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Premier League Team Of The Week - Round 17
Goal.com runs the rule over the best individual displays from week 17 of the Premier League...
15-Dec-2008 4:45:28 PM
Another week in this, the most tumultous of Premier League campaigns, goes by without a win for the so-called 'Big Four'. Liverpool and Chelsea were both held at home, while Machester United and Arsenal were frustrated on their travels.
Aston Villa kept their hopes of a Champions League place alive by dismantling Bolton, while there was a hammering for under-fire Paul Ince and his Blackburn troops at Wigan. Sunderland enjoyed one more goal than the Latics as they rampaged over relegation fodder West Brom.
Fulham and Stoke played out the dullest of nil-nils, while a striker-less Everton plundered maximum rewards away to Manchester City.
Newcastle won on the road for the first time since March as Fortress Fratton becomes more generous by the week.
Here are the best in show...
Formation
4-1-3-2
Goalkeeper
Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur)
The Brazilian goalkeeper is painstakingly reassembling is reputation after a nightmare start in the Premier League. The one-time slapstick custodian has cut out the funny stuff and was a formidable last line of defence for a patched-up Tottenham against Manchester United.
Defence
Tony McMahon (Middlesbrough)
Without a Premier League start in two-and-a-half years, the homegrown talent took to his task against Arsenal like a duck to water. His support and distribution were top-rate during a fascinating Riverside encounter, and he looked assured, despite his obvious lack of match practice.
Brede Hangeland (Fulham)
The Norway captain has been a huge boon to the Cottagers this season, with domineering performances to match his ample stature. The Fulham manager expects bids from the big-boys in January for the former FC Copenhagen stand-out; his capabilities were evidenced in the manner in which he tackled Stoke's aerial bombardment.
Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur)
Without Ledley King, and quickly without Jonathan Woodgate, Spurs were reliant on steady and concentrated showings from their piecemeal back-four. Dawson helped ensure that the returning Berbatov got little change, with his positioning and heading top-rate throughout.
Danny Collins (Sunderland)
Admittedly, it's not often that a Sunderland defender features on this list. However, the Welshman looks a different player under Ricky Sbragia from the bedraggled liability that Roy Keane left behind. West Brom were not exactly Brazil in diguise on Saturday, but Collins was efficient in the pass and nullified whatever threat the Baggies tried to muster.
Midfield
Marouane Fellaini (Everton)
Unfashionable, awkward, and a sturdy midfield prospect to boot. The Belgian set the Toffees back £15 million but is beginning to show just why. On a day when David Moyes' side veered between a 4-5-1 and a 4-6-0, Fellaini remained the lynchpin in the centre and won the bragging rights between himself and compatriot, Vincent Kompany.
Antonio Valencia (Wigan Athletic)
Beleaguered Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince shuffled Stephen Warnock to his preferred left-back berth on Saturday, and within 10 minutes he must have wished he hadn't. The Ecuadorian tore the England international apart, creating a goal for Emile Heskey before snatching one himself. Another A-list showing from a man in demand.
Bernard Mendy (Hull City)
The Frenchman took Andrea Dossena to school as the Tigers upset the Anfield apple-cart in the early stages. His delilvery, ability to draw fouls, and overall energy all contributed to Hull's successful point-pillage. They may have taken more were it not for Paul McShane's injury, which meant Mendy's attacking enthusiasm had to be curbed.
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Ronaldo, Messi.....Young? The wide-man is attracting the sort of plaudits reserved only for the world's best, which means one of two things; either we're all deluded, or else the former Watford man is becoming England's best attacking prospect for over a decade. With his pace, trickery and vision, it may very well be the latter.
Attack
Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland)
The Mackems played like a team liberated on Saturday, with Djibril Cisse and the Trinidad and Tobago international right at the sharp end. After his heavy injury blow, Roy Keane's most enduring signing is beginning to string together the performances and was rewarded with two goals against an admittedly poor opponent. However, given time, the Cisse/Jones axis could become one of the most formidable in the league.
Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)
Where once the Villa man was all about pace, he now has added other strings to his bow. Technique and finishing have been added to his game and combined with the build of a boxing champion, Gabby has the tools to take Martin O'Neill's side to the Champions League. A brace on Saturday was only a sidenote in another wise, flawless showing.
Honourable Mentions
Down at Fratton Park on Sunday, Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez helped the Toon turn the hosts over with some incisive attacking play, including an assist for birthday boy Michael Owen, who didn't do too badly himself.
Former Magpie Scott Parker was busy at Stamford Bridge helping West Ham pick up a share of the spoils against his former club with a performance equal to that of the expensively assembled midfield with which he was faced.
As Sunderland continue to exorcise the overbearing ghost of Roy Keane, Anton Ferdinand, Teemu Tainio, Andy Reid and Djibril Cisse all excelled. Arsenal duo Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor also shone in the north-east, against Middlesbrough. Facing them, Didier Digard was an asset in the hosts' midfield.
In the goalless draw at White Hart Lane, Vedran Corluka and Nemanja Vidic were sturdy on either side as defence was very much the order of the day during Dimitar Berbatov's return to Tottenham.
An Everton side short of any strikers at all made a silk purse out of the sow's ear that was Tim Cahill, who played the auxiliary frontman role to near perfection. Alongside him, Mikel Arteta was his usual creative self. While Manchester City failed to score against the Toffees, it wasn't for the lack of effort on the part of Shaun Wright-Phillips; the England winger did more than his fair for the Citizens, and may have some better strikers to provide for after the January sales.
