• Year in Review

Messi hits the heights, English football suffers lows

Barcelona took football to new heights in 2011 © Getty Images

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A mixed year for football in 2011 - as Barcelona arguably helped the European game reach even greater heights, but English and international football had little to celebrate as controversy after controversy distracted from action on the pitch.

The year started with drama in the transfer market, as Chelsea paid £50 million for Fernando Torres as Liverpool spent slightly more than that on Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez. Only one of those players, Suarez, can be considered to have been a success to date - although the Uruguayan has still managed to attract his share of negative publicity for reasons unrelated to his performance.

On the pitch, it was a year of landmark achievements. Manchester United rode their greater experience and ability to a record 19th league title - finally fulfilling Sir Alex Ferguson's long-standing promise to "knock Liverpool off their ****ing perch" - but Manchester City gave immediate warning that the next dynasty might be only a few years away as they beat their arch-rivals in the FA Cup semi-final and went on to win the tournament, their first piece of silverware in 35 years.

In the League Cup, lest we forget, Birmingham City and Obafemi Martins stunned Arsenal to ensure the Gunners' own trophy drought rumbles on, although both sides struggled massively after that Wembley final. Birmingham ended up being relegated - along with the entertaining Blackpool and shambolic West Ham - as they were replaced in the top flight by QPR, Norwich City and Swansea.

Arsenal barely held on to their Champions League status, as Tottenham proved unable to repeat their success of a season prior and Liverpool (now managed by Kenny Dalglish) failed to recover in time from the Roy Hodgson era. Chelsea finished second, level on points with Man City but nine adrift of the champions - a finish that nonetheless cost Carlo Ancelotti his job, with the vaunted 33-year-old Andre Villas-Boas coming to Stamford Bridge fresh off Europa League and domestic success with Porto.

It was in the Champions League, however, that history was made - as Barcelona underlined their status as the greatest club side of the modern era with a second success in three years against Manchester United at Wembley. Having seen off Real Madrid in the semi-final, Lionel Messi put on a blistering show in the biggest game of all as the Catalan giants romped to a 3-1 victory that was ultimately even more dominant than the result would suggest.

Lionel Messi has swept all before him in 2011 © Getty Images

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The summer saw more transfer changes - with Cesc Fabregas finally making his move home as Samir Nasri also left Arsenal, this time on the increasingly well-trodden path to the Etihad Stadium. That saw the Gunners slump at the start of the season, as Villas-Boas' teething problems - and a failure to sign Luka Modric despite well-publicised approaches - threatened to let the two Manchester clubs away in an early two-horse race, although both Newcastle and Tottenham surprised many with their plucky starts.

United and City would both be dumped out of the Champions League in the group stages, however, a real shock that added to English football's woes - with only comfortable qualification for Euro 2012 (not a foregone conclusion these days) providing genuine relief.

The end of the year, however, brought nothing but bad news - with Luis Suarez's ban for racist comments and John Terry's impending criminal case on similar charges set to run into 2012. Throw in ongoing questions about corruption within FIFA, and the deaths of both Gary Speed and Socrates ensured the game ended the year with a great deal to think about, and a lot of it not particularly good.

Star man: Lionel Messi

Could it really be anyone else? The diminutive Argentine is almost certain to win a third successive Ballon d'Or crown for his feats in 2011, as he once again proved himself to be the best player in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo might be the ultimate individualist, but Messi has mastered the higher art of putting his own impressive skills towards the greater good of the team.

La Liga, the Champions League and, in December, the World Club Cup, Messi helped Barcelona sweep all before them with his breathtaking touch and enviable vasion. Real Madrid's victory in the Copa del Rey final, and their start to the current league season, suggests Messi will need to up his game even further in 2012, however - who knows, perhaps it is time for him to practise a bit with that right foot of his, eh?

Other nominees: Xavi, David Silva, Edinson Cavani.

Champagne moment : Rooney's bicycle kick

Yes, it probably went in off his shin. But it's hard to argue that Wayne Rooney's goal - to win what is quickly becoming the biggest derby in English football, no less - was the most amazing moment in English football this year.

With the game 1-1, after David Silva's fortuitous strike had cancelled out Nani's opener, and title rivals snapping at United's heels, Rooney rose highest (albeit with his back to goal) to meet the Portuguese winger's deflected cross with a fortuitous yet perfectly executed bicycle kick that left Joe Hart with absolutely no chance as it flew into the top corner.

Vilified months earlier for publicly announcing he wanted to leave Old Trafford, Rooney's celebration was a notable exhibition in bravado, inviting the applause by raising his arms - as the United faithful welcomed him back into theirs.

United went on to cruise to the title, as Rooney resumed his role as United's most important player. A great goal, a pivotal moment.

Surprise package: Mario Balotelli

There really can only be one winner in this category, can't there? Balotelli was 2011's surprise package in the truest sense of the word, just as he has been for almost every year since he burst onto the scene as a teenager at Inter Milan.

