TEAM: BRENTFORD
It was a close-run thing for this award, and I did change my mind several times. However, I opted to go with Brentford, who many thought would be fighting relegation.
However, they have defied the odds in the first half of the season. This week, it continued with a 4-1 victory over Bournemouth, which moved them up to the lofty position of eighth.
Well done to Aston Villa. Tottenham. Man City. Fulham. Arsenal. Man Utd and Liverpool.
GOALKEEPER: DAVID RAYA (Arsenal)
Other goalkeepers made more saves than him this week, but not many will make a better save this season than he produced in this game.
Arsenal were winning, but Brighton got a goal back and were pushing for an equaliser. Minteh’s effort looked set for the top corner, but his miraculous, acrobatic save earned his team these three points.
Shout out to Burnley’s Dubravka. Sunderland’s Roefs and Chelsea’s Sanchez.
DEFENDER: MICKEY VAN DE VEN (Tottenham)
This was probably the hardest decision this week, with no real outstanding performers but several very good ones. In the end, I went with the Spurs man who led his team well and reduced Palace to crumbs.
With Romero suspended, he stepped into the leadership role and did an excellent job at Palace, where the likes of Metata, Pino and Nketiah got nothing all game.
Well done to his teammate, Danso. Everton foursome, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko and O’Brien. Man Utd duo Heaven & Martinez. Arsenal’s Rice. Fulham’s Robinson.
Brentford duo Kayode and Collins. Burnley threesome Ekdal, Humphreys & Laurent. Liverpool’s Bradley. Wolves’ Bueno and Chelsea’s James.
MIDFIELDER: RAYAN CHERKI (Man City)
It’s not easy to be the game winner and main man in a star-studded City team, but he is starting to show all his star power in a team that is full of it already.
He created the first goal for his teammate Reijnders, and then, when City desperately needed to win the game, he popped up late on to win the game and seal a man of the match performance.
Shout out to his teammates, Reijnders and Foden. Man Utd’s Dorgu. Arsenal’s Odegaard. Forest’s Hutchinson. Liverpool duo Gravenberch & Wirtz. Bournemouth’s Semenyo.
Brentford duo Damsgaard & Yarmolyuk. Sunderlands; Xhaka. Tottenham’s Gray. Leeds’s Stach also Villa duo Sancho & Onana.
FORWARD: KEVIN SCHADE (Brentford)
Although there was some competition, there was no way he was not going to claim this award after getting a stunning hat-trick to sink Bournemouth.
Showed strength and composure for the first, finishing instincts for the second and awareness to complete his hat-trick.
Well done to his teammate Thiago. Fulham’s Jimenez. Leeds’s Calvert-Lewin. Chelsea’s Joao Pedro and Sunderland’s Adingra.
MANAGER: UNAI EMERY (Aston Villa)
His team’s performance at Stamford Bridge was the closest rendition of the “rope a dope” in football that you could ever see.
Villa didn’t get a sniff in the first half. But in the second, Villa came back into it, and Emery’s triple change of Watkins, Sancho and Onana literally changed the game with Watkins scoring two for a dramatic come-from-behind victory.
Shout out also to Brentford’s Andrews. Man City’s Guardiola and Tottenham’s Frank.
UNSUNG HERO: OLIVER WATKINS (Aston Villa)
Naturally, he is or was not unsung. However, when his team needed a sniper, he came on as part of a triple change on the hour to cause havoc.
He equalised after just three minutes, and if that wasn’t enough, he won it with a header from a corner with just six minutes to go in the game for a dramatic victory.
Well done also to Man Utd’s Dorgu. Arsenal’s Rice and Tottenham’s Gray.
GAME: CHELSEA 1-2 ASTON VILLA
Chelsea finally got their reward for a dominant first half, when Reece James swung over a corner from the left, and the ball nicked off Joao Pedro and in (37).
Villa equalised in the second when Rogers slipped in Watkins, his effort came back off Sanchez, and off him into the net (63). Villa then won the game when Watkins headed in Tielemans’ corner from the right (84).
GOAL: PATRICK DORGU (Man Utd) vs Newcastle
The move started from a long through on the right side of the pitch. It was hurled in by Dalot towards the near post and headed up into the air.
As the ball came down just inside the box, parallel to the near post. Dorgu, running onto the ball from the side, watched it all the way and connected with a wonderful low volley, which saw the ball fly inside the near post.
FOOL: CHELSEA FC
I am still scratching my head, wondering just how Chelsea lost this game. They are dominant in the first half and should have gone in more than a goal up.
Even in the second half, they were in charge. However, once Villa made their triple change and then got the equaliser, Chelsea totally capitulated. Villa then got the second to win the game, leaving Chelsea wondering just how they threw that away. FOOLS!
