There were some very impressive performances from lower league and non-league teams in the FA Cup fourth round ties this weekend. None of these were better than the performance of championship side Swansea, who were convincing and comfortable 2-0 winners at Portsmouth the Cup holders.
Were Swansea good or Portsmouth bad? Well, we’ll have a look at the latter in the next category! For the purposes of this award, Swansea were very good indeed. They play a brand of football that is entertaining and effective under their Spanish manager Roberto Martinez. They mix clever passing football with more direct play when appropriate.
All in all, Swansea were a credit to their division and Fulham will have been very disappointed to find themselves drawn away to them in the next round.
You may have guessed that this is going to be awarded to Portsmouth! Just what has happened to them since Harry Redknapp left and Tony Adams took over is a little difficult to fathom.
Under Redknapp Pompey had lost just two in nine and were unbeaten in four. Since Adams took the helm they have won just four games in nineteen, have slipped to just three points above the Premier League drop zone and have now been knocked out of the Cup.
They have lost Diarra to Real Madrid and Defoe to Tottenham, but it is difficult to explain what has happened. Adams needs to turn things around very quickly or he could become another managerial casualty.
I have never rated Neil Sullivan as a keeper. I didn’t think he was particularly good in his prime at Wimbledon, Tottenham or Leeds. Now at the age of thirty-eight he finds himself playing for struggling Championship side Doncaster Rovers.
In the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa Sullivan was exceptional, making a string of fine saves. Maybe he is like a fine wine, getting better with age.
I’m not going to make an award just for the sake of it. None of the keepers in the FA Cup really slipped up this weekend. OK, the Kettering keeper had a bit of a disaster with one of Fulham’s goals, but it would be very harsh to give him this award.
No, despite wanting to give the award to Scott Carson just for old time’s sake, I have to admit he made at least one stunning save in West Brom’s 2-2 draw with Burnley.
No Not Hot keeper this week.
Everton’s Jolean Lescott has never impressed on the occasions that his excellent club form has led to an England call up. He looks out of his depth at international level but he looks very much at home in the blue shirt of his beloved Everton.
Last season Lescott was Everton’s most used player with fifty-two appearances. His excellent defensive work was enhanced by the ten goals he managed to bag as well.
This season, his headed goal at Anfield yesterday to secure a replay for his team was his fourth goal.
He has been one of the best defenders England have had in living memory. Sol Campbell was not far away from being the one of the best in the world for many years.
I’m afraid that at the age of thirty-four, his time at the top of the game may be coming to an end.
Germany captain Michael Ballack has received an awful lot of criticism this season. Much of it has been fully justified as, along with a few others in the famous blue shirt of Chelsea, he has not been producing the goods on the pitch.
There is a famous old saying that says that form is temporary but class is permanent. On Saturday, Ballack started to show us that the saying is true in his case. His delight and, no doubt, relief at scoring two goals against Ipswich was clear for all to see.
In a rare break from tradition, I am going to make a joint award this week. I am going to give this treasured prize to the entire midfield’s of Sunderland and Blackburn who failed to create a single moment of excitement between them in an entire ninety minute 0-0 bore draw!
He was last week’s Not Hot striker and to be fair, he has been in with a shout for that award almost every weekend this season! When Middlesbrough and their boss Gareth Southgate were desperate for Alfonso Alves to produce the goods in a seriously difficult FA Cup tie away at Championship leaders Wolves, he did just that.
His excellent finish set them on their way to a very good 2-1 win which may just have been job saving for Southgate.
I am one of Emmanuel Adebayor’s biggest fans. I think he is a frightening striker with strength, pace, power, skill, ability in the air and on the ground and a great finisher. Against Cardiff yesterday, he couldn’t finish a plate of chips!
A little like Didier Drogba, he looks to be a shadow of the player he has been in the past. Is it a loss of form or is there something more serious going on? Does he really want to be at Arsenal?
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