Richard MichaelEPL Team Of The Week
As everyone knows, the Premier League campaign finally kicked off on Saturday 14th, 10 fixtures, 26 goals, 9 clean sheets and the occasional shock result thrown into the mix – need I mention the side involved? Who would have imagined that for 2 and a half hours of the opening day of the season Ian Holloways’ tangerine army would be sat on the top of the Premier League table?
This time last year Blackpool were Championship relegation candidates and now here they are 2nd in the Premier League on the back of their 4-0 victory over a dismal Wigan Athletic.
On Monday night, Paul Scholes continued to display his fantastic early season form in Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Newcastle. Scholes showed his immense range of passing and ability to control the tempo of the game, playing a series of sensational diagonal 30-40 yard passes.
I’m sure somewhere a certain Fabio Capello will rue the chance missed to take Scholes to the World Cup, having not really given Scholes the respect a player of his calibre deserves, with a phone call a few hours before the squad is named – not even from Capello himself. Despite the 3-0 scoreline Newcastle have reason to be optimistic, they have a strong side for a promoted team showing grit and determination especially in midfield.
Experienced players such as Nolan, Smith and Barton are going to play important roles in how Newcastle perform this season. The one concerning factor for them will be that they have no natural proven goalscorer. It’s a tall ask for Andy Carroll to lead the line and contribute with the goals needed to keep Newcastle in the Premier League.
There was a selection of outstanding performers in the opening round of fixtures in the Premier League. As mentioned Paul Scholes wins my vote for the outstanding performer, closely followed by the likes of Drogba, Malouda, Harewood, Milner and many more.
Drogba English Premier League: Team of the Week 1
As a so called feature of a weekly post on the Premier League fixtures I will pick a starting 11, a team of outstanding performers and also a 11 of flops for each fixture. My vote for the top 11 players from Saturday, Sunday and Monday’s Premier League games is as follows:
Hart (Manchester City)
Baptiste (Blackpool), Samba (Blackburn), Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Jones (Wolves), Milner (Aston Villa), Albrighton (Aston Villa), Malouda (Chelsea),
Drogba (Chelsea), Harewood (Blackpool)
There were a few unlucky to miss out, the likes of David Stockdale (Fulham), Gary Taylor Fletcher (Blackpool), David N’Gog (Liverpool) and Darren Bent (Sunderland) are all worth a mention.
Eleven of the Worst:
Kirkland (Wigan)
Boyce (Wigan), Pablo (West Brom), Tamas (West Brom), Figueroa (Wigan),
Faubert (West Ham) , Thomas (Wigan), Cattermole (Sunderland), Osman (Everton),
Rodallega (Wigan) , Boselli (Wigan).
As expected Wigan and West Brom dominate this list, most notably there were a few goalkeeping errors in the opening fixtures with Kirkland, Carson, Howard, Almunia and Reina all having suspect matches for their clubs.
Finally, to finish my predictions on the second fixtures will be listed below, feel free to contest my choices! All fans opinions will differ in some ways I’m sure!
* Arsenal 3-0 Blackpool
* Birmingham 0-0 Blackburn
* Everton 2-1 Wolves
* Stoke 1-3 Tottenham
* West Brom 0-2 Sunderland
* West Ham 0-0 Bolton
* Wigan 0-4 Chelsea
* Newcastle 1-2 Aston Villa
* Fulham 0-2 Manchester United
* Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool
Sorry in advance for any teams I have, no doubt, jinxed!
Topics: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, English Premier League, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Players, Switzerland, Tottenham, West Brom, West Ham, Wigan, Wolves
This time last year Blackpool were Championship relegation candidates and now here they are 2nd in the Premier League on the back of their 4-0 victory over a dismal Wigan Athletic.
On Monday night, Paul Scholes continued to display his fantastic early season form in Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Newcastle. Scholes showed his immense range of passing and ability to control the tempo of the game, playing a series of sensational diagonal 30-40 yard passes.
I’m sure somewhere a certain Fabio Capello will rue the chance missed to take Scholes to the World Cup, having not really given Scholes the respect a player of his calibre deserves, with a phone call a few hours before the squad is named – not even from Capello himself. Despite the 3-0 scoreline Newcastle have reason to be optimistic, they have a strong side for a promoted team showing grit and determination especially in midfield.
Experienced players such as Nolan, Smith and Barton are going to play important roles in how Newcastle perform this season. The one concerning factor for them will be that they have no natural proven goalscorer. It’s a tall ask for Andy Carroll to lead the line and contribute with the goals needed to keep Newcastle in the Premier League.
There was a selection of outstanding performers in the opening round of fixtures in the Premier League. As mentioned Paul Scholes wins my vote for the outstanding performer, closely followed by the likes of Drogba, Malouda, Harewood, Milner and many more.
Drogba English Premier League: Team of the Week 1
As a so called feature of a weekly post on the Premier League fixtures I will pick a starting 11, a team of outstanding performers and also a 11 of flops for each fixture. My vote for the top 11 players from Saturday, Sunday and Monday’s Premier League games is as follows:
Hart (Manchester City)
Baptiste (Blackpool), Samba (Blackburn), Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Jones (Wolves), Milner (Aston Villa), Albrighton (Aston Villa), Malouda (Chelsea),
Drogba (Chelsea), Harewood (Blackpool)
There were a few unlucky to miss out, the likes of David Stockdale (Fulham), Gary Taylor Fletcher (Blackpool), David N’Gog (Liverpool) and Darren Bent (Sunderland) are all worth a mention.
Eleven of the Worst:
Kirkland (Wigan)
Boyce (Wigan), Pablo (West Brom), Tamas (West Brom), Figueroa (Wigan),
Faubert (West Ham) , Thomas (Wigan), Cattermole (Sunderland), Osman (Everton),
Rodallega (Wigan) , Boselli (Wigan).
As expected Wigan and West Brom dominate this list, most notably there were a few goalkeeping errors in the opening fixtures with Kirkland, Carson, Howard, Almunia and Reina all having suspect matches for their clubs.
Finally, to finish my predictions on the second fixtures will be listed below, feel free to contest my choices! All fans opinions will differ in some ways I’m sure!
* Arsenal 3-0 Blackpool
* Birmingham 0-0 Blackburn
* Everton 2-1 Wolves
* Stoke 1-3 Tottenham
* West Brom 0-2 Sunderland
* West Ham 0-0 Bolton
* Wigan 0-4 Chelsea
* Newcastle 1-2 Aston Villa
* Fulham 0-2 Manchester United
* Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool
Sorry in advance for any teams I have, no doubt, jinxed!
Topics: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, English Premier League, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Players, Switzerland, Tottenham, West Brom, West Ham, Wigan, Wolves
