The Time to Look Forward

Two rounds left of the Premier League season, UCL final and FA Cup Final only days away... this is the bittersweet time for fans of the beautiful game. One may look back on moments of brilliance, of calamity, of conspiracy, and wonder what could have been. But as I've learned more and more with each passing season, the best thing is to revel in the reality and look forward to the future.

And the reality is that this was a strangely beautiful year for the English game. Kicked off immediately following a massively disappointing World Cup campaign, and by late summer it looked as if this would be a forgettable season, with Chelsea running away with the title after a flying start.

But that flight soon hit major turbulence, as the champions crashed to their worst run of form in decades around the holiday period. United surged on, as they do, and would not be caught. Arsenal continued their tradition of springtime capitulation.

So, maybe things at the very top were relatively ordinary. Elsewhere in the table, though, drama flourished.

Aston Villa fell from grace. Liverpool, with the help of a Merseyside legend, clawed their way back to near where they should be. Spurs played some of the most exciting--and attractive--football on the continent. Mancini's cautious ways nearly halted the best squad money can buy, but City dug out that Champions League place they need and will surely win some silverware tomorrow. And as always in the relegation battle, it's been riveting: a Blackpool side who play through midfield and West Ham proving they are certainly not too big to go down.

We're not crowning any champions yet, at least not until tomorrow, but all clubs, managers, supporters and players deserve accolades for making this the most exciting season in years, and the one where the so-called "Big Four" was finally dismantled.

It's time to hand out some awards:

PLAYER OF THE SEASON: Ryan Giggs. No, he won't win any individual awards this season. And no, he wasn't the one to rip Maicon to shreds at the San Siro. But the evergreen Giggs has been absolutely priceless in United's big games of the season. He, not Rooney, Hernandez, or Nani has been their most important player in what will go down as an historic United season. Some may argue that he simply did not play enough matches to be Player of the Season-- but he couldn't. He's 37 years old. And again, when United needed to win, he propelled them on.

(HONORABLE MENTION: Samir Nasri, Raul Meireles, Leon Osman)

MANAGER OF THE SEASON: Sir Alex Ferguson. I know-- it kills me to give both of these to MUFC. But credit where credit is due: Fergie did a great job with a very ordinary squad this year. United lacked the spark that has been so pivotal to their previous title winning sides, but still managed to grind out first place through determination, a holistic team effort, and big moments from big players.

(HONORABLE MENTION: Kenny Dalglish)

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE SEASON: Jack Wilshere. The obvious choice. In a season where Fabregas went missing, Wilshere has been class. He can play a number of roles in midfield, and his emotion for the game and for his club has been refreshing. The boy has a very, very bright future.

(HONORABLE MENTION: Danny Sturridge, Phil Jones, Javier Hernandez)

SIGNING OF THE SEASON: Javier Hernandez. It's simple: the number of goals he has scored for his club, considering how little money they paid for him. A source of boundless energy, and a surprisingly fitting foil to Rooney, he has deposed Berbatov, the club and league's leading scorer.

(HONORABLE MENTION: Rafa Van der Vaart, Luiz Suarez, Peter Odemwingie)

WORST SIGNING OF THE SEASON: Fernando Torres. A brilliant player, a good person, and one horrible, cringe-worthy season. Cursed by his price tag, but the seasons to come will redeem him.

There you have it. It's quite possible that by the end of this weekend, the title and the FA Cup will be decided. Come back to WSOTA for reaction and recap. Also, I will be covering the Champions League final at Wembley, live. Pictures and reactions to follow.

Feel free to post your comments, discussions, and pictures of Michael Ballack stuffing Patrice Evra.

An Incomplete Project

"If aesthetics were what counted, they'd win the league every year."

These were the words of Ian Darke, the play-by-play commentator for the Bolton-Arsenal game today, and they were spot on. After losing 2-1 to a ferocious Bolton side in a thrilling match, Arsene Wenger's project will be finishing their seventh season in a row without silverware. They led the league at times this season, were in contention deep into March, but contrived to stumble at the final hurdle as they do so often.

Wenger's vision is admirable: recruit young, raw players with lots of potential and craft a streamlined football team that creates visual art, all while spending very little money. Admirable, but foolish. Year after year, as the end of the season neared, the same criticisms were leveled at Wenger and his master plan: no experience, no leaders, no silverware. His reluctance to splash the cash on proven defenders and goalkeepers will be cited as the main fault this year, but that is an oversimplification.

Cesc Fabregas is not a captain. He is a great footballer, but he is not an emotional leader on the pitch, and he should not be the pillar of the team that he has tried desperately to abandon and that he vilified in the Spanish press earlier this week.

Players like Jack Wilshere, Alex Song, and Aaron Ramsey have extremely bright futures in the game, and they owe that to Arsene Wenger and his guidance. But they know as well as we know that success and trophies will only come once they get out of the Emirates Stadium, just as their club captain tried to do last summer.

The staggering collapse of this year's team will force Wenger to think deeply about his pet project at the end of the season. He may change his tactics. He may finally spend money, backed by new majority owner Stan Kroenke. He may even leave the club.

But if he should choose to continue with his vision, he must accept that they will always be what they are now: beautiful losers.