Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
At the start of the season, no one would have predicted Nottingham Forest to be guaranteed a place in the Premier League’s top three on New Year’s Day.
The once mighty Forest, who famously won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, were in fact one of the favourites to be relegated this season, according to the bookmakers.
After winning two of their last three matches to finish one place above the drop zone last campaign, that prediction made sense.
But now, they are one place off top spot and everyone else has egg on their face.
Forest moved to second with a 2-0 win at Everton in the early hours of Monday morning Australian time, and at worst they will start 2025 in third if Chelsea win at second-last Ipswich Town.
It was their fifth consecutive victory in the league, which is the longest winning streak in English football’s top flight since 1995.
Sitting on 37 points with 11 wins and four draws for 19 matches, they have already surpassed their entire points tally from last season by five.
Forest returned to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years in the 2022/23 season and in their two previous campaigns back among England’s heavyweights, they only won nine games in each season.
“We are enjoying it,” Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo said of their league position. “We are especially enjoying because our fans are enjoying.
“This is what we have to do together, let’s enjoy the journey, compete in every match. Nothing changes, we have to realise we didn’t achieve anything.”
It has been a stunning turnaround, and it has been built off the back of staunch defence.
The 26 goals they have scored so far is the equal least, alongside Aston Villa, among the top 12 teams, but they have still presented a serious attacking threat.
New Zealander Chris Wood has been the hero up front with 11 goals after earlier in the year knocking back the pursuits of the A-League’s newest team, Auckland FC.
The tall striker is a major threat in the air and is a proven finisher with a double figure goal tally in six different Premier League seasons across his stints at Forest and Burnley.
Reds hammer West Ham in 5-0 rout | 00:45
The 33-year-old is on track to better his best season tally of 14, which he has reached twice, and sits equal fourth in the golden boot standings, six shy of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Everton boss, and Wood’s former mentor at Burnley, Sean Dyche was full of praise for Wood after he scored at Goodison Park.
“He’s got a different format they’re working to there which seems to be to his liking. He’s got wide players, they’ve got a strength behind them, and they get the ball up to him quickly,” Dyche said.
“That seems to be a thing that’s good for him and not massively dissimilar to what we were trying to achieve at Burnley.
“But yeah, I think a lot of credit to him, credit to his professionalism to keep on top of himself. He had a quiet spell when he first went there and [there were] a few question marks over him.
“That can happen with strikers. He’s had that before, and he’s come through it. Certainly a very good player, and someone I’ve got a lot of respect for.”
But it is at the other end of the pitch where Forest are causing the most headaches for their opponents.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels boasts the most clean sheets in the league with eight, and has made many crucial stops throughout the first half of the season.
In front of Sels is real the star of the show, however.
Centre back Nikola Milenkovic was bought from Fiorentina for £12 million in the summer and is proving to be bargain in comparison to what the richer clubs fork out for the linchpins of their defences.
In fact, the 27-year-old is widely regarded as the best signing of the season.
“The Serbian defender has helped turn Nottingham Forest into one of the best defensive sides in the Premier League under Nuno Espirito Santo’s guidance, with an old-school appetite for the battle with his centre-forward,” The UK Telegraph’s sports writer Lawrence Ostlere wrote.
“He’s also added a set-piece threat at the other end of the pitch, with a couple of goals and an assist already this season, and must have added plenty of value to his £12m transfer fee.”
Milenkovic’s impact has been so great, that it has even forgiven other missteps Forest have made in transfer windows past.
“Nottingham Forest were mocked, sometimes rightly, for signing vast numbers of players in recent years; so many that they didn’t have room in the squad for some of them,” The UK Telegraph’s senior football correspondent Richard Jolly wrote.
“Yet recruitment has clearly been refined: less quantity, more quality. Their side now has a series of fine buys. Nikola Milenkovic may be the best: not merely in what he is – a giant, dominant central defender – but in terms of what Forest lacks.
“He complements the excellent Murillo wonderfully. Forest now have one of the best central-defensive partnerships and defences in the division. And at £12m, Milenkovic is a bargain.”
In midfield, captain Morgan Gibbs-White has been inspirational.
He followed manager Nuno from Wolves to the City Ground, and has since become an England international.
Gibbs-White scored in their most recent outing at Everton, but it his creativity in the middle of the pitch that has drawn the most praise.
At Goodison Park, he also set up Wood’s goal and has been dubbed by his manager a “talented player” who is “fantastic”.
He along with Wood and Milenkovic will need to maintain their high standards if Forest are to challenge for the title or hang on to a Champions League place.
Chants of ‘we’re going to win the league’ have rung out from the Forest fans regularly in recent months, but with every win they are becoming less tongue-in-cheek.
It would take a mighty collapse from league leaders Liverpool, who are eight points clear with a game in hand, but the fact Forest and the Reds are battling it out at the pointy end of the table is a providing older fans with a lot of nostalgia.
Forest won the English First Division in 1978 with Liverpool finishing second, the following year their places were reversed.
During the 1980s, Forest finished third on three occasions and they last played in the European Cup, now the Champions League, in the 1980-81 season.
Now, the dream is real of hearing the Champions League theme on a Tuesday or Wednesday night at the City Ground.
It will be a challenge, but their biggest tests might be behind them.
Arsenal keep pressure on Liverpool | 01:27
In the second half of the season, their clashes with fellow top five teams Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are all at home.
That Liverpool match is only two weeks away, first they will travel to an in form Wolves in a grudge match for Nuno, and after that clash we will have a better understanding how serious about being a top team Forest truly are.
Their current standing proves this is more than merely a good start, but it remains unclear whether this could be another Leicester City fairytale title, an Aston Villa of last season charge to the Champions League, or a campaign that fades into the middle of the table.
