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It was built up to be a weekend that would turn the title race on its head. Instead, it turned out to be a title settler. Manchester United will be crowned Champions of England for a record nineteenth time; a significant moment of success in England’s biggest rivalry. Sir Alex Ferguson has finally delivered what he set out to do a couple of decades ago and there aren’t many words in the Oxford Dictionary that could describe his monumental achievement and greatness.
The big clash of the weekend was like a movie hyped with pre-launch promotions that generated interest off the charts but turned out to be no different from the rest of the drab films that it followed. Fortunately for Premier League lovers, there were other matches on the weekend.
While Arsenal’s mental strength and ability saw them give Stoke City a real scare at the Britannia, a team from Liverpool beat a team from Manchester – ‘clutching at straws’ is the phrase you are looking for. Down at the bottom, extensive research at the Molineux finally paid off when Wolves’ players succeeded in decoding Mick McCarthy’s rubbish accent to dig themselves out of the bottom three. And the one thing that was least likely than Lucas finding his scoring boots happened at Craven Cottage – Maxi Rodriguez repeated his fluke show in a five-star Liverpool performance.
TheHardTackle looks back at the moments to savor from yet another incredible weekend of English Premier League football.
Match of the weekend – Wolves 3-1 West Brom
The Black Country derby isn’t one of the more popular English derbies around the world; especially since there are gazillion London derbies to keep track of. However, this match showcased one simple positive of Man United wrapping up the league before the final day – the broadcasting focus will be on the drop zone come the final day of the season. In a match that contained errors befitting lesser teams, desire befitting the most passionate of matches across the world, an atmosphere that could rival Anfield – just joking, it was only closer to Camp Nou – and a second half filled with nervousness of men at gun point.
Would Wolves celebrate survival in the same way?
After going five games without a win – games in which Wolves had deserved more at times than what they had received – Wolves finally picked up the most crucial of three points in their bid for survival. Steven Fletcher and Adlene Guedioura gave Wolves a dream start by scoring twice within half an hour to rock an in-form West Brom. Perhaps, a case of the game meaning more to one team than the other. Wolves put themselves three ahead after a horrible mistake by Abdoulaye Meite allowed Fletcher to grab his second with a clinical finish. Peter Odemwingie grabbed one back from the spot to feed on the insecurities of every Wolves fan, but the home side held on to leapfrog Wigan and Blackpool in the league table.
Bad Boy of the weekend
Charlie Adam (Blackpool) has some audacity. He stamped on the former best player in the world at White Hart Lane and got away with it. It was a horrible challenge that stamped on Gareth Bale’s foot; the Welsh international consequently stretchered off. Adam’s tackle potentially rules out the Spurs winger from their two most important fixtures of the season in the next five days.
Failed Vidic of the weekend
This one goes to Richard Dawson (Tottenham). Lacking the subtlety of Nemanja Vidic’s handball at The Emirates, Dawson’s silly handball gave Blackpool a penalty and a chance to go one up at White Hart Lane. Of course, he was given a reprieve when Gomes saved from Charlie Adam’s spot-kick.
Goal of the weekend
This turned out to be the most tightly contested award of the weekend. Jermaine Defoe’s last minute effort at White Hart Lane was low, hard, timely and unstoppable. So was Thomas Hitzlsperger’s equaliser to give West Ham a lifeline in the Premier League. In the Monday night game, Maxi Rodriguez completed his hat-trick with a thunderbolt that had Schwarzer all at sea, only to be topped by Steve Sidwell’s sweetly timed half-volley into Reina’s top right corner.
However, we would like little Leon Osman (Everton) to be awarded the best goal of the weekend for one of the best headers the English Premier League has ever seen. Phil Neville’s cross, which was originally meant for Beckford, was splendidly met in mid-air by a flying Leon Osman. Osman, 5 ft. 8 inches high, made a dash into the box, rose well above Vincent Kompany – who is 6 ft. 3 inches – and bulleted a header into the top corner.
