Soccer: Premier league set for more of the same from Chelsea

Chelsea's place at the top is destined to become a familiar sight given the ease with which Jose Mourinho's men retained their English Premier League soccer title in 2006.

In charge from the start, prompting bookmakers to pay out as early as September, Chelsea's sheer consistency left the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal trailing in their wake.

Mourinho's management skills, the seemingly limitless transfer budget of Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich and the ability of Frank Lampard to score goals and John Terry to prevent them made the Blues all but unbeatable.

Even before being strengthened in the months ahead with the likely recruitment of Bayern Munich playmaker Michael Ballack, Chelsea are a formidable side.

Keeper Petr Cech's safe pair of hands, Terry's rugged defence and the outstanding holding role of France midfielder Claude Makelele made them very difficult to break down.

Going forward, Chelsea raided from the flanks with Joe Cole, Arjen Robben and Damien Duff, down the middle with 20-goal Lampard and up front with imposing Ivorian Didier Drogba.

It will require a huge effort from their rivals next season to deny them a hat-trick of titles.

United paid the price for a patchy opening three months of the season which led to their inspirational captain Roy Keane's surprise departure for Celtic.

Manager Alex Ferguson, who appears to enjoy the support of the club's new American owners, will certainly need some transfer funds.

Fired by England striker Wayne Rooney, United strung together an impressive winning run in the closing stages and threatened trouble if Chelsea suffered a sudden collapse.

But Chelsea held their nerve and United finished up with second place and a modest League Cup to show for their season, following a shock exit from the Champions League's group stage.

The exceptional talent of Rooney, whose broken foot was a bigger blow to England's World Cup hopes than it was for United, proved yet again to be United's catalyst.

Dutch strike partner Ruud van Nistelrooy chipped in with 21 league goals, though his days at Old Trafford look numbered after a spat with Ferguson.

Liverpool predictably lost their European champions' crown but gained a great deal more credibility at home -- snapping at United's heels in the closing weeks after overcoming a goal drought.

Showing a real improvement in Spanish manager Rafael Benitez's second season, Liverpool won 50 per cent more league games than in 2004-05 and reached an FA Cup final they should win against West Ham United on Saturday.

As ever, captain Steven Gerrard was their driving force and England fans will pray he takes that form to the World Cup.

Fourth place, and a slot with Liverpool in the Champions League qualifiers, went to Arsenal at the expense of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on a pulsating final day.

Thierry Henry's hat-trick against Wigan Athletic in their final game at Highbury ensured the Frenchman finished as the Premier League's top scorer for the fourth time in five years.

However, he remains linked with a possible move to Barcelona, ironically the team Arsene Wenger's youngsters face in the Champions League final on May 17.

Arsenal, who will start next season at the 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium, ended their final Highbury campaign with a flourish after an often painful period of transition.

Captain Patrick Vieira left for Juventus in July, Sol Campbell was hit by injuries and a crisis of confidence, fellow defender Ashley Cole was sidelined for more than six months and Dutch forward Dennis Bergkamp brought his career to an end.

The emphasis of Spurs boss Martin Jol on English players, compared to their rarity at Arsenal, was a notable feature of a side featuring World Cup hopefuls Ledley King, Jermaine Jenas and Michael Carrick, plus young midfield revelation Aaron Lennon.

However, the biggest contributor to a fine season was an Irishman, striker Robbie Keane, whose clever footwork and cool finishing brought him 16 goals.

Two promoted clubs fared extremely well with West Ham already sure of a UEFA Cup place -- along with Spurs and Blackburn Rovers -- and Wigan Athletic reaching the League Cup final and a top six place in the table before fading.

Sunderland returned to second division football with the lowest points total ever in the Premier League, though, joined by West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City. None of them will be missed.

- REUTERS