So the first season in the Premiership for our newly founded team has drawn to an end, the season really didn’t have too much pressure put on us, I picked the players that I wanted certain these players will be good enough to do well this season and beyond.


After the fantastic début win in the League Cup it was back down to business, taking our form back into the Premiership we set ourselves apart from the relegation candidates beating Reading 4-1, Arshavin proving himself in front of goal scoring a second consecutive hatrick. But our away form was far from the success we were having at Knowsley Road. Not good when we went into three away games in a row losing to Newcastle and Arsenal. But the players were still putting in the performances. The League cup though continued in good form as we got past Crystal Palace to play Liverpool in the 5th round.


After the Palace game the team went into a home game to Aston Villa and seemed to be suffering a hangover from the cup success, quickly veteran Henrik Larsson sunk our side and Barry scoring a from the spot just before the break, put us 3-0 down, the side looked a little down and out. But on the 72nd minute the crowd were still singing our names, Vagner Love replied by getting on the end of a brilliant Arouca through ball. Then substitute Stancu finished a lovely one-two with Love to put us back in the game, a few minutes later he stole the point scoring from the corner in a brilliant game showing our muscle.


Form continued as normal after that, at home I was more or less certain a win everytime I went out as long as it wasn’t the big four, while I struggled to win away. My first away win only coming in Decemeber as relegation favourites went down 3-1 Love getting on the scoresheet twice while Kalouda grabbed himself a goal. But on the 1st of Janurary 2008 St Helens got an early christmas present coming up against strong rivals Liverpool. Love drawing first blood in the derby disposing Agger and running the ball to the net. But El Nino quickly made sure that Liverpool went in front at half time grabbing himself two goals. But at Knowsley Road I have learnt anything can happen, and in the 69th minute Pennant brought down Mathieu in the box to give him a chance from the spot to equalise, which he did. But ending off a truely magical night was Andrey Arshavin repeated what Vagner had done earlier on but this time to Carragher to give the Saint their most important win to date.


The games against Chelsea and United that followed didn’t end in the same way. Over the Janurary in need of players, although the squad was doing well their was still room for many more, Augusto was doing a great job down the left, but it wasn’t his natural position. So while Liverpool were at Anfield I spoke to Rafa about borrowing Sabestian Leto till the end of the season. But with no money left over from the start of the season I couldn’t bring in too many fresh faces.


After beating Liverpool it was eight games until I won again, the busy Christmas period had hit my young players hard and mental strength and physical stamina seem to be showing cracks. Losing 4-1 to Reading was the most humiliating defeat to date and Roman wasn’t happy, the success in the early season had raised aspirations of a European finish. We finally got back on track beating Bolton 3-0 and then going to Goodison Park in another Merseyside derby Love and Ropatan proppelling the side up the table again and morale sky high to end the season.


Come May the side put in a late push to finish in Europe as the side have now gelled and looking to enjoy playing on the pitch alongside each other. 3-0 at home to Fulham was followed by an away game to Middlesbrough who were brush aside easily 4-0. Arshavin finished a season of hatricks with his hatrick of the hatricks. As we beat Blackburn 4-1. This helped us go into the final game of the season against Birmingham with a chance of playing in the UEFA cup next season. All we had to do was win and hope Bolton would stick it to the Geordies at the Reebok. But the suspense of the final game was a little anti-climaxic as both games ended 0-0 ending those dreams.


Overall a fantastic season though as we finished 8th in the league above what anyone else expected. But it is always the tough second season now that we have to prepare for and not get to wrapped up in the success of the first. But this game has really fantastic one, I think because the side feels like my own, the whole squad of my creation means that I am looking for all my signings to prove themselves and the struggle to put this side together and I feel closer with the side I have put together, with the frustrations of a small Premiership club has just meant I wanted it more. To make any challenge next season an improvment to away form will be greatly needed.


Premiership Table





If you want a closer look at the fixtures all have been posted in my <a href="http://www.goal-kick.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3992&pid=84712&st=0&#entry84712" target="_blank">GK Current Thread




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