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Premier League 2023-24 fans’ verdicts, part one: Arsenal to Fulham
Arsenal
It’s been a privilege. Yes, it looks destined to end in glorious failure, but we’ll keep faith until the fat lady sings. No matter the outcome, there’s so much pride in the unity of spirit that has sustained our campaign to the final day and given us the sort of exhilarating entertainment we last witnessed a couple of decades back. Some might not agree with all of Mikel’s decisions along the way, but there’s certainly no disputing his achievements. 9.5/10.
Related: Premier League 2023-24 fans’ verdicts, part two: Liverpool to Wolves
Stars/flops The obvious stars are Saliba, Gabriel, White, Rice, Saka, Havertz and Trossard, but it’s the team as a unit which has excelled, inspired by the boundless energy and bravery of Ødegaard, our self-effacing captain. No real flops, but I’d have loved to see some more from Smith Rowe, Vieira struggles to impose himself and Zinchenko’s had some costly lapses.
Biggest surprise Despite fears of burnout due to Mikel’s refusal to rotate, we’ve avoided a repeat of last season’s collapse. And then there’s Havertz. He always struck me as a cultured footballer, but none of us envisioned Kai maximising his Alleskönner attributes as a false 9.
Best/worst away fans RC Lens were loud despite getting battered 6-0, while Chelsea fans performed an embarrassingly premature evacuation.
Moment that made me smile Reading that the suits might consider binning VAR. Other highs were the first time we raised the roof with the North London Forever anthem, and the first sight of Declan Rice as our new midfield general, along with the realisation “we got him half price!”
• Bernard Azulay onlinegooner.com; @GoonerN5
Aston Villa
No superlative can describe the season. It’s just been beyond the wildest expectations. Every member of the squad has contributed, they’ve all improved (again) and the effort and sheer will to finish fourth in the last few weeks has been heroic, with April’s momentous win at Arsenal one of the best performances in decades. The manager seems to be able to inspire players to run through walls, he’s so tactically aware and his dignity in both victory and defeat should be noted by his peers. Unai Emery, Villa love you more than you will know. 10/10.
Stars/flops It’s 9s and 10s all around. It’s hard to pick people out but Martínez has justified his grand status as the world’s No 1, 40 goal contributions (no pens) is an incredible effort from Watkins, and Bailey has shone bright. Torres is such a lovely footballer and Konsa deserved his England call-up. The midfield core have been tireless, and Tielemans and Rogers have had brilliant runs since Christmas.
Biggest surprise The refusal to let it slip, despite European distractions and injuries. Either a cup run or seventh would’ve done us in August; a cup run and fourth is “pinch me” stuff.
Best/worst away fans Any fan who refused to be put off by Sky’s ludicrous scheduling deserves to be in the “best” category, along with Hibs and Olympiakos. Chelsea make less noise than they think, in all aspects of life.
Moment that made me smile I haven’t stopped smiling all season. But as the final whistle blew at the Lane on Tuesday, watching the manager’s attempts at remaining measured get overwhelmed by a wave of champagne at the awards dinner was particularly lovely.
• Jonathan Pritchard
Bournemouth
It’s been tremendous. Andoni Iraola replaced Gary O’Neil to the horror of many so-called experts, but he’s brought a refreshing, high-energy attacking style that has delivered our highest points total ever. Yes, it took time to bed in, but even during our winless run of nine games at the start the signs were there. We kept the faith in the new way of playing, embraced it and can’t wait to see how much further we can go next season. 9/10.
Stars/flops Much of the talk will rightly be about Dom Solanke and his goals and all-round play, but the midfield combo of Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie has been a revelation. So, too the defensive qualities of Zabarnyi and Senesi. And both Semenyo and Kluivert have also made huge contributions. Flops? Ryan Fredericks – in the squad but permanently injured. And the goalkeeping situation needs resolving. We have four in the squad but no definitive No 1.
Biggest surprise The win and display at Old Trafford: a 3-0 demolition that could have been five or six. We outplayed a number of teams on their own patch, including Wolves and Newcastle, which was a delight.
Best/worst away fans Arsenal had the place bouncing, especially for Havertz, who needed a boost. Worst were Everton. We expected a real togetherness from them but they were pretty silent – almost resigned to defeat, which came with a last-minute own goal.
Moment that made me smile Plenty, including Solanke’s glorious last-minute winner for his first top-flight hat-trick at Forest. The third goal at Old Trafford. And Unal’s finish to put the game to bed against Brighton and take us to 48 points. Then there’s David Brooks’s goal at Brentford, his first after returning from cancer, and Luton’s Tom Lockyer recovering to take the applause from fans in the rearranged home game.
