Premier League - Team of the week *To be updated* (07-08 season) -
04-20-2008, 04:37 PM
Quote:
Kevin Davies not only helped give Bolton some hope in their battle against relegation at the weekend but, perhaps more importantly, he also claimed the crown of Player of the Week. Elsewhere, it was yet another day to forget for Derby, whose fans are advised to look away now.
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HOW IT WORKS
We tot up the marks out of 10 awarded in five national newspapers - The Sun, The Mirror, The Mail, The Times and The Guardian - to create a total out of 50. The top player in each position will be rewarded with a spot in the Team of the Week, while the worst scorers will be named and shamed in our Flops XI.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
1. Jens Lehmann (Arsenal) - 38
2. Glen Johnson (Portsmouth) - 36
3. Patrice Evra (Manchester United) - 36
4. Gary Cahill (Bolton) - 36
5. Joleon Lescott (Everton) - 36
6. Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough) - 38
7. Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) - 41
8. Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa) - 39
9. Kevin Davies (Bolton) - 43
10. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) - 41
11. Alexander Hleb (Arsenal) - 37
The Premier League may boast some of the most skilful, exciting players in the world, but Davies's match-winning performance against West Ham at the weekend proved there is still room in the game for a traditional bustling centre forward. The Bolton striker rightly wears our Player of the Week crown and leads the line alongside Gerrard, who put in yet another inspirational match-winning performance for Liverpool.
Lehmann thinks he is better than Manuel Almunia, and the German could have a point after deputising more than ably against Manchester United, while Arsenal team-mate Hleb also makes the team despite ending on the losing side.
Villa duo Reo-Coker and Petrov form the nucleus of the side this week after orchestrating the demolition of Derby while United - perhaps the biggest winners of the weekend - are only represented by Evra, although Owen Hargreaves came mighty close to being included.
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FLOPS OF THE WEEK
1. Roy Carroll (Derby) - 17
2. Andy Todd (Derby) - 19
3. Eddie Lewis (Derby) - 21
4. Darren Moore (Derby) - 22
5. Andre Bikey (Reading) - 23
6. John Oster (Reading) - 21
7. Stephen Ireland (Manchester City) - 23
8. Kieran Richardson (Sunderland) - 19
9. Shane Long (Reading) - 21
10. Daryl Murphy (Sunderland) - 19
11. David Jones (Derby) - 22
Unsurprisingly, Derby provide three of this week's back four with keeper Carroll picking up the unenviable title of Flop of the Week for his part in shopping six goals at Villa. Jones completes the impressive tally of five Rams players in the side, while Reading supply a further three following their dismal defeat to Fulham. Sunderland's match with Manchester City gave us the remainder of this week's flops, with Richardson in particularly uninspiring form. Dishonourable mentions should also go to Middlesbrough's own-goal scorer Jonathan Grounds and Reading left-back Nicky Shorey, both of whom missed out by a whisker.
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TEAM OF THE SEASON (minimum 16 starts)
1. Brad Friedel (Blackburn) - 33.18
2. Kolo Toure (Arsenal) - 32.98
3. Joleon Lescott (Everton) - 33.89
4. Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea) - 33.25
5. John Terry (Chelsea) - 33.33
6. David Bentley (Blackburn) - 34.01
7. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) - 34.20
8. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) - 34.67
9. Fernando Torres (Liverpool) - 33.95
10. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - 35.77
11. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - 35.68
You want a world-beating side? Look no further than this impressive selection of players. Rooney is still top dog but team-mate Ronaldo is hot on his heels in the chase for the coveted Player of the Season award.
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FLOPS OF THE SEASON (minimum 16 starts)
1. Paul Robinson (Tottenham) - 29.55
2. Chris Baird (Fulham) - 27.74
3. Jay McEveley (Derby) - 26.31
4. Younes Kaboul (Tottenham) - 27.52
5. Claude Davies (Derby) - 26.97
6. Brynjar Gunnarsson (Reading) - 27.69
7. Alan Smith (Newcastle) - 26.93
8. Robbie Savage (Derby) - 28.05
9. Michael Chopra (Sunderland) - 28.46
10. Benni McCarthy (Blackburn) - 27.9
11. Eddie Lewis (Derby) - 27.11
McEvely must be thanking his lucky stars he only came on as a substitute against Villa - in doing so he avoided being rated, thereby further cementing his claim on the inaugural Flop of the Season title. As it is, he is still scientifically the league's worst player, and it would take a brave man to bet against him ending the season as such.
A barnstorming performance from Michael Ballack earns the Chelsea midfielder our player of the week accolade, while poor old Ryan Giggs finds himself in lowly company among the flops.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Aside from the lawnmower man, Michael Ballack was by some distance the most influential figure in Saturday's clash between Chelsea and Manchester United. The swashbuckling German channelled his anger at London's astronomical house prices to bag two vital goals and send Avram Grant dizzy with glee on the sidelines. Aston Villa striker John Carew remains in the side for the second week running, after scoring a late equaliser at Everton. Gary Cahill also retains his place, with Manchester City's young keeper Joe Hart in as our elite stopper.
Bolton's lovable striker Diouf leads the line after an all-singing, all-dancing performance against Sunderland, which went a long way to saving Gary Megson's entertaining outfit from the drop. He'll be off in the summer by all accounts, presumably to further his pantomime villain status by spearheading an attack that benefits from rather better service - Barns Green reserves of West Sussex Division Five Central perhaps? Meanwhile, Joe Hart continues between the sticks after another solid showing against Liverpool, while champions-in-waiting Manchester United provide both full-backs, whirling dervish Carlos Tevez and the laughably good Cristiano Ronaldo. Wigan's impressive two-goal hero Luis Valencia makes his debut, alongside team-mate Paul Scharner, who is thriving in his new role at the back. Michael Ballack joins Hart as the only players to retain their place from last week.
Afonso Alves's hat-trick against Manchester City sees him win the final Player of the Week award as Middlesbrough fans were finally able to enjoy watching some goals fly in at the Riverside.
Fulham may have pulled off the Great Escape, but they are represented by just one player this week, Brede Hangeland, who lines up alongside the immensely hard Nemanja Vidic at the heart of defence.
There was no such happy ending for Birmingham, but at least Stephen Kelly can console himself with the knowledge he made the Team of the Week with a sterling performance from right-back. Team of the Season member Joleon Lescott completes the back line.
James Harper's goal for Reading means he joins a midfield consisting of Manuel Fernandes and Boro duo Fabio Rochemback and Stewart Downing, while Everton goal hero Yakubu partners Alves up front.
Premier League - Team of the week *To be updated* (07-08 season)
Premier League - Team of the week *To be updated* (07-08 season) -
04-20-2008, 04:37 PM
04-20-2008, 05:22 PM
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