#images under the cut because Yes i picked out fcs for them

[knowstruth]

the first tributes arista ever mentored were selby miller (16) and baxter accola (15), in the 55th hunger games. their arena was hilly, with small abandoned-looking huts scattered throughout the arena - some of which hid traps or mutts waiting to be stumbled upon. baxter died day one, trying to escape the bloodbath. selby died day three, caught by the career pack. it never gets easier, but watching that first time was a kind of pain arista will never forget.

[zaffrenotes]

[TRR x ES] Viewing Party

Book: The Royal Romance & Endless Summer Pairings: Liam x MC (Katrina Bailey), Drake x OC (Alyssa Devereaux), Jake x MC (Laurel) Rating/Warnings: G; mild innuendo Author’s Note: * All main characters belong to Pixelberry, I’m just borrowing them * Katrina Bailey & Laurel are the MCs I use when writing fanfic for TRR and ES, respectively; Alyssa Devereaux belongs to birthday girl @burnsoslow​ * This is my submission for @wackydrabbles​​ Prompt 80: Stop looking at me like that. * Author’s Note 2: * This is a birthday gift for my cheesy, potato loving homegirl Burnsie, who requested her very first Endless Summer/Jake fic, despite having never read any ES fic until now 🙈 for the sole reason being that she and Jake McKenzie are almost birthday twins, and my favorite pilot turns 30 this year. If you’re unfamiliar with canon ES trivia, Jake can hold his breath for 9 minutes, and Estela can hold her breath for an astonishing 14. This isn’t entirely what I had in mind when I set out to write an ES/Jake birthday fic, but I wasn’t about to miss your day because I’ve hit a whole ass writer’s wall, Burnsie! I hope you have an AMAZING day and I’m sending you so many hugs! You’re one of the sweetest ladies here, and I am so very thankful that I can call you a friend 🥰 also my real, real gift to you is coming at a later date, as I still have to work on it 😬 * and yes, that’s DDT in the moodboard - just for Burnsie, again - since I use Barnes as Drake’s FC in my TRR fics, lol * Word Count: 2000 on the dot!

It was nearly 10:00 PM on Friday evening, when Burns arranged things around the comfiest chair in her living room. The rest of her family already retired for the evening, after a small but wonderful birthday celebration in her honor at home. Within easy reach, she’d arranged drinks and snacks next to her laptop - a glass of water, a hot mug of tea, a slice of homemade birthday cake to take care of any sugar cravings, and a small platter of cheese and crackers for something more savory. She grinned softly at the newest addition to her mug collection, watching the steam rise from the contents within. 

The lavender mug arrived in the mail earlier that day from one of her friends, emblazoned with a quote from David Rose. Burns took a sip of the warm beverage before setting it down on the small side table and situated herself in the chair. She flipped open the laptop and pulled up a browser window, smiling at a gift from another friend - there was a sticker next to the trackpad with a drawing of a wedge of Swiss, quoting another memorable line from Schitt’s Creek, reminding her to “fold in the cheese.” Burns glanced to the time on the screen and logged in to her Netflix account, clicking until she arrived at the viewing party, and began typing to join the group chat. 

She was greeted with jubilant messages from Donna, Ella, Brandy, Anitah, and half a dozen other friends, wishing her a happy birthday before the show started. They’d formed an ever-growing viewing party for a new series titled Stranded in the Orchard, which was an odd amalgamation of Survivor and Gilligan’s Island. Taking a cue from reality tv competitions, there were hidden cameras all over the island to monitor everyone and reduce production crew intervention, and in a nod to Hunger Games, there was an omnipresent host that would drop messages to signal when challenges were about to take place. After four episodes, the ladies in the watching party started picking their favorites from the two teams. 

Team Ruby consisted of a group that appeared to have been shipwrecked onto the island. Leo was dubbed The Rogue; his brother Liam was The CEO; Katrina was The Attorney; Alyssa was The Teacher; Drake was The Cowboy; Olivia was The Weapons Expert; Bertrand was The Grump; Madeleine was The Whiner; Maxwell was Bertrand’s brother and The Jester; Hana was The Jill of All Trades. Bertrand and Madeleine had already been voted off when Ruby lost two events. 

Team Catalyst consisted of a group of mostly college students. Jake was The Pilot; Laurel was The Mystery Girl; Sean was The Coach; Michelle was The Doctor, even though she was only pre-med; Craig was The Muscle; Zahra was The Engineer; Aleister was The Slick One; Grace was The Brain; Diego was The Entertainer; Estela was The Huntress. Catalyst lost the last two events, which sent Aleister and Grace packing. 

Everyone settled in to watch the opening credits as they recapped last week’s episode, where Ruby won the immunity challenge and fishing gear by building a makeshift stretcher to rescue and carry Katrina from a jungle crash site to a first aid station on the beach; Catalyst voted Grace out. Burns popped a cheese cube into her mouth as she and her friends watched the two groups deal with day-to-day chores in their respective camps on Day 14 of the show. They chatted about the team members and how much Burns wanted to see Drake take off his shirt to go in the water, despite the knowledge that there were clips of him cuddling with Alyssa; Donna, Ella, and Anitah would keysmash in the group chat any time Liam appeared on the screen, even though he and Katrina were clearly sweet on each other, while Brandy and Alyssa Lauren would ask what was happening or who someone was from the Catalyst team.

—

“Pillows and blankets are nice, but what we could really use is food,” Maxwell said, drawing an octopus in the sand with a piece of driftwood. “I don’t know how much longer I can last on coconuts and rice.” 

“Liam and Drake took the raft out this morning to try fishing with the gear, maybe they’ll get lucky,” Katrina suggested, stirring the pot of rice in the fire. She set the lid on top and stood up from her kimchi squat position, dusting some errant sand off her leg. They both looked out towards the water, as dawn stretched out across the ocean, making out shadowy forms of their friends as they bobbed in the water, just before one of them went under the surface. Behind them, the rest of their friends began to stir awake from the scent of rice cooking. 

Back at the Catalyst camp, Jake sat by the campfire with Estela; they were working on making their own fishing gear from bamboo and camp supplies after losing the previous challenge. Jake fed a length of twine through a handmade fishing pole while Estela sharpened tips on one end of a pile of branches she’d gathered. “Whatcha whittlin’, Katniss?” 

Estela glanced at Jake sideways. “Stakes. Hand over some of that twine, I need it to bind these to make spears.” With a begrudging huff, Jake unfurled the twine and ran it against the edge of the makeshift bench he was sitting on to cut it, before tossing the rest at Estela. 

“How fast can you tie those off? We’re losin’ daylight for a morning catch, if you wanna ride on the raft with me.” 

“Five minutes,” she answered, already working nimbly around a branch to secure the whittled spikes. 

The screen cut back to Ruby’s camp, where Liam and Drake stepped ashore, smiles brighter than the sunrise as Drake held up a fish trap with small rays flapping against one another. 

—

“kjsdhfksjhfksjhfks,” Burns smashed into her keyboard. “Look at my man! With the sea bounty!” 

“mevmnbvmnxb,” Ella smashed back.

“How do you know Drake did all the work? Liam’s just as wet, hahaha,” Donna chortled in response.

—

After killing their catch as humanely as possible - with Alyssa turning her face to Drake’s chest to avoid witnessing it - Leo and Olivia gutted and cleaned the rays before setting them on top of their makeshift grill to cook. Liam and Drake regaled the group with their morning under the water, as they took turns fishing. 

While Team Ruby enjoyed some protein with their rice that morning, members of the Catalyst team glumly spooned rice into their mouths as they sat around the campfire while Jake and Estela dried off; their morning fishing trip had been unsuccessful. 

Later that day, both teams received messages from the host to gather for a reward challenge. Each team made their way to a small lagoon, where they saw a structure floating in the water. A booming voice overhead instructed them to swim out to the structure and await further instructions. Once everyone from both teams had done so, a blue holographic image of the host appeared in the center to explain the rules. “The challenge is simple,” she narrated. “We want to see who can hold their breath the longest. There’s a bar you can use to keep yourself from floating up if you need it. Last one standing earns the prize for the whole team — an overnight trip at the Celestial Hotel, where our rotating film crew goes to rest. You’ll be treated to clean sheets and towels, hot showers, along with a decadent dinner and breakfast menu the next morning, before having to return to your camp.” 

Everyone’s eyes lit up at the incentive of a night away from sleeping on the beach, away from mosquitos, rodents, and the threat of being waterlogged by passing storms. Stomachs gurgled at the thought of hot meals that didn’t consist of rice, and the possibility of cocktails or wine. “Oh, we got this,” Jake murmured quietly to Laurel. “Bet I can hold my breath longer’n any of those Ruby kids.” 

“Is that so?” Leo taunted, overhearing Jake’s comment.

“Just call me Poseidon,” Jake smirked. 

“We’ll see about that,” Leo replied. “You know most of us are from an island, right? We’re basically merpeople.” 

—

“Bets! Bets on who wins this!” Brandy typed into the chat window.

“Sticking with Drake,” Burns typed. “Maybe Hana. She could have another random talent up her sleeve.” 

“My money’s on Liam. Look how broad his chest is,” Anya replied. “He’s got to have massive lungs to match.”

“That makes no sense,” Ella typed, adding a laughing emoji. “But I’m Team Liam anyway.”

“Don’t hate me,” Donna began. “Something tells me Jake isn’t boasting right now.” 

From her screen at home, Alyssa Lauren used Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe to choose Zahra. The rest of the group picked their favorites as the castaways donned goggles and got into the water. 

—

“Ready? Set! Go!” 

Sixteen heads dipped under the water’s surface, with contestants pinching their noses and puffing out their cheeks as an underwater camera filmed them. A handful of them - Olivia, Alyssa, Maxwell, Diego, and Michelle - tapped out under a minute. As the sand settled, thirty seconds passed before Katrina, Laurel, Sean, and Drake headed to the surface. Just after the two minute mark, Hana, Craig, and Zahra gave up, leaving Jake, Liam, Estela, and Leo under the water. 

Jake looked positively peaceful, sandy brown hair swaying with ease in the water. Estela tapped her fingers lightly across the bamboo rod, counting each second as it passed. Liam glanced over to his brother, who’d begun to turn pink. Half a minute later, Leo popped up to the surface, muttering to himself out of frustration. 

Three minutes in, Liam surfaced, gasping for air, leaving Jake and Estela to battle it out between themselves. Even though the hologram host blasted a horn to signal the end of the challenge, neither Catalyst member surfaced. Liam ducked down to check on them, and Jake and Estela both signaled that they were fine. Everyone continued to wait as the pair spent minute after minute under the water.

—

“Seriously? They’re on the same team!” Anitah typed. “They won already!” 

“They’ve been underwater for a scary length of time,” Brandy added. “What are they, Navy SEALs or something?” 

“I think Jake mentioned he was actually in the Navy before,” Alyssa Lauren replied. 

—

A digital clock appeared in the corner of the screen as the two Catalyst members continued to hold their breath underwater. With each passing minute, members from both groups began to worry. After eight minutes passed, the host’s voice rang out, advising them to pull Jake and Estela up from the water to end the challenge. Laurel and Craig ducked down, eventually pulling their teammates up. “Congratulations to The Catalysts!” the host exclaimed. “A boat will be waiting at your camp to take you to the hotel.” 

Laurel swatted Jake’s arm as they made their way to the shore. “What’s wrong with you!? You were underwater for nearly ten minutes! Who does that!?” 

Jake looked over his shoulder to her with a grin, mischievous sparkle in his bright blue eyes. “Ten would be a new record, my best is nine.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Imagine nine uninterrupted minutes of me holding my breath, Princess. My birthday is tomorrow, and I know exactly how I wanna celebrate,” he winked.  

Laurel’s cheeks flushed at the suggestion. “Stop looking at me like that, Top Gun.”

—

That evening at the hotel, after a sumptuous feast of lobster, crab, and an endless supply of beer and wine, the Catalyst members eventually went to bed. Much later into the night, Jake was seen sneaking into Laurel’s room. 

—

“I KNEW IT!” Burns typed. She laughed as her friends typed in responses full of lemon, fire, pepper, and eggplant emojis. She popped another cheese cube into her mouth and smiled, watching the rest of the episode play out.

[tribbicnnis]

can you create a character based on maggie lindemann

yes !! i’ve never used a maggie fc before nor have i ever played against one , so this new and exciting for me ! hopefully this sparks a lil bit O somethin’ for u lovie . i’m so hyped abt this honestly ugh . find it under the cut !

BAILEY RENEE VISSER, 8TEEN, THE MOONCALF .

a super cool background – she moved back to the usa w her parents & older brother when she was 10 years old . prior to that , she’s lived all around the globe bc her mom is part of the navy seals ! so she was actually born in moscow , russia , but her parents are both american ! 

her brother , jake , is about 9 years older than her and has always been her best friend . since they travelled so much , he became fluent in many other languages & always did his best to teach bails a few words in each of them ! so , a fun fact about her : she can speak german, russian, dutch, & english . he was basically like a parent to her bc their dad was always tryna’ find weird jobs to support them while their mom was off training and fighting. however , he found bailey to be so pure & innocent that he didn’t want to corrupt her with war stories or the impurities of the world, so he kept her super sheltered and would regulate what she was allowed to read N watch and everything else .

their parents didn’t see anything wrong with this : bailey was learning and jake was fulfilling his acclaimed role as the third parent. at a young age, it was evident that bails was very intelligent but her talents were constrained by her brother ! she never experienced much of the “real world” growing up bc they were always in war-torn countries N jake did not want to stain her childhood w any of those images or anything.

when they came back to the usa , they lived in a very small town in connecticut. jake was 19 so it was time for him to go off to college & bailey was kinda’ left alone ! her parents worked all the time N didn’t give her much of the attention that she needed at such a crucial time .

school was super hard for her bc she didn’t learn american history ever and she was so blind to all of the wrongs that were happening in the world ? she knew her mom was in the war, but she didn’t know what war was. she was ultimately shell-shocked !

the kids picked on her and it was tragic af ! it got to the point where they would make up horrible lies & she would believe them because she honestly didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t . she’s naive and innocent – even up until this day .

eventually it got to the point where she dropped out N decided to figure things out on her own … she would read and read and read until all of the words on the pages became blurred and illegible . she wanted to educate herself as much as she could but it was hard .

so , she gave up and decided to enter the workforce as quickly as possible ! she’s been working in a quirky retail shop that requires minimal thinking and easy human interaction. she’s extremely gullible and finds it hard to trust others . her parents have grown quite old & find the television to be more worthy of their time . 

she’s lost between the fictional worlds in books she’s read & the real world she’s living  in . her brother kinda’ fcked her life by not teaching her what he should’ve & not letting her explore . she’s stuck and doesn’t know where to go from here ! though, as stated before, she is intelligent and has the capability of doing something marvelous. perhaps she’s even thinking about going into the army ?

