TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
This decision was touch and go for a second, with a few other teams in the reckoning. However, when you take into consideration Leicester being comfortably in third and have a decent home record, then the way Man City brushed them aside with ease and are relentlessly cruising their way to the Premier League title. Then it was fully understandable them taking this award. Well done also to Liverpool, WBA, Southampton, West Ham, Aston Villa, Man Utd and Leeds.
GOALKEEPER: VINCINTE GUAITA (Crystal Palace)
Time and again we have been shown the importance of a top goalkeeper in this league and the WBA keeper demonstrated that fact. Everton were fully expecting a home win, but couldn’t get past Guaita in the first half. However, after they got the opener midway through the second half, you was expecting them to go on and claim all three points, but they just couldn’t get a second due to Guaita heroics. Then as the seconds went by, Palace grew in confidence and eventually got the equaliser to claim a point which was in part helped by Guaita in goal. Shout out also to Aston Villa’s Martinez and Brighton’s Sanchez.
DEFENDER: TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD (Liverpool)
This was a close decision, more because there were not many candidates, but there were a few decent ones. However, I opted for the Liverpool man due to his response for not being selected in the England team. He has to admit his form has dipped of late, but he was back to his best at Arsenal. He was alert, full of running and anticipation down the right flank, with his excellent range of passing, was involved in all three Liverpool goals, but his ball in for the first was just exquisite and could have had about 3/4 assists. Well done also to his team mates Phillips & Kabak, Everton duo Holgate & Coleman, Spurs’ Rodon, Man Utd’s Shaw, Leeds’ Ayling, WBA duo Ajayi & Furlong also Man City duo Dias & Mendy.
MIDFIELDER: TREZEGUET (Aston Villa)
He literally came off the bench to change the game. With his team trailing to Fulham, he was introduced into the game on the 62nd minute with his team firing blanks. But 16 minutes later, he got the equaliser with a lovely first time finish. Then, three minutes later he broke Fulham hearts with his second, with another first time finish at the back post. He could have even had a hat-trick with his movement and running off the ball which really gave Fulham issues. Shout out also to Liverpool’s Fabinho, Man City’s De Bruyne, Leeds duo Harrison & Raphinha, Man Utd trio Greenwood, Rashford & Fernandes, Newcastle duo S.Longstaff & Willock, Southampton trio Ward-Prowse, Redmond & Armstrong, Everton’s Rodriguez, Sheff Utd’s Osborn, Wolves duo Troare and Dendoncker, West Ham trio Fornals, Bowen, also Lingard and WBA’s Pereira who were both close to winning this.
FORWARD: DIOGO JOTA (Liverpool)
His goal scoring record for Liverpool in such a short space of time is unbelievable. To think such a potent strike force of Liverpool would be hard to improve, but he has certainly done that with his running off the ball, movement and finishing to become somewhat of a talisman. Liverpool really missed him when he was out. When the game was deadlocked, it was him who came off the bench in the 61st minute to make the difference just three minutes later to score the opening goal with a lovely header between two defenders, he then got his second of the game late on coming in late to lash home. Well done also to his team mate Salah, Spurs’ Kane, Palace’s Batshuayi, Burnley’s Vydra, Wolves’ Silva, Fulham’s Mitrovic, Villa’s Watkins, Newcaslte’s Joelinton, Man City’s Jesus, also WBA’s duo Diagne and Robinson, as well as, Southampton’s Ings who were both close to winning this.
MANAGER: SAM ALLARDYCE (West Bromwich Albion)
I could have gone for a few other managers but decided to give Big Sam some recognition as his side took Chelsea apart. Although I generally dont get excited when a team plays against 10 men from the first half, he did take the initiative and had to deal with two early defensive injuries. He responded after the second one by putting on a striker and from then on, his team played out of their skin, showing exactly how a team should play against 10 men, using the space with plenty of running off the ball. But to their credit, they really ran Chelsea ragged and scored some superb goals. Shout out also to Villa’s Smith, Liverpool’s Klopp, Man City’s Guardiola and Southampton’s Hassenhuttl.
UNSUNG HERO: MATHEUS PEREIRA (WBA)
Again, I generally dont get excited or reward performances when a team has played against 10 men for over a half, but he really did change the game for his team, with two lovely finishes so I felt he deserved the praise. Although Chelsea helped with their poor defending and possibly a bit of complacency, however, he took full advantage showing his anticipation and deft finish for the first, then a bit of skill and composure for the second on the stroke of half time. He then assisted WBA’s fourth and fifth goals in the second half to help his team to an important away win.
GAME: CHELSEA 2-5 WEST BROM
Chelsea, looked comfortable early and took the lead when Alonso fired a free kick from 25 yards off the post and as the ball came back, Pulisic reacted quickest to stab the ball home (27). However, two minutes later, Silva got his marching orders for a second yellow following a lunge which I thought was harsh (29). WBA then equalised when Pereira ran onto Johnstone’s long kick to neatly dink the ball first time over Mendy (45+2). Two minutes later they got a second when Pereira weaved his way from left to right across the box, cut back and beat Mendy with the eyes to score at the near post (45+4). In the second half, WBA got a third when Robinson finished a good move with a superb first time volley, from Furlong’s right sided cross (63). It was then four following an even better team move that saw Townsend back heel to Pereira who slide across for Diagne to neat side foot home into the bottom corner (68). Chelsea then pulled a goal back when Werner set up Mount to prod home to make it 4-2 (71). But WBA made it five when Pereira was again the provider when he slipped the ball through for Robinson the dink the ball over Mendy (90+1).
GOAL: JESSE LINGARD (West Han) v Wolves
Following a tricky position in the right corner, Coufal got to the ball first and played it forward for Jesse Lingard, who turned in his own half and surged forward. He then motored forward into the Wolves half unchallenged, with only Antonio running in front of him. As Antonio ran from left to right, taking two defenders with him, Lingard carried the ball from right to left, evading a defender into the box and as the keeper came out, he expertly finished with his left foot into the far corner.
FOOL: ARSENAL FC
This week was pretty hard, more because of the lack of real candidates. I could have gone with Chelsea, although they did get a man sent off, as usual I could have given this to English officials on VAR once again, also Richarlison and possibly the Spurs defenders but as a whole, I want for Arsenal. I could have gone for the skipper Aubameyang, who was abysmal, but the team as a whole were just poor. Obviously Liverpool played a part in them looking so poor but the humbling at home, with poor defending, defensive mistakes and looking fruitless up top is alarming for Arsenal. It’s no surprises they are languishing 10th in the league and for the fourth season in a row all their eggs are in the Europa League but if they fail there again, there will be some serious questions & decisions. FOOLS!
