A guest article by a good friend of mine....

Hello fans of Sharper Living

Umer finds himself buried in revision and so has kindly asked me to fill in for him and write an article. My name is Carl Anka and I run a music blog entitled “High Fidelity” which can be found on Tumblr at http://theartofplaylist.tumblr.com/ , where we seek to teach people the art of proper iTunes playlist/mixtape making. Now while I can’t talk about fashion with the same debonair panache as Mr Sharif Esq, when it comes to sharper living as a man, I was brought up to follow 3 rules.

1. A man should be taller than his significant other.
2. A man should be able to fireman carry his significant other.
3. You should always be wary of a man who says he does not like football.

Eccentric upbringing aside, I feel that given the time of year a blog looking at Premier League season 2010/11 would be rather fitting no? So sit back and enjoy my review of one of the more interesting seasons we’ve had in years....

It is safe to say that, when this season shifts from present to past, history will regard it with curiosity.

The Premier League has been won by a side who have produced just a handful of convincing displays, their closest challengers a team who fell apart in the bleakest of winters.

A striker who scored most of his goals in three games and ended the campaign as little more than an afterthought at his club finished as top scorer. Relegation engulfed the team who boast the Football Writers Association’s Player of the Year. The PFA award went to a winger who has barely featured in domestic combat since January. And we had an enthralling relegation scrap – the official term – which at one point threatened to embroil everyone except the top five

My player of the season

While notable mentions can be made of Luka Modric, Charlie Adam, Scott Parker and indeed Nani (whose omission from the PFA award shortlist baffles me), there has been no player better for me this season than Nemanja Vidic. His superb form has helped Manchester United in the absence of Rio Ferdinand. "Perhaps if the Football Writers' Association voted for their player of the year by AV, then Vidic would have got the recognition he deserves" reflected David Pleat. Defenders rarely get the credit they deserve, but I feel in terms of consistent impressive performances and contributions to the team, Vidic stands alone.

Manager of the season

Ian Holloway was a breath of fresh air with his numerous soundbites and almost did the impossible and kept Blackpool in the Premier League on a squad assembled for £5m. Kenny Dalglish accumulated the second highest return of points for Liverpool following his appointment, leading many Liverpool fans to believe he can lead them in the tilt for the title next season. His predecessor Roy Hodgson also deserves credit for his work at West Brom – some people are better at driving hatchbacks than sports cars it seems.  And Tony Pulis has not only consolidated Stoke’s place in the Premier League in only their 3^rd season but also lead them to a FA Cup final. But for me the manager of the season has to be Sir Alex Ferguson.

He has lead Manchester United to a record 19^th title. He jumped on Wayne Rooney's transfer request in October and got the sulky striker firing again. He took United to 29 games unbeaten in the Premier League with an average midfield. He motivated Dimitar Berbatov. He rotated his squad to perfection. He used his FA charge to foster a sense of being embattled and further fuelled his team. And while on the road United were nothing special, at home he ensured his side steamrollered the teams that Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and the rest could not beat. And when it really mattered – against Chelsea in the title decider and against Blackburn away – his players did exactly what they had to. I say if he could have won the league had he been in charge of any of the other teams in the “Top Six” (the tradition top four including Man City and Spurs), such is the power he imparts onto a squad.

Signing of the season

Darren Bent continued his fine shooting form after his £24m move to Aston Villa, VDV at one point seemed to be the signing that would turn Spurs from also rans into genuine title contenders and Hernández was £6m so well spent his excellence has led many United fans to believe that he really costs £13m and that Bébé was a free. But surely the signing of the season has to be Peter Odemwingie .

"Thanks West Brom," read the infamous racist banner, accompanied by a picture of a banana, displayed by Lokomotiv Moscow supporters after their club sold Odemwingie to the Midlands club for £1 million. 15 goals later and he is the only person this season to have won the Premier League's Player of the Month award more than once.  "Thanks Lokomotiv," read the response from the West Bromwich fans

Flop of season

Some cannot justify their transfer fee, *cough*Torres*cough, others are so bad fans pretend they don’t exist (see: Bébé, Paul Konchesky) and there are also those who when came the time for them to step up, they failed miserably (Joe Cole, Jon Obi, Arshavin). But my flop of the season is Mauro Boselli.

Who?

My point exactly. Blink and you’d have missed him. Wigan's record signing arrived for £6m from Argentina's Estudiantes, where he had thrashed in 32 goals in 57 games, and, after eight Premier League games and no goals, was ushered off on loan to Genoa. An utter shambles.

Match of the season

I see no debate here; it has to be Arsenal’s 4-4 draw with Newcastle. Here was Arsenal at their most brilliant - and then their most brittle. Here too was Newcastle at their most comical – and then their most committed. Theo Walcott scored after 42 seconds and Arsenal had increased their lead to 3-0 by the 10th minute. With Newcastle a mess and Arsenal meticulous, Robin van Persie made it 4-0 in the 26th minute and humiliation beckoned for the hosts. Steve Harper pulled off a string of stylish saves before half-time but they did not seem significant. Newcastle did not surrender and came out fighting. Abou Diaby rose to that challenge too crudely and got himself sent off. Then Arsenal disintegrated. Their reaction to conceding a goal to Joey Barton in the 68th minute sustained Newcastle's ridiculous hope. Leon Best made it 4-2 and had another harshly disallowed for offside. No matter: Barton made it 4-3 and then, in the 87th minute, Cheick Tioté smashed an absurd volley into the net from 35 yards, prompting this amazing response.

Goal of the season

We could be here all day discussing free kicks, volleys and long range screamers but I think the winner of this section, for sheer improbability if nothing else, is this brilliant run and ice-cool finish from Lionel Messi against a then seemingly unstoppable Chelsea in November. Hang on, that's not Messi – it's Sunderland's Nedum Onuoha.

Next season I want to see more...

Of the top players fit. This was a particularly grim season for injuries, with virtually all of the best players – incapacitated for significant amounts of time (Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Cesc Fábregas, Marouane Fellaini, Hatem Ben Arfa, Gareth Bale, etc). The absence of so many top performers has often meant fans getting even less value from their tickets than anticipated. Not to mention sabotaging many a fantasy league side. I also want to see Torres back after finally getting a rest in the summer. Love him or hate him, he is still one of the most talented players in the league and his misfiring season has been to the detriment of everyone watching.

Next season I want to see less....

Clasicos. My lord they got vitriolic....

Also, Colin Murray on MOTD 2. Awful.

General apathy towards the England national team.

Sepp Blatter. Just THAT guy.

Hang on, I could be here for a while....

Signing off, I hope you enjoyed.

Carl Anka