The Season Nobody Asked For

Here we are, mid-April, and we’re supposed to be in the thick of it: the title race heating up, the relegation scrap turning ugly, and everyone clutching their calculators to figure out how many points they need for European qualification. Except, that’s not really the case this year, is it? The 2024/25 Premier League season has been, in my opinion, one of the worst we’ve seen in a long time. A forgettable campaign full of limp storylines & underwhelming performances. There’s always something to talk about in the Premier League, but for once, it feels like we’re scraping the barrel. So, let’s break it down.

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A Title Race in Name Only

The most exciting part of this season’s title race? Probably the brief spell in September when it looked like Arsenal, City, and even Chelsea might mount a real challenge. That hope evaporated quicker than a Spurs top-four charge. In reality, Liverpool have coasted their way to the top. Yes, they’ve been good—but not vintage Klopp-era good. The truth is, they haven’t had to be. The competition has been so underwhelming that just being vaguely competent was enough to pull clear.

City never quite found their usual rhythm. Pep’s lot looked tired, flat, and occasionally disinterested—like they knew they were in third gear and couldn’t be bothered to shift up. Arsenal promised a lot, but once again, fell short when it really mattered. Chelsea had a short-lived revival before returning to their natural state of chaos. And that’s it. That’s the race.

Even Liverpool’s win feels muted. The farewell narrative for Klopp should’ve added more emotional weight, but there’s been a weird sense of indifference around their success. It’s not their fault, but it says a lot when one of English football’s biggest stories feels like background noise. No real jeopardy. No memorable head-to-head clashes. Just a slow, predictable march to the finish.

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A European Chase with No Real Bite

On paper, the race for European places should be fun. Tight margins, surprise packages, and the prospect of Thursday nights in Latvia for someone unexpected. But for some reason, it just hasn’t gripped me—or, seemingly, anyone else. Sure, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest being in the mix adds a fresh twist, but it doesn’t feel like a proper race. It feels like a bunch of teams stumbling towards a finish line they didn’t realise was there.

Part of the problem is that the usual contenders have been so inconsistent that their failures no longer shock us. Spurs have regressed badly since the turn of the year. United are barely functional. And Chelsea, as always, are flirting with disaster and overperforming it in equal measure. So instead, we’ve got teams like Aston Villa and West Ham sitting quietly in the top seven without ever threatening to light up the league.

There’s also not much jeopardy. The difference between finishing 6th and 9th doesn’t carry the same weight it used to. European football is still on the line, but no one’s really fighting for it like their lives depend on it. And when the stakes don’t feel high, it’s hard to care. This race needs more bite, more chaos, and a bit less mediocrity.

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A Drop in Quality Across the Board

Let’s not sugarcoat it—the overall standard of football this season hasn’t been great. And it’s not just the bottom clubs. Some of the so-called “elite” teams have been shockingly bad. Manchester United, a team with the wage bill of a Champions League semi-finalist, look more like a Championship mid-table side half the time. Their football has been directionless, their performances abject. It’s no surprise they’re on to another managerial reset already.

Tottenham started brightly, but the injuries and lack of depth caught up with them. What once looked like a promising new project under Ange has quickly unravelled. Chelsea have shown flashes, but for the money they’ve spent, finishing 8th would be laughable if it wasn’t so predictable. Newcastle, too, have gone off the boil, with their Champions League honeymoon long since over.

Then there’s the relegation battle. Or lack thereof. The three promoted teams—Burnley, Luton, and Sheffield United—have offered minimal resistance and look destined to go straight back down. There’s been none of the drama we got from last year’s final-day madness. The league has always relied on its competitiveness, but this season, too many teams have simply not shown up. And when the standard drops this far, the product inevitably suffers.

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Lower Points, Lower Standards

The points totals this season make for grim reading. At the top, Liverpool may flirt with the 90-point mark, but it’s not been done in dominant fashion. City and Arsenal are well off their usual pace, and everyone else is miles behind. Look further down the table, and you’ll see a bizarre cluster of teams hovering around the low 40s with just weeks to go.

That might sound like a sign of a balanced league—“anyone can beat anyone,” as the cliché goes—but in reality, it’s a symptom of decline. Teams are taking points off each other, yes, but not through brilliance or tactical ingenuity. It’s mostly been through chaotic defending, poor finishing, and a general lack of control. The games are messy. The football is erratic. There’s a difference between competitive and chaotic.

And when clubs that should be aiming for 60+ points are instead languishing in the 40s, you have to wonder what’s gone wrong. It’s hard to think of many teams who’ve consistently impressed over the course of the season. Even Brighton and Brentford, last year’s darlings, have regressed. In the end, a league’s quality is reflected in its numbers—and these numbers aren’t painting a pretty picture.

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This Week’s Hot Take

If you stripped the badge names and history away and just looked at the football on display this year, you’d probably think this was a glorified Eredivisie season. The football hasn’t been good. The narratives haven’t gripped us. The title race is a procession. The relegation battle is a non-event. Even the race for Europe feels hollow. It’s the Premier League equivalent of a filler episode in your favourite series you’re watching it, but only because you’re committed, not because you’re enjoying it. Next season needs to be better. Not just for the fans, but for the league’s reputation as the global gold standard.