A brief (and almost certainly incomplete) run-through of Balotelli's antics in 2011: Numerous broken curfews on the eve of vital games, an emergency call-out after setting off fireworks in his bathroom, untold thousands of pounds in parking fines collected, countless practical jokes on team-mates (and, in the FA Cup semi-final, Rio Ferdinand) a furious bust-up with Micah Richards in training and, lest we forget, a humorous run-in with a training bib that left the prodigiously talented forward with a red face.

Balotelli never ceases to amaze us - and hopefully that won't change in 2012.

Other nominees: Newcastle United, Luis Suarez, David Luiz.

Biggest disappointment: Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres has struggled in a Chelsea shirt © PA Photos

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2011 all started so well for Torres, with a £50 million move from Liverpool to Chelsea on transfer deadline day both enabling him to continue playing football at the highest level and providing inarguable confirmation of his vaunted status within the game.

His time at Stamford Bridge has seen an incredible slump, however, with the Spaniard going on a well-documented drought to start his spell at the club - one he has never truly escaped from.

The old maxim that states 'form is temporary, class is permanent' suggests that Torres will rediscover his confidence and goalscoring touch sooner rather than later, but it may not be in west London. Widespread reports have confidently suggested Chelsea are hawking their striker around Europe for a £20m fee in January, an indication of just how far his star has fallen over the last 12 months.

If things continue like this, he may well miss out on selection for the European Championships. To date, a costly flop.

Other nominees: Andy Carroll, FIFA, Manchester United's Champions League campaign.

Biggest villains: Andy Gray & Richard Keys

Carlos Tevez is granted a reprieve, if only because of the role he played in helping Manchester City break their silverware duck over the first half of 2011.

Keys and Gray, however, have few redeeming moments in a horrific year that saw them knocked from their perch as the primary narrators of English football's top league. Caught up in a storm of sexism and misogyny, a lack of contrition on both men's part (Keys' convoluted apology coming too late) saw them fired from their lucrative positions at Sky Sports - with the fact that, arguably, Ed Chamberlin and Gary Neville have already proven far superior to both men in their analysis and easy manner probably only adding to their embarrassment.

TalkSPORT stepped in to save their respective careers - hardly landing on their feet - but the mistakes have kept coming, with a proposed tour cancelled due to low interest and a breathtakingly ill-advised advert for their after-dinner speaking services promising they will "Smash it", a play on the very incident that began their demise in the first place.

2011 started with the pair still at the top of football's broadcasting tree - but the New Year begins with most sane football fans hoping their antiquated and lazy views are never heard again.

Other nominees: John Terry, Sepp Blatter, Luis Suarez, Carlos Tevez, Garry Cook, the word 'banter'.

Match of the year: Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal

Robin van Persie led Arsenal to a much-needed, not to mention exciting, win © PA Photos

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The second half of 2011 saw an amazing trend towards high-scoring games between the biggest sides of all - an end to the drudgery of negative 0-0 or 1-0 games between the top four that fans had perhaps come to fear in recent years.

Manchester United eviscerated Arsenal 8-2 at Old Trafford, before Manchester City (who beat Tottenham 5-1 in the first weeks of the season) inflicted a 6-1 hammering on their arch-rivals at the same venue. It was a game that came a week later, at the end of October, that steals the honours in this category, however, as Arsenal showed they still had a lot to contribute at the highest level with a big victory at Stamford Bridge.

It was a hugely entertaining game that eschewed any extended passages of play in the middle of the pitch, with both sides instead choosing to showcase their attacking threat and questionable defensive organisation. Frank Lampard and John Terry gave the Blues a half-time lead despite Robin van Persie's goal, before Andre Santos and Theo Walcott - with an incisive run - flipped the script just ten minutes after half-time.

Juan Mata finally equalised for Andre Villas-Boas' men ten minutes from time, but Arsenal got a win they desperately needed after John Terry's slip enabled Van Persie to score his second of the game, before he completed his hat-trick - and a 5-3 triumph - deep into added time. The Premier League at its absolute finest.

Other nominees: Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal, Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City, Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal.

Quotes of the Year:

Cristiano Ronaldo knows why some dislike him © PA Photos

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"I think that because I am rich, handsome and a great player people are envious of me."
Cristiano Ronaldo won few awards for modesty this year

"I am not crazy, absolutely not, although sometimes I do strange things that are considered entertaining."
Mario Balotelli attempts to shed light on some of his thought processes.

"The cat is in the sack, but the sack is not closed. The cat is in it, but it's open - and it's a wild cat." Giovani Trapattoni memorably describes Ireland's position as they close in on Euro 2012 qualification.

"Crisis? What is a crisis? We're not in a crisis ... I am FIFA president, you cannot question me."
Sepp Blatter fools few people with his response to questions about corruption - but angers many.

"Who is better? We're very different. The Messi on the PlayStation does more incredible things."
Lionel Messi reveals there is at least one player he still looks up to.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.