Features

Premier League verdict

Author: Rose Young
Date: 25/12/2009
Football betting

As the curtain is about to close on 2009, we take a look at who have been the winners and losers this year in the Premier League.

Winners - Birmingham City and Alex McLeish - Scotsman McLeish guided the Midlands outfit back into the big time from the Championship last season and with his side comfortably sitting in the top half of the Premier League table, collectively they continue to impress the onlookers.

Burnley and Owen Coyle - In the same mould, an unlikely promotion to the Premier League for the first time has been followed by a string of excellent performances that are keeping the unfashionable Clarets away from the drop zone.

Their home form is very impressive, they have even defeated Manchester United, Everton and Sunderland on home soil, but it is the away record that is proving concern, still, they are picking up friends along the way.

Aston Villa, Martin O'Neill and Gabriel Agbonlahor - Villa are riding high at the top end of the table under the fine stewardship of O'Neill and with Agbonlahor's goals, he is aiding his chances of being on the plane to the World Cup next year.

Maynor Figueroa, Wigan Athletic - The excellent form of Wigan's Honduran left-back has helped the Latics from a defensive point of view in recent months.

The 26-year-old has recently found himself in the limelight for all the right reasons after scoring a sensational free-kick from his own half after spotting Stoke City goalkeeper fractionally off his line and audaciously spanking the ball over his head and into the top corner.

Jermain Defoe, Tottenham Hotspur - The England striker's goals have helped him force a way into Fabio Capello's thoughts ahead of the World Cup next summer.

His five-goal salvo against Wigan in a 9-1 Premier League thumping has aided his cause.

Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti and Didier Drogba - The Italian tactician has taken to English football like a duck to water.

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After managing AC Milan to two Champions League successes, he made the decision to take one of the toughest jobs in football.

With pressure on any Chelsea manager from the moment they step into the breach, he won the Charity Shield in August before guiding the Blues to the top of their Champions League group and the summit of the Premier League with some breathtaking and ruthless displays with Drogba looking at his best yet and he is the online sportsbook favourite to be the Premier League topscorer this term.

Losers - Portsmouth - The Premier League outfit have found themselves in a real mess at the wrong end of the table.

After winning the FA Cup final in 2008, Pompey have went downhill, losing several key players along the way, including Peter Crouch, Sylvain Distin, Niko Kranjcar and Glen Johnson.

Liverpool and Rafael Benitez - Title pretenders Liverpool have suffered a shocking start to the 2009/10 Premier League campaign.

Not only this, but they have been eliminated from the Champions League after a dismal effort in a group consisting of Fiorentina and Lyon.

With so much of their success resting on the shoulders of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, the Merseysiders have went from a free-flowing attacking outfit to a predictable, boring and lacklustre side in the matter of months.

West Ham United and Dean Ashton - The Hammers are having an awful time of it at the foot of the table this term after a promising showing last season.

Gianfranco Zola is failing to impress as boss and to make matters worse, star-striker Dean Ashton has retired after failing to overcome an ankle injury at the age of just 26.

Manchester City - Despite featuring at the business end of the table, the Citizens' highly assembled squad has taken too long to gel and find themselves well of the pace of leaders Chelsea.

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