Hiya, Mark here.
Well, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised, footballers are not known for their intelligence but Michael Essien's omission from the PFA player of the year short list beggars belief. An all round midfielder, comfortable attacking & defending, can play in every position bar goal, we are watching the best midfielder in the world enter his prime. Someone compared him to Roy Keane recently - utter tosh, Essien is by far a more complete player.
Indulge me for a second while I bring up some cliches about Marvelous Mike:
He treats every game like a cup final...
He's an irresistible force of nature...
He steps up to the plate...
Etc....
Continuing the theme - what is Gerrard doing in that list? Has he been playing football this season? And Rooney on the young player of the year list? Do footballers even watch football? Are they basing their votes on Pro Evo, Fifa 2007 or Football Manager games?
I propose getting rid of this silly award, it is a popularity contest, not a footballing contest.
Perhaps I should save my ire for the football writers player of the year award instead...
To tonight's game at Old Trafford, United are more injury hit - Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre, Park and Saha are definitely ruled out and Rio Ferdinand and John O'Shea are doubtful - Nordie teenager Craig Cathcart could be handed his debut at right-back. Still, they should have enough class going forward to open up the gap with Chelsea, and my money's on Smith to score, with United winning by 3.
Talk to ya tomorrow
Mark
http://www.okeydokefootball.com
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
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7 comments:
Spot on boss, a disgrace that Gerrard is in there; in the club's own player of the season poll online Carragher has twice as many votes as Steve Finnan in second who has nearly twice as many votes as Gerrard in third. Pure tabloid thinking from a bunch of pampered tabloid readers. Essien, as I have said on this blog, is approaching the status of one of the six best players in the world, never mind the Premiership. Voting for this does stop midway through the season though which has an affect - as the season that David Ginola won the award proves. A bunch of bullshit - and I include Giggs' token nomination in that. Lampard, Berbatov, Finnan and Arteta should feel pretty hard done by.
Giggs probably shouldn't be in there either. Defenders have gotten a raw deal, Terry, Finnan, Vidic, Carra. I wouldn't have Lampard in though. Arteta/Cahill definitely, and Berbatov has done really well. I suspect the hard men aren't in there because occasionally chop down the opposition and thus don't win many friends on the pitch.
I think a Mr R. Savage should win every year....
What was up with Raffa saying a few weeks ago that Finnan has to prove himself...thats just absolutley ridiculous to me, come on Finnan controls that flank and adds a huge element to that team which it really needs...
As for Gerrard, doesnt it just feel the way the english see him compared to the way the rest of the world see him shows a bit of a rose-tinted-glasses thing going on...
Savage? you serious?
el - yea, i was joking with Savage.
Finnan is a quality RB, up there with the Nev. Rafa said that about Finnan when he first joined the club that he wasn't convinced about him, he even asked Houllier what he was like (as if Houllier has a clue what a good player is...but that's for another day)
Finnan has proven his quality though, and the Pool would be a much worse team without him.
As for Gerrard, that egomaniac probably put in multiple votes for himself....
phew about the savage, wasnt sure, know the rest of the site is pretty sound but ya caught me on the savage there!!
Another definate non-runner for the title goes without saying has to be Kieran Richardson, why bring that fool up i hear you say...cant let that meg from tonights match go, why would Richardson even run for the ball if he wasnt actually going to do anything...why?, im glad he got megged!
Totally agree about Finnan who's been superb again this season. Couldn't believe that Liam Brady was critical of him after the first leg of the PSV match. Finnan is the highest rated defender and the highest rated Liverpool player in the actim index.
http://www.premierleague.com/fapl.rac?command=forwardOnly&nextPage=actimTop100
Essien has been immense this year. And to think that Houllier could have bought him for £4.5m four years ago...
speaking of Essien...
"I think we deserved the three points."
Michael Essien speaking after the last gasp Champions League winner against Valencia.
three points eh?
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