Forget Man United v Chelsea and the World Player of the Year, it’s time for Setanta.com’s best XI of the weekend.
Forget Man United v Chelsea and the World Player of the Year, it’s time for Setanta.com’s best XI of the weekend.
Two top-flight games bit the dust to the weather but a cold snap won’t stop us – after a brief FA Cup-induced break we are back with a bang.
But have we given someone undue praise? Have we omitted one of the weekend’s standout performers? It’s up to you to tell us by using the form at the foot of the page.
Goalkeeper: Tim Howard – Everton
Everton are the original ‘seven out of ten team’. Week in and week out they plug away, keep their discipline and rack up the points….I don’t claim to have followed them with more than a passing eye this season but how often do you hear of them having a real stinker? Howard is mirror image of his side and whilst he might have been unspectacular against Hull, he was mighty solid.
Centre Back: Danny Shittu – Bolton
An absolutely colossal display in the mould of an old school centre back if ever there was one. Arsenal passed and passed, probed and probed but failed and failed to find a way through. Time to go aerial? There’s Shittu again.
Centre Back: Andy O'Brien – Bolton
Two Bolton central defenders in our team and Gary Cahill’s nowhere to be seen! O’Brien was not as imperious as his bigger, badder partner at the back but in the right place at the right time he always was. Emmanuel Adebayor’s not exactly the most composed of strikers but when he received the ball with the goal gaping midway through the second half on Saturday he not only had enough time to have a party, he could have planned it, bought the nibbles and made a cocktail. But wait! There was O’Brien with a truly tremendous block.
Centre Back: Nemanja Vidic – Manchester United
Wouldn’t fancy coming up against Vidic and Shittu on a dark night. The Serbian might be the chalk to Rio Ferdinand’s cheese but a ‘defender’ in the strictest sense of the word is exactly what he is. Jonny Evans had us all asking ‘Rio who?’ with his performance but it was Vidic who really stood out – even if he did only have Didier Drogba doing his petulant five-year old routine to contend with.
Midfield: Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United
Ryan Giggs deserves more than an honourable mention for his display of consummate control in the middle of the park but it was Ronaldo who really turned Sunday’s game on its head. United were 1-0 up and comfortably on top of an impotent Chelsea side at half-time….it wasn’t enough for Ronaldo. Two goals disallowed, two assists and central to everything United attempted in attack, who says he’s not living upto last season?
Midfield: Jonas Gutierrez – Newcastle
Suffice to say there have been a few shocking additions to Newcastle’s ranks over the years but Gutierrez falls into a very different category. You really would struggle to find a player who fits the bill of exactly what the Toon Army want quite so perfectly. A willingness to chance his arm, more than a dash of flair and no fear in tracking back were all, as always, on show against West Ham.
Midfield: Marouane Fellaini – Everton
Ten bookings in just seventeen league appearances suggests the Belgian isn’t the best of tacklers…but then again nor was Paul Scholes and he’s not been too bad over the years. ‘Paul Scholes scores goals’ could hardly have been a more apt moniker for the little ginger and Fellaini certainly falls into a similar bracket.
Midfield: Wilson Palacios – Wigan
Where does Steve Bruce keep finding them? Forget the credit crunch, Wigan’s scouts deserve a hefty pay rise. Antonio Valencia, Amir Zaki and Palacios all roll off the tongue straight away as previously unknown quantities who have slipped seamlessly into life in The Premier League. Palacios really should not be underestimated: the poise and vigour he offers to his side’s midfield is something so many of their top-flight peers could do with themselves.
Midfield: Ashley Young – Aston Villa
Strength to Strength. We can no longer say that Young is merely going through an exceptional spell of form because he really has become THAT good. While Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Pennant and (dare we say it) Theo Walcott continue to offer pace in abundance but with all the reliability of a Rafa Benitez team sheet, Young’s ability always to deliver has us proclaiming him as ‘The Midwife’ and he did not let us down against West Brom.
Striker: Wayne Rooney – Manchester United
Take a pinch of bravery, a mug of tirelessness, a handful of petulance and a dash of sheer class and you’ve got Wayne Rooney not only on Sunday, but in a nutshell. Barely an eyebrow was raised when he got needlessly involved with Jose Bosingwa and subsequently Howard Webb – how did he not get booked? – but his overall performance had everything virtuous which should rightly cancel out the Rooney cons column. More than merited his goal and we all know what happens when Rooney starts scoring….a flurry will surely follow.
Striker: Robin Van Persie – Arsenal
If Van Persie gets injured Arsenal will be in REAL trouble. Aside from Cesc Fabregas, is there any other player so irreplaceable for Arsene Wenger? He offers not only a constant goalscoring threat but much-needed fight and real craft….so much so that even Nicklas Bendtner was able to profit on Saturday.