EPL Team of the week: Gameweek 20
Whoa! What a pack of midweek games it was. 10 goal, 7 goal and a 6 goal thrillers just when you thought that you couldn’t love the Premier League more. With great offensive performances, it was a real task to get them all in within 11 slots that’s allotted to me. If someone didn’t end up in my team it doesn’t mean he didn’t play well. Its just that someone somewhere else played better than him on the pitch in the 90 minutes that he was afforded.
With 41 goals flying in the set of midweek fixtures, we could only make way for three defenders while the forwards rule the roost in the week’s line-up.
So here is how this week’s team looks like:
Gerhard Tremmel seems to come up trumps whenever called upon to do so in the absence of Michel Vorm in the Swansea goal. With Vorm suffering another setback in his comeback after playing just one game at the weekend, the German stopper was on hand yet again to deny Fulham time and again as the Swans came away from Craven Cottage with a crucial away victory.
Reading’s Alex Pearce lead the Royals’ backline to a clean sheet and a vital win against an ailing West Ham. Carlton Cole worked tirelessly against Pearce without much change as the Irish international put forth a courageous display at the back.
The second name to prop up in the defender list comes from a seven goal thriller played out at Carrow Road. Norwich skipper Russell Martin kept the hosts in the game against the defending champions with a brace while the final spot is filled up by Spursman Kyle Naughton who filled in admirably in place of Jan Verthongen where he provided an option going upfront while keeping Adam Johnson to a standstill for most parts of the game.
Honourable Mentions: Leighton Baines (Everton), Daniel Agger (Liverpool)
The midfield is where the crowd began to thicken with a flurry of names bringing themselves into contention with some outstanding performances. Frank Lampard may be not in Chelsea‘s future plans but he certainly made sure to give the Stamford Bridge decision-makers something to think about as he helped himself to a brace, bringing back memories of the Lampard of old.
Wigan’s Emerson Boyce and Newcastle’s Sylvain Marveaux find themselves in the fray as well this week, both making their first appearance in team of the week this season. Each scored a goal in their respective matches and while Boyce worked tirelessly in Wigan’s demanding 3-4-3 to keep Villa scoreless yet again, Marveaux added the creative spark that Newcastle has been missing in the middle but was unlucky to come out on the wrong side of a 3-7 drubbing at the Emirates.
The final spot in the engine room belongs to the hard tackling Sandro who yet again put on an impressive display at the Stadium of Light as the Spurs juggernaut keeps on rolling.
Honourable Mentions: Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Jach Wilshere(Arsenal), Shinji Kagawa (Manchester Utd. ), Jonathan Walters (Stoke), Juan Mata(Chelsea), Steven Pienaar (Everton)
Theo Walcott leaves me no reason to think twice. He was the key protagonist in Arsenal’s 7-3 drubbing of the Magpies while also making time to whip in fine crosses for Giroud to score.
The game at Carrow Road has people scurrying to look for a new nickname for Edin Dzeko as the Bosnian started the game and made the most of his rare start, scoring a vital brace to keep the gap between them and Manchester United at 7.
The final spot in the team goes deservedly to the magician from Uruguay Luis Suarez as he again hauled Liverpool to an away win against bottom of the table QPR with a brace and an ever commanding performance upfront.
Honourable Mentions: Demba Ba (Newcastle), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Sergio Aguerro(Manchseter City), Kenwyn Jones (Stoke)
So, here is what it looks like:
