SEASON AWARDS 2011-2012

This is taken from the accumulative weekly awards over the season!

TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY

It was a close fought thing in the Premier League and it was a close fought thing in the yearly awards as City’s two awards in the last two weeks of the season made them the only team to gain four awards this season. They were closely followed by Manchester Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal the surprising Swansea. and even more surprisingly who all had 3 awards in a season where 14 from the 20 teams claimed a team of the week award.

GOALKEEPER: MICHAEL VORM (Swansea)

This was another close run thing as the Swansea stopper ended level with Norwich keeper John Ruddy on 4 awards a piece. In the end I sided with Vorm as throughout the season Swansea never really took a pasting. The pair stayed just ahead of the chasing pack as Paddy Kenny, Ali Al Habsi and Ben Foster all ended the season with 3 awards.

DEFENDER: VINCENT KOMPANY (Manchester City)

With only 5 defenders to win more than one award this season I am fairly comfortable to choose Kompany to be my pick for the yearly award. The City captain was the leader in every sense of the word and with all City’s attacking flair he was for me one of the superstars of their season. The four players who equalled him on two awards this season were Jose Enrique, John Terry, Robert Huth and Thomas Vermaelen.

MIDFIELDER: SAMIR NASRI (Manchester City)

Eyebrows may be risen at this but two City midfielders were out ahead on 3 awards each. Silva was the other City player and although most will say Silva made a bigger impact, I gave it to Nasri as all three of Silva’s awards came in 2011 where as Nasri’s were more spread over the season. They were closely followed by Lampard, Gerrard and Yaya Toure on two awards each.

FORWARD: ROBIN VAN PERSIE (Arsenal)

This was one of the easiest awards on the list, out in front with his four awards there was no debating that over the season Van Persie was the top striker in the Premier League. He left seven strikers in second place who were all tied with 2 awards each. Rooney, Dempsey, Odemwingie, Ba, Hoillet, Wellbeck and Papis Cisse.

MANAGER: ALAN PARDEW (Newcastle)

He was tied on 3 awards with Wigan’s Martinez and Man City’s Mancini but Pardew got the nod for me after turning Newcastle into Champions League contenders right up to the last week of the season. It really was a commendable season with some impressive signings. They were followed by no less than seven managers who claimed two awards each. Pullis, Dalglish, Rogers, Coyle, Lambert, Hodgson, Moyes.

UNSUNG HERO: VICTOR MOSES (Wigan)

With only four players tied on two awards a piece Moses for me was the epitome of this award as he seemed to gain in confidence and statue as he began to put in performance after performance. As a front man his goals ratio did not get him much recognition but his direct running and creative abilities did not go unnoticed for his team mates and manager. In the end he just piped Djibrill Cisse, Shane Long and Danny Murphy for this award.

GAME: 1. MAN CITY 3-2 QPR
               2. CHELSEA 3-5 ARSENAL
               3. MAN UTD 8-2 ARSENAL

For the sheer significance of the result that last game of the season had to get it for me. Not only because of what City done but QPR played their part too and to have a finish like that to win a league title is second to none. Arsenal’s stunning five goals away to Chelsea came in second, the game came early in a season at a time where both were trying to find their feet. Third was Man United’s demolition of Arsenal, not often you see ten goals in a game let alone a team scoring eight.

GOAL: 1. PAPIS CISSE 2nd (Newcastle) v Chelsea
               2. HATEM BEN ARFA 3rd (Newcastle) v Bolton
               3. EDIN DZEKO 4th (Man City) v Tottenham

For me this was an extremely close call, in the end Cisse’s outrageous, sliced swerving shot from outside the box just takes it. I say just as I was close to giving it to his team-mate Ben Arfa who’s lovely slalom like run beating four Bolton players to score his hat-trick come in second. Third was so early in the season it could have been forgotten, but scoring his 4th on the day, after a lovely one-two then a majestic strike from outside of his boot into the top corner was a deserved 3rd place.

FOOL: KENNY DALGLISH (Liverpool)

Sadly, the Liverpool legend is my fool of the season. We did have a few candidates, Arsene Wenger, but he managed to redeem himself and finish third. Torres, who started to find a bit of form towards the end of the season and Steve Kean who was close to taking this. But though he won the Carling Cup, spending over £100m to lead Liverpool to their worst league season since the 50s winning a mere 6 games from 19 at home is a bit shocking and ultimately what lost him his job FOOL!