EPL Week In Review May 18th
- We all know Rafa Benitez loves to talk facts but the fact is Manchester United were the best team in England again this year. United are the measuring stick for top teams in England and for the 3rd straight season Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool weren’t able to top the form Manchester United played in over the course of this season. Every team has slip ups along the way but United had the knack of getting a result when it needed it all season long. Once Arshavin put 4 in against Liverpool you knew Manchester United was not going to return the favour and drop points back to Liverpool.
- Credit to Liverpool, while going trophy less is never wanted they ran neck and neck with Manchester United for the first time in many a year. Usually by the new year Liverpool would have to focus on the Champions League. Hopefully with the knowledge they can hang in there for an entire season Liverpool will step it up a level next year.
- While simple, bad times do bad things. No idea what Shelton Martis was doing on the first Liverpool goal. Even 12 year kids on a school yard wouldn’t play a ball like that. After Steven Gerrard was gifted a goal, West Brom despite their best efforts must of felt their EPL status was doomed.
- A lot of fans (read Newcastle/Middlesbrough) could learn from the display on Sunday at the Hawthorns. What great support cheering on their team and even cheering Shelton Martis when he was subbed off. For that display these West Brom players better not take it for granted and give everything they can to repaid those fans next year as they try to get back to top flight football.
- What in the world is Jamie Carragher doing? You don’t show up a team mate like that. For crying out loud they are playing a near meaningless game. You can question Alvaro Arbeloa all you want but do it in the dressing room after the game. Credit to Xavi Alonso for racing in there and defending his team mate. I’ll take a team full of professionals like Xavi Alonso than Jamie Carranger who quite frankly isn’t above the odd mistake himself.
- How big was that Hull goal by Craig Fagan? It would be simple to say Hull control their own destiny next week but the simple fact is Manchester United control Hull’s destiny next week.
- How clutch was Jussi Jääskeläinen? Hull should be happy with the point but they plenty of chances turned away by Jussi Jääskeläinen.
- Wonder how Newcastle fans feel knowing that Sir Alex Ferguson controls their faith in his hands. Even if he fields a B team Newcastle still have a rough go of it against Aston Villa.
- Someone should remind Newcastle they play 38 games in a season not 36.
- Is Mark Schwarzer about to become the next Edwin van der Sar who also went to Fulham and jump started his career? It’s no surprise that other teams are having a close look at Schwarzer for next year.
- You think Middlesbrough doesn’t miss Schwarzer right about now? Losing Alves last week, losing Stewart Downing this week and finally losing a lead against Aston Villa pretty much sums up the type of year it is for Boro fans.
- Too bad Louis Saha is never fit. When healthy there are few strikers in England with his eye for goal. He’d be a 15-20 goal scorer if his body didn’t fail him.
- Nice timing Zola talking up James Tomkins for the national team who turns around and gets himself red carded against Everton.
- Great signing by Tony Pulis in getting James Beattie from Sheffield United. It’s was a combination of Beattie’s goals and Stoke’s grit which saw yesterday’s win against Wigan a nice but meaningless end to their season after ensuring they would stay up weeks ago.
- Don’t think Mark Hughes is going to play the respect card this week in the media. Manchester City wins games simply due to the fact that after spending so much money they should have more talent then some teams in the division. They don’t win games as a collective. This entire season it has looked like 11 individuals running around out there.
- You think Cristiano Ronaldo is going throw a jumpsuit again when he finds out he’ll be on the bench against Hull thus giving Nicholas Anelka a clear chance at the EPL scoring title this season?