SEASON AWARDS 2015-2016

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

TEAM: WEST HAM UNITED

In typical season award tradition (over the past four years) the winners raise eyebrows. Two teams topped the charts with five awards. West Ham and Southampton. I opted to give it to West Ham as their awards were more evenly spread over the course of the season. Behind them on four awards came Leicester (no surprises) Tottenham and Liverpool. Joint third with three awards were Newcastle, Palace and Bournemouth.

GOALKEEPER: JACK BUTLAND (Stoke City)

This one was rather more straight forward with Butland out on his own with four awards. It’s even more of an achievement, as he missed the last two months of the season through injury. Behind him with three awards came Watford’s Gomez, Arsenal’s Cech and Newcastle’s Elliot. Joint third with two awards were Swansea’s Fabianski and Norwich’s Ruddy.

DEFENDER: CHRIS SMALLING (Man Utd)

This was an extremely tight one and probably the closest and hardest decision of all categories. Only six defenders recorded two awards. In the end, with a consideration on goals and how spread the two awards were over the season. I gave it the Smalling with Leicester’s Morgan coming a very close second. Other defenders with two awards were Southampton’s Van Dijk. Arsenal’s Bellerin. Man City’s Otamendi and Palace’s Dann.

MIDFIELDER: RIYAD MAHREZ (Leicester City) 

If any of the other category winners were a surprise, then this was definitely not. The Leicester man stormed this with five awards. Nobody got near him. He left a star-studded list of quality midfielders behind on only two awards. They were Tottenham’s Alli. Southampton’s Mane. Man City’s De Bruyne. Newcastle’s Wijnaldum. Liverpool’s Coutinho and Arsenal duo Ozil and Sanchez.

FORWARD: JAMIE VARDY (Leicester City)

True to form in the league the dynamic Leicester duo were too hard to ignore. Although it was close, it again was no surprise with his record-breaking season that he tops this with four awards. Just behind him on three awards came Man City’s Aguero and Everton’s Lukaku. Joint third on two awards were Watford’s Ighalo. Tottenham’s Kane and surprisingly Everton’s Kone.

MANAGER: CLAUDIO RANIERI (Leicester City)

Another where it comes as no surprise at all. To top it off, he’s a weekly award record breaker. With a massive eight awards, Ranieri accumulated the highest ever individual award tally. Leaving a host of managers in his wake. Bournemouth’s Howe was out on his own in second with three awards. Joint third were Watford’s Flores. West Ham’s Bilic. Tottenham’s Pochettino. Norwich’s Neill. Newcastle’s Benitez. Man Utd’s Van Gaal. Stokes’s Hughes and Liverpool’s Klopp all on two awards.

UNSUNG HERO: VIRGIL VAN DIJK (Southampton)

Due to the nature of this award, it’s always going to be a tight and difficult category. This year was no different. Only three players won this award more than once, but I decided to give it to the Southampton man as it was his first season in the Premier League. He more than contributed as the saints finished 6th in the league. The two players that pushed him all the way were Swansea’s Sigurdsson and Leicester’s Albrighton.

GAME 1 NORWICH 4-5 LIVERPOOL

This was the highest scoring game in the league but that was not the only reason why it was the best game. It had absolutely everything. Liverpool went 1-0 early but by the 54th minute in the second half, they were 3-1 down and looked dead and buried. But Liverpool staged a dramatic fight back and went 4-3 up in the 75th minute. More drama ensued as Norwich’s Bassong equalised in the 92nd minute. But not to be outdone. Lallana stepped up in the 95th minute to win it with the last kick of the game.

GAME 2 LIVERPOOL 3-3 ARSENAL 

This was a superb, exciting advert for Premier League football. It had all the components that fans want in a game. Top class quality, top class goals. High tempo game. end to end football, both teams intent on attacking. Hardly a dirty tackle in the game with excitement and action from start to finish where in the end, football was the winner.

GAME 3 CHELSEA 2-2 TOTTENHAM 

This was an even better game due its significance. Not the mention being London rivals. It had more than its fair share of needle with no less than 12 yellow cards (9 for spurs). With drama throughout. Tottenham raced into what looked an unassailable 2-0 lead in the first half. But Chelsea came to life in the second and with 7 minutes to go, Hazard produced a bit of world-class magic to equalise thus breaking Spurs hearts and title dreams.

GOAL 1 DELE ALLI (Tottenaham) v Crystal Palace

If Dele Alli hadn’t announced himself before he certainly did with this wonder of a goal. It demonstrated all his touch, skill, awareness, balance and ability. From controlling it first time in mid-air. To flicking it over the on coming defender, to turning and volleying it with power, into the bottom corner of the net. All from just outside the box. Breathtaking.

GOAL 2 JAMIE VARDY (Leicester City) v Liverpool

In little over a month since he broke the record, thoughts of his heroics may have dried up for the season. But he produced a magnificent strike from 30 plus yards out, running onto Mahrez’s long ball, to hit a powerful, looping volley that flew over the hapless Mignolet.

GOAL 3 CHRISTIAN BENTEKE (Liverpool) v Man Utd

This goal went under the radar and did not get the credit it deserved due to it coming in the disappointing and lackluster 3-1 defeat to bitter rivals Man Utd. But Benteke’s strike was something special as he contorted his body high in midair, to execute a picture perfect scissor kick volley, that rocketed past the best keeper in the league De Gea.

FOOL: ASTON VILLA

There were a fair few candidates for this. Mourinho sacked 7 months after winning the league. McClaren laying the foundations for Newcastle being relegated to name a couple. But Villa’s dismal season was too hard to ignore. Relegated for the first time in their PL history, they were down by April. Many said they were down since December and playing Villa was an automatic 3 points. Their 19 game winless streak is the longest in the clubs history and their points tally of 17 is the third lowest in PL history. They were the only ones mentioned for the fool award three times. (a weekly award record) No surprises as They went through two managers in Tim Sherwood and bizarrely Remi Garde and ended the season with Eric Black. If you add endless player in fighting and off the field bad press. I don’t think they could have had a worse season if their life depended on it. SMH FOOLS!