Manchester City won the title (again), two of the traditional ‘Big Six’ crashed and burned in emphatic fashion as three teams secured European football for the first time in at least 13 years.
We also had to wave goodbye to a former Premier League champion as a sleeping giant also slept-walked their way to the Championship.
There was a lot to love about the season at all ends of the table, but who stood out for all the right and wrong reasons?
Foxsports.com.au analysed EVERY team’s season in the annual Premier League Report Card!
Five league crowns in six seasons: Pep Guardiola’s City side are well and truly a Premier League dynasty. And they’re not done yet, with an FA Cup final and Champions League final still to play and a historic treble up for grabs.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Pep’s men, giving the Gunners a huge lead in the Premier League race before hunting them down at the death. But when the pressure was on, City delivered the kind of faultless winning streak that has characterised their dominance of the English game in recent years.
Erling Haaland scored goals for fun in the greatest debut season in Premier League history – scoring a record 36 league goals at the tender age of just 22.
His price tag of £51.2m seems farcically good value, especially given the expenditure of some of City’s rivals this season. But he’s not the only bargain City snared – with centre-back Manuel Akanji’s £15m fee a bargain-basement price.
Indeed, City even made an estimated £50m transfer profit this year, thanks to big sales like Raheem Sterling to Chelsea, and Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal.
City remain a class above their opposition.
Manchester City defended their Premier League crown. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
2. Arsenal
Grade: A
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has overseen gradual improvements from his team ever since he returned to the club, but no-one could have seen the Gunners mount a serious title challenge this season.
The Gunners were top of the table for all but eight rounds this season but couldn’t quite hold on to their position as the inevitable Manchester City leapfrogged them in the closing weeks.
Although the end of the campaign is tinged with sadness given what could have been, it’s been a tremendous season.
Arteta’s side blew every pre-season expectation of the water with their final ladder position as the plaudits never stopped rolling in for one of the youngest teams in the Premier League.
Most pleasing was the emergence of 21-year-old winger Bukayo Saka.
The Englishman, operating on the right flank, tore opposition back lines apart time and time again and finished with 14 goals as well as 11 assists.
Another star who matured rapidly was Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegian was handed the skipper’s armband at the start of the season and finished joint-top scorer for the Gunners with 15 and provided seven assists.
Although the Gunners wobbled with three wins in their last nine, it should not be how their season is remembered.
With a return to the Champions League secured, there’s no ceiling in sight for this fresh-faced Gunners squad in the near future.
Arteta has got Arsenal back in the Champions League. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
3. Manchester Utd
Grade: A-
Talk about a change in mood.
Manchester United’s season began in a dark, gloomy corner of a room as they lost 2-1 at home to Brighton on the opening day, only to follow that up with an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Brentford six days later.
After two games, the Red Devils were rock bottom of the ladder as the excitement surrounding Erik ten Hag’s appointment rapidly dissipated.
But the hard-nosed Dutchman quickly turned their fortunes around, as some big wins over the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal got their season back on track.
Despite the surge up the ladder, a Cristiano Ronaldo-sized storm was brewing in the background and exploded during the mid-season World Cup break.
The Portuguese superstar left no stone unturned in a revealing interview with Piers Morgan which forced the club to part ways with their former prodigal son.
Perhaps United have Morgan to thank for that interview because once Ronaldo waved goodbye to Old Trafford and said hello to Saudi Arabia, the Red Devils’ fortunes changed dramatically.
Marcus Rashford went on a run of 10 league goals in as many games, with one of those proving to be the winner in a heated Manchester derby victory.
Ten Hag also helped United end their wait for a trophy as he oversaw a victory over Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
Eight wins in their last 11 games ensured a third-place finish for the Red Devils and a return to the Champions League
Summer signings Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez proved to be absolute masterstrokes as they were vital to United’s season, but it was the resurgence of Rashford that was most impressive.
The forward looked like a man reborn under Ten Hag and, if he can continue such form next season, United could be a serious title contender.
Marcus Rashford was a player transformed under Erik ten Hag. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
4. Newcastle
Grade: A
In the space of two seasons, Newcastle United fans have gone from fearing Championship away days to dreaming of Champions League trips to Madrid and Paris.
Toon boss Eddie Howe has overseen a stunning turnaround at the club in which they finished in the top four and made it to a cup final.
The club recruited wisely in the summer with the arrivals of Sven Botman, Nick Pope and Alexander Isak to name three.
But Howe’s remarkable ability to take some of Newcastle’s existing players to new levels that made them almost feel like new signings.
Joelinton, a £40m laughing stock of a striker, has transformed into a barnstorming midfielder while Callum Wilson smashed in 18 league goals and earned an England recall.
The Magpies’ backline proved to be the equal-best in the competition alongside Manchester City, conceding a measly 33 goals all season.
Yet Howe’s side were all-action in attack with 68 goals scored to give them the third-best goal differential.
Perhaps the best example of Newcastle’s ruthlessness going forward arrived during their 6-1 victory over Tottenham in which Howe’s side scored five in the first 21 minutes.
With Champions League football secured, there’s expectation Newcastle will once again make bigger waves in the transfer market.
But this season has proven Howe’s side will be a force to be reckoned with going forward in a major warning sign to the Premier League’s elite.
Newcastle have returned to the Champions League after two decades away. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
5. Liverpool
Grade: D
In a parallel universe, Liverpool sign Darwin Nunez and address their pressing need for a midfield refresh as they mount yet another title challenge.
Instead, the Reds did snap up Nunez from Benfica, but failed to sign a new midfielder in what has since proven to be one of the biggest mistakes during Jurgen Klopp’s time in Liverpool.