[zeroviraluniverse-blog]

How Liverpool tried -- and failed -- to sign Pique, Ronaldo and Terry

Visit Now - https://zeroviral.com/how-liverpool-tried-and-failed-to-sign-pique-ronaldo-and-terry/

How Liverpool tried -- and failed -- to sign Pique, Ronaldo and Terry

While Sir Alex Ferguson ultimately achieved his aim of aim of “knocking Liverpool right off their f—ing perch,” there was a period spanning over two years where his Manchester United team could not beat Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool.

Between December 2000 to January 2002, Liverpool won all five of their games against their arch rivals. During a recent conversation with old foe Gary Neville, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher suggested the Reds had found a successful way of playing against United — thanks, in part, to a Liverpool scout’s history with Ferguson.

The scout Carragher was referring to was Alex Miller. Miller, who spent nearly a decade at Liverpool in many roles, was a teammate of Ferguson’s at Rangers for a short period, but their relationship continued as the Scottish pair moved into management.

“Alex and I would speak regularly when I was in Scotland,” Miller told ESPN FC. “I would get a phone call on a Friday night when he was Aberdeen manager. Me and Alex have no problem. To be fair, Alex helped me get my first job at St. Mirren. It was him who recommended me.”

Miller joined Liverpool in 1999 following a nine-month pursuit from Houllier. Initially reluctant to take a role that did not involve day-to-day coaching, Miller was given the loose title of director of scouting.

His first role at the Merseyside club was focused mainly on closely studying upcoming opponents before disclosing his observations to Houllier and the Frenchman’s coaching staff. The Scot would then cut and present a 12 to 15-minute video of the opposition to the team during a meeting at Melwood, as well as having the license to speak to any player individually in private.

To prepare for matches with United in particular, Liverpool’s coaching staff would relay the importance of outnumbering United’s players.

Alex Miller Nick Potts – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

“It started with his [Ferguson’s] Aberdeen team,” Miller said. “Now they all speak about playing between the lines and coaches try to get people in between the lines. Alex had his team between the lines all the way back then.

“He had a 4-4-2 set up. What he tries to do is get so many between the lines that it’s so difficult for you as a team to combat that because if you draw a line across a page, there’s maybe six lines.

“His back four, two central defenders sort of split — not wide like they do now, but they split a wee bit. The two full-backs pushed on maybe 10, 15 metres. Their two central midfield players split. One would come to the ball — Roy Keane — and one would go in an advanced position — Paul Scholes.

“Their two wide players — [David] Beckham and [Ryan] Giggs — would then be in another line. You’ve got one holding midfield player, one advanced midfield player, you’ve got Beckham and Giggs in between these two. The two strikers always played one and one.

“What we did to combat that was we tried to get three versus two all the time. We had sort of a 4-1-3-1-1 formation — one man off a striker.

“One striker picked up the area of their withdrawn midfield player. Whatever side of the pitch the ball was on, we would have a full-back, a midfield player and one of the front players to get over to the side if it went to the side. They had a full-back and a wide player, so we had three versus two. If it went the opposite side, we had three versus two.

“We always had to have three versus two. That’s 18 years ago, even more, and no team was getting in between the lines at that sort of stage. That’s why it was so difficult to sort of combat them.”

Around a year into his time at Liverpool, Miller took on further responsibility when scouting potential transfer targets was added to his brief. In that department, too, he found himself in direct competition with Man United.

“I looked at Gerard Pique and I tried to get him,” Miller revealed. “The Spanish delegation he was with at a youth tournament, I think it was his grandfather who was the delegate for the Spanish federation. Well he wouldn’t give me permission because I think Man United were already in at that point.

“I brought Cristiano Ronaldo [suggested to Liverpool as a signing]. That’s water under the bridge, [but] I recommended him and saw him at a youth tournament.

“Diego Forlan, I turned him down before United even got to him. At the final hour when United were going to sign him, Gerard Houllier asked me whether I was sure. I was positive he would be more suited to Spain or Italy.”

play

0:40

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren believes the Reds are playing well enough to go all the way to the Champions League final.

Forlan did struggle to adapt to the English game, scoring just 10 goals in 63 Premier League appearances for United between 2002 and 2004. That said, Forlan went down in United folklore for his goal-scoring exploits against Liverpool — scoring twice at Anfield in a 2-1 away win.

Any transfers from Liverpool to United or vice versa were simply off the table. Gabriel Heinze’s desired move from Old Trafford to Anfield in 2007 was blocked by Ferguson, who did not want to sell to an arch rival, with a Premier League arbitration panel later ruling that United did not have to sell the left-back to Liverpool.

In fact, the last transfer between the two clubs was back in 1964 when Phil Chisnall moved to Liverpool.

“He would never let them go,” Miller said. “It was real red-hot stuff. It really was. They always had to beat Liverpool and we always had to beat United. When we started to get a hold of them as you say, then things changed slightly.”

The increase in hostility was similar, Miller believes, to that of Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho’s when the competition between Liverpool and Chelsea was at its fiercest both domestically and in Europe.

“He [Mourinho] was nice as night to us when we first met him, but when we started to beat Chelsea, he changed,” Miller said. “He wasn’t so open and talkative. He would say hello and all that, but it wasn’t as if he was your best friend.”

Incidentally, during his scouting missions, Miller had previously looked at two players who would go on to become Chelsea stalwarts during the Benitez-Mourinho rivalry.

“I tried to get John Terry to come,” the Scot said. “It was 2003 when Chelsea beat Liverpool for the last place in the Champions League.

“It went to the final day and they beat us at Stamford Bridge. After the game I went to speak to John Terry to try and get him. How I did it was, I went up to him in the corridor and asked him for his autograph. He said yes. As he was signing it I said: ‘Could you put your mobile phone number? Gerard Houllier would like to talk to you.’

“He put his agent’s number and said to talk to him. Gerard Houllier spoke to his agent on the bus. I think he just used us to get more money out of Chelsea. I also had Petr Cech, but at that moment in time we were trying to sign Chris Kirkland. I went to a game to watch Milan Baros and Petr Cech was making his debut.

“I then went to Argentina, I think it was in 2001, the Under-20 World Cup. You could have got him for a song. He was with Chmel Blsany and then he moved to Sparta Prague and then he moved to France [to Rennes].”

Those players were two of thousands that Miller had observed all across the world as part of his work at Liverpool. His frequent travels around the globe earned him Gold reward cards for nearly every major airline.

Chuckling while recalling this particular anecdote resulting from his travels to Argentina to look at players such as Pablo Aimar and Walter Samuel, Miller said: “I bought my wife a leather jacket in Argentina. I came back and thought it would fit her, but it was far too big for her. I went back three weeks later and changed it in the shop again and got her a smaller one!

“I would sometimes fly to Argentina on a Friday night. I would maybe get there 9.30 a.m. on a Saturday. I would watch six top-level games on Saturday and Sunday. When we played Roma, I followed Roma in January and we played them in February. I followed Roma seven Sundays in a row. I’d go out on the Sunday and come back on the Sunday night.”

Alex Miller Getty Images

Miller’s role would, ultimately, change when Houllier was dismissed at the end of the 2003-04. While Benitez replaced Houllier and brought in his own staff, Miller stayed on Merseyside became a first-team coach following recommendations from a number of senior players within the Liverpool dressing room.

“Gerard was disappointed in me for not leaving when he left. But at the end of day, they got payoffs. I didn’t get a payoff and I needed a job,” he said. “I was on holiday in America when Rafa told me to come back. I came back and he just asked me what my role was. He put 4-4-2 up on the board and asked me how I would play against them.

“I wasn’t intimidated by him because I knew I was good tactically. I said: ‘Well you can’t just say that,’ which threw him a wee bit. I said: ‘Is my team as good as yours? Are my players as good as your players? Are my players as quick as your players? OK, I’m going to do this because you’re going to have a problem there.’

“This to-and-froed. The only difference we had was the defending of the game with the strikers.”

Miller delivered the prematch videos to the squad during the season in which Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005. He stayed alongside Benitez for another three seasons before the chance to financially secure his family’s future arrived when Japanese side JEF United Chiba offered him the manager’s job in May 2008.

“It’s a fantastic club, Liverpool,” Miller concluded. “In the end, it wasn’t the same club that I joined. You had two people on the gate at the training ground and they decided to relieve one of their duties to cut costs. The guys are getting paid about £150 a week. The guy had been there 25 years. What was that about?

“I was 59 at the time and money had never been a motivator. But I’d seen a few changes at Liverpool and I went: ‘They’ll just put you out of the door, just the same as the rest.’ I just thought that I’d look after my family.”

[vitalmindandbody]

Premier League 2016 -1 7 season refresh: our columnists’ most effective and worsts

Our writers take stock after the Premier League season, naming their best player, finest goal, most entertaining match, biggest gripe and much more

Best player

Daniel Taylor: NGolo Kant. If he can keep Cesc Fbregas out of the Chelsea team, he must be some player.

Barney Ronay: Friendly midfield interceptors are the fashion, but Harry Kane has been the outstanding single player: top scorer, team man and with just enough comic-book star quality.

Dominic Fifield: Eden Hazard, liberated by Antonio Contes switch in system, provided the cut and thrust which inspired Chelsea to their title success. Given his toils last season as he struggled with a hip complaint, his revival was eye-catching.

Paul Wilson: It probably doesnt matter which Chelsea candidate gets the vote, so in the interests of sharing things around I am going to go for Csar Azpilicueta. He seems to be able to play in any position across the back line and his consistency and tenacity are unaffected.

Amy Lawrence: If you could bottle the spirit of Kant and market it to football clubs it would be a bestseller. He has an ability to make others around him better, to make a game plan quicker. The way he carried his Leicester qualities so easily to Chelsea, to be transformative instantly, deserves all the plaudits.

Barry Glendenning: Jordan Pickford. Only in Sunderlands first team because David Moyes was unable to lure Joe Hart on loan to Wearside, the 23-year-old pulled off the impressive feat of making himself one of the most sought-after young goalkeepers in Europe despite playing in the Premier Leagues worst team. Although hes prone to the increasingly rare gaffe, its difficult to pick holes in any aspect of Pickfords overall game and its no exaggeration to say that without him, Sunderland might well have been relegated before the sighting of this springs first swallow.

David Hytner: Eden Hazard. Back to his very best. His ability to make the difference when it matters the most marks him out.

Scott Murray: Diego Costa kept Chelsea going throughout the autumnal odyssey that effectively decided the league, all the while staying in character as pantomime provocateur. Homeric. Well miss his entertaining presence when hes gone.

Jamie Jackson: Dele Alli. Seventeen Premier League goals at 175 minutes per strike for a No10 is top class. At 21, a player with that edge all elite players possess has to get better.

Andy Hunter: Eden Hazard. The champions were not simply a very defensive team, as a former manager bearing sour grapes suggested. They were also the most devastating and intelligent team in the final third thanks largely to the Belgium internationals return to form.

Chelseas Eden Hazard has been back to his best this season. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Louise Taylor: Sam Clucas, Hull City; runner up, David Luiz, Chelsea. There are other, far more obvious, candidates but placed in the context of Clucass achievement in ascending five rungs of the league ladder in successive seasons it has to be the left-footed midfielder. Impressive since being shifted from a wide role to central midfield this term, the intelligence of Clucass passing bears the hallmarks of Glenn Hoddle, who persuaded him not to give up the game before honing his skills at his football academy in Spain. David Luiz, meanwhile, is lovely to watch and his re-invention in Antonio Contes back three has thoroughly confounded the doubters.

Stuart James: Gylfi Sigurdsson. Directly involved in 22 of Swansea Citys 43 goals. For a player to continually create and score so many goals in a team that spent almost the entire season fighting relegation is quite something.

Jacob Steinberg: After last seasons sabbatical, Eden Hazard rediscovered his mojo in thrilling style and found the consistency to go with his outrageous talent. NGolo Kant was a worthy recipient of the PFA and FWA awards, but Hazard was Chelseas match-winner on so many occasions.

Paul Doyle: Kasper Schmeichel. While the rest of last seasons champions lost their way, the goalkeeper was the only Leicester player to improve. Yes, there was that 6-1 defeat by Spurs but, taking a broader view, Schmeichel was an example to us all in these troubled times.

Simon Burnton: The brilliant, hard-working, humble and likeable NGolo Kant deserves all the player-of-the-season awards currently cluttering his mantelpiece.

Ed Aarons: NGolo Kant deserves his awards for winning a second successive Premier League title, but Christian Eriksens return to form coincided with Tottenhams emergence as Chelseas only genuine challengers. Even 13 assists and eight Premier League goals do not explain the importance of the Denmark international to Mauricio Pochettino. Csar Azpilicueta also deserves a mention.

Sachin Nakrani: Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Iceland international directly contributed to almost half of Swanseas Premier League goals and, quite simply, without him they would have been relegated, suffering all the fallout that comes with that, which, it should be remembered, includes people losing their jobs.

Best manager

Daniel Taylor: Antonio Conte. Even Jos Mourinho has stopped temporarily, at least trying to undermine him. How, possibly, can anyone question what he has done to get Chelsea back on top?

