SEASON AWARDS

This is taken from the accumulative weekly awards throughout the season…..

TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY

Although the season awards generally bring up surprise winners. There was no surprise here as Man City took this with a total of five awards. The only real surprise was they didn’t win more weekly team awards and in the end, only won it by one. The biggest surprise in this category was that Huddersfield, probably due to being favourites to go down and surviving, finished joint second along with Liverpool with four awards. In third with three awards were Man Utd. Tottenham and Crystal Palace. 

GOALKEEPER: NICK POPE (Burnley)

In another very tight category, the stand in Burnley keeper, contributed to Burnley’s superb season which culminated in Europa League qualification and a place in the England World Cup squad. To take this with five awards. Slightly surprising in second was Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel with four awards. In third with three awards each were Swansea’s Fabianski. Stoke’s Butland and Brighton’s Ryan.

DEFENDER: JAMES TARKOWSKI (Burnley)

Burnley’s surperb season, especially on the defensive side is again evident here as Tarkowski takes this with three awards.although his awards came earlier in the season, no other defender managed to notch three awards. In second with two awards were Stoke’s Zouma. Newcastle’s Lascelles and Crystal Palace’s Sakho. With no less than 25 other defenders notching one defender award over the course of the season in third. 

MIDFIELDER: KEVIN DE BRUYNE (Man City)

In traditionally what is one of the most tightest and hard-fought categories. The Man City superstar came out on top as the only midfielder to claim four awards. In second, and out on his own on three awards was Chelsea’s Hazard. Four midfielders came in third, being the only other midfielders to win more than one award. Leicester’s Mahrez. Man City’s David Silva. Man Utd’s Lingard and Tottenham’s Son. 

FORWARD: MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

I’m sure there is no surprises after the season he had to see the Liverpool forward’s name here. However, you will be surprised to know he finished joint first with four awards and due to his record-breaking season, he was awarded the season award. So bumped down into second place but also finishing on four awards were Tottenham’s Kane and Palace’s Zaha. In third with three awards was Man City’s Aguero. 

MANAGER: JOSE MOURINHO (Manchester Utd)

This one is in keeping with true season award tradition by it being a massive surprise. The Man Utd man to my surprise, was out in front to claim this with four awards. Four managers came second with three awards. Sacked former Watford manager Silva. Man City’s Guardiola. Burnley’s Dyche and another surprise Palace’s Hodgson. Five managers came third with two awards each. Huddersfield’s Wagner. Tottenham’s Pochettino. Chelsea’s Conte. Liverpool’s Klopp and Newcastle’s Benitez. 

UNSUNG HERO: TIEMOUE BAKAYOKO (Chelsea)

Typically, there were not many multiple award winners in this category. Actually there were only three. The Chelsea man was the only player to claim three awards in this category and although there were all early in the season. His FA Cup final display against Man Utd proved he fully deserved it. In joint second with two awards were Chelsea’s Azpilicueta and Burnley’s Mee. With no less than 27 players claiming one award in third.

GAME1 TOTTENHAM 5-4 LEICESTER 

Leicester opened the scoring when Vardy glanced Mahrez’ left sided free kick into the far corner (4). Spurs were level when Simpson’s poor pass fell to Kane, who ran the length of the half to slot home at the near post (7). Leicester went ahead from Mahrez’s powerful left footed effort from just inside the box (16). In the second half. Inheanacho made it three with thunderous strike from just outside the box (47). Lamela then pulled a goal back when he tapped in Walker-Peters low cross from the right (49). It was then 3-3 when Fuchs deflected Lamela’s shot into the net (53). Lamela could have had a hat-trick as he made it 4-3 when unmarked in the centre, he again tapped in Walker-Peters’ low cross from the right (60). Vardy then made it 4-4 when he fired Mahrez’ through ball high into the net (73). But Kane then won the game when he jinxed inside a Leicester defender and curled a lovely effort into the far corner (76). Amazing game. 

