With Christmas just days away, the Premier League gave everyone some early presents at the weekend with goals galore and all that was left was for Garth Crooks to pick his Team of the Week, and here it is!!
GOALKEEPER – DAVID MARSHALL (Cardiff City)
On what was always going to be a tough day for Cardiff, David Marshall did well to keep the score down against Liverpool at Anfield. Despite conceding three times, the Scot kept out testing efforts from Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Jon Flanagan.
DEFENDER – MATHIEU DEBUCHY (Newcastle)
The French foreign legion at Newcastle are proving to be the real success for manager Alan Pardew. He said after the game that “Debuchy was immense”, and I certainly have no intention of arguing with him.
DEFENDER – VINCENT KOMPANY (Manchester City)
There’s no doubt that when Vincent Kompany features in the Manchester City back four, the team is better for it. His effectiveness in both penalty areas against Fulham was quite extraordinary. That said, how he managed to fire the ball into his own net I will never know.
DEFENDER – FABRICIO COLOCCINI (Newcastle)
When Newcastle do well, you can bet your bottom dollar that Coloccini is at the heart of the display. That was the case at Crystal Palace where the Magpies not only kept a clean sheet, but they totally outclassed the Eagles. Manager Pardew and his team have put a magnificent run together, and if they continue, they could find themselves challenging for a Europa League spot. How ironic they could qualify for the very competition that sapped their resources last season and caused them so many problems in the first place.
DEFENDER – GLEN JOHNSON (Liverpool)
Liverpool’s first-half performance against Cardiff was like a continuation of their superb display against Tottenham the week before. As for Glen Johnson, he can play wherever he wants – right-back, left-back, it doesn’t seem to matter to him as he plays in both positions with consummate ease. What a pity Cardiff’s owner Vincent Tan doesn’t seem to have half the confidence in Malky Mackay as Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has in Johnson.
MIDFIELDER – YOHAN CABAYE (Newcastle)
It seems a long time since Yohan Cabaye was linked with a move to Arsenal, but since being reintegrated into the team after refusing to play when that summer bid by the Gunners was rejected, the Frenchman has not looked back. Instead, he has knuckled down and shown Pardew just what a good footballer can do when he’s settled and in favour.
MIDFIELDER – YAYA TOURE (Manchester City)
He was unlucky not to make my team last week, however, the Ivory Coast international made it this weekend with an impressive display and another wonderful free kick. I suspect that the 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year will be competing with the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Wayne Rooney for the coveted Professional Footballers’ Award and Football Writers’ Award in 2014.
MIDFIELDER – ROSS BARKLEY (Everton)
Some people have said this kid could be the future of English football. If he keeps up this form up, he will not only realise manager Roberto Martinez’s dream and catapult Everton into the Champions League, he might be the one England player that will surprise Italy and Uruguay at the 2014 World Cup. It was a sweet performance by the Evertonian against a Swansea team who had lots of possession, but lacked a cutting edge.
FORWARD – WAYNE ROONEY (Manchester United)
We are not into the second half of the season and I’m already beginning to run out of superlatives to describe Wayne Rooney’s performances for Manchester United. The England international is critical to the fortunes of United and the England team. If anything untoward was to happen to Rooney, it could signal the end of any challenge for honours at home for United or abroad for England.