Barney Ronay: Antonio Conte. Hurled together on the hoof a wonderfully well-grooved champion team, eased John Terry out of the picture without the slightest friction and on match days remains the most ludicrously excited man about anything ever.

Dominic Fifield: Antonio Conte. In a league crammed with elite managers, he adapted best to the peculiarities of the Premier League and ended up putting all the other big names to shame.

Paul Wilson: It was going to be Marco Silva until a few days ago, but now Hull are back in the real world after a brief visit to dreamland there seems no point in looking past the obvious. Antonio Conte could hardly have hoped for a better first season in England. In terms of impact, it says it all that he can now match Carlo Ancelottis double as well as Jos Mourinhos Premier League record of wins in a season.

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Antonio Conte: Chelsea’s new Special One? video

Amy Lawrence: Conte. From the very first game of the Premier League campaign when he celebrated a late win over West Ham with that zealous touchline passion, he has managed almost every situation with authority, class and style. In tactical alterations and man management, bringing the best out of characters as different as David Luiz, Diego Costa, Victor Moses and Pedro, he barely missed a beat.

Barry Glendenning: Antonio Conte. Charming and handsome, with the touchline demeanour of a man who has just had a large handful of red ants dropped down the trousers of his expensive designer suit, there is little to dislike about Chelseas manager. His switch to a back three in the wake of defeat at Arsenal has been hailed in some quarters as the greatest managerial masterstroke in the history of football and while that may be be over-egging the pudding somewhat, the manner in which he steered his team to the title with a minimum of fuss in a season when one or more of Messrs Klopp, Mourinho and Guardiola were expected to have his measure was no mean feat.

David Hytner: Antonio Conte. It has been another hugely impressive season for Mauricio Pochettino but Contes has been better. Took over a Chelsea squad with problems and, in what has been his first season outside of Italy, moulded them into champions.

Scott Murray: Heres a respectful nod to Arsne Wenger, who in addition to yet another high league placing and yet another cup final, somehow maintained super-human levels of dignity despite intense provocation from an entitled minority. An extraordinary feat. His will be much the better look when this story is told 20 years from now.

Jamie Jackson: Antonio Conte. He coached the volatile Costa to 20 league goals and may win the classic English double in his debut season.

Andy Hunter: Conte is the stand-out choice, not only for winning the Premier League title in his first season in English football but for how he responded to potential crises notably the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal and Januarys stand-off with Costa.

Louise Taylor: Sean Dyche, Burnley. Antonio Conte clearly has a strong case while, despite narrowly failing to keep Hull up, Marco Silva turned water into wine in east Yorkshire. Then theres Mauricio Pochettino, whose Tottenham team play fabulous football on around half the collective wage bill of other top six sides, but keeping Burnley in the Premier League is a significant achievement. Given the same relatively limited resources as Dyche, would Jos Mourinho or Pep Guardiola have done anything like as well?

Sean Dyches Burnley have never really been threatened with relegation this season so good has their home form been. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters

Stuart James: Antonio Conte. Hugely impressive to win the title in his first season in English football tactically astute, full of passion for the game and gives the impression that every player, even those not regularly in his starting XI, buys into his work.

Jacob Steinberg: A nod to Sean Dyche for keeping Burnley away from the relegation scrap, but it has to be Conte, who outperformed his rivals by reviving a misfiring, uneven squad with the power of his motivational qualities, tactical acumen and infectious will to win.

Paul Doyle: Sean Dyche. Burnley never looked like going down, which is remarkable.

Simon Burnton: Great as Tottenham have once again been under Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Contes impact at Chelsea has been greater.

Ed Aarons: Antonio Conte. The Italian only arrived at Stamford Bridge a month before Chelseas first game of the season but has emerged as a title winner in his first season in English football. The switch to 3-4-3 has defined Contes success but the former Juventus midfielder has also shown his man-management skills in dealing with Diego Costas regular tantrums.

Sachin Nakrani: Antonio Conte. Winning the title in your first season in England is a superb achievement, particularly when it involves reinvigorating a squad that had been in turmoil during the previous campaign.

Best goal

Daniel Taylor: Olivier Girouds scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace.

Barney Ronay: Girouds running scorpion volley, a lovely move and a ludicrous finish, made all the more improbable by the fact he seems to stop mid-scorpion to winch his leg up a little higher, like a very stiff man trying to wriggle his way over a garden fence.

Dominic Fifield: Eden Hazard against Arsenal, sprinting away from Laurent Koscielny and holding off Francis Coquelins attempts to bring him down, then finishing before Shkodran Mustafi could block.

Paul Wilson: Sam Allardyce will have been more concerned about some unconvincing Crystal Palace defending, but Andy Carrolls overhead kick against Crystal Palace takes some beating for wow factor. Not a team goal, perhaps, but Carroll put a lot of himself into it.

Amy Lawrence: The Emre Can/Giroud/Henrikh Mkhitaryan showpieces lead the way for individualism, but there was something that struck a chord about Willians goal for Chelsea at Everton in a game that felt so influential for the title. What a fine team goal. The quality of Cesc Fbregass run and pass for Willian summed up the brio Chelsea rediscovered this season. That was the moment they felt undeniably like champions again.

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How the 2016-17 Premier League title was won by Chelsea video

Barry Glendenning: Gastn Ramrez. Possibly not the best, but almost certainly the only thing of interest any Middlesbrough footballer did all season Ramrezs fine solo effort sent goal-shy Boro on their way to their first home win. Picking up the ball inside his own half and encouraged by the strange reluctance of anyone in a Bournemouth shirt to close him down, the Uruguayan embarked on a 70-yard run down the inside left that climaxed with him abruptly cutting inside and slotting home. Buoyed by this rare moment of quality and inspiration, Middlesbrough went on to win three more Premier League matches, while their increasingly unpopular summer signing would go on to score only one more goal as his side sank below the depths.

David Hytner: Andy Carroll v Crystal Palace. Nothing has the ability to bring jaws to the floor more quickly than the thumping scissor kick. Especially when it is executed by a big man.

Scott Murray: Olivier Giroud against Palace. A finish so absurd its easy to forget the six-player pitch-long romp that preceded it, embellished by a centre-circle back-flick from Giroud himself. English footballs most eye-catching sweep forward since Terry McDermott scored against Spurs in 1978.

Jamie Jackson: Henrikh Mkhitaryans scorpion kick versus Sunderland on Boxing Day. Zlatan Ibrahimovic pings a cross over from the right and the Armenian lets go a flying back-heeled volley. Delicious.

Andy Hunter: Dimitri Payet, West Ham United v Middlesbrough. Other goals carried more weight in the context of the season Emre Can against Watford and Eden Hazards v Arsenal being the most notable examples but based purely on its merits this fleeting reminder of the quality the France international could bring to the Premier League had no equals.

Louise Taylor: Robert Snodgrass v Leicester City. The winner in a 2-1 shock opening-day victory against the defending champions for Mike Phelans side. When Wes Morgan could only half-clear Ahmed Elmohamadys vicious cross, the ball fell to Snodgrass whose first-time, left footed, half-volley arrowed into the bottom corner.

Stuart James: Emre Cans bicycle kick against Watford must take some beating. In fairness, Olivier Girouds scorpion kick against Palace is also worthy of a mention.

Emre Can lets fly with a sumptuous overhead kick against Watford. Photograph: John Walton/PA

Jacob Steinberg: Gaston Ramrezs slaloming 70-yard run against Bournemouth ended with a clever trick and a cool finish. Sure, Andy Carroll, Olivier Giroud and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all took the breath away with those scorpion kicks and bicycle blasts. But in an otherwise grim season for Middlesbrough, the fact Ramrezs solo effort was a rare moment of excitement makes it all the more precious.

Simon Burnton: Olivier Girouds New Years Day scorpion kick wasnt even Januarys goal of the month, and there are a few rival volleys that compare with it, but to my mind it is the best of the bunch. It has grown on the scorer as much as it has grown on me: after the game he said he was a bit lucky. It was the only thing I could do. I tried to hit it with a backheel and after it was all about luck, but by March he was saying: I dont want to big myself up but goals like mine leave a mark on history. Andy Carrolls [overhead kick] is magnificent, but maybe people wont remember it in two years time. Mine, yes.

Paul Doyle: Wayne Rooney against Stoke. It was a hell of a way to snatch a late equaliser, set a wonderful record and convince Jos Mourinho he could finally jilt an over-the-hill hero.

Ed Aarons: In a season of spectacular volleys, Emre Can saved the best for last. His brilliant overhead kick against Watford left nothing to chance, unlike Olivier Giroud or Henrikh Mkhitaryans scorpion kicks.

Sachin Nakrani: Olivier Giroud v Crystal Palace. In a season of notable scorpion/overhead kicks, this one edges it because of the slick counter-attack that preceded it and which Giroud was involved in as well as the height at which boot met ball prior to it looping into the net.

Best match

Daniel Taylor: At the risk of sounding like a misery, its not easy to think of a stand-out match this season. Nothing left me as excited as, say, seeing Monaco in the Champions League.

Barney Ronay: Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace. Messy, wild and desperate at times, but this is basically what the Premier League is for.

Dominic Fifield: Bournemouths madcap 4-3 win over Liverpool was entertaining, but Crystal Palaces win at Chelsea in April encapsulated everything about the baffling nature of the Premier League at times. Chelsea were superb going forward, playing wonderfully incisive and inventive football. Palace defended ruggedly and, somehow, kept them out.

Paul Wilson: The one that sticks in the mind is Manchester City 1-3 Chelsea. An eventful and entertaining game, with some dead-eyed finishing by Chelsea to leave Pep Guardiola moaning about Kevin de Bruynes miss for the rest of the season. A significant title pointer at the Etihad too, for the second successive season following Leicesters statement win in February.

Amy Lawrence: Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace. Lovely, wonderful, beautiful, panicked madness. The best of the Bob Bradley experience. Alan Pardew trying to put on a brave face. First on Match of the Day for an unanticipated game. Whats not to like?

Barry Glendenning: Bournemouth 4-3 Liverpool. They dont get much more entertainingthan this white-knuckle rideat the Vitality Stadium.

Leroy Fer scores during Swanseas rollercoaster 5-4 victory over Crystal Palace. Photograph: Christopher Lee/Getty Images

David Hytner: Swansea v Crystal Palace. Never mind the defending at both ends, this was a classic, loaded with drama, and the scenes after Fernando Llorentes stoppage-time winner seemed to shake the Liberty Stadium. Both of the managers, Bob Bradley and Alan Pardew, were sacked within a month or so.

Scott Murray: Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool. It really wouldnt have taken much for this game to have ended 5-0, 0-5 or 5-5. One of those.

Jamie Jackson: Burnleys emphatic win over Liverpool at Turf Moor on the seasons second weekend punched a hole in the title pretensions of Jrgen Klopps team and suggested Sean Dyches men would survive. Those auguries were proved correct.

Andy Hunter: Everton 4-0 Manchester City. Selecting from Premier League matches attended, this raucous afternoon at Goodison Park stands out for many reasons. In Ronald Koemans eyes it was really perfect and a total team performance from Everton. It confirmed the emergence of Tom Davies, who scored his first goal for the club with an exquisite chip over Claudio Bravo at the Gwladys Street end, and brought a debut goal for Ademola Lookman with one of the teenagers first touches in the Premier League. For Pep Guardiola, however, it underlined the defensive and mental frailties at Manchester City, represented the heaviest league defeat of his managerial career and left him conceding the title was beyond his team for this season.

Louise Taylor: If this means watched live, its a difficult one to answer. As north-east correspondent Ive certainly seen a few candidates for worst game at Sunderland and Middlesbrough and the better ones I covered invariably involved Newcastle United in the Championship. One top-tier game does stick in the memory though; Hull 3-3 Crystal Palace in December. A six-goal thriller featuring a brilliant, mesmerising performance from Palaces Wilfried Zaha.

Stuart James: Swansea City 5-4 Crystal Palace. A nine-goal thriller that was 1-1 with 25 minutes remaining then all hell let loose. Bob Bradley and Alan Pardew, the respective managers, went through every emotion going and, in truth, it wasnt really surprising that neither man lasted much longer in the job. For what its worth, the reporters at the game were also in a terrible state come the end.

Jacob Steinberg: Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland. Sunderland were so surprised about scoring four goals in a single half that they didnt win another game until they were already relegated. In their defence, Ive only just recovered from the shock as well.

Simon Burnton: Liverpools 4-3 win at the Emirates on the seasons opening weekend was everything you could ask it to be and more. Excellent attacking, lovely goals from open play, a gorgeous free kick, brilliant individual skill, embarrassing manager-hugging celebrations, sunshine, it had the lot. The only possible reaction was yes please, Ill have nine months more of that. Which, sadly, neither team could deliver.

Paul Doyle: Leicester 4-2 Manchester City. Thrilling and at times brilliant, but also bizarre, outrageous and laughable. A snapshot of this seasons Premier League.

Ed Aarons: Swansea 5-4 Palace. Leading 4-3 with the game past the 90-minute mark, Alan Pardew must have felt pretty good. His team had just battled back from 3-1 down with only 15 minutes remaining to lead, only to surrender the points to Fernando Llorentes double in injury time.

Sachin Nakrani: Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool. A high-octane, end-to-end, relentlessly-thrilling encounter only let down by poor finishing. A mention, too, for Swanseas 5-4 victory over Crystal Palace. A madcap encounter that saw two goals in stoppage time and Alan Pardew fearing the worst.

Best referee

Daniel Taylor: Keith Hackett. I see his criticisms of the current crop and marvel that he must never have made a mistake in his life.

Barney Ronay: Clatts. Will be missed, in part for his unintentional comedy, when he leaves for Sauds.

Dominic Fifield: Probably Martin Atkinson or Michael Oliver.

Paul Wilson: No idea. They all look the same to me. Lets say Martin Atkinson.

Amy Lawrence: Michael Oliver doesnt seem to want to be the star as much as some. He gives the impression of wanting the best game possible.

Barry Glendenning: Mike Dean. His no-lookyellow card to Ross Barkley in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park was a thing of beauty.

