fullbacks need to be replaced while a world class centre back should be taken on board as captain Vincent Kompany cannot be trusted to stay fit the entire season.
Grade: C+
Liverpool
The Reds achieved a top four finish for just the second time since 2009 as their main target was achieved on the final day of the season. Without European competition to worry about, Liverpool should have achieved that rather easily but a mid-season blip ensured the race for fourth went down to the wire.
Star player: The new signing from Southampton, Sadio Mane became an instant hit after his stunning solo goal on opening day against Arsenal. Despite missing many games – he went away on national duty for the AFCON and then injured his knee injury in March – he remained the club's joint top scorer in the league with 13 goals.
Biggest flop: Loris Karius was roped in to provide competition for Simon Mignolet and gradually replace him as Liverpool's number one. Jurgen Klopp gave him a few chances but the German custodian failed to cash in on those opportunities and made more howlers than saves in this campaign.
Areas to improve: A centre back to partner Joel Matip and a left back should be the top priority along with some added cover on the flanks. Sources have confirmed that this summer will be the biggest transfer window in the history of the club.
Grade: B-
Also read: EPL 2016/17: 10 most insane stats from the Premier League season
Arsenal
Despite spending in the summer, Arsenal failed to live up to expectations and Europa League beckons the Gunners for the first time. The toxic atmosphere during the latter stages of the season at the Emirates did not help their cause and the pressure on Arsene Wenger to leave has never been this intense.
Star player: Alexis Sanchez had another brilliant season as he turned out to be the club's shining light in their tough times. But his public displays of frustration at times were rather surprising.
Biggest flop: A lot was expected from Francis Coquelin but the Frenchman had a terrible season and could be heading towards the exit doors come the summer.
Areas to improve: A left back must be a top priority for Arsenal as the likes of Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs failed to impress. With Sanchez and Mesut Ozil's futures still in the doldrums, the Gunners might have to look for their replacements as well.
Grade: C-
Manchester United
Jose Mourinho's first season with the Red Devils will be considered a success only if he wins tonight's Europa League final against Ajax. Manchester United have been poor in the league but have made up for it in the cup competitions.
Star player: Though Ander Herrera won the United Player of the Year award, it was Zlatan Ibrahimovic who was the club's most influential player. He scored 28 goals in all competitions and without the Swede, Manchester United would have been in a big mess.
Worst player: Anthony Martial had enough chances to make his mark but failed to do so in any competition. Playing on the flanks and sometimes as a striker, he could not get involved in games and struggled to get his name on the scoresheet on most occasions.
Areas to improve: The defence remains a worry and a centre back and a left back will be top priorities for the Red Devils. If David De Gea leaves for greener pastures, a goalkeeper will be added to the list along with a big name striker. Jose Mourinho and Manchester United are again expected to spend big this summer.
Grade: C- (if they fail to win the final) B- (if they beat Ajax)
Everton
A season that started with the utmost promise but faded in the end. However, the progress was there for everyone to see and Ronald Koeman will look to build on this season’s showing and secure a place in the Champions League next season.
Star player: It has to be Romelu Lukaku who starred for Everton with 25 league goals. If the Merseyside club manage to keep hold of him for the next season, a challenge can be expected from them.
Biggest flop: Joel Robles. The custodian was disappointing for the majority of the campaign, reiterating the fact that Everton need a better goalkeeper for the next season.
Areas to improve: Goals have not come easily for Everton as barring Lukaku, the others have not contributed to a great extent. Hence, signing a goal scorer, be it a winger or an attacking midfielder, should be the top priority.
Grade: C-