• Jeff Hayward Back of the Net podcast; @afcbpodcast
Brentford
A difficult season – but you could argue it was our best due to how we handled all the setbacks. On paper, finishing just above the drop zone after being 9th and 13th in our first two seasons isn’t progress, but look at the context: we lost our 20 goal‑a‑season striker for half the campaign then, one by one, key players such as Henry, Schade, Hickey, Mbuemo and Pinnock to injury. So it’s truly remarkable we never once dipped into the relegation zone. It’s a testament to Thomas Frank and the squad’s adaptability. It’s 4/10 for enjoyment, 9/10 for pulling the cat out the bag.
Stars/flops Mbuemo was magnificent despite his four months out. Pinnock showed how much we missed him during his layoff. Janelt cost us 50p and starred again. But Frank “The Tank” Onyeka was close but no cigar.
Biggest surprise The quality of our B-teamers who stepped up – including Ghoddos, whom we re-signed at the start of the season on a free after releasing him earlier in the summer.
Best/worst away fans Wolves were loud and Sheffield United fans were quality. Fulham were rubbish. Forest kept moaning but the worst were Liverpool, Arsenal and United fans, many of whom got lost en route to the away end and wound up in the home seats.
Moment that made me smile Zanka’s reply to Brentford FC’s call for votes for goal of the season. “Can’t find the option for my goal against Villa,” he said. It was possibly the worst goal ever scored. But they all count.
• Billy Grant Beesotted podcast and blog; @Beesotted; @BillyTheBee99
Brighton
I don’t think anyone was too surprised by the announcement about De Zerbi leaving. The uncertainty in the past few weeks unsettled the players and his comments about the lack of January signings appears to have strained the relationship with Tony Bloom. But it’s a real shame it has to end – he had us playing beautiful football in his first season and pushed us into Europe, which made such a buzz around the Amex. I just hope he isn’t going to Chelsea. 7/10
Stars/flops The standout star is João Pedro, whose coolness with his penalty to draw us level in the cauldron of Marseille gave everyone belief that we could compete in Europe. Then there’s the brilliant master of assists Pascal Gross; academy graduate Jack Hinshelwood, who came storming into the first team only to sadly get injured; and Valentín Barco, who gets more confident by the minute. No flops, though Ansu Fati hasn’t lived up to expectations – perhaps due to injury.
Biggest surprise The injury problems; one game we had nine players out. It was devastating to lose Solly March and Julio Enciso for most of the season, especially after we’d sold Moisés Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
Best/worst away fans The noise of Marseille in November, bare chests and backs lit up by flares, must win the award. But it was grim to hear Ajax fans turning on their own players.
Moment that made me smile Brighton fans hitting back at Roma supporters’ offensive message about the queen with a banner proclaiming Totti adora l’ananas sulla pizza – Totti loves pineapple on his pizza – in the second leg at the Amex. Boom.
• Steph Fincham
Burnley
It couldn’t have gone much worse. Promoted as champions after an incredible 2022-23, we started with a bizarre transfer window that never looked like meeting our requirements. The season then began and continued with some shocking performances, strange selections and substitutions, and we’ve spent most of the season expecting to go down. Most of this is the manager’s responsibility. After a wonderful first season, Kompany has really struggled to get things right in the Premier League and he has a lot to do to restore confidence in him. 2/10
Stars/flops Sander Berge and Dara O’Shea are the only two coming out of the season with much credit, and it is probably no surprise that they were the two new signings with some Premier League experience. The flops are too many to mention really, but some of our players just looked out of their depth. This has been our worst ever Premier League squad.
Biggest surprise The number of new players brought in last summer and the number who had been key in the promotion campaign being discarded.
Best/worst away fans Sheffield United had a worse team than us but turned up in numbers to see us beat them 5-0 and continued to get behind their side. Bournemouth and Fulham were the worst, simply because there were not too many of them.
Moment that made me smile The waterfall at Old Trafford last Sunday.
• Tony Scholes UptheClarets.com; @utcdotcom
Chelsea
Last summer we were looking at a top-six finish; by the turn of the year that looked way off, with some absolutely woeful performances. But some solid home form has turned it round again: Pochettino has certainly got the team scoring even while our ridiculous injury list has meant picking a stable back four remains a problem. The manager has been hot and cold, and very frustrating tactically at times, but you can see what he is trying to do. He gets real credit for improving and integrating a lot of young players in one go and deserves a second season to build on this. Top six and two Wembley trips adds up to 7/10 for the season.
Stars/flops Cole Palmer absolutely oozes class. A big shout also to Conor Gallagher, who has given 100% and really stepped up. He deserves a new contract – sort it out Chelsea. The big disappointment was Mudryk: it’s only been in the last two or three games has he started to show his potential.
Biggest surprise All the capitulations when conceding first or going a goal down – it felt like we had a built-in panic button.
Best/worst away fans Best were Leeds, old-school support – I’m always a fan of big away allocations in the cup. The worst? Brentford with their “We support our local team/Worst support we’ve ever seen” nonsense.
Moment that made me smile Once again Spurs provide the entertainment. The Postecoglou post-match interview after the City defeat was comedy gold – like Conte before him, he’s quickly realised what the culture of the club is about. Spursy.
