As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...
ing in football has become an obsession.
The tiki-taka style of Barcelona has now become the basis of managerial philosophies across the leagues and lands of Europe and beyond.
The problem is, few teams have the ability to execute it at the level required to make it effective.
Pep Guardiola took it to another level when he was in charge of the La Liga giants and it has served his Manchester City side well since he took charge in 2016 having won 18 trophies in the following nine years.
And, if the Premier League season had come down to how well teams the ball, unsurprisingly the eight-time champions would have been celebrating a ninth title.
With nearly 90% accuracy, they rarely put a foot - or - wrong.
And yet, in reality, it did not translate to success on the pitch this year.
Whether it was teams finally finding the chinks in the ing-machine armour or the side's misplaced es proving more costly than in previous seasons without key players, City could not take advantage of their dominance with the ball.
And for one of the most acute examples of ability with the ball not translating to on-the-pitch success, we only have to look at Southampton.
The Saints at one point looked set to break Derby County's record for the least amount of points in a Premier League campaign, and yet they were less than 1% behind actual league champions Liverpool when it came to ing accuracy.
While fans could have some appreciation for watching nice football, they might have appreciated some scrappy displays that resulted in hard-fought results and possible safety more.
In contrast, Crystal Palace had the least accurate ing of any team in the league.
And yet, Oliver Glasner's side ultimately finished 12th - just three points off a top-half finish - and won the FA Cup final against the club with the best ing ability of them all.
They are not the only team to have had successful seasons in their own right while being in the bottom six for ing accuracy.
Nottingham Forest were 19th in this table metric, but in reality were fighting for Champions League places.
Bournemouth and Brentford also battled for possible European spots into the final weeks of the season, and even Everton finished the campaign comfortably away from relegation that at one point they looked set to be in a battle to escape.
So what does this tell us? When it comes to winning football matches, ing the ball well is not the be-all and end-all.
*Table data from Opta
Brentford have rejected Manchester United's first bid for Bryan Mbeumo and want more than £60m for the forward. (Independent, external)
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Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United are in talks to sign Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo after submitting a bid of £45m and £10m in add-ons.
Despite that opening bid no agreement has been reached between the two clubs.
United are confident they can complete a deal to sign Cameroon international Mbeumo, 25, who scored 20 times for the Bees in the league last season, after receiving indications they are his first choice for a move this summer.
It is understood there is no release clause in Mbeumo's contract, which still has a year left to run, although there is the option to extend it by another year.
Wolves forward Matheus Cunha has already agreed a deal with United and will complete his move to Old Trafford once his international commitments with Brazil are over.
Brentford will look to appoint Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna if current manager Thomas Frank leaves to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham. (Football Insider, external)
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New Brentford arrival Caoimhin Kelleher has spoken about the importance of the "impressive" vision pitched to him by the club's hierarchy in helping him decide to .
The 26-year-old met head coach Thomas Frank, sporting director Phil Giles, and chief executive Jon Varney, among others, and was pleased with the plan they had in place for him.
"I just really like the whole club," Kelleher said in his first interview with the Bees' club media.
"I like the way the manager, the staff, go about their ways. It seems like a really close, tight-knit, family club and they have a really good track record of developing players and improving players, which has really drawn me to the club.
"Last week, I went down to meet the manager, some of the coaches, sporting director and CEO and they spoke to me about why they wanted to sign me and showed me around the training ground. I was pretty happy with that and was excited to once I met them.
"It was really positive. It was interesting to see their point of view, hear why they want to sign me and what they think they can do with me to develop my game. It was impressive. I think the club is a really good fit for me.
As a first message to Brentford fans, he added: "I'm delighted to be here, I can't wait to get started, and I think they're getting a really good goalkeeper."
Image source, Getty ImagesBrentford have confirmed the g of goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool on a five-year contract with a club option for a further 12 months.
It follows the news that Mark Flekken - first-choice goalkeeper for the past two seasons - has returned to the Bundesliga to Bayer Leverkusen.
Kelleher departs Liverpool having made 67 appearances across all competitions, keeping 24 clean sheets, and winning seven trophies including two Premier League titles.
"When Mark Flekken had the opportunity to move to Bayer Leverkusen, we immediately thought about Caoimhin as his replacement," said director of football Phil Giles.
"As well as being a very good goalkeeper, I've rarely met a player for whom everybody has such positive words to say about his personality and character. I'm therefore confident he'll be an excellent addition to the squad."
First-team goalkeeper coach Manu Sotelo added: "He is calm and obsessed with improving. His best quality is his agility and he is a clever goalkeeper, with positioning and awareness being key elements of his game."
