A fan's review of the 2013/14 Premier League season

The 2013/14 season is done and Manchester City have pipped Liverpool to the Premier League title.Here is a club wise review of the top clubs inthe season gone by.

#1 How Manuel Pellegrini did a Jose

Despite the title, Manuel Pelligrini's entry into England was the exact opposite to that of Jose Mourinho. Calm and composed, Manuel Pelligrini knew what he was appointed to do. And he justified all odds by winning what two trophies. A League Cup and Premier League double in your first season is as dreamy as it gets. Two domestic trophies. 100+ goals. What else could he have asked for?

In the beginning though, results were poor away from home. And at the same time they spared no one at home. Midway into the season they still were favourites. The 2011-12 champions' experience eventually got them over the line. Now it's about time they started taking the Champions League seriously as well.

They can be a force to be reckoned in Europe. But such is the nature of modern football that if this season's success is not followed by more success next season, he might get the sack as Roberto Mancini did. Things are different though. Both inside the club and on the pitch. And he would be hoping that this continues.

#2 Brilliant Brendan

Ironically, Jose Mourinho once stated that it was bad for English football that there were few British coaches in the country at the top level. But here we have Brendan Rodgers who has taken Liverpool to a different level in a season's time. And he has done it in style, especially with young and homegrown players.

Unlike Manchester City, Liverpool have a number of talents from the country to boast of like Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge. And then they have their captain fantastic Steven Gerrard as well. Their success this season, most will agree, has been down to the fact that they have been involved, for the best part of the season, in only one competition.

But you have to say he has been helped with the fact the club held on to their talisman Luis Suarez and that he came good this season. He did well last season though, acquiring the services of Sturridge who has looked a different player after his move to Merseyside.

In the end there's only one thing that has probably cost them the title - Defence. A few new signings and we might see Liverpool next season in a similar position, if not better. England needs more managers like Brendan Rodgers. So I hope he and Liverpool perform in the same way every season.

#3 The Happy One

The season started with a cheer for everyone related to Chelsea Football Club as "The Special One" announced his return at the club by pointing out that there was one thing different from his first stint here - that now he was "One of us". This time around he became the self anointed "Happy One".

He got the players he needed. But there was a feeling among those close to the club that neither was this the same side he had in his first spell and nor was he entirely happy with the current squad. He tried to address the problem of the lack of a top striker but he couldn't. Rooney refused to leave Manchester United and Jose went for his old time favourite Samuel Eto'o.

To be fair, none of the strikers fired on all cylinders. That hurt them throughout the season. As the defence worked hard and kept oppositions out, the ball failed to hit the back of the net at the other end. He tried everything to fire up his forwards but all he got was 31 goals from three strikers. That cost them the title in the end.

It wasn't the best second homecoming for the manager but he won't be too disappointed. And towards the end he seemed to laid back as if he had given up on the title and was already thinking about the next season. With a striker coming in the summer and Romelu Lukaku probably staying next season, the title should be an easy win for the West Londoners.

#4 The Fourth Place Trophy:

You know what Arsenal are capable of when your friend, who is an Arsenal fan and knows how to defend the club, comes out and says "We are finishing fourth in any case. We are the brand ambassadors of the fourth place trophy".

It was odd to hear this from my friend as I made a case for Everton to finish above them. But then that is what has been the story for the club for a long time now. This season, they started ever so well. But they slipped up. Again. Fortunately though, this season might not end without a trophy for them.

But then again the FA cup is not enough. They Arsenal fans would be hopingthat Ozil and the FA cup are just a start in terms of signings and trophies respectively. They have had injury problems over the course of this season. That has indeed tested the depth of their squad.

It might be a weak one when you see what Chelsea and Manchester City have but then they are not so bad as to get thrashed by them. All neutrals hope that Arsene stays, which he probably will. So we just hope that they are celebrating for something more than a fourth place finish at the end of next season.

#5 Marvelous Martinez

It was supposed to be a season of transition for Everton too. The departure of David Moyes was seen differently by every other Evertonian. Some accepted he had to go since he got the call from the greatest manager ever. Others thought he followed the footsteps of Wayne Rooney. Plus, there was that fear that he might lure Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini (who eventually joined the Red Devils) away.

In Martinez though, they got the perfect successor. Everyone knew about the good work he had done at Wigan and he certainly deserved to stay in the Premier League. He promised the club Champions League football next season. And he fell just short.

He exploited the loan system. He knew the kind of players he needed. He encouraged the players to play the right way. Ironically, he made the Everton fans think if they were under achieving for the last decade. Even in the studio in pre-match and post-match shows, it is great to hear from him. He has done so much good for the game and for the club that he deserves European football.

But the sad part is, that much of his success this season was based on the performance of the players borrowed from the big clubs. Now with all of them gone probably never to return, he must find another way to make Everton real contenders for the top four next season.

#6 Misery For Moyes

Not one gameweek has gone by this season when everyone related to English Football has not thought about how, why and what went wrong at Manchester United. It started well for David Moyes but ended in the worst possible manner.

One thing struck me more than any other aspect of his performance as a presence on the touchline was his body language. At times he looked lost for ideas. He looked as if he did not what to do next. If your manager has a big question mark on his face then you can't really expect the players to give him a performance, can you?

It is good that they have not finished in the Europa League places which could only have increased their worries. Now United have very little time to repair the damage. Next season, if they're not up there again fighting for the title, then there probably won't be a way back for them.