The Football Addick

Another Premier League season has come and gone. For some teams in the Premier League, the 2016/2017 season was highly successful and thus they can be happy with their efforts. However, for many teams in the league the season was tough and some will be glad that the season is over. The Football Addick analyses the performances of all teams that finished in the TOP HALF in the Premier League and rates their success out of 10. Which teams got the highest marks? Despite their three trophies, did Manchester United receive a mark higher than five? And who was the star man and disappointment for each team? Find out the answer to all these questions in the upcoming pages. Antonio Conte guided Chelsea to their 5th Premier League title 1st: Chelsea - 9/10 After a tough start, Antonio Conte managed to reverse both his and Chelsea's performances as they cruised to the Premier League title. However, the season ended on a sour note as they were defeated 2-1 in the FA Cup Fin...

This summer will most likely be an extremely nervy transfer window for Manchester United fans. Why? because Real Madrid seem to have set their sights on United's star man, David De Gea. Although their £60 million move was rejected by Manchester United yesterday, it is almost inevitable that Real Madrid will respond with a higher offer. Money is of no object to the Spanish giants and when they want someone; they usually get them. It is therefore a very worrying time for United fans, who will be extremely worried that their irreplaceable goalkeeper will leave the club. Although the English club would be doing all they can to keep De Gea, they must prepare accordingly if their worst fears are realised. Shoot! Draws up a list of four goalkeepers that Manchester United should be targeting just in case De Gea does leave for Real Madrid... Jan Oblak Jan Oblak would be an ideal replacement, but does Atletico's transfer embargo scupper any chances of a potential tr...

Another Premier League season has come to an end. Teams such as Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and Bournemouth have all impressed this season and can be satisfied with their efforts as they surpassed the targets they set for themselves at the start of the year. However, proceedings have not gone quite as planned for several Premier League clubs. This can be highlighted by the eleven managerial casualties that have taken place since the start of the 2016/2017 season; showing that a plethora of clubs have underachieved this season. In this article, the Football Addick lists the five Premier League clubs he thinks has underachieved this season... 5) Manchester City 5) Pep Guardiola has not been able to work his magic as his team finished in a disappointing 3rd place Expectations were lofty for Manchester City this season. Firstly, they hired the manager that has achieved all there is to achieve in the game, all at the age of 45; Pep Guardiola. They also bolster...

For many months now Chelsea have looked destined to be crowned Premier League Champions, and they finally achieved their goal with 2 games to spare following a hard fought 1-0 victory at West Brom. It has been a remarkable season for Antonio Conte in his first season in West London, and it could get even better should he lead his team to success in the FA Cup Final against Arsenal later on this month. So how did they do it? This article will examine the factors which contributed to Chelsea's triumph in the 2016/2017 Premier League season. Chelsea celebrate after securing the Premier League title last night Master Tactician A lot of credit has to be given to Antonio Conte, who identified the issues that hindered Chelsea earlier on this season and made the changes necessary to get the best out of his side. Quite simply, reverting to 3-5-2 was a masterstroke. 6 games into the season and Chelsea weer struggling. A 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at home was disappointing, but a 3...

Let's be honest. English football is not in a good place. Not only is the national team flattering to deceive in major tournaments, but the Premier League has also declined quality. It can even be argued that the state of affairs in English football is reaching an alarming position. As a footballing nation we have hit an all time low. But it is not all doom and gloom. Despite the standard of English players being remarkably poor this decade compared to the last, there are those that offer hope for the future. Amidst the negativity, there are those that offer hope for the future. In this article, The Football Addick names his TOP 5 most talented teens from England. Which Liverpool youngster makes the list? Which 18 year-old midfielder is ranked at number 2? And where does Championship sensation Ryan Sessegnon feature in the top 5? Find out the answer to all these questions in the upcoming article. 5) Joe Gomez - Age: 19 5) Despite a promising start to his Liverpool career...

A footballers career is often short; in most cases players enjoy their best days during their twenties, before declining in performance when they enter their thirties. Football is undoubtedly a young man's game. Unfortunately for some players, their decline is both plain and sad to see. Footballers that have suffered such a decline include Fernando Torres and Michael Owen; both of which were forced to endure a number of injuries which depleted their footballing ability. But some footballers don't follow this trend. A number of players can actually be considered 'late bloomers': Those that aren't very good in their youth but thrive later on in their careers. This article will therefore consider the very best players currently playing in world football over the age of 35. Which two Spaniards make the list? Which Italian defender is rated at number 4? And is Zlatan Ibrahimovic ranked the best footballing veteran in the world? Find out the answer to all these ques...

On Sunday night, the PFA Young Player of the Year award for the 2016/2017 season was announced. In an award decided by every footballer plying their trade in the Premier League and given to the best player in the league equal to or under the age of 23, it was Dele Alli who was given this prestigious award. The 21 year-old midfielder ousted Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku and Leroy Sane on his way to receiving the trophy. Dele Alli has had another terrific season and this triumph is the second consecutive year that he has been named the PFA Young Player of the Year. But other youngsters have also had fine seasons, with Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku in particular enjoying prolific campaigns. So the question must be raised: Did Alli deserve to win the trophy? Or did one of the other contenders have a better season than the Spurs midfielder? In this article, The Football Addick (@FootballAddick) ranks the six footballers that were nominated for the award in...

On Sunday night, the Players' Player of the Year award for the 2016/2017 season was announced. In an award decided by each and every footballer plying their trade in the Premier League, it was N'Golo Kante who emerged victorious, fending off competition from Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez. Although most viewers of the Premier League on a weekly basis would have noted Kante's imperious performances in almost every game he has featured in, the question must still be raised: did he deserve to win the trophy? Or did one of the other contenders have a better season than the Frenchman? In this article, The Football Addick (@FootballAddick) ranks the six footballers that were nominated for the award in order of how they have performed, before revealing who he thinks should have won the PFA Players' Player of the Year for the 2016/2017 season. 6) Zlatan Ibrahimovic 6) Zlatan has had a good season but could it have been bet...

Although it is uncommon to see Portuguese players plying their trade in the Premier League, a few elite players from the country have made a name for themselves on English shores.  In his sixth edition of TOP 5, The Football Addick will now turn his attention to naming his TOP 5 Premier League's Greatest Portuguese, using facts and figures to reinforce his claims. As aforementioned, there was not an extensive pool of Portuguese footballers to choose from. Those that were considered but did not make the Top 5 include Raul Meireles, Cedric Soares, Jose Bosingwa, Deco and Ricardo Quaresma. Deco and Quaresma were probably the two that came the closest to making the list, but their footballing peaks occurred away from England and thus were omitted. Now onto the list of the Premier League's Top 5 Greatest Portuguese. Which 2016 Euro Championship winner takes the number 5 spot? Which nine-year Premier League veteran makes the list? And can anyone come close to challenging Cristian...