Weekly Awards: Oct 27th-28th 2012

TEAM: WIGAN ATHLETIC

Amongst all the tight, hard-fought, titanic battles over this past weekend, I decided to go against the grain and give it to the team that had the most comfortable win. Wigan brushed aside West Ham with consummate ease, and only looked nervy in the last seconds of the game when the hammers pulled a goal back.

GOALKEEPER: BRAD GUZAN (Aston Villa)

The American played his part and almost certainly earned his team a point against Norwich. He made a string of saves to keep the canaries at bay, especially when Villa went down to 10 men and looked really up against it. Well done also to Sunderland’s Mignolet and Newcastle’s Krul.

DEFENDER: IVAN RAMIS (Wigan)

Not just for his superb left footed volley goal, but the Spaniard looked comfortable throughout. He had questions about his ability previously and maybe it was his early goal that gave him confidence, but he never looked back or troubled after that. Shout out also to Fulham’s Rise.

MIDFIELDER: JACK WILSHERE (Arsenal)

After almost a year and a half out and playing in a team almost unrecognisable to the last team he played in, the young Englishman played like he had never been away. He looked comfortable and composed on the ball, dictated play and linked up well with his new team mates. Well done also to Wigan due McCarthy and Beausejour, Norwich’s Hoolahan, Reading’s McAnuff, Tottenham’s Bale, West Brom’s Mulumbu, Chelsea’s and Ramires.

FORWARD: LUIS SUAREZ (Liverpool)

For me it was a straight fight between him and the inform Van Persie, with the Liverpool man just edging it. For all his faults which are considerable, you cannot deny his talent and abilities. He again was a constant threat at Goodison Park, given the Everton defenders problems all game and was scandalously robbed of a last-minute winner.

MANAGER: CHRIS HUGHTON (Norwich)

I robbed him of this accolade last week after his team’s superb victory against Arsenal. This week, again the talk was about their opponents not playing well, not about how well Norwich did. They were close to claiming another victory but for a superb performance by the Villa keeper.

UNSUNG HERO: JOBI MCANUFF (Reading)

Maybe not to Reading fans but definitely to the rest of the Premier League as I’m not sure everyone understands just how important he is to their cause. He seems to be their top performer every game and again against Fulham he was at the heart of everything they did well.

GAME: CHELSEA 2-3 MAN UTD

Was there anything that did not happen in this game? United got off to a blistering start with Luiz’s own goal when Van Persie’s effort came back off the post, then the Dutchman made no mistake on 12 minutes. Mata’s wonderful free kick pulled a goal back just before half time, Ramires then equalised 8 minutes after the restart. If that wasn’t dramatic enough Ivanovic was sent off 10 minutes later for a professional foul, then Torres went for second yellow for hotly disputed dive. More drama ensued when Hernandez got the winner on 75 minutes from what looked like an offside position.

GOAL: IVAN RAMIS (Wigan)

This week we were treated to some lovely goals, Mata’s free kick, Leigertwood and Ruiz’s strikes along with Tevez, Berbatov and Benteke’s finishes. But none of them were better than a centre back, hitting a first time volley from a corner, on his supposedly weaker foot that flew into the net, amazing.

FOOL: PREMIER LEAGUE OFFICIALS

I couldn’t signal out one official as the ref’s and linesmen in both the Everton v Liverpool and Chelsea v Man Utd games were to blame. Suarez’s disallowed goal was embarrassing, it wasn’t even a close decisions. Lino didn’t raise his flag until well after the goal was scored. Torres’s red card, followed by the offside Hernandez goal was even more embarrassing. Although the Premier League is a leading force in European football, their officials are proving they’re most certainly not, FOOLS!