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Chelsea were handed the Barclays Premier League trophy last Sunday in a season where their manager, Jose Mourinho, took his infractions with the authorities up a notch.
When he was not fighting the EPL management team, he was pouring invectives on referees.
But one thing stood out even more clearly in the team’s campaign this season: the Blues ended the season just the way they started – with 3-1 wins.
The first match of the season was between Manchester United and Swansea at Old Trafford on August 16, 2014 and the Swans gave Louis van Gaal a rude welcome to the Premiership.
Sung-Yong Ki, the South Korean midfielder, scored in the 28th minute while Wayne Rooney equalized in the 53rd but Gylffi Sigurdsson scored the winner for the Swans in the 72nd to complete a shock win for Gary Monk’s side and complete a shock win over Van Gaal and his troops.
This is how the teams started and finished…
Arsenal
The Gunners would have won the league if the season had started in January and they ended with a flourish – a 4-1 win over West Brom consolidating their third place on the table. But just like their season, it was an unlikely Theo Walcott, who ended the season with a hattrick on the last day and in the process scored the last goal of the season but he was absent through injury for most of the campaign which started with a 2-1 home victory over Crystal Palace, where Laurent Koscielny scored their first goal in a fight back and Aaron Ramsey got the winner on the stroke of full time.
August 16, 2014: Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
May 24, 2015: Arsenal 4-1 West Brom
Aston Villa
Andreas Weimann scored Villa’s first goal of the season in their first match away to Stoke City on August 16, which got them all three points, but it was not a pointer to how their season was going to turn out. The Austrian forward scored in the 50th minute and the game ended 1-0 to the Villains. But their season tailed of from that bright start and they had to wait till the penultimate week of the season to be declared safe. They scored just 31 goals all season with Christian Benteke scoring 13 of these – that is a whole 42% which lucidly shows why the team suffered as the Belgian forward played only 29 games.
August 16, 2014: Stoke City 0-1 Aston Villa
May 24, 2015: Aston Villa 0-1 Burnley
Burnley
Ultimately, their graft did not pay off even though their manager Sean Dyche showed that he can mix it with the best in the EPL. They started the season with a 3-1 home loss to eventual champions, Chelsea, though they scored first in that encounter through Scott Arfield. They ended the season with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa with the goal scored by one of the revelations of the season – Danny Ings, who is a free agent at the end of June.
August 16, 2014: Burnley 1-3 Chelsea
May 24, 2015: Aston Villa 0-1 Burnley
Chelsea
Chelsea played in the first Monday fixture of the 2014/15 season away to Burnley and went down to a goal before responding with three – through Diego Costa, the departed Andre Schurrle and Branislav Ivanovic and they ended the season as they started with another 3-1 win. They also had to come from being a goal down and scored the there goals through Diego Costa (who scored on the opening day) and a brace from Loic Remy. Costa ended the season with 20 league goals while Remy ended with 10.
August 16, 2014: Burnley 1-3 Chelsea
May 24, 2015: Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
Crystal Palace
The Eagles were very good in 2015 when Alan Pardew joined and in Yannick Bolassie they found a player, now been wooed by the top six teams. Their campaign started with a loss away to Arsenal and their first scorer was the unlikely Brade Hangeland in the 35th minute as they took the lead against the Gunners. They ended the season with a 1-0 win over Swansea City and Marouane Chamakh scored the only goal in the 57th minute.
August 16, 2014: Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
May 24, 2015: Crystal Palace 1-0 Swansea City
Everton
It was a rough season in Merseyside and the blue half had it rougher until the later weeks in the season when they put a lot of points on the board and moved clear of the relegation places. They started the season away to Leicester and earned a credible 2-2 draw though they would have been expected to win. Aiden McGeady scored their first goal in the 20th minute and Romelu Lukaku scored the last goal of their campaign in their penultimate match away to West Ham in what was about the last minute of the encounter.
August 16, 2014: Leicester 2-2 Everton
May 24, 2015: Everton 0-1 Tottenham
Hull City
The Tigers tried to roar on the last weekend of the season but it was always going to be too late after losing to Burnley three weeks to the end of the season. But they started the season quite well with a 1-0 away victory over Queens Park Rangers though both teams were relegated at the end of the season. James Chester scored their goal on the opening day in the 52nd minute as they took all three points.
And Stephen Quinn scored their last goal of the season in a 3-1 home loss to Arsenal in Week 35. The Tigers lost their last four matches, scoring just once and conceding six goals in that process which ultimately landed them in the Championship for next season.
August 16, 2014: Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Hull City
May 24, 2015: Hull City 0-0 Manchester United
Leicester City
Nigel Pearson was sacked, ‘unsacked’ and reinstated before he then conjured up the great escape – seven wins from their last nine league matches, which took them to safety.
