Premier League End-of-Season Awards
The 2014-15 Premier League season is in the books, and no sooner has the curtain come down than the end-of-season awards ceremony begins at B/R.
We decipher the campaign as a whole, crowning Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, Biggest Disappointment, Signing of the Season and more. Who ruled, who drooled and who categorically let us down?
Deciding winners for some awards was noticeably easier than others, and we've provided honourable mentions when it came to the tough choices. Add your two cents in the comments section below and start the conversation!
Best Player: Eden Hazard, Chelsea
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Eden Hazard signed off with a brilliant performance as Chelsea beat Sunderland 3-1 on the final day of the Premier League season, reminding us all of his true excellence and newfound game-winning ability.
He's been consistently superb across the campaign and converted good Blues performances into three points with regularity. Jose Mourinho has coaxed the best out of all of his players, but Hazard has been the star in his title-winning side.
The Belgian has epitomised Chelsea's clinical nature in front of goal and has earned the right to play a relatively free role in their formation. While Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have linked superbly, which many have widely praised, Hazard is the X-factor at Stamford Bridge and deservedly won Player of the Year.
Best Signing: Cesc Fabregas, Barcelona to Chelsea, £27 Million
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Cesc Fabregas signed for Chelsea very early on in the summer transfer window, completing the deal while still on international duty with Spain at the FIFA World Cup. Per the Mirror, he cost just £27 million.
That looks an absolute bargain now.
He absolutely tore the Premier League to shreds in the first half of the season, pummeling opposing defences into submission and laying on chance after chance for compatriot Diego Costa. His crisp passing and inventive play flummoxed every defender who had the misfortune of playing against him.
He tailed off a little in the new year but still ended up with 18 assists and three goals, per WhoScored.com. That's a stunning return that contributed heavily to the Blues' winning the Premier League title.
Best Value Signing: Robert Huth, Stoke City to Leicester City, Loan
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January is not the time to make a big splash—the fees are inflated and the acclimation process defeats many a player (see: Juan Cuadrado)—but managers are constantly on the hunt for a bargain signing.
Nigel Pearson certainly found one.
Stoke City settled on a Ryan Shawcross-Marc Muniesa partnership in central defence this season, and they signed Philipp Wollscheid as cover in the winter window. That left Robert Huth, still just 30, extremely expendable and of considerable interest to Leicester City.
Pearson landed him and soon switched to a back three, placing Huth between Wes Morgan and Marcin Wasilewski. The side asked him to replicate Martin Skrtel's role in Liverpool's back three, using his size and power to dominate in the air, expel attacks and leave the finer points to those around him.
Renewed defensive solidity was a big factor in the Foxes' winning six of seven games late on in the campaign as they soared toward unexpected safety. What an impact Huth had.
Best Young Player: Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
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This one's easy, right?
Harry Kane shot from Europa League obscurity to fearsome Premier League hitman in the space of three months, as Mauricio Pochettino rolled the dice on the 21-year-old after watching Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor fail to meet expectations in Tottenham Hotspur's forward line.
He scored 21 league goals and added four assists, per WhoScored.com, helping—or should we say, driving—Spurs to a fifth-place finish and a Capital One Cup final, which they lost to expert Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in valiant fashion.
An all-round, multitalented striker, Kane showed he can finish, pass, link and drop in to sublime effect. The future is bright.
Goalkeeper of the Season: David De Gea, Manchester United
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David De Gea was a consideration for Individual Performance of the Season, and in truth, there were three or four worthy of highlighting. His one-man shows at home against both Everton and Liverpool were truly sublime.
The standard of goalkeeping was absolutely incredible in the Premier League this season, so to come out on top—ahead of the likes of Hugo Lloris, Thibaut Courtois, Adrian, Joe Hart, Lukasz Fabianski and more—is a brilliant achievement.
His reflexes, one-on-one stops and improved aerial ability make him the complete package in goal, and his distribution is far superior to some challenging his rank as best in the league.