Even then, Nunez was sent off in just his second Premier League game after Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen goaded him to the point where the Reds star felt compelled to headbutt his rival.
It was rather symbolic for Liverpool’s season, as they failed to find much of a rhythm, if at all, until it was far too late.
Granted, crippling injury issues hampered the Reds’ campaign as talismanic winger Mohamed Salah came to grips with life without Sadio Mane on the left flank.
But the critics who pointed to Klopp’s infamous seventh season syndrome were vindicated as Liverpool slumped to their lowest points total in seven years amid embarrassing defeats to the likes of Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Bournemouth.
Although the Reds were unbeaten in their last 11 games and won seven of those, it papered over a significant amount of cracks that surfaced in a season to forget but was somehow good enough to seal a Europa League spot.
A highlight of Liverpool’s season has certainly been the positional change of Trent Alexander-Arnold in the latter stages of the campaign, as his hybrid midfield and defensive role worked wonders.
Whether we see more of that next season remains to be seen, but if Liverpool fail to enact the midfield refresh it so desperately needs in the off-season, treacherous waters lie ahead in Merseyside.
It was a season to forget for Liverpool. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
6. Brighton
Grade: A+
The Seagulls soared this campaign, with sixth place guaranteeing them European football for the first time in the club’s history! But it’s how they achieved such a lofty finish that makes this season so impressive – racking up a huge net profit on transfers around £80m.
In the off-season, they sold Marc Cucurella to Chelsea for £56m and Yves Bissouma to Spurs for £25m among a raft of big-name departures, while Leandro Trossard left for Arsenal in January for £21m.
And yet, Brighton’s incredible scouting team did it again, landing affordable signings who soon established themselves in the Premier League. The biggest outlay was £15m for left-back Pervis Estupinan, for example!
Brighton faced all sorts of problems this season, from midfielder Enock Mwepu being forced to retire with a heart condition, to losing manager Graham Potter to Chelsea in September.
But in true Brighton fashion, they overcame the obstacles and somehow looked even stronger – new manager Roberto de Zerbi implemented a thrilling attacking style of play that delivered in spades: their 72 goals was more than Manchester United (58) and Newcastle (68), for example.
They’ll lose more big players this off-season, of course. But it’s been a season for the ages – bring on Europe next time around.
Kaoru Mitoma has emerged as one of the breakout stars this season. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
7. Aston Villa
Grade: A-
Aston Villa were hurtling towards a relegation fight at the speed of light, but in the corridors of Craven Cottage after an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Fulham, a call was made which put the club on the path to Europe.
Steven Gerrard was sacked immediately after the Fulham defeat on October 20 with Villa out of the relegation zone only on goal difference having lost six of their opening 12 games.
Villa’s top brass went out and replaced the Liverpool legend with Villarreal boss and serial Europa League winner Unai Emery.
What a masterstroke of a decision that turned out to be.
Emery won his first game in charge as Villa boss with a 3-1 victory over Manchester United and they never looked back.
Although the club had a brief wobble in February with losses to Leicester, Arsenal and Manchester City in which they leaked 11 goals, Emery got the team back on track.
Villa would go on to win 10 of their final 15 games of the season as they slowly climbed up the ladder to eventually finish in seventh and secure a spot in the Europa Conference League play-off round.
Emery’s remarkable attention to detail brought the best out of his troops as Ollie Watkins recorded a 15-goal haul while Tyrone Mings was a colossus at the back.
With more investment promised for the summer, it’s only upwards from here for the Midlands side.
“Hello, is that the Europa Conference League?” (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
8. Tottenham
Grade: C-
If you end the season on your third manager, it’s evident something has not gone right.
That’s exactly how Tottenham Hotspur’s season transpired as Antonio Conte departed in acrimonious circumstances and his assistant Cristian Stellini wasn’t far behind after an ill-fated four-game spell as interim boss.
It was a disaster of a season for Spurs, especially considering the pre-season expectations coming off a strong finish to the end of last-season boosted by the £50 million signing of Richarlison.
Instead, Heung-Min Son failed to recreate his magical form of last season, the defence was carved open time and time again while Spurs struggled to find any sort of attacking fluidity.
The burden fell squarely on the broad shoulders of talismanic striker Harry Kane who, to his credit, managed to end the season with a stunning tally of 30 goals.
Under Conte, Spurs battled to get into games and often found themselves behind on the scoresheet first.
The fiery Italian eventually blew his gasket when his side threw away a 3-1 lead against Southampton to draw 3-3 and delivered an explosive press conference where he gave some home truths.
His right-hand man Stellini tried and failed to galvanise the squad as the damage quickly became irreparable following a loss to Bournemouth and a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Newcastle.
Ryan Mason held down the fort as caretaker but there was precious little he could do as Spurs won just two of their final eight games to ultimately finish eighth and miss out on European football for the first time in 13 years.
It was certainly a season that Spurs fans will be desperate to forget.
Harry Kane was the only bright spot in an otherwise dull season for Tottenham. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
9. Brentford
Grade: A
What a season for the Bees. They avoided the typical ‘sophomore slump’ that afflicts teams in their second season after promotion, and indeed moved up from 13th to ninth. Behind that rise was an improved ability to scrape points from tough positions, turning losses into draws – after seven draws and 18 losses last year, this season they picked up 14 draws and just nine defeats. Their impressive year was capped off by doing the double over champions Man City.
The Bees were very well-drilled in defence and surprisingly prolific in attack thanks in large part to the rise of Ivan Toney (20 goals in 33) – before his eight month ban due to betting breaches.
Centre-back Ben Mee, signed on a free transfer from Burnley, played like a man transformed, while David Raya was one of the Premier League’s standout keepers.
