The 2022/23 Premier League campaign was one of the most chaotic, story-packed seasons we’ve had in years: a midwinter World Cup, more managerial sackings than you could shake a clipboard at, surprise packages everywhere, and a title race that, for once, genuinely felt like it might go down to the wire.

In this five-part series, we’re grading every Premier League club’s campaign, taking into account expectations, performance, drama, and vibes. Lots of vibes.

Let’s kick things off with the first four alphabetically: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, and Brentford.

Arsenal — Grade: A-

What a ride. For the majority of the season, it genuinely felt like Arsenal were about to pull off the unthinkable: dethroning Manchester City. Mikel Arteta’s young side spent 248 days on top of the Premier League table, more than any other team in history not to win the title.

The football was thrilling, especially in the first two-thirds of the campaign. Bukayo Saka took another leap toward superstardom, Martin Ødegaard looked every bit like a captain and elite creator, and Gabriel Martinelli enjoyed a breakout season. But injuries to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu in March stalled the momentum, and a run of draws, Liverpool, West Ham, Southampton, cost Arsenal the title.

Still, finishing 2nd with 84 points after back-to-back 8th-place finishes a few years earlier? A huge success, even if it ended with some heartbreak.

Season summary: Title race surprise, electric football, a glimpse of the future.
Why not an A+? Falling away late and exiting the Europa League early.
Final verdict: A brilliant step in the right direction.

Aston Villa — Grade: A

If you only watched the first few months of Aston Villa’s season, you’d wonder how this ends with an A. Under Steven Gerrard, Villa looked directionless and flat, hovering near the relegation zone. But then came Unai Emery, and everything changed.

From Emery’s appointment in November to the end of the season, Villa were one of the best-performing teams in the league, finishing 7th and qualifying for European football for the first time since 2010. Ollie Watkins had a superb second half of the season, Emi Martínez continued to be reliably chaotic in all the right ways, and Villa became incredibly well-drilled without losing their edge.

Season summary: From early-season strugglers to Europe-bound form monsters.
Final verdict: A sensational turnaround, Emery worked wonders.

Bournemouth — Grade: B+

When Bournemouth were widely tipped to finish 20th, and after the 9–0 defeat to Liverpool cost Scott Parker his job, most neutrals assumed relegation was coming. But Gary O’Neil defied everyone’s expectations.

Bournemouth stayed organised, compact, and opportunistic, picking up massive wins against Liverpool, Spurs, and Leeds and finishing 15th, comfortably clear of the drop. Marcus Tavernier’s importance, Philip Billing’s goals, and Dominic Solanke’s work rate were huge factors in the club’s survival.

Yes, Bournemouth had some heavy defeats along the way, but considering preseason expectations, and the squad they had, they massively overachieved.

Season summary: Predicted to sink, instead swam strongly.
Final verdict: One of the league’s quiet success stories.

Brentford — Grade: A

Brentford are now fully established as one of the Premier League’s smartest clubs, and 2022/23 was further proof. Thomas Frank guided the Bees to 9th place, only missing out on Europe by two points, all while losing key striker Ivan Toney to suspension late in the season.

They were disciplined, tactically flexible, and incredible at home. Wins over Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool highlighted a team that truly fears no one. David Raya and Bryan Mbeumo were standouts, while the midfield three quietly dominated games.

For a club with Brentford’s budget and squad depth, cracking the top half is an enormous achievement.

Season summary: Smart, fearless, and consistently impressive.
Final verdict: Another outstanding chapter in the Brentford project.