SEASON AWARDS 2013-14

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

TEAM: LIVERPOOL 

Although they just came short in the Premier League, Liverpool were the clear winners in this category with seven team awards. Man City took the weekly award on the last day of the season to finish second on five awards. Surprisingly, Sunderland’s late season form saw them earn four awards and finish third with Hull and Tottenham behind with three apiece.

GOALKEEPER: DAVID MARSHALL (Cardiff) 

Not surprising to me Marshall wins this. Although Cardiff were relegated, he was the stand out keeper of the season and picked up five weekly awards. Just one behind in second place was Stoke’s Begovic on four awards. In third place with three awards came a glut of keepers. West Brom’s Foster, Southampton’s Boruc, Sunderland’s Mannone, Tottenham’s Lloris, and Crystal Palace’s Speroni.

DEFENDER: MARTIN SKRTEL (Liverpool) 

Following Liverpool’s great season, though they had defensive frailties Skrtel picked up the most awards with four. This was probably due to him being the highest scoring defender in the league. In second place on two awards came Chelsea’s Terry, Cardiff’s Caulker, Stoke’s Shawcross and Man City’s Kompany. There were no less than 22 defenders in third with one award.

MIDFIELDER: AARON RAMSEY (Arsenal) 

This was by far the hardest category. Three players finished top with three awards. Arsenal’s Ramsey, Everton’s Barkley and Man City’s Toure. Each had a great case for winning it but I opted for Ramsey as from the three players, he was out for the longest period of time. In second with two awards were Liverpool’s Gerrard, Man City’s Silva, Southampton’s Lallana, Chelsea’s Hazard and Sunderland’s Johnson. There were 16 midfielders in third with one award.

FORWARD: LUIS SUAREZ (Liverpool)

This was by far the easiest category. Head and shoulders above the rest, claiming the most individual awards with six and taking this for the second season running was the Liverpool man. In second place with three awards is Man City’s Aguero and Tottenham’s Adebayor. In third place with two awards are Man Utd duo Rooney and Van Persie, Liverpool’s Sturridge, Chelsea’s Eto’o, Stoke’s Odemwingie, Arsenal’s Podolski and Crystal Palace’s Gayle.

MANAGER: BRENDAN RODGERS (Liverpool) 

This award saw another Liverpool winner as Rodgers just nudged in front the rest finishing on five awards for the season. In second place with four awards and probably very surprising comes Sunderland’s Poyet and Tottenham’s Sherwood. in third place with three awards came Hull’s Bruce, Everton’s Martinez, and Crystal Palace’s Pulis. Four managers followed with two awards. Man Utd’s Moyes, Stoke’s Hughes, West Ham’s Allerdyce and Newcastle’s Pardew.

UNSUNG HERO: NATHANIEL CLYNE (Southampton) 

In a category that had the most individual winners, only four players picked up two awards. Out of that four I opted for the Southampton man to win as he has came from absolutely nowhere to being mentioned as an England possibility. Plus his performances pushed him into being one of Southampton’s main men alongside Lallana, Lambert and Rodriguez, which from right back is no mean feat. Finishing a close second was Liverpool’s Henderson followed by West Ham’s Noble and Southampton’s Davis.

GAME: EVERTON 3-3 LIVERPOOL
               MAN CITY 6-3 ARSENAL
               LIVERPOOL 3-2 MAN CITY

I’m sure many have their opinions of which games would make it into their top three but I am going off, entertainment, quality and importance. Everton and Liverpool shared a barnstorming first derby of the season. 2 goals in 8 minutes then three after 19 saw Liverpool lead 2-1. Then 2 goals in 10 minutes saw Everton lead with 8 minutes to go but sub Daniel Sturridge came off the bench to snatch a late equaliser in stoppage time.

City and Arsenal shared an amazing nine goal thriller where it seemed the goals just kept coming. Goals from Aguero and Negredo either side of Walcott’s strike saw City lead 2-1 at half time. Goals from Fernandinho then Walcott’s second made it 3-2 on 63 minutes. City then ran away with it with goals from Silva and Fernandinho’s Second. Mertesacker got a consolation in injury time but there was still time for Toure to score a sixth from the spot.

With so much at stake Liverpool and City provided a classic bout of heavyweights going at it. Liverpool raced into a 2-0 lead with goals from Sterling and then Skrtel after 26 minutes. In the second, City flexed their muscles with Silva pulling a goal back then a Johnson own goal to equalise. Then Coutinho’s first time effort, capitalising on Kompany’s mistake won it on 78 minutes for an emotional victory.

GOAL: PAJTIM KASAMI (Fulham) v Crystal Palace
               ADAM LALLANA (Southampton) v Hull City
               LUIS SUAREZ (Liverpool) V Norwich

My top three were three very different but equally brilliant strikes. First, Kasami controlled the ball on his chest from a long searching ball after running across the box. Then in one motion, unleashed a volley back across himself that flew over the keeper into the far corner of the net.

Lallana picked up the ball from outside the box and proceeded to weave his way past four players with tight, two footed ball control into the box and from and acute angle managed to keep his composure and slot past the keeper.

From a long searching ball from the back, Suarez’ body movement managed to dummy the defender who misjudged the bounce of the ball. Then off the bounce, he hit an unstoppable 40 odd yard strike that rose high and looped over the keeper into the net.

FOOL: VINCENT TAN (Cardiff)

Where to start really. Well, it started by sacking their head of recruitment and replacing him with a 23-year-old work experience guy who was friends with his son. Then after beating Man City, drawing against Man Utd and doing relatively well for a newly promoted team, bizarrely Mackay’s job came under threat, this disrupted the team further, results suffered and he was eventually sacked. Tan then brought in Ole Gunner Solskjaer who had absolutely no experience. Needless to say Cardiff finished rock bottom of the league and were relegated. Well done Vincent, you certainly look like you know what you are doing. FOOL!