Premier League flops of the season

Having witnessed another epic season, I will try to reflect on those clubs that simply can’t get their act together, as well as those who flattered in the transfer market with what glittered like gold.Newcastle’s French connection disasterNewcastle United has always cut across like a club destined for greatness, yet in reality, it is a regular punching bag for clubs big and small. With over six French players on the starting squad, the Magpies have successfully replaced Arsenal as the most French-ized Premiership side.With the likes of Thierry Henry, Vieira, Emmanuel Petit and Robert Pires, Arsenal’s invincibility was unequaled throughout Europe for roughly a decade. In contrast to Newcastle, players such as Yohan Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Moussa Sissoko and Sylvain Marveaux have failed to craft a formidable French connection. Mind you, they are all highly rated international players, so one wonders why Newcastle endlessly flirts with the relegation zone.Having started on a high, thrashing clubs like Manchester United, Newcastle was taunted as a sleeping giant who could wallop any club on a good day. But as the season advanced, things curved out for the worse, whereby it’s hard to remember the last time Newcastle won two games in a row.I hate to think that coach Allan Pardew isn’t up to the assignment; with other clubs he has managed, like West Ham, and possibly deserves a second chance. However, I am starting to believe that Newcastle is only a deceiver, a flatterer of greatness with no major purpose.Someone cast a spell on QPRIt is logical when an expensively assembled club underachieves in a season, but it’s strange when that particular club is actually relegated.Queens Park Rangers is the only club in the premier league that is officially relegated; the other two may still endure mathematically but for QPR, it’s over.When one looks at its team sheet, they would imagine that QPR will finish at least in the top half of the table any given Sunday, but as destiny wants it, they couldn’t even handle crawling out of the first position- from the bottom that is.With Bobby Zamora, Sean Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas and Esteban Granero, QPR has a squad to put up a fight for a trophy and even if sympathisers say the club is still newly assembled, it doesn’t give good reason for relegation.In business terms, the money spent by owners, Lakshmi Mittal and Tony Fernandes will not make returns, and with new financial laws set to come into force, QPR might be forced to get rid of its stars and be forced to play in the championship for a long time.Liverpool’s woes aren’t only about footballSomeone joked that whereas Manchester United wants Cristiano Ronaldo back, and Arsenal want Cesc Fabregas back, Liverpool want the black and white TV back.Liverpool’s glory days are quickly vanishing from memory much more like a black and white TV faded off the market- and one wonders how this came to be.For starters, Liverpool always has the money to be vigorous in the transfer market and as a matter of fact, it spends just as much as Manchester United and Arsenal. Teams that spend less such as Tottenham and Everton have mastered a position above Liverpool for the last few years.The club’s woes therefore can only be attributed to two simple causes; expensive but awful signings and the Suarez dynamic.Liverpool spent a combined fee of about £60 million to acquire the services of Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam, in a bid to wrestle for the premier league title or at least qualify for Champions League.This later turned out to be the worst bet ever; Andy Carroll is away on loan after failing to impress, Charlie Adam was sold altogether, while Jordan Henderson is average at best.The Suarez factor has also dealt the Merseyside club a weighty blow; despite being one of the best players today, Suarez has failed to live up to the professional level obligated by the Premier League.With him, Liverpool has an opportunity to press on for a top four finish, but with him receiving unprovoked fines and bans, Liverpool will struggle not to be crowned flop of the season.