They started off the season with a credible 2-2 home draw with Everton and they fought back twice in that encounter to earn the draw. It was Leonardo Ulloa who got their first goal in the 22nd minute of that encounter. They finished with five goals on the last day of the campaign but their last goal was scored by £10 million import, Andrej Kramaric from Croatia.
August 16, 2014: Leicester 2-2 Everton
May 24, 2015: Leicester 5-1 Queens Park Rangers
Liverpool
The Reds have to go again as their EPL title drought continues into the 26t season though at a point in 2015, it seemed they were on course to at least get into the Champions League places.
The former European champions got their first goal through a 23rd minute goal from contract rebel, Raheem Sterling against Southampton.
But the season went downhill as they could only finish in sixth place and were thumped 6-1 on the last day of the campaign and it was a goal from their departing icon, Steven Gerrard that closed the chapter on their scoring season.
August 16, 2014: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton
May 24, 2015: Stoke City 6-1 Lverpool
Manchester City
Former champions lost the plot but came second in the league with 26 goals from Sergio Aguero, who scored in the 92n minute of their away 2-0 victory over Newcastle. And though the Argentine missed about six weeks of the campaign with injury, he still ruled the goals-scoring roost with the sharp decline of Edin Dzeko.
City were only top of the league standings for just one weekend but they scored the most goals with 83 goals. And Aguero justified his poacher tag as he scored the Citizens’ last goal of the campaign in the 88th minute against Southampton.
August 16, 2014: Newcastle 0-2 Manchester City
May 24, 2015: Manchester City 2-0 Southampton
Manchester United
Louis van Gaal did well to get United fourth place after taking just 10 points from the opening seven games. Wayne Rooney scored their first league goal against Swansea on the opening day of the season though they lost 2-1.
In 2015, they turned the corner as Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young came to the fore as they were driven on by goals from Rooney, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera, who scored seven goals from just eight shots.
They ended season in a stalemate at hull and Herrera scored their last goal in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
August 16, 2014: Manchester United 1-2 Swansea
May 24, 2015: Hull City 0-0 Manchester United
Newcastle United
It was a tetchy season for the owner, Mike Ashley, the fans, Alan Pardew, who left in January for peace of mind at Crystal Palace and the interim manager, John Carver, who won just four points to stave off relegation. They started their season a 2-0 loss at home to Manchester City and scored their first goal through Daryl Janmaat in the 3-3 home draw with Palace on August 30.
And their last goal was fittingly scored by Jonas Guitterez, against West Ham on the final day after winning his battle against testicular cancer from which he returned to action on February 28, 2015.
August 16, 2014: Newcastle 0-2 Manchester City
May 24, 2015: Newcastle 2-0 West Ham
Queens Park Rangers
One of the highest paying sides in the EPL but most of their players did not justify their high salaries. They lost their first 11 away matches and their season started at home to Hull City but they did not score a goal until their third match of the campaign when they beat Sunderland 1-0 with a goal from Charlie Austin, who ended the season with 17 goals and an England call-up. And also fittingly Austin scored their goal in their last match away to Leicester where they were bashed 5-1.
August 16, 2014: Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Hull City
May 24, 2015: Leicester 5-1 Queens Park Rangers
Sunderland
Fortunately the light of the EPL was not extinguished at the Stadium of Light as the Black Cats fought off relegation to stay up. And it was an unlikely name that got their season’s first goal – Lee Cattermole, who scored in the fifth minute of their away encounter against West Brom. Stephen Fletcher scored their last goal – a header in the 26th minute against Chelsea on the last day and they stayed up to fight another season
August 16, 2014: West Brom 2-2 Sunderland
May 24, 2015: Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
Southampton
They were the romantics’ pick for one of the Champions League places but they finally got a Europa League ticket. But it was initially thought that they would be candidate for relegation and they started on a losing note – losing 2-1 away to Liverpool on the opening day. A defender, Nathaniel Clyne, scored their first goal. They picked up after that with six wins and a draw in their next seven matches. They finished the season in seventh place with a final day 2-0 loss to Manchester City. Graziano Pelle scored their last goal for the season in the 6-1 demolition of Aston Villa in which Saido Mane scored the EPL’s quickest ever hattrick.
August 16, 2014: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton
May 24, 2015: Manchester City 2-0 Southampton
Stoke City
Mark Hughes and the Stoke City board will be happy with their ninth place finish but they started the season disastrously with a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa and they scored their first goal of the campaign away to Hull City in which their captain and defender, Ryan Shawcross scored the equalizer on 83 minutes. They picked up and ended the season with a bang as they annihilated Liverpool 6-1 with Peter Crouch scoring the last goal with a header – a record breaking headed goal.