GAME2 LIVERPOOL 4-3 MAN CITY

The scoring started within the first 10 minutes when Oxlade-Chamberlain picked up a loose ball, drove at the heart of the defence. Then unleashed an arrow like, low effort into the far bottom corner (9). City equalised when Gomez misjudged Walker’s cross field ball to Sane, who took it beautifully on his chest and drove into the box. Then cut back onto his left foot and beat Karius at his near post (40). In the second half, Liverpool went 2-1 up when Oxlade-Chamberlain played a straight ball for Firmino to run onto, he out-muscled Stones, then had the composure to chip the on rushing Ederson (59). Mane then made it three when Salah won the ball high up the pitch and played it square for Mane to hit a thunderbolt from the edge of the box, with his left foot, into the top corner (61), Salah then made it four when he controlled Ederson’s poor clearance from outside the box to chip him from over 40 yards out (68). Man City pulled a goal back when B.Silva fired into the bottom corner after the ball fell to him following Gomez blocking Aguero’s shot (84). City then got a third when Aguero chipped a ball across the box for Guendogan to take on his chest and poke home from a few yards (90+1).

GAME3 ARSENAL 4-3 LEICESTER 

Arsenal got off to a perfect start when Elnany swung a ball in for new signing Lacazette to direct his header inside the post from about the penalty spot (2). Leicester soon equalised when Maguire nodded back a high cross, swung in from the left and Okazaki rose highest to nod home from a yard (5). It was soon two, following great work from Albrighton on the left. He swung in another superb ball for Vardy to run onto and score from point-blank range (29). On the stroke of half time, the Leicester’s defence stalled as Kolasinac ghosted through and touched back for Welback to tap into an empty net (45+2). In the second half. Vardy nodded in Mahrez’s corner to make it 3-2 (56). Then the fatal point in the game Shakespare bizarrely brought off a midfield for a striker while under the cosh. A minute later, Xhaka’s lovely ball found sub Ramsey in the box and he expertly controlled and finished (83). Then two minutes later, Giroud got his head on Xhaka’s right sided corner to win the game off he underside of the bar (85). 

GOAL1 SOFIANE BOUFAL v West Bromwich Albion

Deep in the Southampton half. Boufal picked up a loose pass with his back to WBA’s goal. He first turned and ran into a defender, then checked back and darted around him. He then picked up speed, drifted past a defender and glided into the WBA half. Now at full speed, he jinxed past another player, as he got to the edge off the box. He shifted the ball from his left to his right foot, past yet another defender and drilled a low effort into the bottom corner of the net. Wonderful. 

GOAL2 JAMIE VARDY v West Bromwich Albion

Mahrez picked up the ball just in his own half. Turned and spotted Vardy’s run. He then played a long ball over the top, just to the edge of the box. As the ball dropped over Vardy’s shoulder, while on the run. He hit a sweet volley. First time, on the turn. Catching the ball at its lowest point, with his left foot. To angle the ball neatly into the bottom corner. 

GOAL3 WAYNE ROONEY v West Ham Utd

The ball was cleared out from the Everton box deep into the West Ham half. With two West Ham players and one Everton player chasing the ball, Hart came rushing out his box to clear, but he scuffed a low bobbling clearance, which only went as far as Rooney who was just inside his own half. With the crowed urging him to shoot. He duly obliged with a first time effort that was struck sweetly and to perfection, which sailed past Hart and over a West Ham defender who jumped and still couldn’t stop the ball going into the empty net. 

FOOL: EVERTON FC 

Sadly, Everton claimed this by being the only ones to be awarded more than one fool award this season. After bringing in a multitude of players, for big money, making the atmosphere, hopes and expectations extremely high. It all went wrong very early and they sacked Koeman to bring in Allardyce. Although big Sam steadied the ship and they climbed up the table, the football was poor and after the money spent, it just felt like an underachieving, expensive salvage mission. Which in the end also cost big Sam his job.