Referee Mike Deans no-look yellow card given to Ross Barkley was a thing of beauty. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

David Hytner: I dont have strong feelings on the category this season. Id still say Mark Clattenburg is the best.

Scott Murray: Referees are lightning rods for impotent frustration, rampant paranoia and myopic rage. Objective praise doesnt come into it, its not what theyre there for.

Jamie Jackson: The video official what a brave innovation. What? They still do not exist despite everyone else having access to ad nauseam replays?

Andy Hunter: Any nomination will incur the wrath of at least one club though Anthony Taylor continues to improve so in the interests of harmony lets just say its not Jon Moss.

Louise Taylor: Probably Mark Clattenburg (despite missing the latter part of the season following move to Saudi Arabia.)

Stuart James: Not much to get excited about here. Martin Atkinson, Mark Clattenburg (yes, I realise hes now gone) and Michael Oliver would be in the top three. Oliver, on a good day, gets the nod.

Jacob Steinberg: Michael Oliver gets my vote, capped by punishing Manchester Uniteds cynical rotational fouling on Hazard in the FA Cup.

Simon Burnton: Mark Clattenburg. He sometimes looks like he thinks hes the best referee in the land, which is unappealing, but that doesnt make him wrong.

Paul Doyle: Mike Dean. The only one to enforce the shirt-tugging directive with something close to consistency. And technology will never have mannerisms as entertaining as his.

Ed Aarons: Mark Clattenburg and Martin Atkinson usually get the biggest gigs from Uefa and Fifa, but Michael Oliver remains the outstanding referee in the country. Still only 32, the Ashington official has been in charge of more matches (31) than anyone else and issued just two red cards.

Sachin Nakrani: Unlike 99% of people who watch football in this country, I dont have a strong view on referees. They all seem roughly the same and their mistakes, while occasionally astonishing, never entice me into reaching for a pitchfork.

Best signing

Daniel Taylor: Mamadou Sakho. People laughed when a January loan signing was nominated for Crystal Palaces player of the season award. But without him Palace would be down.

Barney Ronay: Leroy San. What a lovely mover, what a calm head, what a nice young man. Seems to have no real limit to how good he could be.

Dominic Fifield: NGolo Kant was key to Leicester Citys startling success in 2016, and just as influential to that of Chelsea in 2017. A blur of energy and interceptions, and at the heart of everything Chelsea have achieved.

Paul Wilson: Where would Manchester United be without Zlatan Ibrahimovics contribution? Hardly the best value signing, and not exactly one for the future either, but until injury struck he did what he had been brought in to do.

Amy Lawrence: Hard to argue with Kant for overall impact. Honourable mentions to Mamadou Sakho who made a big difference to Crystal Palaces predicament, and Gabriel Jesus for being a great signing who looks bound to shine more for Manchester City in future.

Barry Glendenning: NGolo Kant.

David Hytner: David Luiz. Has shown that underneath the mad hair lies an intelligent reader of the game. Has excelled in the middle of a back three. Long passing remains beautiful to watch.

Scott Murray: Gabriel Jesus, a score-any-sort genius destined to rattle in an absurd number of goals. Had he not picked up that injury in February, Manchester City would have given Chelsea a race.

Jamie Jackson: Eric Bailly. Manchester United appear to have filled the Nemanja Vidic-sized gap created by his 2014 departure. Costing 30m from Villarreal, the Ivorian is a tough, dominant 23-year-old who can be a fixture for a decade.

Andy Hunter: Paul Clement. Swansea City were bottom and looking certain for relegation when they appointed their third manager of the campaign in January. Astute signings such as Tom Carroll and convincing a squad to buy into yet another managerial voice enabled the former Bayern Munich assistant to have an impact that can shape a clubs short-term future.

Louise Taylor: Eric Bailly for Manchester United. At 30m he wasnt cheap but goodness knows how far United and Mourinho might have sunk without Baillys central defensive excellence.

Mamadou Sakho stops Alxis Snchez in his tracks. The defender transformed Crystal Palace after his loan move from Liverpool. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

Stuart James: NGolo Kant would have to be up there, though it was a rather obvious piece of business on Chelseas part, given the Frenchmans impact at Leicester the season before. With that in mind, and taking it account the size of the fee, Ill go for Victor Wanyama, Tottenhams 11m recruit from Southampton.

Jacob Steinberg: On the basis that signing Kant was a no-brainer after last seasons exploits, one has to admire Chelsea for making the return of David Luiz a success. Its easy to forget that there were plenty of doubts about the Brazilian when he signed on deadline day.

Simon Burnton: Crystal Palace won six of the 30 games they played without Mamadou Sakho in their line-up this season, but five of the eight in which the Liverpool loanee appeared, keeping five clean sheets in the process (counting their 1-0 defeat at Spurs, in which he was forced off after 57 goalless minutes and they conceded in the 78th). No other signing was so transformational.

Paul Doyle: Mamadou Sakho. Liverpool outcast, Crystal Palace saviour.

Ed Aarons: Hard to argue with NGolo Kant for 30m, who transferred from one blue title-winning shirt to another with minimum of fuss. Victor Wanyama, 11m from Southampton, has had almost the same effect for Tottenham, albeit for a third of the price.

Sachin Nakrani: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. I was among the people who thought the 35-year-old, while undeniably talented, would struggle in England. Instead he has gone on to become one of the best free transfers in Premier League history.

Worst flop

Daniel Taylor: Pep Guardiola. Maybe our expectations were too high but, after all that waiting, it has been a real disappointment. Claudio Bravo comes a close second, which probably illustrates the point.

Barney Ronay: Claudio Bravo of course, the first goalkeeper Ive ever seen receive an ironic round of applause from his own fans for making a save.

Dominic Fifield: Moussa Sissoko has hardly pulled up any trees since becoming Tottenham Hotspurs record signing, which has not come as much of a surprise to those who watched him regularly at Newcastle United.

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Guardiola: Barcelona and Bayern Munich would have sacked me video

Paul Wilson: The man who was tired of London. Dimitri Payet was a big letdown at West Ham United. The clubs 2015-16 player of the year and inspiration for a stadium mural at least ought to have been able to manage a full season before leaving.

Amy Lawrence: Jointly awarded to Manchester United and Arsenal, neither of whom were able to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title despite recruiting heavily last summer to apparently boost their push.

Barry Glendenning: Pep Guardiola. Tasked with his most difficult job in management so far, even by his own admission the Manchester City manager has come up woefully short.

David Hytner: Simone Zaza. His ludicrous penalty at the Euros for Italy was merely the prelude. Saw his loan spell at West Ham United cut short after 11 matches and no goals because, had he played a bit more, the club would have had to buy him outright. Moved to Valencia in January.

Scott Murray: Pep Guardiola arrived in England with a big reputation … for being super-surly in press conferences. His glorious disdain for daft questions has at times shone through this was simply majestic but not yet with Fergie or Louis van Gaal levels of consistency. Hes got the press corps rattled, though, if the repeated raising of the subject on the Sunday Supplement is anything to go by. He now needs to go in for the kill.

Jamie Jackson: Claudio Bravo. Pep Guardiola probably blew Manchester Citys hopes of winning anything in his first season when bombing out Joe Hart and paying 14.5m for the Chilean on 25 August. Bravo in a word? Hapless.

Andy Hunter: Claudio Bravo. There were more expensive mistakes than the Manchester City goalkeeper Tottenhams 30m outlay on Moussa Sissoko for example but his recruitment was fundamental to how Pep Guardiola envisaged his first season in the Premier League and served only to undermine it. That is not to say it was a mistake to replace Joe Hart, who has toiled at Torino, only that Bravo was the wrong choice.

Louise Taylor: Moussa Sissoko, Tottenham Hotspur. Rafael Bentez is rightly proud of persuading Spurs to part with 30m for a midfielder who played a big part in Newcastle Uniteds relegation last year and whose Euro 2016 cameos for France flattered to deceive. Indeed when HMRC recently raided St James Park, club staff joked about whether they were investigating the theft of 30m from Spurs.

Stuart James: A few in the mix here Borja Bastn at Swansea, Jordon Ibe at Bournemouth and Ahmed Musa at Leicester all come to mind. But Claudio Bravo, Manchester Citys 17m goalkeeper, is surely the standout candidate. What were you thinking of, Pep?

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[junker-town]

Meet the 8 candidates for U.S. Soccer president

Their ideas and backgrounds couldn’t be more wide-ranging.

On Dec. 4, longtime U.S. Soccer federation president Sunil Gulati announced that he would not run for re-election. His imminent departure has created a wide-open field for February’s presidential election, and plenty of qualified candidates have thrown their hat into the ring.

Nine people declared their candidacy, and eight of them received the necessary nominations to run. The only person who didn’t make the cut is Paul Lapointe, who spent his short candidacy starting Twitter fights.

One of these eight people will become the next U.S. Soccer president on February 10. Let’s meet them.

Kathy Carter

Who is she?: The president of Soccer United Marketing

I’m new here, what’s that?: SUM is the marketing arm of Major League Soccer, and U.S. Soccer is also a major stakeholder. They also promote some other club and international team games. SUM won the marketing rights to Copa America Centenario after the original rights holders got caught up in the FIFA scandal, and that’s why U.S. Soccer has $140 million in the bank.

What does she stand for?: Making money, basically. She wants to address women’s pay inequality and pay-to-play, for sure, but her policy proposals are pretty non-specific. Carter’s proven to be an extremely effective executive though, so there’s reason to believe she’s capable of hiring the right soccer people and empowering them with significant funding.

Chances of winning?: High. It’s hard to pick a favorite out of a field this large, but she has the ears of people currently in power.

Got a website where I can read more?: Yes!

Carlos Cordeiro

Who is he?: U.S. Soccer vice president, former Goldman Sachs executive

So this is as status quo as it gets?: That’ll be the optics for sure. Cordeiro has been Gulati’s right-hand man for the last year and a half.

What does he stand for?: He admits he’s not a soccer expert, so he wants to hire a GM who reports to the CEO. He also wants a commercial rights committee with an independent leader to eliminate potential conflicts of interest like the ones NASL is accusing the federation of.

Chances of winning?: Worse than before Carter entered, but he should have the right contacts to have a chance.

Got a website where I can read more?: Nope! But here’s an interview with Jonathan Tannenwald.

Eric Wynalda

Who is he?: A former USMNT player, coach, and FOX analyst

That dude I see yelling wild stuff on TV?: You bet. He’s playing a character for a TV audience, though. Outside of that world, Wynalda is a sharp guy with serious ideas for improving soccer in America.

What does he stand for?: Getting American pro soccer in line with the European schedule, reorganizing the second and third divisions to stabilize them.

Chances of winning?: Depends on how hungry for change USSF’s board members are. If they want a true anti-Gulati, Wynalda is their guy. But, if we’re being realistic, his chances are low. If Wynalda was good at schmoozing, he’d have been an MLS head coach or GM a long time ago.

Got a website where I can read more?: Yes!

Hope Solo

Who is she?: Former USWNT goalkeeper

Doesn’t she have a criminal case pending?: Yes. She was arrested on two counts of fourth degree domestic violence in 2014, and that case is still hung up in appeals. She won’t stand trial before the election. U.S. Soccer will require the president to pass a background check, but no one knows what “pass” means. Solo has not been convicted of a felony.

What does she stand for?: Using U.S. Soccer’s money to give more financially underprivileged kids a chance to play at top youth clubs and emphasizing transparency in all of USSF’s decisions.

Chances of winning?: Low. Solo likely faces an uphill climb in convincing voters that she has the necessary experience to run U.S. Soccer, and that her pending criminal case is a non-issue. But she’ll be an important voice that will force other candidates to take hard positions.

Got a website where I can read more?: Yes!

Steve Gans

Who is he?: Boston attorney who’s worked on a wide variety of soccer projects

Did I hear his name before all this started?: Yep. Gans declared that he’d oppose Sunil Gulati well before the USMNT failed to qualify for the World Cup and Gulati said he’d step down.

What does he stand for?: Completely revamping youth soccer. He wants coaches to define how the Development Academy should function and will rip it up to start from scratch if that’s what prominent youth coaches tell him to do. Forcing the pro leagues to cooperate with each other and, coinciding with that, trying to elevate the U.S. Open Cup.

Chances of winning?: Decent, if only because he’s been campaigning longer than anyone else. He had time to make connections and win over voters before other candidates entered the field.

Got a website where I can read more?: Yes!

Kyle Martino

Who is he?: NBC analyst and former USMNT player

Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images

Does he have any relevant experience?: Not really, which should hinder his campaign. Martino notes that he’s seen every level of the game as a player and parent, but he’s never been in charge of anything.

What does he stand for?: Creating an organic soccer culture by empowering amateur leagues and building futsal courts. Building regional training centers. Directly investing more of USSF’s money in NWSL.

Chances of winning?: Moderate. He’ll win over a lot of fans with his personality and passion for improving soccer in America, but it’ll be hard for many to look past the fact that he’s never been a coach, GM, or executive at a high level.

Got a website where I can read more?: Yes!

Michael Winograd

Who is he?: New York lawyer, and former professional player and GM

Why are journalists stanning this guy I’ve never heard of?: He’s seen by many as the best candidate to bridge the business and technical sides of USSF’s operation. He’s the only one who has direct experience with both.

What does he stand for?: Transparent advisory committees for any key decisions made by the federation, and working with private businesses to incentivize them to fund youth soccer and coaching education.

Chances of winning?: Difficult to tell. He has the right pedigree and he’s saying the right things, but we don’t know yet if he’s made the right connections.

Got a website where I can read more?: Yes!

Paul Caligiuri

Who is he?: Former USMNT player best known for scoring the goal that qualified the USMNT for the 1990 World Cup. He’s been a coach since retiring and is currently the manager of NPSL team Orange County FC.

Shouldn’t this guy’s candidacy be a bigger deal?: You’d think so. Caligiuri has had the least to say and received the least media coverage of all candidates.

