SEASON AWARDS 2016/17 

This is taken from the accumulative weekly award winners throughout the season

TEAM: TOTTENHAM

Just like in the Premier League, this turned out to be a two-horse race. Much like this season, Chelsea were ahead, but unlike this season. Tottenham pipped them to this award by winning the team of the week, in the last two weeks of the season to end with five awards. Finishing one ahead of Chelsea on four. Seven teams ended the season in third place with two awards. 

GOALKEEPER: TOM HEATON (Burnley)

This was another category that became a two-horse race and it was a mini surprise that the Burnley keeper ended the season with the most awards on five. He was however, pushed all the way by the Middlesbrough keeper Victor Valdes who ended with four. In third, was the Sunderland keeper Jordan Pickford on three awards. 

DEFENDER: VIRGIL VAN DIJK (Southampton)

I have to say this was the toughest of all categories to call. Reason being, eight players ended the season on two awards. It was a very tight decision but I opted for the Southampton man as his two awards came in the least amount games, apart from Palace’s Sakho, but it just didn’t seem fair to give it to Sakho after playing only 8 league games. The other players who ended on two awards were Swansea’s Mawson. Hull duo Davis & Dawson. Arsenal duo Mustafi & Bellarin and Everton’s Williams

MIDFIELDER: CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN (Tottenham)

Although Spurs were superb this season, this award may raise a few eyebrows. In another tight category, Eriksen came top of the pile as the only midfielder to win three awards. He beat four other players into second place who ended with two awards. They were his team-mate Alli. Man City’s De Bruyne. Chelsea’s Hazard and Crystal Palace’s Zaha. There were 22 other midfielders who ended the season with one award in third place. 

FORWARD: PHIL COUTINHO (Liverpool)

This was another real tight category. Tottenham’s Harry Kane won back to back awards in the last two weeks of the season to end level with Coutinho on four awards each. But in the end I gave it to the Liverpool man as he also won a weekly award in the midfielder category this season. In third were three players who finished on three awards. Man Utd’s Ibrahimovic. Everton’s Lukaku and Swansea’s Llorente. 

MANAGER: ANTONIO CONTE (Chelsea)

I suppose this was no big surprise, as in his first season he led his team to the Premier League title. Even though these awards don’t always reflect the season, it did this time as he was out in front with four awards. In second place with three awards were no surprises Tottenham’s Pochettino & a little surprisingly Palace’s Sam Allardyce, Watford Walter Mazzarrazi and Southampton’s Claude Puel. In third with two awards were Everton’s Ronald Koeman & WBA’s Paul Clement.

UNSUNG HERO: CESAR AZPILICUETA (Chelsea)

Although this was initially and is traditionally a hard one to call. In the end, there was only going to be one winner. Four players ended the season with two awards, but for his ever-present appearance in a title winning season. Being a full back & playing in an unfamiliar back three, I had to give it to the Chelsea man. The three other players to win this award twice were Man Utd’s Carrick. WBA’s Phillips & Liverpool’s Wijnaldum. 

GAME1: SWANSEA 5-4 CRYSTAL PALACE

This game exceeded all expectations even by Premier League standards. Both teams traded goals in the first half through Zaha & Sigurdsson respectively. In the second Swansea went 3-1 up from two Fer goals in 3 minutes. Palace then came back with three goals in 9 minutes from Tomkins an OG and Benteke in the 84th minute to make it 3-4. But in the 91st minute Llorente equalised. He wasnt done there, as he grabbed his second and a dramatic late winner in 93rd minute to settle an absolute thriller of a game. 

GAME2: BOURNEMOUTH 4-3 LVERPOOL

in the first half two quick fire goals through Mane & Origi gave Liverpool an early two goal lead and they were cruising. In the second, Wilson pulled a goal back from the spot but Can restored Liverpool’s two goal lead. Then Fraser pulled a goal back and Cook then equalised only two minutes later. With Liverpool reeling, Ake got late dramatic winner to win the game in the 93rd minute. 

GAME3: ARSENAL 3-4 LIVERPOOL 

In the first game of the season, the public were treated to a special game. Walcott got an early lead before Coutinho equalised on the stroke of half time. In the second, Lallana made it 1-2 the Coutinho gave Liverpool a two goal lead before Mane made it 1-4 with a lovely solo effort. Almost dead and buried, Arsenal pulled two goals back through Oxlade-Chamberlain, then Ramsey with 15 minutes to go but that’s how the game ended. 

GOAL1: EMRE CAN (LIVERPOOL) V WATFORD

In the 66th minute of a tight game. Can pulled out a stunner. Running into the box after Lucas spotted his run and chipped the ball into him. With his back to goal, he executed a first time, overhead kick volley, on the run, connecting with the ball perfectly to see it nestle in the top corner. 

GOAL2: DIMITRI PAYET (WEST HAM) V MIDDLESBROUGH 

The Frenchman left his mark before his departure with this superb solo effort. He started on the touchline by instantly controlling a cross field pass dead, then turning his man on the line and proceeded forward towards the box. As he got to the box, he cut inside one defender, then running across the box, he beat three more players with his quick feet. Going past the goal, he managed to tuck a low shot back where he came from, into the far corner of the net to deceive the keeper.

GOAL3: OLIVIER GIROUD (ARSENAL) V CRYSTAL PALACE

This move stated when the ball was won on the edge of their own box. The ball was played into Giroud who layed the ball off and continued to run upfield. The ball then found its way to the left side of the box with Sanchez who cut in and dinked a ball in towards Giroud running in on goal. With the ball behind him, he improvised and contorted his body, managing to arch his foot behind him, to get perfect connection for the ball to loop over him and in off the underside of the bar. 

FOOL: SUNDERLAND

I can guess it’s no real surprise to see the team that finished the season rock bottom and were the first to get relegated here. However, they ended the season with 3 fool awards along with Leicester City. But the former champions managed to turn their season around, where as Sunderland just kept getting worse. In second with two awards were another relegated team Hull & Liverpool’s Karius. In third, there were 22 other individual “winners” of this award, made up of teams, refs, managers & players.