Moving forward, the big hope for Aussie fans is that young winger Lachlan Brook, who spent this year on loan to League Two side Crewe Alexandra, can earn a shot at a Premier League debut next year.
Brentford avoided the famous second-season slump. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
10. Fulham
Grade: B
After several years of bouncing between the Premier League and the Championship to earn the unfortunate tag of being a ‘yoyo club’, Fulham finally enjoyed a season of consolidation.
Given their history of successive promotions and relegations, pundits could be forgiven for tipping Fulham to go straight back down.
However, the Cottagers looked anything but relegation fodder under the tutelage of Marco Silva.
Star forward Aleksandar Mitrovic picked up right where he left off from the Championship, scoring six goals in Fulham’s opening eight games to have the London side as high as sixth.
Fulham also returned from the World Cup break in scintillating fashion, winning four on the bounce including a 2-1 triumph over local rivals Chelsea.
In fact, Silva’s side went into March sitting pretty in sixth spot on the table.
But from that moment onwards, the Cottagers slid further and further down.
Seven losses from their next nine games dropped Fulham down to 10th as their rivals passed them by, a position they would ultimately finish the season in.
Mitrovic, a notoriously feisty figure, was also handed an eight-game suspension for pushing the referee during Fulham’s FA Cup loss against Manchester United on March 19.
He ended the season with 14 goals while Fulham’s next top scorer was shared between 34-year-old winger Willian and back-up striker Carlos Vinicius with five.
Although Fulham’s season ended in disappointing fashion, they stayed up with plenty of breathing room.
That in itself should be considered a cracking season.
Mitrovic scored 14 goals for Fulham. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
11. Crystal Palace
Grade: C+
Crystal Palace proved that sometimes going back to your ex can actually be a good thing.
Expectations for the Eagles were high given how impressive they looked under Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira last season.
With a young core of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Cheick Doucoure coupled with the presence of talismanic winger Wilfried Zaha, Palace looked set to light up the league.
However, it never quite clicked for Palace.
After beating Aston Villa 3-1 in August, Vieira’s side failed to score more than two goals up until the Frenchman’s sacking in March.
The decision was made after Palace had gone on a 12-game winless run in which they scored a measly five goals and were at serious risk of being dragged into the relegation dogfight.
So, who better than to steer you to safety than your old flame, Roy Hodgson?
The former England boss (remember that?) came in on March 21 and immediately lifted the mood at the club both on and off the pitch.
Palace’s first game under Hodgson in his brief spell was a 2-1 win over Leicester City, before they smashed five past Leeds in the next game.
From Hodgson’s 10 games in charge, Palace went on to win five of those and lose only two as they secured an 11th place finish.
Eze took his game to a new level under Hodgson and finished as the club’s top scorer with 10 which ultimately earned him an England call-up.
At 75 years of age, it remains to be seen if Hodgson is Palace’s long term option in the Selhurst Park dugout.
But if this is his final act at his boyhood club, what a way to bow out.
Eberechi Eze was Palace’s top scorer. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
12. Chelsea
Grade: F
It’s hard to express just how woeful the Blues have been this year.
Expectations were high after a multibillion-dollar takeover in pre-season from a consortium led by American Todd Boehly. And when he splashed the cash in both transfer windows, a record-breaking 600 million pounds in total, those expectations only rose.
But money can’t buy happiness, and their scattergun approach to transfers resulted in a hodgepodge, bloated squad where some players were unable to even be registered for the Champions League or Premier League.
Many of the big-money signings have failed to live up to expectations – and it’s been a similarly ugly season for managers.
Thomas Tuchel was bundled out in short order after clashing with the new ownership. Graham Potter didn’t fare any better, being dumped out in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup before being axed in early April. Frank Lampard, brought back as an interim boss, couldn’t prevent them from their worst-ever points haul. New manager Mauricio Pochettino has an extremely tough task on his hands.
Despite spending the big bucks, Chelsea finished in the lower half of the table. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
13. Wolves
Grade: C-
Death, taxes and Wolves struggling to score goals.
It’s been an issue that plagued the club last season and it reared its ugly head again, with the Black Country club scoring the fewest goals of anyone this season with 31.
The honour for the club’s top scorer was shared between star midfielder Ruben Neves and Daniel Podence, who both scored six league goals.
Bruno Lage began the season as Wolves coach but lasted just eight league games as the atmosphere turned poisonous, with the club scoring three goals in that space.
The club attempted to bring in Michael Beale, who was managing Queens Park Rangers at the time, but he elected to stay in London as Wolves were left flailing under the caretaker management of Steve Davis.
At the World Cup break, Wolves were in last place with only eight goals scored all season long.
Enter Julen Lopetegui.
The former Spain boss immediately turned the ship around at Molineux, winning four of his first seven league games as the club slowly pulled away from the relegation zone and into the comfort of the mid-table peloton.
Although there was some inconsistency towards the end, Premier League safety was secured which means a job well done by Lopetegui.
Wolves fans will hope he teaches his players how to find the back of the net with more regularity in the summer.
Julen Lopetegui guided Wolves to safety. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
14. West Ham
Grade: D+
If you look at the Premier League in isolation, it’s been a thoroughly disappointing season for the Hammers. Having finished sixth and seventh in the two seasons prior (respectively), this year’s 14th represented a significant drop-off. They won five fewer games, with the biggest issue a misfiring attack that managed just 42 goals. That came despite splashing £35.5m on striker Gianluca Scamacca from Serie A, who managed just three goals in 16 league appearances in a disappointing and injury-hit debut campaign. The towering 24-year-old now seems likely to depart. In fact, West Ham had the fourth-highest net transfer spend in the Premier League (per Transfermarkt) with €172.45m.