Gutsy Player of the Weekend
Blackpool captain Charlie Adam (Blackpool) had missed a penalty a minute ago. He received another chance. When the penalty was awarded by the referee, the ball was kicked far from the goal in frustration by the Tottenham players and Adam could be seen racing after it. Later, he had to wrestle the ball away from a teammate in order to place it on the spot. This time, however, he smashed it into the net like the first penalty never happened. It was one of those moments when, had it been a Steven Gerrard or a John Terry or a Carles Puyol, the world would have gone gaga over.
Miss of the Weekend
January signing Robbie Keane (West Ham) had a golden chance to revive West Ham’s chances of staying up with two minutes left on the clock. He could barely connect from four yards and the ball rolled across the face of goal. Who does he think he is – a 50 million striker playing in London?
Robbie Keane isn’t helping West Ham!
Save of the Weekend
Ben Foster (Birmingham) is a case study in goalkeeping extremities. He can be so mediocre at times that he could well be mistaken for an Arsenal keeper, and yet so brilliant on other occassions that he can win trophies on his own; something so unlike Arsenal. When Kevin Nolan unleashed a full-blooded volley towards the Birmingham net from well inside the box, he was already celebrating. However, Foster’s left hand got in the way to pull off a magical save.
Dynamic Defending of the Weekend
Glenn Johnson cleared a sweetly timed effort from Clint Dempsey off the line at Craven Cottage. Phil Bardsley produced an incredible headed clearance off the line to help Sunderland win at Bolton. Christopher Samba’s last ditch tackle to prevent Carlton Cole from scoring in the dying minutes was one of the moments of the weekend. However, Alex (Chelsea) picks up this award for a perfectly timed slide, against all odds, to prevent Wayne Rooney from scoring at Old Trafford in a gaping net.
Howler of the Weekend
Letting Dirk Kuyt score past you is embarrassing enough at times. But to let him score at the nearest post with a tame shot is a crime; the criminal being Mark Schwarzer (Fulham).
Player(s) of the Weekend
It is difficult to not give an award to a United player after their stunning stamp of authority over closest rivals Chelsea, but it is also difficult to not give this award to a Liverpool player who ripped apart the Fulham defence time and again. Hence, a joint-award for a Man United player and a Liverpool player fits a weekend when Fergie’s men took the lead and King Kenny’s men showed why things may just be turning at the club.
Antonio Valencia (Man Utd) reduced Ashley Cole into a dog chasing a vehicle he could never catch for long periods of the match, often dancing past two or three Chelsea players and carving open Carlo’s defenses. He was one of the key figures in United’s dominance and perhaps, has booked his place for a start at Wembley.
Suarez has touched Liverpool hearts with magical displays!
Luis Suarez (Liverpool) could not be caught. He would be the best candidate for a part in the sequel of ‘Catch me if you can‘ because the Fulham defense just couldn’t track him. One minute he was on the right, another on the left; sometimes he would pop in the middle and most of the times he would run behind unnoticed while Fulham players stared at the linesman.
Quote of the Weekend
“I thought Mick McCarthy was fuming” -Sky Sports commentator on seeing the fumes in the stands at the Molineux after West Brom had pulled one back against Wolves.
Foolish Act of the Weekend
Remember Emile Heskey (Aston Villa) – that sweet-centred, big target man who couldn’t hurt a fly, especially if the fly was inside the goal frame? Well, he decided to square up to the referee at Villa Park and bumped into the referee in anger and failed to quiet down for a good two minutes. The mystery is how he remained on the pitch after the incident.
Best Summary of the Weekend
Two minutes at White Hart Lane summed up Spurs keeper Gomes so well that it has probably been recorded and distributed across the country, since words have failed to describe the goalkeeper till date. From an unbeatable, immovable rock, Gomes transforms into a goalkeeper that does something so stupid that one can question whether his top floor has any matter. He pulled off a magical penalty save against Blackpool and jumped around with joy. However, from the resulting corner, he flapped at the ball, not once but twice, and then decided to chase the ball to the edge of the penalty area and tackle with his hands; thereby conceding another penalty. That’s Gomes in a nutshell.
Team of the Weekend
Might not be a particularly successful formation, but we would love to give it a try.
Race For The Golden Boot
Dimitar Berbatov – 21 ( = )
Carlos Tevez – 19 ( = )
Robin van Persie –16 ( +1 )
Darren Bent – 15 ( = )
Peter Odemwingie – 15 ( +1 )