Manchester United fans will now enter the summer fearing that De Gea will defect to Real Madrid, with transfer links—such as this one from, Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror—dogging the player's every move.
Breakthrough Star: Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
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It has to be Harry Kane again, doesn't it?
The best young player is also the breakthrough star. Kane epitomises the award, having come from nowhere to burst onto the scene with dramatic effect.
It's one thing to score goals in the Europa League—the competition in which he cut his teeth—but another entirely to bag 21 in the Premier League. Part way through the season, Kane became the domestic first choice and Roberto Soldado became the Europa League choice, confirming the shift in power.
Best Goal: Charlie Adam, Stoke City
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As ever, there was a glut of fantastic goals in the 2014-15 Premier League season, but it was Stoke City's Charlie Adam's effort at Stamford Bridge in early April that whipped the collective breath away from every watching fan—no matter their allegiance.
Spotting Thibaut Courtois off his line from well inside his own half, the Scot generated all the power in a ferocious strike that swerved, bent and eventually dipped over the goalkeeper's desperate, clawing hand.
It's not the first time he's tried it, and it won't be the last now he's managed to actually net one, but it's very unlikely he'll ever match this for power and technique.
Best Team Performance: Arsenal
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Sunday, January 18, 2015—the day the world sat up and took notice of Arsenal this season.
The shock value of the Gunners' performance and consequent 2-0 victory over Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium cannot be overstated. This was unlike any Arsenal away performance we'd seen in years.
So often too open, too exposed and too gung ho—even in the big games at away grounds—Arsene Wenger summoned his inner Jose Mourinho and tightened up superbly when visiting City earlier this year.
The 4-3-3 formation with Francis Coquelin destroying at the base, the defensive line all pulling their weight, Alexis Sanchez dribbling on the counter-attack and Santi Cazorla dancing through challenges to lead attacks was a stunning watch.
It could have been more, but two goals did the trick thanks to an outstanding, complete team display.
Honourable Mentions: Swansea City 0-5 CHELSEA, SOUTHAMPTON 6-1 Aston Villa, SOUTHAMPTON 8-0 Sunderland.
Best Individual Performance: Sergio Aguero vs. Tottenham Hotspur
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Midway through October, Sergio Aguero put in the Individual Performance of the Year as Manchester City slaughtered Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
The Argentinian scored all four of his side's goals and even missed a penalty, battling a commanding Hugo Lloris and a desperately determined Spurs defence.
It was one of those games in which he simply took over. And after City won the midfield battle, David Silva just kept on finding his slick runs and delightful darts. Aguero forced three or four excellent saves from Lloris, scored a wonderful curled effort, bursting from a standstill to fire home with remarkable power.
His all-round game was absolutely irresistible that day—a real 10-of-10 showing.
Honourable Mentions: David De Gea vs. Liverpool; David De Gea vs. Everton; Morgan Schneiderlin vs. Chelsea; Santi Cazorla vs. Manchester City; Shane Long vs. Aston Villa; Harry Kane vs. Chelsea.
Most Improved Player: Ashley Young, Manchester United
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Ashley Young sank as low as any Manchester United player under David Moyes in the 2013-14 season, making just 13 Premier League starts, per WhoScored.com, and wholly failing to impress. When Louis van Gaal forced him to play left-back in pre-season, many saw it as a sign that he might well be on his way out of the Old Trafford exit door.
But in the Red Devils' time of need, Young has risen to the fore, putting in several Man of the Match showings and forcing three points out of fixtures that perhaps didn't warrant such a return. He also caught fire during United's stellar run, combining brilliantly with Daley Blind, Marouane Fellaini and Co.
He's been a top-25 performer across the Premier League this season.
Honourable Mentions: Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal).
Worst Signing: Mario Balotelli, Milan to Liverpool, £16 Million
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August 3, 2014: “I can categorically tell you Mario Balotelli will not be at Liverpool,” insists Brendan Rodgers, per the Guardian.
