A season of capital punishment

Mad for it: Manchester United celebrate winning the Premier League
11 April 2012

When London hosts the Champions League Final on Saturday, the proximity of Europe's premier prize will enhance the sense of an opportunity missed that encapsulates the season for the capital's top clubs.

Manchester United and Barcelona will battle to be crowned kings of Europe at Wembley as London's search for success in the competition continues following a campaign of disappointment.

Chelsea, vanquished by United at the quarter-final stage, find themselves in the shadow of Sir Alex Ferguson once again and without a figurehead to lead them back into the light.

Carlo Ancelotti was not sacked for finishing second in the Premier League but for failing to satisfy owner Roman Abramovich's demand for instant Champions League glory.

Last season's League and FA Cup winner, Ancelotti went from Double to nothing but paid the price for an inability to break new frontiers in Europe, ironically succumbing to English opposition in the quarter-final.

United have since gone on to claim a record 19th League title and stand on the verge of an ascension to greatness should they see off the Catalan giants this weekend and yet this side do not rank among Ferguson's finest.

Such a thought reinforces the sense of a chance lost among their rivals. Chelsea started their defence with all the vim of champions as Stamford Bridge became awash with goals.

Yet the clandestine intrusion from on high that began with the departure of five senior players with only Yossi Benayoun (injured) and Ramires (unconvincing) coming in continued with the sudden and still unexplained departure of Ray Wilkins.

Ancelotti had his problems complicated by the arrival of an undeniably talented but woefully out of form Fernando Torres and the charismatic but domestically unproven David Luiz.

Each posed a different set of issues regarding their integration and for all the benefits a £75million injection can bring, adapting mid-season while maintaining consistency is a near-impossible task; Ancelotti kept as many plates spinning as he could while Abramovich put him off. But ultimately, he bought the crockery and Abramovich must now find another manager willing to enter the circus.

No such upheaval at Emirates Stadium but the frustration felt by those who pay the highest ticket prices in the country is palpable.

"Spend some f***ing money," the Arsenal supporters chanted last weekend at Arsene Wenger, who was typically keen to point out money does not guarantee success.

True, but Wenger needs to at least see some sense because the shortcomings that undermine Arsenal once again are neither new nor difficult to spot.

Graceful and effervescent on their day, childish and pathetically weak when its not, the Gunners simply failed to produce their best form when it really mattered most.

Home victories over Barcelona and Chelsea proved the highlights of a campaign which threatened so much more. Wenger has often treated the Carling Cup with disdain and after fielding a strong side throughout the competition, his team lost the final in February and won only three times thereafter. Wenger has to break the vicious cycle of repetitive implosion because resentment is growing - the tremendous feats he has achieved at Arsenal are threatening to be outweighed by a stubbornness to tweak his philosophy.

Tottenham finished with the reward of Europa League football but such returns will of course feel diminished after the dizzying highs of their Champions League campaign. Their dramatic run to the quarter-finals was a joy to behold and fifth place in the League is a respectable return for a side that threw everything they had at Europe's best.

Although Manchester City's exorbitant spending ultimately powered them past Spurs (and Arsenal for that matter), as Harry Redknapp has pointed out to anyone who will listen, there will be some regret given their profligacy in front of goal and nine home draws, most of which came against lesser opposition. West Ham will face a league of lesser opposition following their relegation from the top flight that has felt inevitable ever since the 3-1 win over Wigan in November that was billed as 'Save our Season' only actually delivered three points and not 30.

Avram Grant lost his job months after the club's owners tried to hide it from him and give it to Martin O'Neill in January - his zombie-like demeanour was apt for a dead-man walking and he could never awaken a deeply disappointing squad from their slumber.

The sense of a missed opportunity perhaps does not extend to Fulham, who rallied under Mark Hughes for a top-10 finish. The Fulham faithful may wonder what might have been had they been able to call on better attacking options earlier in the season.

There has been something of a power shift towards Manchester with City and United claiming the top two English prizes and this season is the first since 2001 that a London club has not tasted domestic success. Saturday will provide first hand another example of what London is missing out on.

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