There were promising signs from a number of the signings, and most are still coming into the best years of their career. Meanwhile, the Hammers again enjoyed a strong season in Europe, reaching the final of the third-level Europa Conference League. They’ll face Fiorentina on June 8 AEST in the club’s first European final since 1976.
Win, and their difficult league campaign will largely be forgotten – and they’ll earn qualification to the Europa League next year, to boot.
Lose, and there’s no more excuses for a very underwhelming campaign. And that’s without even mentioning the seemingly inevitable sale of superstar midfielder Declan Rice.
Declan Rice could have played his last season for the Hammers. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
15. Bournemouth
Grade: B+
Before the season started, expectations were low for the promoted club. Manager Scott Parker publicly raged at the ownership and board in the opening weeks, labelling his squad “ill-equipped at this level” – and to be fair, he was right.
And when the Cherries copped bruising defeats to Man City (4-0), Arsenal (3-0) and Liverpool (9-0), Parker was the first manager out the door.
That was just the start of a rollercoaster season. They immediately went on a six-game unbeaten run – then by January, they were back in the relegation zone.
From being dead last after 25 games (early March) – they then went on a stunning run, winning six of their next nine games. It secured their survival comfortably, despite losing their final four games of the campaign. Gary O’Neil’s turnaround of a struggling side – and crucially, the ownership change in December that ensured cash was available for January signings – delivered one of the stories of the season.
Dominic Solanke was pivotal to keeping the Cherries up. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
16. Nottingham Forest
Grade: B
Nottingham Forest were back in the English top flight and boy, did they have some new faces in the squad.
The Reds signed over 30 players over the course of the season, but it was made out of necessity given the bare bones nature of the team before the season.
It was an approach fraught with risk but with Steve Cooper at the helm, Forest fans had every reason to dream.
Yet those dreams soon became nightmares as Cooper quickly shot to the front of the sack race with Forest losing seven of their first 10 games to sit rock bottom of the ladder.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis, a figure who usually pulls the trigger, made the brave decision to stick with Cooper rather than twist.
It was a call that paid dividends.
Forest went on to record a famous win over Liverpool and enjoyed strong form at the start of the year, winning three and drawing two to move as high as 13th on the ladder.
But the dark clouds from the start of the season would quickly return as the Reds went 11 games without a win, losing eight in that same stretch.
Surely Marinakis would run out of patience with Cooper, especially given the carefree nature of managerial sackings this season?
Wrong.
The Greek boss came out in support of the embattled Cooper and it proved to be a masterstroke.
Forest won three of their last six, including wins over high-flying Brighton and Arsenal, to secure safety with a handful of games to spare.
Although some teams have been vindicated in their decisions to sack managers, Forest are a prime example of what can happen when you back the man in charge.
Considering how many new players he had to bed into the squad and his style of play, Cooper deserves to be in the conversation for manager of the year.
However, the Reds must address their worrying away form throughout the season as they won just once and scored 11 goals on their Premier League travels.
Forest signed over 30 players but somehow managed to survive. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
17. Everton
Grade: D
After escaping relegation last season with one game to spare, Everton simply had to improve this year. They didn’t. If anything, they managed to get worse. They won three fewer games and ended up on a measly 36 points, three fewer than last year! The only reason they survived the drop – besides a stunning Abdoulaye Doucoure goal on the final day – was because as bad as the Toffees were, their rivals were somehow even worse.
For all their on-field struggles – and there were many – Everton’s problems largely stem from what’s happening off the field.
The club has been running at a significant loss under owner Farhad Moshiri: a £44.7m deficit in their most recent financial accounts (2021-22 season). The focus of the board, meanwhile, has been the building of a £500m new stadium on the banks of the River Mersey.
And this season, the Toffees were hit with charges from the Premier League over financial sustainability. The club denies the allegations.
Moshiri has been seeking investment in the club in the form of a minor shareholder – but his search has now stretched on for months. In the meantime, the Toffees have turned into a ‘selling club’. They sold last season’s top-scorer Richarlison to Tottenham for £60m, and doubled down in January by offloading talented youngster Anthony Gordon to Newcastle for £45m. They were one of just four Premier League teams to end the season with a positive net transfer spend – i.e. making more money from transfers than they spent.
Given their financial situation, survival might seem like enough. Given their history, the fans deserve much better.
Everton’s final-day win sparked a pitch invasion from joyous supporters. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
18. Leicester
Grade: F
Seven years after their Cinderella-like fairytale title, the Foxes are going down.
Given the squad at their disposal, they are too good to be in this sad position. Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho – the attacking riches at their disposal were enviable. And goals flowed freely – their 51 scored was more than any team in the bottom half, and indeed level with seventh-placed Aston Villa’s tally! But without a capable defence, things fell apart.
The squad was gutted by departures before the season, and the funds just weren’t there to replace the outgoing stars – especially with the club’s bloated wage bill combined with the money already spent on plans for stadium development.
Harry Souttar’s Premier League dream has taken a momentary pause. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
19. Leeds
Grade: E
Three games into the season and things were looking rosy for Leeds.
Two wins from three games, including a 3-0 victory over Chelsea, had Elland Road bouncing once more after a summer in which they lost superstar duo Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.
But that giddiness quickly gave way to anger and frustration.
Leeds went on to lose six of their next eight games to slide all the way down from third to 17th on the ladder.
Wins over Liverpool and Bournemouth bought the under-fire Jesse Marsch a brief respite going into the World Cup break, but it was business as usual upon the resumption of the season.
The wins dried up and Marsch (and Leeds fans, if we’re honest) was put out of his misery the day after a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on February 5.
