Fa Barclaycard Premiership News Update

Fa Barclaycard Premiership News
( 01 December 2008 )

English Premiership football News

FA BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP - Round 13 : Who’s hot and who’s not ??

Hot team
Despite the great victories for Bolton, Everton and Manchester United, there can be only one winner this week. For a team to have taken as much criticism as Arsenal have over recent weeks to recover from a goal to win 2-1 at Chelsea is quite exceptional.

The second half was as good as anything you see in English football. I had a lot to say about their bad points for praise when it is due, it was a wonderful effort.

No hot team
I wrote my article yesterday morning on the trials and tribulations of Roy Keane. What I did not really say in this article is that his team Sunderland were really unfortunate in their 4-1 defeat at home to Bolton.

The goalkeeper considered poor and the defense looked ... Well, the less said the better on defense.

Unless something happens very quickly, Sunderland, despite spending seventy million pounds in the last year, will be many problems. I am sorry for Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse who looks like a decent strike but are totally hungry for service.

Hot Keeper
One hundred and sixty September Fa Barclaycard Premiership appearances dating back to 2004 is a new record for a goalkeeper. Aston Villa Mr. Reliable, Brad Friedel, kept another clean sheet in their 0-0 draw with Fulham.

How Paul Ince, with all due respect to Paul Robinson, must again, I want him to Blackburn.

Friedel did not have too much to do in the game Saturday but, as usual, I did win a couple of smart noise and looked just as good as he always does.

Hot non-custodial
The goalkeeper Scottish international has a history of being ridiculous, but Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon has come a long way for the evolution of a series of fine performances for club and country. He returned to the starting line-up on Saturday after the accident and must wish he had taken another week off.

It was at fault for the first goal they give, should have done better with the second goal they grant, could have done better with the third and to be honest, no luck with the fourth. It has not been helped by the defense of catastrophic in front of him, but obviously not guilty of any of the goals I had the feeling that a caretaker Fa Barclaycard Premiership have kept three of them.

Hot defend
I was tempted to give this to the large malignant William Gallas who has not made much of a bad foot for Arsenal in their victory at Chelsea but for me to defend another was head and shoulders above across the world this weekend. Nemanja Vidic is absolutely huge for Manchester United in their victory at Derby City yesterday.

When the city tried to return to The Game and United fell to ten men you remember United goal under great threat? They all defended well, but Vidic has been remarkable.

Hot not defend
It is a difficult call for him this week that some defenders failed to cover themselves with glory. In truth, I think that the award must go to the Sunderland back four but which one?

I suppose it under its own costs by a lack inexplicably the ball a total of Danny Collins to get the vote.

Hot Midfielder
Everton Steven Pienaar has been plagued by an injury season. He looked class in the world last season but was unable to rely on it as long this time.

Yesterday I scored the winner for Everton with an excellent victory at Tottenham. It was deflected goal and it is not big but it is good to see midfielder South African titles.

Not hot midfielder
He showed great touch as I always, but Cristiano Ronaldo is not the player he was last season. It was, in my opinion, incredibly unlucky to get sent yesterday that I do not think his first yellow card was a mistake at all and his second yellow card was bizarre to say the least.

However, it seems to me like a shadow of its former self and someone who plays his football when he does not want to be.

Hot Striker
This must be Robin van Persie. The Dutchman has always had great ability but because of injuries and perhaps a suspect temperament, he never quite fulfilled the promise he showed for so long.

Yesterday, Arsenal needs a hero and they found one to Van Persie. OK, perhaps his first goal was offside and Lampard Let him turn too easily for second, but they were wonderful and two clinical finishes.

Striker not hot
May be the top scorer in the Fa Barclaycard Premiership in May and have made major goals this season, but the Chelsea Nicolas Anelka yesterday showed how his team missed Didier Drogba.

When Chelsea needed to transmit to cause problems for a defense unconfident, it was visible only by its inability to do so.
by soccernews.