After yet another interesting weekend in the Premier League, BBC pundit Garth Crooks has put together his Team of the Week, and here are the 11 players that have made his starting XI.
GOALKEEPER – Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion)
“Ben made my Team of the Week earlier in the season but his performance against West Ham could not have come at a more crucial time for the Baggies.”
DEFENDER – Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton)
“Injury and form have been the main culprits for any inconsistencies but, against an Everton side who appear to have run out of steam, Nathaniel Clyne went out of his way to remind Roberto Martinez that in order to qualify for the Champions League you have to beat teams with similar ambitions away from home. That takes courage and resilience.”
DEFENDER – Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)
“There have been some impressive performances by the likes of Petr Cech, Eden Hazard and John Terry but none have matched the consistency of Branislav Ivanovic this season. Against Liverpool he was Chelsea’s rock.”
DEFENDER – Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)
“I do not know what happened to Vincent Kompany when City played Liverpool, and he wasn’t much better against Sunderland either, so how refreshing to see the centre-back return to some sort of form against Crystal Palace. And not before time.”
DEFENDER – Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
“I thought his performance in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid was outstanding but the way he used his experience and composure against Liverpool at Anfield was sensational.”
MIDFIELDER – Juan Mata (Manchester United)
“To leave Juan Mata out of the starting line-up takes some bottle. To bring the lad off the bench, and for the player to slip into proceedings so brilliantly, reminded me of the days when Sir Alex Ferguson would occasionally leave out the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy, yet demand a response when required.”
MIDFIELDER – Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
“What a performance against Crystal Palace by the big man. The ball for Edin Dzeko’s goal was sublime, the strike for City’s second was sensational. If they do win the title, which they should do now, then Yaya must get the Football Writers’ Player of the Year.”
MIDFIELDER – Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)
“He did it against Manchester City at the Etihad and again at Anfield. Matic was amazing defensively and a threat in attack. He hardly ever gets booked, runs forever and is incredibly competitive. Is there anything I have forgotten?”
FORWARD – Adam Lallana (Southampton)
“I understand the culture of the British game is built on passion and commitment, in fact you cannot survive in the Premier League without it, but what a joy to see a home-grown player who possesses such flair and technique. He has bundles of both.”
FORWARD – Wilfried Bony (Swansea)
“For the second week in succession, Wilfried Bony makes my team of the week. His performance destroyed any chance of Aston Villa staging a comeback after Gabriel Agbonlahor had equalised. His two goals have also plunged Paul Lambert’s team into a relegation dogfight they will do well to survive.”
FORWARD – Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
“Two superb strikes by the England striker got Ryan Giggs’s managerial career off to a magnificent start. Wayne Rooney’s goals were not quite as emphatic as his post-match interview. He clearly feels that Giggs should be amongst the candidates for the job on a permanent basis.”
What are your thoughts on this team?
Has he missed anybody out?
Comment below!!
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