• Paul Baker in memory of Trizia Fiorellino
Crystal Palace
We’re living the dream right now. After the season’s nadir of watching Michael Olise limp off two minutes after inexplicably being sent on at Brighton with the game already gone, who’d have thought we’d go into the final day with a chance to finish in the top half? Oliver Glasner’s impact has been remarkable: we’re playing liquid football that puts a spring in the step. It is no surprise Bayern tried to prise him away from us. Out of 10? Pre-Glasner era it’s a 5. Glasner era? 9.5.
Stars/flops Andersen has been a rock at the back and played every league game. Doucouré was magnificent until his injury. Mateta’s metamorphosis into a lethal striker has been a joy, and Eze and Olise’s wizardry is the most exciting thing we’ve seen at Palace for a long time. It will be an absolute scandal if neither of them goes to the Euros. Wharton’s signing at £18m was the bargain of the decade, with Muñoz at £6.8m not far behind. Matheus França struggled to make an impact, but will surely improve.
Biggest surprise The transformation in the way the team plays: high-pressing energy, crisp passing, and two wing-backs further forward than our strikers half the time. And no one saw Mateta’s remarkable improvement coming, from also-ran reserve striker to ruthless goal machine. Similarly, Will Hughes’s, Tyrick Mitchell’s and Nathaniel Clyne’s adaptation and importance to Glasner’s philosophy of play has been incredible to watch. The crippling set of injures was quite something, too: where would we be in the table if so many key players hadn’t missed so much football?
Best/worst away fans Manchester United fans sang throughout and even applauded their players after their 4-0 thrashing. Luton were fairly quiet.
Moment that made me smile Our U21s winning the Premier League International Cup, and Crystal Palace Women securing promotion to the WSL in front of a record crowd at Selhurst. Brilliant achievements.
• Chris Waters @Clapham_Grand
Everton
Be thankful for small mercies. The Premier League (PSR), the 777 bid issue, an absent board, Moshiri bidding to be the league’s worst ever owner, Dyche’s direct football … but also Dyche’s strength of character, running the club single-handed, the players, the fans – always the fans! Three months without a win, then winning five at home without conceding. So a plain, nondescript season all in all – 10/10 for drama anyway. But in all seriousness, the ownership of the club (not 777) has to be resolved and we have to cease being run like a circus and return to being a top level, highly professional sports organisation. We can’t keep rolling the dice blindly.
Stars/flops Branthwaite: a new Bobby Moore, Franz Beckenbauer or (more locally) Brian Labone. Mentions also for Tarko and Pickford. “Flop” is harsh but Harrison failed to take his chance.
Biggest surprise Our resilience, our ability to pull ourselves together for the third successive season despite overwhelming odds. Everyone (from Dyche down) has to be proud of what we have achieved. School of Science, no, but heart and guts, yes
Best/worst away fans Sheffield United were model fans, as were Palace: endless support for a good, traditional club. Worst: Newcastle. Never take their full allocation, obsessed with Pickford and vile poverty chanting.
Moment that made me smile I only need to say one thing “You lost the league at Goodison Park”. Brilliant occasion and great to hear it chanted at Liverpool games since.
• The Esk TheEsk.org; @TheEsk
Fulham
Hmm, glass half full or half empty? We retained our top-flight status with ease and even reached a domestic cup semi-final. So that’s a resounding success. And yet it could have been more given our fantastic return to the Premier League with 10th spot the season before. We consolidated rather than built on that and nosedived once the kites and beach loungers became available. The elephant in the room – prolific, and often rampaging – was Mitrovic and his untimely departure in August. The folly of having no primed and prepped backup, and having to mix and match until Muniz blossomed, was costly. Marco Silva continues to do well with the players available, improving individuals and maintaining the squad spirit, even if his use of subs can be a tad bemusing. He’s losing his sidekick Boa Morte (good luck and thanks Boa) and will be hoping for younger reinforcements in time for next season to keep his project on track. Over to you, Tony! 8/10.
Stars/flops Bassey, Palhinha and, ultimately, Muniz stood out as Silva shuffled his pack, particularly in midfield. “Rabona” Raúl and “Barren” Broja barely troubled the scorers.
Biggest surprise Getting to the Carabao Cup semi was a bonus, before being outfoxed rather than outplayed by Liverpool. A chance missed.
Best/worst away fans Rotherham supporters came to the Cottage to have a laugh in the cup while Liverpool fans seemed eager to make friends with us as they kept popping up in all parts of the ground.
Moment that made me smile Bruno Fernandes has many talents, including astonishing powers of recovery. When he brushed against Sasa Lukic at Old Trafford in February he hit the deck as if mortally wounded only to spring up to his feet when the ball came his way. His antics were then defended by Ten Hag. Good grief!
• David Lloyd @DMLTOOFIF
