Johnny Phillips: The heroes and Villans who shone last season
As the dust settles on another season, time to reflect on what 2023/24 brought on a domestic level. While Arsenal and, to a lesser extent, Liverpool made valiant attempts to bring an end to Manchester City’s stranglehold on the Premier League title it was Pep Guardiola’s side who came through strongly in the closing weeks to seal a sixth title in seven seasons.
In terms of individuals who made their mark on the league, this season saw some impressive characters rise up. On a playing front, Phil Foden was surely the outstanding performer. He took his game to that next level with the consistency of his performances as well as making his mark at key moments during matches with a combination of exceptional skill and brilliant game-awareness.
Not far behind comes Martin Odegaard, who also stepped up in terms of consistency. He was, without doubt, the man who made Arsenal tick all season and his creativity in midfield was responsible for much of the attacking prowess of Mikel Arteta’s side. It was the Norwegian’s fourth season in English football. Still only 25, if he can maintain these levels then he will become a Gunners great.
If I was looking for a young player of the season, then that surely goes to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer. It is not often that Guardiola gets one wrong but he surely cannot have imagined the impact the youngster would have at Stamford Bridge. City will argue that they got good money for a player who was with the club since the age of 10 but they surely wouldn’t let him go if they had their time again.
In picking a team of the year I went for a 4-2-3-1 formation with the strong presence of Emiliano Martinez in goal. His command of the penalty area and all-round excellence in goal showed why he has developed into a a fantastic goalkeeper.