What does he stand for?: Reforming youth soccer by bringing the DA, Olympic Development Program, U.S. Club Soccer, and the talent ID program all under one big umbrella. Wants USSF to be more focused on player development than its business.

Chances of winning?: Low. He said in late November that he actually hadn’t filed the paperwork yet, which isn’t a great sign.

Got a website where I can read more?: Nope! Can’t find an interview with him either, and his Twitter is very inactive.

[vitalmindandbody]

Premier League 2016 -1 7 season review: our scribes’ best and worsts

Our columnists take stock after the Premier League season, reputation their best musician, finest destination, most entertaining equal, biggest objection and much more

Best musician

Daniel Taylor : NGolo Kant. If he can hinder Cesc Fbregas out of the Chelsea team, he must be some player.

Barney Ronay: Friendly midfield interceptors are the mode, but Harry Kane has been the superb single participate: top scorer, squad man and with just enough comic-book star quality.

Dominic Fifield : Eden Hazard, liberated by Antonio Contes switch in arrangement, provided the cut and thrust which stimulated Chelsea to their title success. Given his toils last-place season as he struggled with a hip disorder, his resurrection was eye-catching. Paul Wilson : It perhaps doesnt affair which Chelsea candidate gets the vote, so in the interests of sharing events around I am going to go for Csar Azpilicueta. He seems to be able to play in any plight in all the regions of the back way and his consistency and firmnes are unaffected. Amy Lawrence : If you could bottle the spirit of Kant and grocery it to football clubs it would be a bestseller. He has an ability to build others around him better, to make a game plan quicker. The practice he carried his Leicester quality so easily to Chelsea, to be transformative instantly, deserves all the plaudits. Barry Glendenning : Jordan Pickford. Simply in Sunderlands first team because David Moyes was unable to tempt Joe Hart on lend to Wearside, the 23 -year-old attracted off the impressive feat of doing himself one of the most sought-after young goalkeepers in Europe despite invited to participate in the Premier Leagues worst crew. Although hes prone to the increasingly rare gaffe, its hard to picking faults in different aspects of Pickfords overall activity and its no exaggeration to say that without him, Sunderland might well have been demoted before the sighting of this springs first swallow. David Hytner : Eden Hazard. Back to his very best. His ability to attain certain differences when it matters the most brands him out. Scott Murray : Diego Costa deterred Chelsea going throughout the autumnal odyssey that are actually chose the conference, all the while staying in persona as pantomime provocateur. Homeric. Well miss his entertaining proximity when hes moved.

Jamie Jackson: Dele Alli. Seventeen Premier League points at 175 minutes per strike for a No10 is top class. At 21, a player with that hem all society participates possess has to get better.

Andy Hunter: Eden Hazard. The champions were not simply a very defensive crew, as a former director bear sour grapes shown. They were also the most devastating and smart squad in the final third thanks predominantly to the Belgium internationals return to form.

Chelseas Eden Hazard has been back to his best this season. Photo: Darren Walsh/ Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Louise Taylor: Sam Clucas, Hull City; runner up, David Luiz, Chelsea. There are other, far more obvious, campaigners but placed in the context of Clucass achievement in ascending five resounds of the league ladder in successive seasons it has to be the left-footed midfielder. Impressive since being changed from a wide character to central midfield this period, the intelligence of Clucass guiding makes the hallmarks of Glenn Hoddle, who coaxed him not to give up the game before sharpening his knowledge at his football academy in Spain. David Luiz, meanwhile, is lovely to watch and his re-invention in Antonio Contes back three has thoroughly baffled the doubters.

Stuart James: Gylfi Sigurdsson. Directly involved in 22 of Swansea Citys 43 points. For a actor to continually create and rating so many purposes in a squad that spent nearly the entire season engaging relegation is quite something.

Jacob Steinberg : After last seasons sabbatical, Eden Hazard rediscovered his mojo in thrilling form and acquired the uniformity to go with his outrageous endowment. NGolo Kant was a deserving recipient of the PFA and FWA honors, but Hazard was Chelseas match-winner on so many occasions.

Paul Doyle: Kasper Schmeichel. While the rest of last-place seasons champions lost their road, the goalkeeper was the only Leicester player to improve. Yes, there was that 6-1 demolish by Spurs but, taking a broader view, Schmeichel was an example to us all in these troubled times.

Simon Burnton : The bright, hard-working, humble and likeable NGolo Kant deserves all the player-of-the-season apportions currently cluttering his mantelpiece. Ed Aarons : NGolo Kant deserves his awards for acquiring two seconds succeeding Premier League title, but Christian Eriksens return to shape coincided with Tottenhams emergence as Chelseas exclusively genuine challengers. Even 13 expedites and eight Premier League objectives do not explain the importance of the Denmark international to Mauricio Pochettino. Csar Azpilicueta also deserves a mention.

Sachin Nakrani : Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Iceland international immediately contributed to almost half of Swanseas Premier League objectives and, very simply, without him they would have been relegated, standing all the fallout that comes with that, which, it should be remembered, includes people losing their jobs.

Best manager

Daniel Taylor : Antonio Conte. Even Jos Mourinho has stopped temporarily, at the least trying to subvert him. How, perhaps, can anyone question what he has to be undertaken to get Chelsea back on top?

Barney Ronay: Antonio Conte. Hurled together on the hoof a wonderfully well-grooved champ squad, eased John Terry out of the picture without the slightest friction and on match daytimes remains the most ludicrously roused male about anything ever.

Dominic Fifield : Antonio Conte. In a tournament crammed with society administrators, he accommodated excellent to the peculiarities of the Premier League and terminated up putting all the other big names to shame.

Paul Wilson : It was going to be Marco Silva until a few days ago, but now Hull are back in the real world after a brief stay to dreamland there seems no part in gazing past the obvious. Antonio Conte is more difficult to have hoped for a better first season in England. In words of blow, it says it all that he can now pair Carlo Ancelottis double as well as Jos Mourinhos Premier League register of winnings in a season.

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Antonio Conte: Chelsea’s new Special One? video

Amy Lawrence : Conte. From the very first tournament of the Premier League expedition when he celebrated a late win over West Ham with that zealous touchline infatuation, he has managed almost every situation with power, class and mode. In tactical differences and soul handling, creating the best out of attributes as different as David Luiz, Diego Costa, Victor Moses and Pedro, he just missed a beat. Barry Glendenning : Antonio Conte. Charming and handsome, with the touchline behavior of a being who has just had a large few of ruby-red ants put down the trousers of his expensive designer clothing, the issue is little to dislike about Chelseas manager. His switch to a back three in the aftermath of defeat at Arsenal has been hailed in some quarters as the greatest managerial masterstroke in the history of football and while that are able to be over-egging the pudding somewhat, the manner in which he steered his team to the entitlement with a minimum of fuss in a season when one or more of Messrs Klopp, Mourinho and Guardiola were expected to have his amount was no mean feat. David Hytner : Antonio Conte. It has been another staggeringly impressive season for Mauricio Pochettino but Contes has been better. Took over a Chelsea squad with both problems and, in what has been his first season outside of Italy, moulded them into champions. Scott Murray : Heres a respectful gesture to Arsne Wenger, who in addition to yet another high-pitched league set and yet another cup final, somehow continued super-human levels of dignity despite intense provocation from an entitled minority. An amazing accomplishment. His will be much the better examine when this history is told 20 years from now.

Jamie Jackson: Antonio Conte. He coached the volatile Costa to 20 tournament objectives and may acquire the classic English double in his debut season.

Andy Hunter: Conte is the stand-out choice , not only for acquiring the Premier League title in his first season in English football but for how he responded to potential crisis notably the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal and Januarys stand-off with Costa.

Louise Taylor: Sean Dyche, Burnley. Antonio Conte clearly has a strong action while, despite narrowly failing to keep Hull up, Marco Silva diverted sea into wine-coloured in east Yorkshire. Then theres Mauricio Pochettino, whose Tottenham team play spectacular football on around half the collective wage proposal of other top six backs, but obstructing Burnley in the Premier League is a significant achievement. Given the same relatively limited resources as Dyche, would Jos Mourinho or Pep Guardiola have done anything like as well?

Sean Dyches Burnley “ve never” certainly been threatened with relegation this season so good has their dwelling form been. Photo: Lee Smith/ Reuters

Stuart James: Antonio Conte. Tremendously impressive to prevail the deed in his first season in English football tactically astute, full of passion for the game and get the impression that every player, even those not regularly in his starting XI, buys into his work.

Jacob Steinberg : A gesture to Sean Dyche for hindering Burnley away from the relegation scrap, but it must continue to be Conte, who outperformed his rivals by resurrecting a misfiring, uneven squad with the strength of his motivational qualities, tactical acumen and virulent will to win.

Paul Doyle: Sean Dyche. Burnley never looked like going down, which is remarkable.

Simon Burnton : Great as Tottenham was again working under Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Contes influence at Chelsea has been greater. Ed Aarons : Antonio Conte. The Italian simply been able to reach Stamford Bridge a month before Chelseas first tournament of the season but has emerged as a entitle winner in his first season in English football. The switch to 3-4-3 shall determine Contes success but the former Juventus midfielder has also shown his man-management sciences in are working with Diego Costas regular tantrums. Sachin Nakrani : Antonio Conte. Winning the deed in your first season in England is a superb achievement, specially where reference is involves reinvigorating a squad that had been in turmoil in the previous campaign.

Best purpose

Daniel Taylor : Olivier Girouds scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace. Barney Ronay : Girouds loping scorpion attack, a exquisite move and a incongruous finish, made all the more preposterous given the fact he seems to stop mid-scorpion to winch his leg up a little higher, like a exceedingly potent person trying to moved his channel over a garden fence. Dominic Fifield : Eden Hazard against Arsenal, sprinting away from Laurent Koscielny and holding off Francis Coquelins attempts to producing him down, then finishing before Shkodran Mustafi could block. Paul Wilson : Sam Allardyce will have been more concerned about some unconvincing Crystal Palace defending, but Andy Carrolls overhead kick against Crystal Palace takes some lash for wow influence. Not a crew goal, perhaps, but Carroll threw a lot of himself into it.

Amy Lawrence : The Emre Can/ Giroud/ Henrikh Mkhitaryan showpieces lead the way for individualism, but there was something that impressed a chord about Willians goal for Chelsea at Everton in a game that seemed so influential for the claim. What a fine squad aim. The quality of Cesc Fbregass move and pass for Willian summed up the brio Chelsea rediscovered this season. That was the moment they seemed undeniably like champs again.

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Barry Glendenning : Gastn Ramrez. Maybe not the best, but almost certainly the only thing of interest any Middlesbrough footballer did all season Ramrezs fine solo struggle sent goal-shy Boro on their acces to their first residence winning. Picking up the ball inside his own half and encouraged by the strange distaste of anyone in a Bournemouth shirt to end him down, the Uruguayan embarked on a 70 -yard run down the inside left that climaxed with him unexpectedly cutting inside and slotting dwelling. Buoyed by this rare time of quality and brainchild, Middlesbrough went on to prevail three more Premier League pairs, while their increasingly unpopular summer signal would go on to tallied only one more point as his back sank below the depths. David Hytner : Andy Carroll v Crystal Palace. Nothing are competent to produce jaws to the flooring more rapidly than the pulsate scissor knock. Specially when it is carried out by a big man. Scott Murray : Olivier Giroud against Palace. A finish so outrageous its easy to forget the six-player pitch-long cavort that preceded it, exaggerated by a centre-circle back-flick from Giroud himself. English footballs most eye-catching sweep forward since Terry McDermott tallied against Spurs in 1978.

Jamie Jackson: Henrikh Mkhitaryans scorpion kick versus Sunderland on Boxing Day. Zlatan Ibrahimovic pings a cross over from the right and the Armenian makes start a operating back-heeled barrage. Delicious.

Andy Hunter: Dimitri Payet, West Ham United v Middlesbrough. Other purposes carried more weight in the framework of the season Emre Can against Watford and Eden Hazards v Arsenal being the most notable illustrations but based purely on its merits this fleeting reminder of a better quality the France international could bring to the Premier League had no equates.

Louise Taylor: Robert Snodgrass v Leicester City. The win in a 2-1 startle opening-day win against the defending champs for Mike Phelans side. When Wes Morgan could only half-clear Ahmed Elmohamadys nasty cross, the projectile fell to Snodgrass whose first-time, left footed, half-volley arrowed into the bottom reces.

Stuart James: Emre Cans bicycle knock against Watford must take some whip. In fairness, Olivier Girouds scorpion kick against Palace is also worthy of a mention.

Emre Can gives fly with a sumptuous overhead kicking against Watford. Photo: John Walton/ PA

Jacob Steinberg : Gaston Ramrezs slaloming 70 -yard run against Bournemouth ended with a inventive stunt and a cool finish. Sure, Andy Carroll, Olivier Giroud and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all took the sigh away with those scorpion kickings and bicycle explodes. But in an otherwise gruesome season for Middlesbrough, the fact Ramrezs solo effort was a uncommon time of excite acquires it all the more precious. Simon Burnton : Olivier Girouds New Years Day scorpion kicking wasnt even Januarys goal of the month, and there are a few rival barrages that compare with it, but to my head it is the best of the cluster. It has grown on the scorer as much as it has grown on me: after video games he said he was a bit luck. It was the only situation I could do. I tried to affected it with a backheel and after it was all about fluke, but by March he was saying: I dont wishes to big myself up but aims like mine leave a mark on biography. Andy Carrolls[ overhead kick] is magnificent, but perhaps beings wont remember it in two years era. Mine, yes.

Paul Doyle: Wayne Rooney against Stoke. It was a inferno of a path to grasp a late equaliser, specified a wonderful enter and convince Jos Mourinho he could lastly jilt an over-the-hill hero.

Ed Aarons : In a season of spectacular volleys, Emre Can saved the best for last. His brilliant overhead kick against Watford left nothing to luck, unlike Olivier Giroud or Henrikh Mkhitaryans scorpion kicks. Sachin Nakrani : Olivier Giroud v Crystal Palace. In a season of notable scorpion/ overhead knocks, this one hems it because of the slick counter-attack that predated it and which Giroud was involved in as well as the altitude at which boot satisfied pellet prior to it looping into the net.