August 16, 2014: Stoke City 0-1 Aston Villa
May 24, 2015: Stoke City 6-1 Liverpool
Swansea City
The Swans ended the season in eight position – their highest ever position in the EPL and they started with a bang with a 2-1 win over Manchester United on the opening day with their first goal scored by Sung-Yong Ki. Bafetimbi Gomis scored their last league goal against Manchester City in a 4-2 home loss in the penultimate week.
August 16, 2014: Manchester United 1-2 Swansea
May 24, 2015: Crystal Palace 1-0 Swansea
Tottenham
Tottenham started the season with a 1-0 away win over West Ham and ended the season in the same fashion – with a 1-0 away win over Everton that confirmed their fifth place in the EPL.
But in a season where Harry Kane shone like a million stars, it was a new defender, Eric Dier that scored that first goal in the 93rd minute away to West Ham and Kane scored their last goal on 24 minutes away to Everon on the last day to take his goal tally for the season to 21 league goals.
August 16, 2014: West Ham 0-1 Tottenham
May 24, 2015: Everton 0-1 Tottenham
West Bromwich Albion
Tony Pulis wrought his trick again – saving West Brom from the drop and the Baggies started the season with a draw at home to Sunderland and their first scorer was Saido Berahino, who equalized for the home team in the 42nd minute. Berahino also scored the second goal and ended the season with another two goals against Chelsea – making him the highest goal scorer with 14 goals. But it was defender, Gareth McAuley that scored their last goal in their last day 4-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates.
August 16, 2014: West Brom 2-2 Sunderland
May 24, 2015: Arsenal 4-1 West Brom
West Ham
The Hammers started the season with a loss to Tottenham at home on the opening day but went away in their second game and crushed Crystal Palace 3-1 with goals from Mauro Zarate, in the 34th minute followed by Stewart Downing and Carlton Cole.
But the season under Sam Allardyce ended in a whimper, as ‘Big Sam’ was relieved of his job as they lost at Newcastle 2-0 on the last day. They started their scoring season with a 3-1 result and ended their scoring campaign with Stewart Downing’s 62nd minute goal in their home 2-1 loss to Everton.
August 16, 2014: West Ham 0-1 Tottenham
May 24, 2015: Newcastle 2-0 West Ham
So three teams ended the season the way they started: Tottenham had 1-0 away wins over West Ham and Everton; Manchester City started with a 2-0 win over Newcastle and ended with a 2-0 win over Southampton as Chelsea also finished with an identical 3-1 score line against Sunderland with which they started the season away to Burnley.
May 24, 2015: Arsenal 4-1 West Brom
August 16, 2014: Stoke City 0-1 Aston Villa
May 24, 2015: Aston Villa 0-1 Burnley
August 16, 2014: Burnley 1-3 Chelsea
May 24, 2015: Aston Villa 0-1 Burnley
August 16, 2014: Burnley 1-3 Chelsea
May 24, 2015: Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
August 16, 2014: Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
May 24, 2015: Crystal Palace 1-0 Swansea City
August 16, 2014: Leicester 2-2 Everton
May 24, 2015: Everton 0-1 Tottenham
August 16, 2014: Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Hull City
May 24, 2015: Hull City 0-0 Manchester United
August 16, 2014: Leicester 2-2 Everton
May 24, 2015: Leicester 5-1 Queens Park Rangers
May 24, 2015: Stoke City 6-1 Lverpool
August 16, 2014: Newcastle 0-2 Manchester City
May 24, 2015: Manchester City 2-0 Southampton
August 16, 2014: Manchester United 1-2 Swansea
May 24, 2015: Hull City 0-0 Manchester United
August 16, 2014: Newcastle 0-2 Manchester City
May 24, 2015: Newcastle 2-0 West Ham
August 16, 2014: Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Hull City
May 24, 2015: Leicester 5-1 Queens Park Rangers
August 16, 2014: West Brom 2-2 Sunderland
May 24, 2015: Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
August 16, 2014: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton
May 24, 2015: Manchester City 2-0 Southampton
August 16, 2014: Stoke City 0-1 Aston Villa
May 24, 2015: Stoke City 6-1 Liverpool
August 16, 2014: Manchester United 1-2 Swansea
May 24, 2015: Crystal Palace 1-0 Swansea
August 16, 2014: West Ham 0-1 Tottenham
May 24, 2015: Everton 0-1 Tottenham
August 16, 2014: West Brom 2-2 Sunderland
May 24, 2015: Arsenal 4-1 West Brom
August 16, 2014: West Ham 0-1 Tottenham
May 24, 2015: Newcastle 2-0 West Ham
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