Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Chelsea wrapped up the Premier League in style with an emphatic victory against a disappointing Wigan team in a manner that will have delighted owner Roman Abramovich.
The title went to the team scoring the most goals (a staggering 103) instead of the team conceding the fewest (32 compared to 28 conceded by Manchester United).
Chelsea led from the front with Drogba unstoppable for much of the season, winning the Golden Boot in the process. However, their challenge to break United's title stranglehold over the last three seasons seemed to take on a new dimension when Ancelotti changed formation in favour of an extra midfielder, beating the former champions in front of their own fans.
Chelsea have also benefited from the more potent goal-threat from midfield, most notably via Lampard and the much improved Malouda.
Manchester United performed better than many expected following the loss of Ronaldo and Tevez, primarily due to the goals of Rooney and the late season form of Valencia and Nani, although they were hampered by a staggering succession of injuries in the winter leaving them with a solitary defender.
With a number of young forwards to choose from, will Ferguson retain Berbatov whose glaring misses towards the end of the season may have sealed his move away from Old Trafford?
For the first time in five seasons the dominance of the traditional top-four was broken by Harry Redknapp and his well-drilled Tottenham side, outwitting the free-spending Manchester City.
Liverpool's challenge for the last remaining Champions League spot was realistically extinguished around the same time they were being dumped from their second European competition of the season.
Liverpool do have the somewhat minor compensation of having qualified for the Europa League next season along with Manchester City, Aston Villa and perhaps Fulham should they triumph on their return to Hamburg for this season's Europa League Final.
At the opposite end of the table, Portsmouth's season never got started amidst the turmoil of a financial meltdown, four different owners and, ultimately, administration. Wolves, Wigan and West Ham will be grateful that Burnley were unable to sustain the early-season home form that saw them defeat Manchester United, while Hull City failed to reproduce the string of victories that surprised so many last season.
Replacing them will be a Newcastle United side rejuvenated under the management of Chris Houghton whose team will have benefited from a season in the Championship. West Brom have used their parachute payment wisely and should be a much stronger proposition in the Premier League than the last time they were there.
Looking ahead, the transfer window this summer will be full of intrigue. Chelsea, buoyed by the domestic success in the attacking style craved for by their owner, yet stung by their European Champions League failure, may well invest heavily again to buy younger stars to compliment their ageing stalwarts.
Two of England's historic giants, Manchester United - despite narrowly missing out on the title - and Liverpool, will surely have to add more star quality while also improving their squads; yet do so within financial restraints enforced by their massive debts.
Arsenal will finally, hopefully, build on their unrivalled potential and buy the three or four players that will enable them to sustain a challenge over the full course of a season, while the undoubted big spenders will be Man City backed by the enormous wealth of Sheikh Mansour who should have been alarmed at how emphatically his team were outplayed in what was ultimately a fourth place decider against Tottenham.
With the introduction of Uefa's Financial Fair Play initiative (restricting losses) due to be introduced in 2012, will they try to lure the world's elite this summer?
Missing from this group are their conquerors and the most intriguing team, Champions League qualifiers Tottenham Hotspur. It is hard to believe Tottenham were bottom when Harry took over 19 months ago, yet his management of the squad and the transfer market has been done on a wage bill that represents only 52 per cent of turnover (compared to Man City at 94 per cent).
Chairman Daniel Levy has built sensibly while also proving a shrewd operator in the transfer market, particularly when Manchester United come calling. Will he ease the constraints and invest in players capable of escalating his team to another level in the Champions League? If he does, a word of caution - the last team to break the dominance at the top of the Premier League, Everton, saw their hopes crumble by mid-August.
Of course, this summer also has the added bonus of a World Cup. Undoubtedly there will be at least one star player touting for a move who will see his hopes scuppered by a serious injury, while previously unknown players will see their value and earning potential rise exponentially on the back of a solitary mazy dribble and rocket into the top corner.
Whatever investment occurs this summer, will it be enough to improve the Premier League teams' performances in Europe proving this season a temporary blip, or are we to see a return to Italian / German dominance?