Best coincide

Daniel Taylor : At health risks of sounding like a squalor, its not easy to think of a stand-out competitor this season. Nothing left home as roused as, say, witnessing Monaco in the Champions League. Barney Ronay : Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace. Messy, wild and desperate at times, but this is basically what the Premier League is for. Dominic Fifield : Bournemouths madcap 4-3 win over Liverpool was entertaining, but Crystal Palaces acquire at Chelsea in April encapsulated everything about the baffling sort of the Premier League at times. Chelsea were exquisite going forward, playing wonderfully perceptive and inventive football. Palace protected ruggedly and, somehow, continued them out. Paul Wilson : The one that remains in the mind is Manchester City 1-3 Chelsea. An eventful and witty play, with some dead-eyed finishing by Chelsea to leave Pep Guardiola sobbing about Kevin de Bruynes miss for the rest of the season. A substantial entitle pointer at the Etihad too, for the second succeeding season following Leicesters statement win in February. Amy Lawrence : Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace. Lovely, superb, beautiful, panicked madness. The best of the Bob Bradley experience. Alan Pardew trying to put on a brave look. First on Match of the Day for an unanticipated play. Whats not to like?

Barry Glendenning: Bournemouth 4-3 Liverpool. They dont get much more entertainingthan this white-knuckle rideat the Vitality Stadium.

Leroy Fer scores during Swanseas rollercoaster 5-4 succes over Crystal Palace. Photograph: Christopher Lee/ Getty Images

David Hytner : Swansea v Crystal Palace. Never thoughts the defending at both ends, this was a classic, loaded with drama, and the stages after Fernando Llorentes stoppage-time win seems to shake the Liberty Stadium. Both of the managers, Bob Bradley and Alan Pardew, were sacked within a month or so. Scott Murray : Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool. It truly wouldnt have taken often for this play to have ended 5-0, 0-5 or 5-5. One of those.

Jamie Jackson: Burnleys emphatic win over Liverpool at Turf Moor on the seasons second weekend punched a pit in the claim pretenses of Jrgen Klopps team and showed Sean Dyches humanities would survive. Those auguries were proven correct.

Andy Hunter: Everton 4-0 Manchester City. Selecting from Premier League coincides attended, this raucous afternoon at Goodison Park digests out for numerous rationales. In Ronald Koemans seeings it was really perfect and a total crew achievement from Everton. It supported the rise of Tom Davies, who tallied his first goal for the squad with an elegant microchip over Claudio Bravo at the Gwladys Street end, and created a introduction goal for Ademola Lookman with one of the teens first strokes in the Premier League. For Pep Guardiola, nonetheless, it highlighted the defensive and mental infirmities at Manchester City, represented the heaviest conference defeat of his managerial profession and left him agreeing the deed was beyond his team for this season.

Louise Taylor: If this symbolizes watched live, its a difficult one to explanation. As north-east reporter Ive surely understood a few candidates for worst activity at Sunderland and Middlesbrough and the better ones I covered invariably involved Newcastle United in the Championship. One top-tier recreation does stick in the memory though; Hull 3-3 Crystal Palace in December. A six-goal thriller peculiarity a bright, mesmerising recital from Palaces Wilfried Zaha.

Stuart James: Swansea City 5-4 Crystal Palace. A nine-goal thriller that was 1-1 with 25 hours standing then all inferno let loose. Bob Bradley and Alan Pardew, the respective directors, went through every passion disappearing and, in truth, it wasnt really surprising that neither serviceman lasted long long in the job. For what its worth, the reporters at the game were also in a horrific district come the end.

Jacob Steinberg : Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland. Sunderland were so surprised about scoring four goals in a single half that they didnt win another tournament until they were already relegated. In their defense, Ive only just recovered from the surprise as well. Simon Burnton : Liverpools 4-3 prevail at the Emirates on the seasons opening weekend was everything you are able expect it to be and more. Superb attacking, wonderful points from open play-act, a spectacular free kick, bright soul ability, humiliating manager-hugging celebrations, sunshine, it had the batch. The only possible reaction was yes please, Ill have nine months more of that. Which, sadly, neither crew could deliver.

Paul Doyle: Leicester 4-2 Manchester City. Thrilling and now and then brilliant, but also ludicrous, outrageous and laughter. A snapshot of this seasons Premier League.

Ed Aarons : Swansea 5-4 Palace. Extending 4-3 with the game past the 90 -minute mark, Alan Pardew must have experienced pretty good. His squad had just battled back from 3-1 down with exclusively 15 times remaining to lead, merely to surrender the points to Fernando Llorentes double in injury time. Sachin Nakrani : Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool. A high-octane, end-to-end, relentlessly-thrilling meeting merely let down by poverty-stricken finishing. A mention, very, for Swanseas 5-4 win over Crystal Palace. A madcap encounter that learnt two goals in halt era and Alan Pardew dreading the worst.

Best referee

Daniel Taylor : Keith Hackett. I witness his disapprovals of the present crop and wonder that he must never have made a mistake in his life. Barney Ronay : Clatts. Will be missed, in part for his unintentional comedy, when he leaves for Sauds. Dominic Fifield : Probably Martin Atkinson or Michael Oliver. Paul Wilson : No idea. They all search the same to me. Gives say Martin Atkinson. Amy Lawrence : Michael Oliver doesnt seem to want to be the whiz as much as some. He is a perception of craving the best recreation possible.

Barry Glendenning : Mike Dean. His no-lookyellow card to Ross Barkley in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park was a happening of beauty.

Referee Mike Deans no-look yellowish card paid attention to Ross Barkley was a event of charm. Photo: Jason Cairnduff/ Reuters

David Hytner : I dont have strong sensations on the category this season. Id still say Mark Clattenburg is the best. Scott Murray : Adjudicators are lightning rods for impotent thwarting, rampant paranoia and myopic storm. Objective accolade doesnt come into it, its not what theyre there for.

Jamie Jackson: The video bureaucrat what a brave invention. What? They still do not prevail despite everybody else having access to ad nauseam replays?

Andy Hunter: Any nomination will incur the rage of at the least one club though Anthony Taylor continues to improve so in the interests of harmonization lets just say its not Jon Moss.

Louise Taylor: Probably Mark Clattenburg( despite missing the latter part of the season following move to Saudi Arabia .)

Stuart James: Not much to get excited about here. Martin Atkinson, Mark Clattenburg( yes, I realise hes now become) and Michael Oliver would be in the three best. Oliver, on a good day, gets the nod.

Jacob Steinberg : Michael Oliver get my poll, capped by penalizing Manchester Uniteds contemptuous rotational fouling on Hazard in the FA Cup. Simon Burnton : Mark Clattenburg. He sometimes looks like he thinks hes the best ref in the property, which is unappealing, but that doesnt shape him wrong.

Paul Doyle: Mike Dean. The only one to enforce the shirt-tugging directive with something close to consistency. And technology will never have quirks as entertaining as his.

Ed Aarons : Mark Clattenburg and Martin Atkinson generally get the biggest gigs from Uefa and Fifa, but Michael Oliver remains the outstanding umpire in the two countries. Still only 32, the Ashington official has been in charge of more competitors( 31) than anyone and problem precisely two red cards. Sachin Nakrani : Unlike 99% of people who watch football in this country, I dont have a strong attitude on refs. They all seem roughly the same and their mistakes, while rarely startling, never tempt me into reaching for a pitchfork.

Best signing

Daniel Taylor : Mamadou Sakho. People chuckled when a January loan signing was nominated for Crystal Palaces actor of the season gift. But without him Palace would be down. Barney Ronay : Leroy San. What a delightful mover, what a calm head, what a nice young man. Seems to have no real limit to how good he could be. Dominic Fifield : NGolo Kant is critical for Leicester Citys startling success in 2016, and just as influential to that of Chelsea in 2017. A blur of energy and interceptions, and at the heart of everything Chelsea have achieved. Paul Wilson : Where would Manchester United be without Zlatan Ibrahimovics contribution? Scarcely the best cost ratify, and not exactly one for the future either, but until injury struck he did what “hes been” brought in to do. Amy Lawrence : Hard to argue with Kant for overall impact. Honest mentions to Mamadou Sakho who made a big difference to Crystal Palaces situation, and Gabriel Jesus for being a great signing who seems bound to glisten more for Manchester City in future. Barry Glendenning : NGolo Kant. David Hytner : David Luiz. Has shown that underneath the mad mane lies an intelligent reader of the game. Has excelled in the middle of a back three. Long travel abides beautiful to watch. Scott Murray : Gabriel Jesus, a score-any-sort genius destined to clang in an outrageous number of goals. Had he not picked up that trauma in February, Manchester City would have given Chelsea a race.

Jamie Jackson: Eric Bailly. Manchester United appear to have replenished the Nemanja Vidic-sized gap created by his 2014 deviation. Expensing 30 m from Villarreal, the Ivorian is a tough, reigning 23 -year-old who can be a fixture for a decade.

Andy Hunter: Paul Clement. Swansea City were foot and searching particular for relegation when they appointed their third administrator of the campaign in January. Astute contracts such as Tom Carroll and persuading a crew to buy into yet another managerial tone permitted the former Bayern Munich assistant to have an impact that can influence a clubs short-term future.

Louise Taylor: Eric Bailly for Manchester United. At 30 m he wasnt cheaps but goodness knows how far United and Mourinho might have dropped without Baillys center defensive excellence.

Mamadou Sakho stops Alxis Snchez in his ways. The champion changed Crystal Palace after his loan move from Liverpool. Photograph: Matthew Childs/ Reuters

Stuart James: NGolo Kant would have to be up there, though it was a rather obvious patch of business on Chelseas part, having regard to the Frenchmans impact at Leicester the season before. With that in sentiment, and taking it account the size of the cost, Ill go for Victor Wanyama, Tottenhams 11 m recruit from Southampton.

Jacob Steinberg : On the basis that signing Kant was a no-brainer after last-place seasons exploits, one has to admire Chelsea for seeing the reappearance of David Luiz a success. Its easy to forget that there were slew of doubts concerning the Brazilian when he signed on deadline era. Simon Burnton : Crystal Palace won six of the 30 games they played without Mamadou Sakho in their line-up this season, but five of the eight in which the Liverpool loanee appeared, keeping five clean membranes in the process( counting their 1-0 defeat at Spurs, in which he was forced off after 57 goalless times and they agreed in the 78 th ). No other signing was so transformational. Paul Doyle : Mamadou Sakho. Liverpool outcast, Crystal Palace saviour. Ed Aarons : Hard discussing this with NGolo Kant for 30 m, who moved from one blue-blooded title-winning shirt to another with minimum of fuss. Victor Wanyama, 11 m from Southampton, has had almost the same effect for Tottenham, albeit for a third of the price. Sachin Nakrani : Zlatan Ibrahimovic. I was among the people who thought the 35 -year-old, while undeniably talented, would struggle in England. Instead he has gone on to become one of the best free transportations in Premier League history.

Worst bust

Daniel Taylor : Pep Guardiola. Maybe our beliefs were too high but, after all that awaiting, it has been a real chagrin. Claudio Bravo comes a close second, which are likely exemplifies the point. Barney Ronay : Claudio Bravo of course, the first goalkeeper Ive ever seen receive an sardonic round of applause from his own followers for making a save.

Dominic Fifield : Moussa Sissoko has hardly pulled up any trees since growing Tottenham Hotspurs record signing, which has not come as much of a surprise to those who watched him regularly at Newcastle United.

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Guardiola: Barcelona and Bayern Munich would have sacked me video

Paul Wilson : The husband who was tired of London. Dimitri Payet was a big letdown at West Ham United. The clubs 2015 -1 6 participate of the year and inspiration for a stadium mural at least ought to have been able to manage a full season before leaving. Amy Lawrence : Jointly awarded to Manchester United and Arsenal, neither of whom were able to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title despite banking heavily last summertime to apparently boost their push.

Barry Glendenning: Pep Guardiola. Assignment with his most difficult job in managing thus far, even by his own admittance the Manchester City director have put forward woefully short.

David Hytner : Simone Zaza. His ludicrous disadvantage at the Euros for Italy was simply the prelude. Saw his loan incantation at West Ham United break short after 11 coincides and no goals because, had he played a little bit more, the team would have had to buy him outright. Moved to Valencia in January. Scott Murray : Pep Guardiola reached in England with a big honour … for being super-surly in news conference. His splendid dislike for daft topics has at times shone through this was simply stately but has still not been with Fergie or Louis van Gaal levels of consistency. Hes got the press corps clanged, though, if the repeated heighten of the subject on the Sunday Supplement is anything to go by. He now needs to go in for the kill.

Jamie Jackson: Claudio Bravo. Pep Guardiola maybe blew Manchester Citys hopes of acquiring anything in his first season when bombarding out Joe Hart and compensating 14.5 m for the Chilean on 25 August. Bravo in a word? Hapless.

Andy Hunter: Claudio Bravo. There were more expensive mistakes than the Manchester City goalkeeper Tottenhams 30 m outlay on Moussa Sissoko for example but his recruitment was fundamental to how Pep Guardiola envisaged his first season in the Premier League and only serve to erode it. That is not to say it was a mistake to supplant Joe Hart, who has toiled at Torino, simply that Bravo was the incorrect option.

Louise Taylor: Moussa Sissoko, Tottenham Hotspur. Rafael Bentez is rightly proud of coaxing Spurs to part with 30 m for a midfielder who played a big its participation in Newcastle Uniteds relegation last year and whose Euro 2016 cameos for France flattered to cheat. Indeed when HMRC recently raided St James Park, club faculty joked about whether they were investigating the steal of 30m from Spurs.

Stuart James: A few in the combination here Borja Bastn at Swansea, Jordon Ibe at Bournemouth and Ahmed Musa at Leicester all spring to mind. But Claudio Bravo, Manchester Citys 17 m goalkeeper, is surely the standout candidate. What were you thinking of, Pep?