August 26, 2014: Sky Sports confirmed Balotelli has signed for Liverpool on a three-year deal for £16 million.
So what happened there? Perhaps this was the result of one of a number of bouts between Rodgers and the Liverpool transfer committee.
With Daniel Sturridge suffering serious injury problems, managing just seven Premier League starts all season, per WhoScored.com, the Reds really needed Balotelli to fire on all cylinders. But he managed just one solitary league goal and consistently found himself dropped from the starting XI.
He was predictably erratic, a little greedy on the pitch and incredibly profligate. He didn't meld with the Liverpool team, and now Rodgers—or whoever takes over at Liverpool should he be fired—will be trying desperately to get a high-earning flop off his books ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.
Honourable Mentions: Eliaquim Mangala (FC Porto to Manchester City), Dejan Lovren (Southampton to Liverpool).
Biggest Disappointment (Player): Angel Di Maria, Manchester United
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We chose between Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao for this award, eventually settling on the former. While Falcao was terrible, it was his first season back from an ACL tear and there were fears before he moved to Old Trafford that he would no longer be the fearsome predator of the past. That just about gets him a bye.
Di Maria, though, has been inexplicably disappointing; who'd have thought the man awarded Man of the Match in the 2014 UEFA Champions League final could produce a season this poor directly after?
He started extremely strongly but tailed off alarmingly, battling injuries and personal issues throughout the campaign. The Argentinian has been limited to a substitute's role for months, with Ashley Young locking him out of the side.
After a British-record £59.7 million signing, we all expected much, much more from Falcao.
Biggest Disappointment (Manager): Paul Lambert, Aston Villa
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Aston Villa started the season brilliantly, beating Stoke City away from home on the opening day and collecting 10 points from their first four games. A win at Anfield, courtesy of a solid defensive performance, was easily the standout result in that run.
The club rewarded Paul Lambert with a new contract and expected the good vibes to continue. But a horrendous run followed that saw Villa score the fewest number of goals in the entire football league.
In 25 Premier League games this season, Villa netted just 12 goals under Lambert. The club eventually fired him after a dismal 2-0 loss to Hull City, dropping the them into the bottom three for the first time in 2014-15. His dismissal was partially a result of his causing most of his men to play out of form with incredibly negative, cautious tactics.
His replacement, Tim Sherwood, has revived the club, kept them up and played the players back into form. They've scored 25 goals in 12 games since Sherwood took over—that's more than they achieved under Lambert in under half the games.
Worst Club Decision: Newcastle United Letting Alan Pardew Leave
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Alan Pardew's defection from Newcastle United to Crystal Palace in January was seen as an ideal move for both parties: The former rid themselves of a hated figure among the fans for a snug £2 million compensatory fee, while the latter welcomed a former hero back to try to guide them clear of relegation.
The Magpies thought they were turning the corner by getting rid of him—he probably would have been sacked at some point over the next 12 months had Palace not paid for him—but oh how wrong they were.
After failing to attract a suitable replacement, owner Mike Ashley plumped for boyhood Newcastle fan and club coach John Carver as the interim manager. What followed? Thirteen losses from 21 games, including eight in a row, and their scraping of survival on the final day.
Manager of the Year: Alan Pardew, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace
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As if to reinforce the point, Alan Pardew is crowned Manager of the Year after doing what was, in retrospect, a stellar job at not just one club but two. It's arguable he kept both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace up this season.
We're able to say now, with clarity, that he did a remarkable job at St. James' Park, and it was thanks to the points accumulated under his reign that they stayed up.
He dropped that position for an even more challenging role at Selhurst Park in January, proceeded to fix Wilfried Zaha, coax good form from Scott Dann, improve Yannick Bolasie's actual threat levels to the goal and ween the club off their alarming reliance on Mile Jedinak.
With the Premier League table finalised, Palace sit 10th—above Everton and West Ham United and a whopping nine points clear of Newcastle.
