Best individual goal
ANDROS TOWNSEND
"A scorer of great goals, not a great goal scorer," according to Roy Hodgson. Townsend proved his manager right with a 26m, 109kmh volley that flew into the Manchester City net.
Biggest shock
MANCHESTER CITY 2 CRYSTAL PALACE 3
City had a 100 per cent home record and had gone 52 games without losing to anyone outside the big six. Palace had a solitary point from their previous six away games. So, with perverse inevitability, Palace won, and deservedly so.
Best game
ARSENAL 4 TOTTENHAM 2
A game that had it all: Penalties and a red card, controversy and a comeback, a broader narrative and plenty of drama on the day. Perhaps Arsenal's best display under Unai Emery and it brought a terrific result.
Best signing
LUCAS TORREIRA
No matter how many times various people said that Arsenal needed a defensive midfielder, it was never any less true. When Torreira belatedly arrived, he showed what Arsenal had been missing. He brought plenty of bite, a couple of useful goals and the capacity to make Granit Xhaka play better.
Best team goal
AARON RAMSEY
The finish, a back-heel flick against Fulham, was pretty special, but a remarkably quick counter-attack to go from the edge of the Arsenal box made it even better. Hector Bellerin, Alexandre Lacazette, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ramsey (three times) were all involved.
Most improved
MOUSSA SISSOKO
After two seasons in London, he looked a waste of £30 million (S$52 million) of Tottenham's money. Now the powerful Frenchman has become their most reliable midfielder and their fans are singing, "Who needs Bale when you've got Sissoko?" What a turnaround.
‘Best of the rest’ team
4-4-2
Ben Foster (Watford) Matt Doherty (Wolves) Federico Fernandez (Newcastle) Issa Diop (West Ham) Ben Chilwell (Leicester) Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) Andre Gomes (Everton) Ruben Neves (Wolves) Felipe Anderson (West Ham) Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) Richarlison (Everton)
Substitutes: Alex McCarthy (Southampton) Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) Philip Billing (Huddersfield) James Maddison (Leicester) David Brooks (Bournemouth) Roberto Pereyra (Watford) Glenn Murray (Brighton)
Best player
VIRGIL VAN DIJK
Defenders don't tend to win the individual awards, but perhaps they should. Van Dijk has been a colossus at the back, transforming Liverpool into a frugal side and forming a superb partnership with Joe Gomez.
Best manager
JURGEN KLOPP
And not merely because Liverpool are six points ahead in a league most expected City to win. Klopp has enacted change. Liverpool are not always as fast and frenetic, but they are better defensively, more consistent and more tactically flexible. The fact they have not dropped points to any of the bottom 15 is remarkable.
Best understudy
BERNARDO SILVA
But for Mohamed Salah, Kevin de Bruyne would have been named Footballer of the Year last season. Until their December relapse, Manchester City barely missed the brilliant, but injured, Belgian. It is a sign of the class and creativity of Bernardo Silva, but also of his reliability and defensive discipline.
Biggest letdown
ALEXIS SANCHEZ
Even after the Chilean's slow start at Old Trafford, there was a theory this could have been his season. He had a rare summer off and a fine pre-season. Yet, since then, he has mustered a solitary league goal, been dropped and injured. It is hard to see the league's best-paid player getting into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's strongest side.
Worst manager
JOSE MOURINHO
With a dishonourable mention of Mark Hughes, another who moaned better than he managed, it is Mourinho. He was sacked after failing to get the best from his players, criticising them relentlessly, presiding over poor football and even, unlike his teams, failing to defend properly. He left Manchester United 11 points behind the top four, and with the biggest wage bill.
Worst showing
KENEDY
The Brazilian borrowed from Chelsea helped keep Newcastle up last season. But at Cardiff in August, he had a shocker. He was the first player since 2010 to complete the first half of a Premier League match without making a pass. Then he cost his side victory by missing a penalty.
Worst signing
ANDRE-FRANK ZAMBO ANGUISSA
Fulham spent £100 million (S$173 million) and are 19th. If much of the focus has been on the much-vaunted Jean-Michael Seri, it is worth noting that his midfield sidekick Anguissa cost still more. A £30 million defensive midfielder has failed to protect the defence. Centre-back Calum Chambers has looked a better option in midfield.
Worst signing
GLENN MURRAY
Murray is a stalwart of the lower leagues who turned 35 in September. His career should be winding down. Instead, the inelegant Brighton striker has been rubbing shoulders with Sergio Aguero and Anthony Martial in the scorers' chart.
Apr 26, 2019 · Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have raised the standard of the Premier League just as Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus did in golf and Usain Bolt did in athletics. City won the title last
Pep Guardiola: Manchester Metropolis have raised Premier
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United are not scared of playing the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against at the Camp Nou after drawing Barcelona on Friday. United were originally drawn to play at Barcelona in the first leg, which would have given them the safety net of playing the decisive return at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer: United don't fear Camp Nou test - Daily Nation
DOHA (Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that a majority of national soccer federations were in favor of expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams.
Qatar would help Middle East peace by sharing 2022 World Cup
Ex-FAS gen sec Lee withdraws from AFC exco contest, Soccer Information & Prime Tales; Bethesda Breaks Fallout 76 No Pay-To-Win-Promise With Restore Kits; Breaking!!! President Muhmmadu Buhari Secures New Entrance; LaLiga Santander: We discuss Messi, however the day Luis Suarez leaves Barcelona…
Loftus-Cheek, Hudson-Odoi and Alonso - Newest Chelsea group
We lack rub of the green: Simeone BARCELONA • It was all going to plan for Atletico Madrid at the Nou Camp on Saturday. The visitors were showing all the hallmarks of a Diego Simeone-managed side with their customary steeliness, demonstrating why they have conceded the least number of goals in LaLiga.
We lack rub of the green: Simeone, Football News & Top
Football: Ikhsan Fandi focused on task as he begins his
Home Sport Football Late Aleksandar Mitrovic strike earns Fulham win over Football; Late Aleksandar Mitrovic strike earns Fulham win over Huddersfield. By. News Agency of Nigeria-December 30
Late Mitrovic strike earns Fulham win over Huddersfield
Makeshift Barcelona side beaten at Celta and lose Dembele to injury Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were among a number of high profile players to be rested ahead of the trip to Anfield, where the Catalans are aiming to book their place in the Champions League final for the first time since 2015.
Football: Makeshift Barca side beaten at Celta and lose
The party has started for Liverpool. Reds fans everywhere are celebrating wildly after their team claimed the Champions League crown with a 2-0 win over Tottenham in Madrid.
Manchester City face no action over 'Allez' chant - AOL
Football. Bloody hell! The comeback of all comebacks. Forget what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did as a player on that famous night in 1999, this was a moment like never before.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will break incredible Pep Guardiola record if Manchester United beat Burnley. Man Utd welcome Burnley to Old Trafford in the Premier League fixture on Tuesday evening as Ole
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer equals long-standing record as Man
MADRID (AFP) - Sergio Ramos scored twice to put Real Madrid on the brink of the Copa del Rey semi-finals as they came from behind to beat Girona 4-2 in a thrilling first leg on Thursday (Jan 24)..
Copa del Rey: Sergio Ramos' double puts Real Madrid within
Football: Five games that tipped the scales in Ole Gunnar
0 comments:
Post a Comment