Who's Hot and Who's Not?
Manchester United scraped to a win, Bolton had a crucial win at West Ham and Arsenal made hard work of seeing off Burnley. All picked up points but none of them are getting the award. Everton are strong contenders but Hull are so poor that I can’t give it to them. Chelsea were comfortable and Aston Villa were great, but only for a half.
I have given Portsmouth the ‘Not Hot’ award more than once this season but the way they have reacted to their financial woes and trouble behind the scenes is a testament to the players and the manager. A trip to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final is a deserved reward for them and their loyal fans.
There are a few contenders but one team stand head and shoulders above the rest. Just how poor were Hull? It is hard for the Premier League to claim it is the strongest league in the world when teams like them are playing in it.
What an enigma Tottenham keeper Heurelho Gomes is. He is just as likely to be the ‘Hot keeper’ as he is to be the ‘Not Hot keeper’.
This week he put in a faultless display at Fulham and earned his side a replay at White Hart Lane. His handling was excellent and he made two or three very good saves indeed.
The keepers all aquitted themselves pretty well this week so my decision is a little harsh. Boaz Myhill saved a penalty and had little chance with four of the five goals he conceded. However, he did get beaten five times so, a little unfairly, he can have this one this week.
He has had a rotten couple of weeks on and off the pitch and many people may say that is nothing less than he deserved. John Terry put all the personal trauma behind him yesterday and put in a fine defensive performance against the aerial threat provided by Stoke and then went up the other end to head home the decisive goal to put his side in the FA Cup semi-final.
James Tomkins had a nightmare for West Ham on Saturday. He misjudged a cross for the first goal and then caught trying to see the ball out for a goal kick on the second goal. He is a young lad but he shouldn’t be making mistakes like that. Those mistakes could prove really costly come the end of the season.
Although I haven’t given Everton the ‘Hot team’ award and I have said how terrible their opposition was, I am going to pick Mikel Arteta for this award. He pulled all the strings and for a man playing just his sixth game after a lengthy injury lay off, he was outstanding.
In his absence I think we had forgotten just what a fine player he is. Everton with him at their centre are a much different proposition than they are without him.
Hull’s George Boateng has been around for a long time and I have never been convinced by him or understood exactly what he brings to a team. Many managers have played him and signed him so I know it must be me who is wrong.
Against Everton yesterday he looked slow, cumbersome and clumsy against the Everton midfield who played around him like he wasn’t there.
As an outsider I have always found it really hard to understand why John Carew is often left out of Martin O’Neill’s starting line-up at Villa. Whenever I see him play he looks absolute quality, gives defenders a torrid time and he scores goals.
Maybe a Villa fan can explain why he isn’t the first name on the team sheet?
His second half hat-trick yesterday sent Villa back to Wembley and surely cemented his place in the team.
Poor Wolves substitute Sam Vokes will never have a better chance to write his own page in the clubs history books. 1-0 down to Manchester United and the ball falls to your feet eight yards out with the goal gaping. It was a gilt-edged chance and a chance for Sam to really make a name for himself.
As we all know, he somehow managed to sweep the ball over the bar. You couldn’t help but feel sorry for the lad when you saw him pull his shirt over his face at the final whistle in an attempt to hide.
That miss was the only reason that the award didn’t go to the woeful Nicklas Bendtner!
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