Former Watford boss Javi Gracia was parachuted in to stop the rot and, to his credit, led the team to three wins.
Or, for the percentage enthusiasts, 43 per cent of Leeds’ total wins.
After a 2-1 win over Forest, Leeds shipped 11 goals in two games against Crystal Palace and Liverpool while only scoring twice.
Gracia’s caretaker position became untenable after an embarrassing 4-1 loss away to Bournemouth.
So, who better to call in to save your season with four games to go?
None other than big Sam Allardyce.
With a £2.5 million carrot awaiting him should he guide Leeds to safety, why wouldn’t the perennial Premier League firefighter take on a task most would have ran a mile from?
Well, that seven-figure payday will remain wishful thinking as Allardyce led the team to just a point from his four-game stint as Leeds were relegated after three seasons in the top flight.
Allardyce can’t be completely absolved of any blame, but many fingers must be pointed at Victor Orta, the club’s former sporting director who oversaw a summer spend on several unproven and young stars among other things.
It was nice having you back while it lasted, Leeds.
Leeds were relegated after three seasons back in the Premier League. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
20. Southampton
Grade: F
The less we write about the Saints, the better.
Three different managers tried to turn around the Titanic, but like that famous cautionary tale, the Saints are going down.
They were trounced 4-0 by Spurs on the opening day, which left them dead last. It’s a position they would became all too familiar with this season. From December 26 onwards, the Saints spent 22 of the final 23 rounds rooted to the bottom of the ladder. In the end, they finished with as many losses – 25 – as points.
That truly dismal record came despite managing to ward off strong interest in superstar midfielder James Ward-Prowse in pre-season. In fact, they went on a signing spree that saw them tally a net transfer spend of €138.2m – the eighth-highest spend in the division. Compare that to their relegated rivals: Leeds had a €31.1m net spend, while Leicester had a €33.4m net profit.
But the majority of Southampton’s signings were unproven youngsters – a high-risk gamble that flopped in cataclysmic fashion.
The Saints’ 11th-straight season in the league will be their last, and the looming exit of Ward-Prowse will be just the start of the painful days ahead.
This was supposed to be a relatively quiet trade window.
Only a few weeks ago, all the talk was about how John Collins and Bojan Bogdanovic were likely to be the biggest names available on the trade block.
And if there was one team who could have triggered deadline chaos it was going to be the Toronto Raptors.
Fast-forward to Friday morning and while there weren’t any major moves in the final few hours, expectations for this year’s deadline had already been blown out of the water.
The seemingly wide-open Western Conference was flipped on its head as Dallas and Phoenix went all-in on Irving and Durant respectively.
Meanwhile, the Lakers also made big moves, most notably finally parting ways with Russell Westbrook as LeBron James finally got some help.
Kevin Durant is off to Phoenix. (Photo by Michael Reaves / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
As for the Raptors, they didn’t even end up being sellers. Instead, Toronto landed Jakob Poeltl as OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. all stayed put.
Former NFL player Arian Foster made waves earlier this month when he claimed the NFL was rigged and that players received “scripts” provided by the league during the season.
Well, the NBA certainly had fun with its script before this year’s deadline.
Josh Green
Australian Josh Green averaged just 7.6 minutes per game in the playoffs last season at Dallas. That is definitely going change this post-season.
Green now factors as a crucial role player for the Mavericks’ playoff push after they went all-in on a title this season in trading for Irving. Although the guard out of Sydney was worried at first he was the one that had been moved on.
“I don’t have Twitter, so I had no idea [about the trade],” Green told reporters earlier this week.
“I was in the shower and I came out to like 20 text messages, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m done. Like, I’m traded’.”
Even after the Irving trade, Green was far from safe as he was the team’s most valuable trade asset should the Mavericks had tried to make any more win-now moves.
But it’s clear Dallas realises Green is a player who can actually help the franchise win now and The Athletic’s Tim Cato reported the Mavericks “prioritised” him despite “strong interest” from the Nets.
Green will only take on even more responsibility on the defensive end with Dorian Finney-Smith, the team’s best perimeter defender, off to Brooklyn.
The 22-year-old has also taken a big leap as a scorer this season, averaging 8.1 points while shooting a career-best 41.9 per cent from beyond the arc.
Only earlier this week Green stepped up in a big way with Luka Doncic sidelined, scoring a career-high 29 points to go with six rebounds in a 124-111 win over the Utah Jazz.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said late last year that Green has “superstar” talent and will “make a lot of money”, with the Australian eligible to sign a contract extension next offseason.
Josh Green is soaring. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Should he not reach an agreement with Dallas, Green will become a restricted free agent in 2024.
Speaking on his podcast, NBA insider Zach Lowe said this is a “big moment” for Green to prove himself having already significantly developed his game on both ends this season.
”This is a big, big moment for Josh Green, who I think maybe they should just start over Tim Hardaway Jr. or Reggie Bullock,” Lowe said.
“He’s having a sensational shooting season. He’s a much better defender than Hardaway, a little stouter on defence and he’s just a smart ball mover. It’s a big moment for him.”
NBA Wrap: Irving off to winning start | 02:27
LeBron James
It was always going to be a delicate balancing act for the Lakers heading into this year’s trade deadline.
As much as they needed to make moves to put James in a position to win, the franchise was still crippled by past mistakes — including the Russell Westbrook contract.
As The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor pointed out, the Lakers could have afforded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso — all of which were cap casualties of the Westbrook trade.
But somehow as O’Connor wrote, after “one of the bigger mistakes” in the franchise’s history, the Lakers may have just found a way to “save their season”.
Missing out on Kyrie Irving was definitely disappointing and if the front office had not made any other major moves before the deadline there’s no doubting questions would’ve been asked.