Peter Staunton, Goal.com
Aston Villa kept their hopes of a Champions League place alive by dismantling Bolton, while there was a hammering for under-fire Paul Ince and his Blackburn troops at Wigan. Sunderland enjoyed one more goal than the Latics as they rampaged over relegation fodder West Brom.
Fulham and Stoke played out the dullest of nil-nils, while a striker-less Everton plundered maximum rewards away to Manchester City.
Newcastle won on the road for the first time since March as Fortress Fratton becomes more generous by the week.
Here are the best in show...
Formation
4-1-3-2
Goalkeeper
Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur)
The Brazilian goalkeeper is painstakingly reassembling is reputation after a nightmare start in the Premier League. The one-time slapstick custodian has cut out the funny stuff and was a formidable last line of defence for a patched-up Tottenham against Manchester United.
Defence
Tony McMahon (Middlesbrough)
Without a Premier League start in two-and-a-half years, the homegrown talent took to his task against Arsenal like a duck to water. His support and distribution were top-rate during a fascinating Riverside encounter, and he looked assured, despite his obvious lack of match practice.
Brede Hangeland (Fulham)
The Norway captain has been a huge boon to the Cottagers this season, with domineering performances to match his ample stature. The Fulham manager expects bids from the big-boys in January for the former FC Copenhagen stand-out; his capabilities were evidenced in the manner in which he tackled Stoke's aerial bombardment.
Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur)
Without Ledley King, and quickly without Jonathan Woodgate, Spurs were reliant on steady and concentrated showings from their piecemeal back-four. Dawson helped ensure that the returning Berbatov got little change, with his positioning and heading top-rate throughout.
Danny Collins (Sunderland)
Admittedly, it's not often that a Sunderland defender features on this list. However, the Welshman looks a different player under Ricky Sbragia from the bedraggled liability that Roy Keane left behind. West Brom were not exactly Brazil in diguise on Saturday, but Collins was efficient in the pass and nullified whatever threat the Baggies tried to muster.
Midfield
Marouane Fellaini (Everton)
Unfashionable, awkward, and a sturdy midfield prospect to boot. The Belgian set the Toffees back £15 million but is beginning to show just why. On a day when David Moyes' side veered between a 4-5-1 and a 4-6-0, Fellaini remained the lynchpin in the centre and won the bragging rights between himself and compatriot, Vincent Kompany.
Antonio Valencia (Wigan Athletic)
Beleaguered Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince shuffled Stephen Warnock to his preferred left-back berth on Saturday, and within 10 minutes he must have wished he hadn't. The Ecuadorian tore the England international apart, creating a goal for Emile Heskey before snatching one himself. Another A-list showing from a man in demand.
Bernard Mendy (Hull City)
The Frenchman took Andrea Dossena to school as the Tigers upset the Anfield apple-cart in the early stages. His delilvery, ability to draw fouls, and overall energy all contributed to Hull's successful point-pillage. They may have taken more were it not for Paul McShane's injury, which meant Mendy's attacking enthusiasm had to be curbed.
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Ronaldo, Messi.....Young? The wide-man is attracting the sort of plaudits reserved only for the world's best, which means one of two things; either we're all deluded, or else the former Watford man is becoming England's best attacking prospect for over a decade. With his pace, trickery and vision, it may very well be the latter.
Attack
Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland)
The Mackems played like a team liberated on Saturday, with Djibril Cisse and the Trinidad and Tobago international right at the sharp end. After his heavy injury blow, Roy Keane's most enduring signing is beginning to string together the performances and was rewarded with two goals against an admittedly poor opponent. However, given time, the Cisse/Jones axis could become one of the most formidable in the league.
Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)
Where once the Villa man was all about pace, he now has added other strings to his bow. Technique and finishing have been added to his game and combined with the build of a boxing champion, Gabby has the tools to take Martin O'Neill's side to the Champions League. A brace on Saturday was only a sidenote in another wise, flawless showing.
Gomes
McMahon Hangeland Dawson Collins
Fellaini
Mendy Valencia Young
Agbonlahor Jones
McMahon Hangeland Dawson Collins
Fellaini
Mendy Valencia Young
Agbonlahor Jones
Honourable Mentions
Down at Fratton Park on Sunday, Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez helped the Toon turn the hosts over with some incisive attacking play, including an assist for birthday boy Michael Owen, who didn't do too badly himself.
Former Magpie Scott Parker was busy at Stamford Bridge helping West Ham pick up a share of the spoils against his former club with a performance equal to that of the expensively assembled midfield with which he was faced.
As Sunderland continue to exorcise the overbearing ghost of Roy Keane, Anton Ferdinand, Teemu Tainio, Andy Reid and Djibril Cisse all excelled. Arsenal duo Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor also shone in the north-east, against Middlesbrough. Facing them, Didier Digard was an asset in the hosts' midfield.
In the goalless draw at White Hart Lane, Vedran Corluka and Nemanja Vidic were sturdy on either side as defence was very much the order of the day during Dimitar Berbatov's return to Tottenham.
An Everton side short of any strikers at all made a silk purse out of the sow's ear that was Tim Cahill, who played the auxiliary frontman role to near perfection. Alongside him, Mikel Arteta was his usual creative self. While Manchester City failed to score against the Toffees, it wasn't for the lack of effort on the part of Shaun Wright-Phillips; the England winger did more than his fair for the Citizens, and may have some better strikers to provide for after the January sales.
Peter Staunton, Goal.com
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