YeoLaTengo Season Review: 2024-25

Season Summary
Champions of England!

What a ride and what a season! We achieved the one thing that few seldom even dreamed about. It has been coming. On the back of last season where we performed excellently for most of the season before a collapse towards the end, you felt as though the downfall were based on factors within our control. From in-game management to being able to maintain high standards for the majority of the match, we showed that we had potential. Especially with all of the goals we scored!

But scoring goals means nothing if you can't keep a clean sheet. The rock-solid defence of recent years seemed like a distant memory and something that was hard to achieve given the dramatic step-up in quality. But in improving our own resources and tactical suitability to the players out our disposal, we turned from one of the most porous teams in the league to third-best—whilst maintaining our impressive goal-scoring form!

Unfortunately, it was another year of disappointment in the Europa League. Maybe it's a mentality thing. Maybe it's not being conditioned for the demand of so much football. With Champions League football lined up for next season, you have to wonder whether the squad will be able to adapt with an even higher-calibre of opposition waiting in line.

The success of this season was a total team effort. Each member of the squad played a key role in this success and it's tough to pick just 11 to make up our team of the season. The biggest difference is how the responsibility for both goals and assists were spread quite equally across the whole team. In previous seasons, individuals shouldered most of the responsibility. A poor performance from them and it would generally result in a loss. This balance of goal scorers and providers this time around is clearly a huge contributing factor in our change of fortunes. However, we need to pick the best 11. We present... our Team of the Year!

Defence of the Year
GK: Ruben Blanco RB: Benjamin Henrichs RCB: Reece Oxford LCB: Mats Hummels LB: Antonee Robinson
 * Obviously, this was going to be our super Spaniard, Ruben Blanco. This season he was able to reveal to all his full range as a goalkeeper at the peak of his career. The award for the Golden Glove was his from as early as early April as we were so far ahead of everyone else. The 16 shut-outs in the league was impressive and he was in the form of his life. Without Ruben, we would not be celebrating being Champions of England right now.
 * New signing Benjamin was a force at RB. Of all fullbacks that have arrived under the Sascha regime, none have been as defensively solid as Henrichs. Fast, strong and an for the tackle, not many of the best players in the league were able to beat Benjamin in a one-on-one. The German deserved to win the RB of the Season award in the League but was criminally overlooked.
 * Essentially, Reece was club Captain this season. By title that honour belongs to Omar Sowunmi. As he doesn't feature regularly in the first-team, Reece wore the armband. Without a doubt—he more than earned the band this season. Quick across the ground, aerially dominant and strong enough to wrestle all but our own Pietro from the ball, he became the complete defender this year. At the beginning of the year, he turned down a move to Manchester United. How different things could have been.
 * This was the impact many expected when he arrived last January. Despite being on his last legs and getting ready for the retirement lifestyle, he put in one final push and ends his career with one of the hardest achievements an individual could accomplish. This might be the end of the road for his career, but his legacy will live on forever.
 * Surprisingly, not as vibrant as last year. What he may have lost in attacking flair, he more than made up for with his contribution to our new defence. No assists in the league but one Premier League medal. A fair trade-off.

Midfield of the Year
CDM: Declan Rice RCM: Isaac Hayden LCM: Dru Yearwood Forwards of the Year
 * Off all the signings we have made over the past seven years, few have quite had the impact of Declan Rice. Defensive Midfield has been a problem position for Krause over the years, always in search for the most complete midfielder for the role. Fitting then that with the year Krause found his man, we achieved something truly special. One of a kind midfielder.
 * Through all of the injuries this year, it's hard to pick out one player who played this role consistently. However, Isaac was often favoured for the defensive balance he brought to the team, whether that was starting or protecting a lead from the bench. He can be proud of his contribution in all of the capacities demanded of him.
 * The year Dru Yearwood become a household name of the Premier League. Playing the midfield role with more freedom, he was equally as combative in defence as he was going forward. For his efforts, he somehow pinched the Assist leader award from the clasped hands of Mark James, who lead the race for most of the season.

RW: Mark James ST: Pietro Pellegri LW: Callum Hudson-Odoi
 * What a surprise this was! Last season he made 15-appearances in the league and was used as used mostly as a super-sub. He managed 7 goals in total. This year, he made 33 total appearances and doubled his goal return to 14! Add to that his 15 assists and suddenly you have some statistics for a very impressive winger who is still only 22. There is so much more to come from Mark. Scoring his first career hattrick in the last game of the season, he sent out a warning sign to the rest of the league—he's only just getting started.
 * £12,000,000 this guy cost. Can you believe it? 35 total goals for the season and it could have easily been more! We are set for a number of years with Pietro wearing the number of 9. Even though he is much more goal-focused than his predecessor, he still picked himself up 13 assists. The young Italian is only going to get better and better. He has earned his Golden Boot!
 * Everyone knows that Callum is a special player. This year was important for him to establish himself. So often talents get ahead of themselves or lose sight of the important things that the slowly fade away. One of his objectives for the year was to score at least one goal a month. He achieved this whilst finishing runner up in the golden boot race behind Pietro. He can only get better from here!

The Cesar Vinicio Pereira Junior MVP Award

 * C. Hudson-Odoi

YeoLaTengo Player of the Year

 * P. Pellegri

English Premier League Awards

 * Team of the Season: R. Blanco, D. Rice, D. Yearwood, C. Hudson-Odoi, P. Pellegri
 * Golden Boot: P. Pellegri
 * Assist Leader: D. Yearwood
 * Golden Glove: R. Blanco

Terry Williams: Rising Star

 * S. Zupan

Next Season Preview
Ordinarily, we take this section to talk about the prospects of next season and how the team will shape up, what they might achieve and what would be a great result.

But to look ahead so quickly would be to undermine one of the greatest upsets to the league since Leicester won the title a decade ago. Instead, we are going to take this opportunity to celebrate the past seven years by focusing in on the journey to the summit of the league pyramid and the players that helped us along the way. Ladies and Gentleman; YeoLaTengo: Des Champions

2024-25 World Overview
The Emirates FA Cup Carabao Cup UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League
 * Manchester United (v. Crystal Palace)
 * Manchester United (v. Manchester City)
 * Real Madrid (v. Juventus)
 * PSG (v. TSG Hoffenheim)