Instead, the Lakers ended up with D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley while solving their Westbrook headache and only giving up a protected 2027 first-round pick.
They already added Rui Hachimua while Mo Bamba adds much-needed depth to the frontcourt after trading away Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets.
James had made it clear ahead of the deadline that at this point of his career winning is more important than ever and the Lakers just put him in a position to do just that.
Whether it is enough to get the Lakers deep into the playoffs remains to be seen but it looks like they have least found a way to be better in the short-term without mortgaging the future.
Lakers lose despite Lebron milestone | 03:23
Artist behind Luka mural
It’s too soon to definitively call the Mavericks a winner or loser. After all, this is Kyrie Irving we’re talking about and already he was making headlines in his first press conference in Dallas colours.
In case you missed it, Irving claimed he was “just tolerated” instead of “celebrated” at Brooklyn and at times even “felt very disrespected”. For all Irving’s off-field antics, it’s clear he hasn’t learned much and this Mavericks move has every chance of blowing up in owner Mark Cuban’s face.
But at least Cuban made a move to help Luka Doncic. If there is one clear winner though it is Preston Pannek, the artist behind that Doncic mural in the historic Deep Ellum neighbourhood.
Cuban accused Pannek of being “disrespectful” in an email after the mural went viral online, writing: “It’s your choice to do what you want. If that’s the way you want to be a fan. Go for it”.
But what has quickly become clear is that Pannek was right. Doncic did need help and Cuban knew it too.
Otherwise, why would the Mavericks make such a risky move for Irving, who could just as easily end up being a ticking time bomb instead of the co-star Doncic was after.
Mat Ishbia
The new Suns owner only had his introductory press conference a few hours before the Durant trade and even then, he had already made a statement.
“The way we look at it is, how do we improve our team?” Ishbia said.
“I’m not going to be sitting here counting the dollars. We’re going to focus on, how do we improve our team? If there’s a way to improve our team, we’re going to look at doing it.”
Ishbia certainly didn’t take long to prove it wasn’t just talk, making a big swing to trade for Durant and immediately vault Phoenix into Western Conference favouritism.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski described it as a “remarkable” coup for Ishbia, adding that the move was immediate proof of the new owner’s aggressive intentions in the top job.
“Just a remarkable deal for the Suns and now they pair Kevin Durant with Devin Booker and certainly Chris Paul,” Wojnarowski said.
“This is a team in the desert that is certainly going to have some immediate championship aspirations. I think Matt Ishbia, the new owner in Phoenix, he wanted to come in and make a splash and his done it – Kevin Durant is a Phoenix Sun.
“This was a deal done very much on the ownership level too, Ishbia and Joe Tsai the Nets owner I’m told there was a back and forth with them that began to start the conversation.”
Chris Paul
Speaking of the Suns, they have been rising up the Western Conference standings and now find themselves in fifth spot despite a poor start to the season.
There were suggestions if Phoenix was to take a big swing before the deadline it could involve trading away Chris Paul.
The 37-year-old insisted earlier this season that he still had an opportunity in Phoenix to win his first ring but with Devin Booker injured and the Suns struggling, that window appeared to be closing.
The Durant trade though has swung it wide-open, giving Paul his best chance yet to get back to the Finals and potentially cap off his career with a fairytale title.
This is Chris Paul’s best chance. (Photo by Maddie Meyer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
Houston Rockets
While Phoenix and Dallas were the big winners to come out of Brooklyn blowing it up, almost every other team in the Western Conference is worse off for it.
That is, except for the lowly Houston Rockets, who currently have the worst record in basketball. That though could change in the coming years.
When the Rockets traded James Harden to the Nets in January 2021, they did so primarily to pocket a whole bunch of unprotected picks and pick swaps.
In doing so, they were gambling on it all falling apart spectacularly, hoping that Brooklyn’s expensive and ageing superstar core would crumble and they would be the beneficiaries.
But even the Rockets may not have forecast things unravelling so quickly, to the extent that Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would all leave while Brooklyn still had five picks left to convey.
At this stage it looks like the Nets are heading towards a rebuild and the Rockets, who already have exciting young prospects in Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr., are the big winners.
HOUSTON’S FUTURE HAUL
2023: First-round pick swap
2024: Own Brooklyn’s first-round pick
2025: First-round pick swap
2026: Own Brooklyn’s first-round pick
2027: First-round pick swap
Ben Simmons
This one may turn heads. After all, the Nets will no longer be contending for a title — at least in the next few years — and Simmons certainly is not in the position to be Brooklyn’s leading option with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving gone.
But there is a clear silver lining to those two being out the door. The high expectations and intense spotlight that came with it will no longer be on Brooklyn.
By extension, for Simmons’ sake, it hopefully means he will have the time and space to get his body right and potentially rediscover his previous All-Star-calibre form.
Even after missing five-straight games recently with left knee soreness, Simmons admitted post-game that the injury would continue to be an issue after managing just two points, six assists and four turnovers in his return.
“I still have a long way to go in terms of physical self and getting where I need to be,” he said.
“That will take time. Back surgery is not a light thing so it takes time. Back surgery you’re affected everywhere. Your knees. I’m not going to be the same player I was a few years ago. That’s going to take time to get back.”
Simmons scores only 2 points in return | 01:14
Time though was not something on Brooklyn’s side this season as even if Irving and Durant stuck out the season, there was every chance both moved on in the summer.
It meant it was only more important than ever that Simmons was contributing now but with the Nets rebuilding, Simmons too has all that he has wanted and need all along — time.
Cam Thomas
Speaking of the Nets, no KD or Kyrie means even more opportunities for Cam Thomas’ stock to only continue to rise.
