 SURPRISE PACKAGES AND DISAPPOINTING TEAMS OF 2021

by Alex Dudley

As 2021 winds to a close, it’s always good to look back at some of the teams’ performances that have caught the imagination around the Premier League. Meanwhile, others are likely to be hugely disappointed with their performances over the calendar year, and will be hoping that the start of a new year can bring with it new fortune.

For United, it has been a largely positive year, with steps taken in the right direction, but which sets of fans from opposing teams will be either happy or disappointed with their 2021 campaigns?

West Ham United When it comes to the surprise packages of 2021, you would be hard-pressed to look anywhere else than West Ham United. The job that David Moyes has done at the club since taking over in December 2019 deserves the utmost respect. The former United boss took over the club as they were hovering above the relegation places, but over the last two years, he has made them a force to be reckoned with both at home and abroad. Last season’s sixthplace finish was an incredible performance from the Hammers, but they were by no means there through luck. That has been evident once again through the early months of the 2021-22 season, as West Ham have continued to excel.

Players such as Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek have given a strong foundation to build on, while the forward players of Michail Antonio, Pablo Fornals and Jarred Bowen have been able to deliver the goods at the opposite end of the pitch. Only Manchester City and Chelsea have picked up more Premier League points than the Hammers in 2021, and they look to have an excellent chance of finishing the season in a European place once again; hopefully, not at the expense of United. Crystal Palace I will be the first to admit that I was categorically wrong about Crystal Palace at the start of this

season. Many fans of the club greeted Patrick Vieira’s appointment at Selhurst Park, but I always believed that his inexperience could be a factor, and the club could once again fall down the Frank de Boer rabbit hole that almost landed them back in the Championship. However, Vieira has proven all his critics wrong since taking over, and Palace have become one of the most entertaining sides to watch in the Premier League this season.

The Eagles scored just 41 goals in the topflight last season, and are already halfway towards eclipsing that total this term. Vieira has done an excellent job of revitalising players in the squad that looked to be on their way out, including Christian Benteke, who has already scored more goals this season than he has in three of the five seasons he has been with the club. It would be dangerous to rule out this youthful Palace side of making a challenge for the Europa League or Europa Conference League places in the second half of the season, but things are certainly looking rosy at the club following the departure of Roy Hodgson. North London. With Champions League positions looking an unlikely target, Conte may see a trophy such as the League Cup as a huge success in his first year with the club.

Newcastle United There is a huge buzz around Newcastle United following the departure of Mike Ashley. However, performances on the pitch are yet to improve. The Toon ended the 2020-21 season in a very decent 12th, but the pressure on Steve Bruce remained. Bruce oversaw the start of this season, but was relieved of his duties following the change in ownership, and was swiftly replaced by former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe. There will be a huge challenge on his hands in 2022, as he looks to guide the club to safety. The stats certainly don’t lie over the past year, as they have conceded more goals than any other side that have been competing in the Premier League throughout 2021, and have picked up the second-lowest points. Next year already looks to be a huge one for the club, as they look to secure their Premier League status, while also bringing in new faces that will shape the ‘new’ Newcastle United.

However, before looking too far into the future, the club must first survive what looks like a dire situation this season. They are the only side in the Premier League yet to pick up a win this season, and the position that they find themselves in at the start of the new year could be daunting, with fixtures against United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Leicester City over the festive period. Money will be thrown at the problem by the Sheikh honours in the winter, but it remains to be seen whether money alone will be enough to fix the problems that the club have on the field in 2022.

Tottenham Hotspur It would seem as though the brightest moment of the Tottenham Hotspur season last term was their momentarily lead at the top of the Premier League standings. Since they lost grip on the top spot, it has been carnage at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Many believed that Jose Mourinho was the man to bring that much-desired trophy to the club, but a run of five defeats in six spelt the end to his reign, before the club lost in the League Cup final under interim boss Ryan Mason. A decent end to the campaign restored some pride, but Daniel Levy was left flapping trying to find a new boss in the summer.

Nuno Espirito Santo appeared to be the seventh choice, and despite three wins on the bounce to start the season, the wheels quickly came off. The Portuguese boss was sacked following United’s 3-0 win over Spurs at the end of October, with Antonio Conte brought in to survive what looks to be a helpless situation. Champions League places already look out of the equation, while a Europa League Conference defeat to Slovenian side Mura has done little to give the Italian much confidence that he has the tools for a successful 2022 in