Despite his success at Anfield, Kelleher has always been second choice to Alisson and saw his chances of becoming number one further limited by the arrival of Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia this summer.
The 26-year-old sees the move to west London as his chance to play every week.
"I don't think it was very difficult for me to leave [Liverpool]," Kelleher said.
"I felt, for my own career, that the time was right for me to go, to be a number one and to play every week.
"I heard of some interest a number of weeks ago. Once I knew Brentford was in for me, it was definitely one I was really excited about and wanted to do as quickly as possible."
Image source, Getty ImagesMark Flekken "became one of the best goalkeepers in the league" despite "a tough beginning", says Brentford's goalkeeper coach Manu Sotelo.
Flekken, who made 77 appearances for the Bees after ing from Freiburg in May 2023, has now returned to the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen for about £8m.
"Mark was a great number one for us on and off the pitch," said Sotelo. "Despite a tough beginning, he ended up being a really important player.
"Offensively, he helped us to play from the back on another level, but not just playing short as he got three assists in two seasons.
"Defensively, he became a really solid goalkeeper after an uncomfortable transition after changing countries. The Premier League is ruthless, but he became one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
"He was relentless in training and leading our young goalkeepers. His impact here was massive and we wish him all the best for the future."
Ian Westbrook
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesAfter another positive season for Brentford, I don't expect - or want - to see much change this summer.
However, that depends on what bids come in for our players.
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will inevitably attract interest, and I've said here before that Mbeumo will probably be sold. He has played a massive part in our rise and is irreplaceable.
Wissa is an interesting one, though. Every Bees player has his price, and if a bid comes in at a suitable level, the club would discuss a sale. He has had the best season of his career and is 29 in September, so, given our working model, Brentford could decide we should cash in while he is at maximum value.
However, Wissa's importance is not just his goals but also his personality. His infectious on-pitch smile and character, for example, in pushing newer players forward to receive post-match applause from us fans, is invaluable, and he would also be a huge loss.
I have always thought we wouldn't let both players go in the same transfer window, but the club may feel it is right. I'd love to see them both get new contracts, though!
If Wissa does leave and Igor Thiago becomes the main striker, then I think we would revert to playing two up front, as when we had Ivan Toney. Thiago appears to be a target man like Toney, so we may adjust our style to suit him.
I don't see any other key players going - with the likes of Mikkel Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter and Nathan Collins all on long contracts.
We are well covered in all positions - and making Michael Kayode's loan move permanent further strengthened us - and with a good mix of youth and experience in the squad, I don't think we need many other new faces.
While Thomas Frank may interest other clubs, I believe - and hope - he will stay with us.
Find more from Ian Westbrook at Beesotted podcast, external
Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist
As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...
Football games are 90 minutes long. They have been for more than 150 years.
So, what if they weren't? What if only the first 45 minutes mattered?
Some teams like to lead from the front, come out the blocks flying and try and get the job done before half-time.
If that had been the case this season and it all came down to that first half showing, then it would not have been Liverpool lifting the trophy, but in fact Arsenal winning their first league title in over 20 years.
With 20 wins, 13 draws and five defeats, the Gunners were the kings of the first half.
Four points behind them were Manchester City - a team that has for so long been able to control games from start to finish, but during their difficult spell with injuries and results, this was something they seemed to lack.
If the league really came down to this metric, Brentford fans would be planning for a Champions League adventure. While the Bees were fast starters this campaign, being able to back that up across the 90 minutes was their Achilles heel (ranking 14th in the second half).
And what about this year's Premier League champions? Arsenal may have had the number when it came to first halves, but Liverpool well and truly led the way in the second...
While some prefer to get their nose in front, others prefer a half-time reset or back themselves to get the job done later in the game.
One of those teams was Arne Slot's Reds.
They won 24 of their 38 second-halves, drew nine and lost just five. If it was this 45 minutes alone that counted, they would have had 81 points and - just like in the actual season - been runaway winners.
Another club that enjoyed success after half time was Chelsea.
Ranking seventh in the first-half table, the Blues were often in a position where they needed to turn things around or dig out a result in the second 45 and, despite the young age of the team, managed 17 wins in second halves.
A side deserving an honourable mention here is Crystal Palace.
They may have finished 12th in the 2024-25 league table after a underwhelming start, but when it came to getting a result in the second half, with 16 wins,12 draws and 10 defeats, they were up there alongside some of the best in the league.
*Table data from Football365
Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo wants to Manchester United, who are now set to open talks to sign the 25-year-old Cameroon international. (Athletic - subscription required), external
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