Thomas has been on a tear lately, scoring 134 points while becoming the youngest player in NBA history to put up three consecutive 40-point games.
Sure, the 21-year-old may not be a notable winner but the Brooklyn guard can only benefit from more minutes to not only develop his game but continue to put his name in lights.
LOSERS
Chicago Bulls
Just two teams did absolutely nothing at the deadline — the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But at least the Cavs had a reason to sit it out, having just traded for Donovan Mitchell. Chicago’s inactivity, on the other hand, is baffling.
Although if you ask Bulls GM Artūras Karnišovas, the franchise was active ahead of the deadline but just didn’t come across any offer that they liked.
“There were a lot of hypotheticals and a lot of rumours,” Karnišovas said.
“We were pretty busy but nothing (happened). It just didn’t seem like there were deals to make to improve this group. At end of day we decided to go with this group for next 28 games.”
What direction are the Bulls going in? (Photo by Michael Reaves / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
It’s not like anyone was expecting Chicago to trade Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan but they had other assets that could have been moved and may be less valuable next season.
While Nikola Vucevic has been playing some of his best basketball recently, moving him on would have made sense given he is an expiring deal and could become a free agent if an extension is not agreed to by July 1.
Obviously the Bulls are confident not just that Vucevic stays put but they have the right core group of plays, when healthy, to continue to improve and potentially contend in the future.
Denver Nuggets
It’s not all bad news for the Nuggets who added Thomas Bryant, an athletic and mobile rim presence to have behind Nikola Jokic. But that’s about where the good news ends.
Bones Hyland is gone and sure, he wasn’t getting any playing time recently and clearly wasn’t part of Denver’s future, but two second-round picks is an underwhelming return.
Then, of course, the once wide-open Western Conference is now stacked.
They may not have played a game together yet but the Suns have immediately catapulted into title favouritism, headlined by Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
There are still plenty of unknowns surrounding Irving and the Mavericks, although they are obviously much better too.
Shaq emotional after Lebron GOAT call | 01:28
Then there are the two L.A. teams — the Lakers and Clippers — who both made a handful of moves to add more offensive firepower.
As for the Nuggets, at this point it looks like they’re just betting on continuity. Denver is still capable of contending for the title, with Nikola Jokic playing at an MVP level while Jamal Murray and even Michael Porter Jr. are looking more comfortable.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown have also been shrewd additions.
But there’s little doubting the path to a championship is that much trickier for Denver after the deadline in a Western Conference that ESPN host Malika Andrews described as “bonkers”.
Ja Morant, who famously said last year he was not too worried being in the West, also has plenty of reasons to be concerned now, particularly after the Grizzlies made no real upgrades.
Anyone who wasted time on the hypothetical ‘Big 3’
Look, if you were judging Brooklyn based on what it got in return for Durant and Irving, you’d have to say the former NBA powerhouse probably belongs in the winners section.
After all, getting five first-round picks, a first-round swap, seven second-rounders and solid supporting players with some upside will at least help kick off the rebuild in Brooklyn.
In saying that, it’s still hard to shake off just how spectacularly everything fell apart, with Irving, Durant and Harden playing just 16 games together.
Instead, it will always be the best hypothetical trio that never lived up to expectations.
“As an era, the KD, Kyrie, Harden era goes down as the greatest failure in the history of the NBA,” Zach Lowe said on ESPN’s live coverage of the deadline.
“They won one playoff series in four years. All the drama, all the picks, all the coverage on this show and all the other shows amounted to one playoff series. Durant, Harden and KD played 16 games together. That’s it.”
‘No hard feelings towards Irving’ | 01:09
Now, as ESPN’s Nick Friedell explained on Friday, Brooklyn is left to pick up the pieces of a Ben Simmons contract that “crushed” the team’s hopes of avoiding any major rebuild.
“I would add this in the context of any Brooklyn conversation, the reality for the Nets is Ben Simmons’ contract completely crushed them,” Friedell said.
“He’s still got two years and $80 million left. Now they are forced to completely rebuild and stock up a bunch of picks and hope eventually they can turn one of those guys into one of the three guys they lost.”
Russell Westbrook
Westbrook’s former longtime agent Thad Foucher warned last year that nine-time All-Star was at risk of being a buyout candidate as his trade value continue to diminish.
“Now, with a possibility of a fourth trade in four years, the marketplace is telling the Lakers they must add additional value with Russell in any trade scenario,” Foucher told ESPN at the time.
“And even then, such a trade may require Russell to immediately move on from the new team via buyout. My belief is that this type of transaction only serves to diminish Russell’s value.”
Foucher looks set to be proven right, with Westbrook traded to Utah but unlikely to ever suit up for the franchise with the Jazz instead expected to buy him out.
3 team trade could seal Westbrook exit | 01:03
Westbrook had shown a willingness to do what was best for the team when he went back to the bench for the Lakers and really started to rediscover some of his form.
But the fit was never right from the start and now Westbrook’s value is only taking an even bigger hit in the aftermath of the trade amid suggestions the relationship with the Lakers had become “toxic”.
The Athletic reported the situation had become “untenable” over the past week and that the team’s coaching staff was growing “frustrated” with his behaviour.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, meanwhile, went as far as to claim once source had compared Westbrook’s presence to that of a “vampire sucking the blood out of the locker room”.
It seems like there is a concerted effort to paint Westbrook in an unfair light and publicly attack his character in the aftermath of a trade despite it seemingly having more to do with chemistry issues on the court.
John Wall
Look, for the time being, let’s ignore the fact Wall is going to be waived anyway.
It just makes it more fun. After all, it was only a few weeks that ago that Wall publicly unleashed on former team the Rockets. Now he’s back at Houston again. Talk about awkward.