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Premier League 2016 -1 7 season re-examine: our columnists’ best and worst

Our columnists take stock after the Premier League season, identifying the most appropriate actor, finest aim, most witty competitor, biggest objection and much more

Best player

Daniel Taylor : NGolo Kant. If he was able to keep Cesc Fbregas out of the Chelsea team, he must be some player.

Barney Ronay: Friendly midfield interceptors are the manner, but Harry Kane has been the superb single participate: top scorer, unit man and with just enough comic-book star quality.

Dominic Fifield : Eden Hazard, liberated by Antonio Contes button in system, furnished the cut and thrust which induced Chelsea to their title success. Given his toils last season as he fought with a hip objection, his resurrection was eye-catching. Paul Wilson : It maybe doesnt topic which Chelsea candidate gets the vote, so in the rights and interests of sharing things around I am going to go for Csar Azpilicueta. He seems to be able to play in any place across the back strand and his consistency and perversity are unaffected. Amy Lawrence : If you could bottle the spirit of Kant and sell it to football clubs it would be a bestseller. He has an ability to represent others around him better, to make a game plan quicker. The road he carried his Leicester tone so easily to Chelsea, to be transformative instantaneously, deserves all the plaudits. Barry Glendenning : Jordan Pickford. Exclusively in Sunderlands first team because David Moyes has not been able to entice Joe Hart on loan to Wearside, the 23 -year-old attracted off the impressive feat of acquiring himself one of the most sought-after young goalkeepers in Europe despite playing in the Premier Leagues worst unit. Even though he prone to the increasingly uncommon gaffe, its difficult to select punctures in different aspects of Pickfords overall recreation and its no exaggeration to say that without him, Sunderland might well have been demoted before the sighting of the following spring first swallow. David Hytner : Eden Hazard. Back to his very best. His ability to build certain differences when it matters the most lines him out. Scott Murray : Diego Costa continued Chelsea going throughout the autumnal odyssey that effectively ended the league, all the while remain in attribute as pantomime provocateur. Homeric. Well miss his entertaining spirit when hes exited.

Jamie Jackson: Dele Alli. Seventeen Premier League points at 175 instants per impres for a No10 is top class. At 21, a player with that perimeter all elite actors own has to get better.

Andy Hunter: Eden Hazard. The endorses were not simply a exceedingly defensive team, as a former director bearing sour grapes suggested. They were also the most devastating and smart team in the final third thanks mainly to the Belgium internationals return to form.

Chelseas Eden Hazard has been back to his best this season. Picture: Darren Walsh/ Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Louise Taylor: Sam Clucas, Hull City; runner up, David Luiz, Chelsea. There are other, far more obvious, nominees but placed in the context of Clucass achievement in ascending five rings of the tournament ladder in successive seasons it has to be the left-footed midfielder. Impressive since being altered from a wide character to central midfield this term, the intelligence of Clucass transferring countenances the specific characteristics of Glenn Hoddle, who persuasion him not to give up the game before honing his knowledge at his football academy in Spain. David Luiz, meanwhile, is lovely to watch and his re-invention in Antonio Contes back three has thoroughly perplexed the doubters.

Stuart James: Gylfi Sigurdsson. Directly involved in 22 of Swansea Citys 43 goals. For a actor to repeatedly create and tally so many destinations in a squad that wasted nearly the entire season contending relegation is quite something.

Jacob Steinberg : After last-place seasons sabbatical, Eden Hazard rediscovered his mojo in thrilling form and knew the consistency to go with his outrageous aptitude. NGolo Kant was a worthwhile recipient of the PFA and FWA awards, but Hazard was Chelseas match-winner on so many occasions.

Paul Doyle: Kasper Schmeichel. While the rest of last seasons champs lost their way, the goalkeeper was the only Leicester player to improve. Yes, there was that 6-1 overcome by Spurs but, taking a broader view, Schmeichel was an example to us all in these distressed times.

Simon Burnton : The bright, hard-working, humble and likeable NGolo Kant deserves all the player-of-the-season bestows currently cluttering his mantelpiece. Ed Aarons : NGolo Kant deserves his awards for winning two seconds consecutive Premier League title, but Christian Eriksens return to form coincided with Tottenhams emergence as Chelseas simply sincere challengers. Even 13 abets and eight Premier League objectives do not explain the importance of the Denmark international to Mauricio Pochettino. Csar Azpilicueta likewise deserves a mention.

Sachin Nakrani : Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Iceland international directly contributed to almost half of Swanseas Premier League objectives and, quite simply, without him they would have been relegated, suffering all the fallout that comes with that, which, it should be remembered, includes parties losing their jobs.

Best director

Daniel Taylor : Antonio Conte. Even Jos Mourinho has stopped temporarily, at the least trying to undermine him. How, maybe, can anyone question what he has done to get Chelsea back on top?

Barney Ronay: Antonio Conte. Hurled together on the hoof a wonderfully well-grooved champ squad, eased John Terry out of the picture without the slightest friction and on competitor daytimes remains the most ludicrously stimulated follower about anything ever.

Dominic Fifield : Antonio Conte. In a conference crammed with elite directors, he accommodated good to the peculiarities of the Premier League and ceased up putting all the other big names to shame.

Paul Wilson : It was going to be Marco Silva until a few days ago, but now Hull are back in the real world after a short visit to dreamland there seems no extent in searching past the obvious. Antonio Conte is more difficult to have hoped for a better first season in England. In terms of impact, it reads it all that he can now accord Carlo Ancelottis double as well as Jos Mourinhos Premier League preserve of wins in a season.

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Antonio Conte: Chelsea’s brand-new Special One? video

Amy Lawrence : Conte. From the very first competition of the Premier League campaign when he celebrated a late win over West Ham with that zealous touchline rage, he has managed almost every situation with permission, class and style. In tactical adjustments and husband administration, introducing the best out of characters as different as David Luiz, Diego Costa, Victor Moses and Pedro, he just missed a beat. Barry Glendenning : Antonio Conte. Charming and handsome, with the touchline demeanor of a serviceman who has just had a large few of red ants descent down the trousers of his expensive decorator clothing, the issue is little to dislike about Chelseas manager. His switch to a back three in the wake of defeat at Arsenal has been heralded in some quarters as the greatest managerial masterstroke in its own history of football and while that may be be over-egging the dessert reasonably, the manner in which he steered his team to the claim with a minimum of fuss in a season when one or more of Messrs Klopp, Mourinho and Guardiola were expected to have his quantify was no aim feat. David Hytner : Antonio Conte. It has been another staggeringly impressive season for Mauricio Pochettino but Contes has been better. Took over a Chelsea squad with both problems and, in what has been his first season outside of Italy, moulded them into champions. Scott Murray : Heres a respectful gesture to Arsne Wenger, who in addition to yet another high conference rank and yet another cup final, somehow maintained super-human levels of dignity despite intense provocation from an entitled minority. An amazing stunt. His is likely to be much the very best review when this story is told 20 times from now.

Jamie Jackson: Antonio Conte. He coached the volatile Costa to 20 conference points and may win the classic English double in his introduction season.

Andy Hunter: Conte is the stand-out pick , is not simply for triumphing the Premier League title in his first season in English football but for how he responded to potential crises notably the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal and Januarys stand-off with Costa.

Louise Taylor: Sean Dyche, Burnley. Antonio Conte clearly has a strong lawsuit while, despite narrowly failing to keep Hull up, Marco Silva diverted sea into wine-colored in east Yorkshire. Then theres Mauricio Pochettino, whose Tottenham team play superb football on about one half the collective payment legislation of other top six slopes, but maintaining Burnley in the Premier League is a significant achievement. Granted the same relatively limited resources as Dyche, would Jos Mourinho or Pep Guardiola have done anything like as well?

Sean Dyches Burnley have never really been threatened with relegation this season so good has their dwelling model been. Photo: Lee Smith/ Reuters

Stuart James: Antonio Conte. Immensely impressive to prevail the designation in his first season in English football tactically astute, full of feeling for the game and gives the impression that every actor, even those not regularly in his starting XI, buys into his work.

Jacob Steinberg : A gesture to Sean Dyche for hindering Burnley away from the relegation scrap, but it has to be Conte, who outshone his competitors by rejuvenating a misfiring, uneven force with the power of his motivational calibers, tactical acumen and virulent are willing to win.

Paul Doyle: Sean Dyche. Burnley never looked like going down, which is remarkable.

Simon Burnton : Great as Tottenham have once again been under Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Contes influence at Chelsea has been greater. Ed Aarons : Antonio Conte. The Italian simply been able to reach Stamford Bridge a month before Chelseas first competition of the season but has emerged as a deed win in his first season in English football. The switch to 3-4-3 shall determine Contes success but the former Juventus midfielder has also established his man-management abilities in dealing with Diego Costas regular tantrums. Sachin Nakrani : Antonio Conte. Winning the entitle in your first season in England is a superb achievement, particularly when it involves reinvigorating a crew that had been in turmoil during the previous campaign.

Best destination

Daniel Taylor : Olivier Girouds scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace. Barney Ronay : Girouds flowing scorpion attack, a charming move and a incongruous finish, made all the more improbable by the fact he seems to stop mid-scorpion to winch his leg up a little higher, like a exceedingly potent serviceman trying to moved his lane over a garden fence. Dominic Fifield : Eden Hazard against Arsenal, sprinting away from Laurent Koscielny and holding off Francis Coquelins attempts to drawing him down, then finishing before Shkodran Mustafi could block. Paul Wilson : Sam Allardyce will have been more concerned about some unconvincing Crystal Palace defending, but Andy Carrolls overhead kick against Crystal Palace takes some beating for wow cause. Not a unit goal, perhaps, but Carroll threw a lot of himself into it.

Amy Lawrence : The Emre Can/ Giroud/ Henrikh Mkhitaryan showpieces lead the way for individualism, but there was something that struck a chord about Willians goal for Chelsea at Everton in a game that detected so influential for the name. What a fine unit goal. The tone of Cesc Fbregass operate and pass for Willian summed up the brio Chelsea rediscovered this season. That was the moment they experienced undeniably like champions again.

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How the 2016 -1 7 Premier League title was won by Chelsea video

Barry Glendenning : Gastn Ramrez. Possibly not best available, but almost certainly the only circumstance in the best interests any Middlesbrough footballer did all season Ramrezs fine solo endeavor transmitted goal-shy Boro on their channel to their first dwelling winning. Picking up the ball inside his own half and encouraged by the strange hesitancy of anyone in a Bournemouth shirt to shut him down, the Uruguayan embarked on a 70 -yard run down the inside left that climaxed with him hurriedly cutting inside and slotting dwelling. Buoyed by this rare moment of quality and brainchild, Middlesbrough went on to win three more Premier League competitions, while their increasingly unpopular summer sign would go on to tallied exclusively one more goal as his area sank below the depths. David Hytner : Andy Carroll v Crystal Palace. Nothing has the ability to introducing jaw to the floor more quickly than the pulsate scissor kick. Especially when it is carried out by a big man. Scott Murray : Olivier Giroud against Palace. A finish so ridiculous its easy-going to forget the six-player pitch-long romp that predated it, exaggerated by a centre-circle back-flick from Giroud himself. English footballs most eye-catching sweep forward since Terry McDermott tallied against Spurs in 1978.

Jamie Jackson: Henrikh Mkhitaryans scorpion kick versus Sunderland on Boxing Day. Zlatan Ibrahimovic pings a cross over from the right and the Armenian gives croak a operating back-heeled barrage. Delicious.

Andy Hunter: Dimitri Payet, West Ham United v Middlesbrough. Other purposes carried more load in the context of the season Emre Can against Watford and Eden Hazards v Arsenal being the most notable precedents but based purely on its merits this momentary reminder of the quality the France international could bring to the Premier League had no peers.

Louise Taylor: Robert Snodgrass v Leicester City. The winner in a 2-1 outrage opening-day win against the defend champions for Mike Phelans side. When Wes Morgan could only half-clear Ahmed Elmohamadys fierce cross, the projectile descended to Snodgrass whose first-time, left hoofed, half-volley arrowed into the bottom corner.

Stuart James: Emre Cans bicycle kick against Watford must take some whip. In fairness, Olivier Girouds scorpion kick against Palace is also worthy of a mention.

Emre Can gives operate with a sumptuous overhead knock against Watford. Picture: John Walton/ PA

Jacob Steinberg : Gaston Ramrezs slaloming 70 -yard run against Bournemouth ended with a inventive manoeuvre and a cool finish. Sure, Andy Carroll, Olivier Giroud and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all took the sigh away with those scorpion knocks and bicycle bombs. But in an otherwise frightful season for Middlesbrough, the facts of the case Ramrezs solo effort was a uncommon moment of exhilaration acquires it all the more precious. Simon Burnton : Olivier Girouds New Years Day scorpion kick wasnt even Januarys goal of the month, and there are a few rival barrages that compare with it, but to my recollection it is the best of the cluster. It has grown on the scorer as much as it has grown on me: after video games he said he was a bit luck. It was the only occasion I could do. I tried to hit it with a backheel and after it was all about fluke, but by March he was saying: I dont wishes to big myself up but objectives like mine leave a mark on history. Andy Carrolls[ overhead kicking] is magnificent, but maybe beings wont remember it in two years period. Mine, yes.

Paul Doyle: Wayne Rooney against Stoke. It was a hell of a space to grasp a late equaliser, mounted a wonderful register and convince Jos Mourinho he had been able to finally jilt an over-the-hill hero.

Ed Aarons : In a season of fantastic attacks, Emre Can saved the best for last-place. His brilliant overhead kicking against Watford left good-for-nothing to likelihood, unlike Olivier Giroud or Henrikh Mkhitaryans scorpion kicks. Sachin Nakrani : Olivier Giroud v Crystal Palace. In a season of conspicuous scorpion/ overhead kicks, this one edges it because of the slick counter-attack that predated it and which Giroud was involved in as well as the meridian at which boot satisfied dance prior to it looping into the net.

