Firstly I must apologise in advance, for missing important
events and details from the season that helped make it as epic as it has been
described as, by just about every pundit and commentator in the land.
Everything that I love (and sometimes hate) about football
was encapsulated into the season that has just finished. 2011/2012 was
regularly described as the ‘season of all seasons’, and from a personal point
of view, it really did have everything except success for my beloved Manchester
United. The only way the season that just keeps giving could possibly outdo
itself, is by providing an England win over ‘Ze Germans at Euro 2012, but I think that may e asking a bit too
much.
The only area in which bitterness creeps in, when I think
about the season just gone, is when I consider how Manchester City won the
title. That they were the better, and more consistent, team is hard to disprove
as they scored the most goals and conceded the least. However, they very nearly threw it away, and
that is the killer.
Whoever wrote the script in 1999 for the glorious Sheringham
and Solskjaer inspired comeback that saw United crowned ‘Kings of Europe’
really pulled one out of the bag this year. Everton finished above Liverpool
and ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish has got the boot, all three promoted teams survived
relegation, and Robin Van Persie provided a new meaning to the song “he scores
when he wants”. Both of the Manchester
Clubs threw away solid leads in the title race, before finishing level on
points, with City stealing the crown with two goals in stoppage time to confirm
a goal difference win. There was goal line drama at Wembley with Martin
Atkinson giving Chelsea a game-changing goal in the FA Cup semi-final that
caused Harry Redknapp’s face to fall even further than it already does
naturally. Replays showed that the ball
barely reach the line, let alone crossed it, summing up what the second half of
the season was like for ‘Arry, who will ply his trade in the Europa League
again next year; a far cry from Euro 2012 where we all thought he’d be.
Talking of Euro 2012, ‘Woy’s’ the man for England! Well, to give him his full name, Roy Hodgson,
but frankly if he can’t pronounce his name properly, then I shouldn’t have to
either.
The season eventually finished in a way that only Gary
Neville saw coming. Coining phrases such as “it’s written in the stars”, and
“something’s happening!”, Neville screeched as Chelsea progressed, and
eventually a Champions League final showdown with Bayern Munich, at their own
ground, ensued. For 120 minutes it
resembled a particularly brutal assault as Bayern poured forward in wave after
wave of attack. To borrow a line from
noted wordsmith David Haye, it was “more one-sided than a gang-rape”. (What a way with words that lovely man has). Unfortunately for Bayern, GNev was right,
something was happening.
When Thomas Muller eventually scored with 7 minutes to play,
Didier Drogba equalised, and after Petr Cech had saved Arjen Robben’s poorly
taken penalty (which Drogba had conceded), it became more and more apparent
that fate was intervening. Four years on
from Chelsea’s last visit to the final they were back with a score to settle. In a twist of Shakespearian proportions, the
man who was sent off in Moscow 4 years ago, Drogba, scored the winning penalty
with his last ever touch of the ball for the team, whilst John Terry, the man
who missed a chance to win the trophy in Moscow in 2008, was sat in the stand,
suspended for an act of sheer stupidity.
What a truly apt turn of events.
It’s A Beautiful Game…
Coming Soon... The first annual Richard Awards. A series of the bests and worsts of the season as democratically decided by me.
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