Best pair

Daniel Taylor : At the risk of sounding like a squalor, its not easy to think of a stand-out competition this season. Nothing left home as excited as, enunciate, identifying Monaco in the Champions League. Barney Ronay : Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace. Messy, wild and desperate at times, but this is basically what the Premier League is for. Dominic Fifield : Bournemouths madcap 4-3 win over Liverpool was entertaining, but Crystal Palaces prevail at Chelsea in April encapsulated everything about the baffling quality of the Premier League at times. Chelsea were exquisite moves forward, playing wonderfully incisive and inventive football. Palace protected ruggedly and, somehow, retained them out. Paul Wilson : The one that lodges in the mind is Manchester City 1-3 Chelsea. An eventful and humorous game, with some dead-eyed finishing by Chelsea to leave Pep Guardiola murmuring about Kevin de Bruynes miss for the rest of the season. A substantial entitle arrow at the Etihad too, for the second successive season following Leicesters statement win in February. Amy Lawrence : Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace. Lovely, splendid, beautiful, panic-struck madness. The best of the Bob Bradley experience. Alan Pardew trying to put on a courageous look. First on Match of the Day for an unanticipated competition. Whats not to like?

Barry Glendenning: Bournemouth 4-3 Liverpool. They dont get much more entertainingthan this white-knuckle rideat the Vitality Stadium.

Leroy Fer tallies during Swanseas rollercoaster 5-4 victory over Crystal Palace. Photo: Christopher Lee/ Getty Images

David Hytner : Swansea v Crystal Palace. Never thoughts the defending at both ends, this was a classic, loaded with drama, and the vistums after Fernando Llorentes stoppage-time winner seems to shake the Liberty Stadium. Both of the managers, Bob Bradley and Alan Pardew, were sacked within a few months or so. Scott Murray : Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool. It truly wouldnt have taken often for this competition to have ended 5-0, 0-5 or 5-5. One of those.

Jamie Jackson: Burnleys emphatic win over Liverpool at Turf Moor on the seasons second weekend perforated a loophole in the title assertions of Jrgen Klopps team and advocated Sean Dyches beings would exist. Those auguries were demonstrated correct.

Andy Hunter: Everton 4-0 Manchester City. Selecting from Premier League equals accompanied, this raucous afternoon at Goodison Park stands out for numerous rationales. In Ronald Koemans sees it was really perfect and a total squad execution from Everton. It showed the emergence of Tom Davies, who scored his first objective for the golf-club with an elegant microchip over Claudio Bravo at the Gwladys Street end, and brought a debut purpose for Ademola Lookman with one of the adolescents first suggestions in the Premier League. For Pep Guardiola, nonetheless, it highlighted the defensive and mental imperfections at Manchester City, represented the heaviest conference defeat of his managerial profession and left him acknowledging the entitle was beyond his unit for this season.

Louise Taylor: If this makes watched live, its a difficult one to rebuttal. As north-east correspondent Ive surely appreciated a few nominees for worst activity at Sunderland and Middlesbrough and the very best ones I covered invariably involved Newcastle United in the Championship. One top-tier activity does stick in the recollection though; Hull 3-3 Crystal Palace in December. A six-goal thriller peculiarity a bright, mesmerising action from Palaces Wilfried Zaha.

Stuart James: Swansea City 5-4 Crystal Palace. A nine-goal thriller that was 1-1 with 25 hours standing then all hell let loose. Bob Bradley and Alan Pardew, the respective managers, went through every emotion get and, in truth, it wasnt actually surprising that neither male lasted much longer in the job. For what its worth, the reporters at the game were also in a terrifying state entered the end.

Jacob Steinberg : Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland. Sunderland were so surprised about scoring four goals in a single half that they didnt win another game until they were already demoted. In their defense, Ive only just recovered from the startle as well. Simon Burnton : Liverpools 4-3 acquire at the Emirates on the seasons opening weekend was everything you could request it to be and more. Good attacking, wonderful goals from open performance, a dazzling free kick, brilliant man ability, embarrassing manager-hugging observances, sunshine, it had the lot. The only possible reaction was yes delight, Ill have nine months more of that. Which, sadly, neither unit could deliver.

Paul Doyle: Leicester 4-2 Manchester City. Thrilling and now and then brilliant, but also strange, outrageous and laughable. A snapshot of this seasons Premier League.

Ed Aarons : Swansea 5-4 Palace. Extending 4-3 with the game past the 90 -minute mark, Alan Pardew must have appeared pretty good. His crew had just combated back from 3-1 down with exclusively 15 hours remaining to lead, simply to surrender the points to Fernando Llorentes double in hurt time. Sachin Nakrani : Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool. A high-octane, end-to-end, relentlessly-thrilling encounter only let down by poverty-stricken finishing. A mention, very, for Swanseas 5-4 victory over Crystal Palace. A madcap encounter that checked two points in stoppage time and Alan Pardew panicking the worst.

Best adjudicator

Daniel Taylor : Keith Hackett. I accompany his reviews of the present crop and marvel that he must never have made a mistake in his life. Barney Ronay : Clatts. Will be missed, in part for his unintentional humor, when he foliages for Sauds. Dominic Fifield : Probably Martin Atkinson or Michael Oliver. Paul Wilson : No idea. They all search the same to me. Makes enunciate Martin Atkinson. Amy Lawrence : Michael Oliver doesnt seem to want to be the hotshot as much as some. He gives the impression of craving best available competition possible.

Barry Glendenning : Mike Dean. His no-lookyellow card to Ross Barkley in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park was a happening of beauty.

Referee Mike Deans no-look yellow card given to Ross Barkley was a situation of charm. Image: Jason Cairnduff/ Reuters

David Hytner : I dont have strong impressions on the two categories this season. Id still respond Mark Clattenburg is the best. Scott Murray : Refs are lightning rods for impotent resentment, widespread paranoia and myopic rage. Objective accolade doesnt come into it, its not what theyre there for.

Jamie Jackson: The video official what a fearless invention. What? They still do not exist despite everybody else having access to ad nauseam replays?

Andy Hunter: Any nomination will incur the indignation of at least one club though Anthony Taylor continues to improve so in the interests of harmony gives just say its not Jon Moss.

Louise Taylor: Probably Mark Clattenburg( despite missing the latter part of the season following move to Saudi Arabia .)

Stuart James: Not much to get excited about here. Martin Atkinson, Mark Clattenburg( yes, I realise hes now travelled) and Michael Oliver would be in the top three. Oliver, on a good day, gets the nod.

Jacob Steinberg : Michael Oliver get my vote, capped by penalizing Manchester Uniteds cynic rotational fouling on Hazard in the FA Cup. Simon Burnton : Mark Clattenburg. He sometimes consider this to be he thinks hes best available umpire in the territory, which is unappealing, but that doesnt see him wrong.

Paul Doyle: Mike Dean. The only one aimed at ensuring respect for the shirt-tugging directive with something close to consistency. And technology will never have mannerisms as entertaining as his.

Ed Aarons : Mark Clattenburg and Martin Atkinson often get the biggest gigs from Uefa and Fifa, but Michael Oliver remains the outstanding reviewer in the two countries. Still simply 32, the Ashington official has been in charge of more competitions( 31) than anyone else and issued just two crimson cards. Sachin Nakrani : Unlike 99% of people who watch football in this country, I dont have a strong deem on umpires. They all seem approximately the same and their misunderstandings, while sometimes astounding, never tempt me into reaching for a pitchfork.

Best signing

Daniel Taylor : Mamadou Sakho. Beings chuckled when a January loan signing was nominated for Crystal Palaces participate of the season honor. But without him Palace would be down. Barney Ronay : Leroy San. What a lovely mover, what a calm brain, what a nice young man. Seems to have no real limit to how good he could be. Dominic Fifield : NGolo Kant was key to Leicester Citys startling success in 2016, and just as influential to that of Chelsea in 2017. A blur of energy and interceptions, and at the heart of everything Chelsea have achieved. Paul Wilson : Where would Manchester United be without Zlatan Ibrahimovics contribution? Barely the best importance ratify, and not exactly one for the future either, but until injury struck he did what he had been brought in to do. Amy Lawrence : Hard to argue with Kant for overall impact. Honourable mentions to Mamadou Sakho who made a big difference to Crystal Palaces quagmire, and Gabriel Jesus for being a great ratify who appears bound to glisten more for Manchester City in future. Barry Glendenning : NGolo Kant. David Hytner : David Luiz. Has shown that underneath the mad whisker lies an intelligent reader of video games. Has exceeded in the middle of a back three. Long elapse continues beautiful to watch. Scott Murray : Gabriel Jesus, a score-any-sort genius destined to clang in an illogical number of destinations. Had he not picked up that hurt in February, Manchester City would have given Chelsea a race.

Jamie Jackson: Eric Bailly. Manchester United seem to have crowded the Nemanja Vidic-sized gap created by his 2014 difference. Costing 30 m from Villarreal, the Ivorian is a tough, dominant 23 -year-old who can be a fixture for a decade.

Andy Hunter: Paul Clement. Swansea City were bottom and gazing certain for relegation when they appointed their third director of awareness-raising campaigns in January. Astute signings such as Tom Carroll and reassuring a crew to buy into yet another managerial expres facilitated the former Bayern Munich assistant to have an impact that they are able figure a clubs short-term future.

Louise Taylor: Eric Bailly for Manchester United. At 30 m he wasnt cheaps but goodness knows how far United and Mourinho might have settled without Baillys central defensive excellence.

Mamadou Sakho stops Alxis Snchez in his tracks. The guard changed Crystal Palace after his lend be removed from Liverpool. Photo: Matthew Childs/ Reuters

Stuart James: NGolo Kant “wouldve been” up there, though it was a rather obvious piece of business on Chelseas part, given the Frenchmans wallop at Leicester the season before. With that in memory, and taking it account the size of the fee, Ill go for Victor Wanyama, Tottenhams 11 m recruit from Southampton.

Jacob Steinberg : On the basis that signal Kant was a no-brainer after last seasons manipulates, there is a requirement to admire Chelsea for manufacturing the restore of David Luiz a success. Its easy to forget that there were batch of doubts about the Brazilian where reference is signed on deadline era. Simon Burnton : Crystal Palace acquired six of the 30 competitions they played without Mamadou Sakho in their line-up this season, but five of the eight in which the Liverpool loanee showed, hindering five clean expanses in the process( weighing their 1-0 defeat at Spurs, in which he was forced off after 57 goalless minutes and they conceded in the 78 th ). No other signing was so transformational. Paul Doyle : Mamadou Sakho. Liverpool outcast, Crystal Palace saviour. Ed Aarons : Hard to argue with NGolo Kant for 30 m, who conveyed from one blue title-winning shirt to another with minimum of fuss. Victor Wanyama, 11 m from Southampton, has had almost the same effect for Tottenham, albeit for a third of the price. Sachin Nakrani : Zlatan Ibrahimovic. I was among the people who fantasized the 35 -year-old, while undeniably talented, would strive in England. Instead “hes having” gone on to become one of best available free carries in Premier League history.

Worst dud

Daniel Taylor : Pep Guardiola. Perhaps our expectations were too high but, after all that waiting, it has been a real letdown. Claudio Bravo sees a close second, which are likely represents the point. Barney Ronay : Claudio Bravo of course, the first goalkeeper Ive “ve ever seen” receive an ironic round of praise from his own love for making a save.

Dominic Fifield : Moussa Sissoko has hardly pulled up any trees since becoming Tottenham Hotspurs record signing, which has not call as much of a surprise to those who watched him regularly at Newcastle United.

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Paul Wilson : The gentleman who was tired of London. Dimitri Payet was a big letdown at West Ham United. The clubs 2015 -1 6 actor of the year and muse for a stadium mural at least ought to have been able to manage a full season before leaving. Amy Lawrence : Jointly gifted to Manchester United and Arsenal, neither of whom were able to mount a serious defy for the Premier League title despite recruiting heavily last summer to apparently boost their push.

Barry Glendenning: Pep Guardiola. Assignment with his most difficult job in managing thus far, even by his own admittance the Manchester City director have put forward woefully short.

David Hytner : Simone Zaza. His outlandish retribution at the Euros for Italy was merely the prelude. Saw his loan charm at West Ham United cut short after 11 parallels and no goals because, had he played a little bit more, the club would have had to buy him outright. Moved to Valencia in January. Scott Murray : Pep Guardiola arrived in England with a big honour … for being super-surly in press conferences. His splendid indifference for daft wonders has at times reflect through this was simply majestic but has still not been with Fergie or Louis van Gaal levels of consistency. Hes got the press corps sounded, though, if the repeated conjure of the subject on the Sunday Supplement is anything to go by. He now needs to go in for the kill.

Jamie Jackson: Claudio Bravo. Pep Guardiola probably blew Manchester Citys hopes of winning anything in his first season when bombarding out Joe Hart and compensating 14.5 m for the Chilean on 25 August. Bravo in a word? Hapless.

Andy Hunter: Claudio Bravo. There were more expensive corrects than the Manchester City goalkeeper Tottenhams 30 m outlay on Moussa Sissoko for example but his recruitment was fundamental to how Pep Guardiola envisaged his first season in the Premier League and only serve to undercut it. That is not to say it was a mistake to oust Joe Hart, who has toiled at Torino, exclusively that Bravo was the incorrect option.

Louise Taylor: Moussa Sissoko, Tottenham Hotspur. Rafael Bentez is rightly proud of persuasion Spurs to part with 30 m for a midfielder who played a big its participation in Newcastle Uniteds relegation last year and whose Euro 2016 cameos for France flattered to entrap. Certainly when HMRC lately raided St James Park, club staff joked about whether they were investigating the fraud of 30m from Spurs.

Stuart James: A few in the combination here Borja Bastn at Swansea, Jordon Ibe at Bournemouth and Ahmed Musa at Leicester all come to mind. But Claudio Bravo, Manchester Citys 17 m goalkeeper, is surely the standout nominee. What were you thinking of, Pep?

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