4) Anthony Pilkington - Aston Villa 3-2 Norwich City - This young Blackburn-born midfielder has enjoyed a very mixed start to life at the highest level of English football. He became villain for the day after his guilt-edge miss when clean through as Norwich lost at Old Trafford. The going on to spurn such an opportunity at Anfield. Yet, they love him at Norwich, there have been moments of inspiration provided by this lad and it is very clear they would not of enjoyed the start to the season they have had if it wasn't partly down to his input. He scored one in the bottom of the table clash with Bolton Wanderers in September, before netting a fine brace in the battle of the newbies against Swansea. This goal though, the pick of his bunch so far, perhaps not so noted for his set-piece qualities as of before Saturday, he will be now. As from 25 yards and the rest out slightly to the left of Brad Friedel's goal, he bent a superb free-kick into the far opposite top corner of the net, the very side the American stopper had positioned himself. It is a rarity to witness a free-kick like that and it was well up there with the set piece efforts from Van Persie and Larsson that have made our lists previously.
3) Aaron Lennon - Fulham 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur - It has been a good while since this rapid, little winger has lit up any Premier League stadium to the extent of the potential he once possessed. That potential that got him comfortably inside of England squads, scoring and providing pivotal goals for Spurs on a regular basis is something England and more notably Tottenham fans have been sorely missing the past couple of years. Sunday evening though gave those who couldn't take the Lennon-draught any longer a glimmer of hope as he really tore through the Fulham back-line before scoring an absolutely wonderful individual goal. Lennon exchanged passes with Gareth Bale down the left on half-way, before striding meaningfully at the heart of Mark Schwarzer's penalty box, that burning pace that was once a regular feature in a Tottenham season was on show again as he totally bamboozled Fulham defender Chris Baird and despite taking the ball a millimeter further left that he would of liked he unleashed an exquisite 'weaker' left-footed effort which slotted across Schwarzer's 6ft 41/2 full stretch. No mean feat, a blast from the past and a reminder that there's plenty of life in forgotten man Aaron Lennon yet.
2) Chris Eagles - Bolton Wanderers 5-0 Stoke City - As we approach the business end of my list for this week, the moments of real exquisite quality begin to kick in. Bolton Wanderers, the side who were yet to take a point at their home of The Reebok Stadium, totally whitewashed a Stoke City side who were the supposed 'catalysts' to Owen Coyle's Bolton downfall when they were hit for the same score-line at the end of last term. Nobody could've predicted this one, or even that with all respect, one of the goal scorers of this fixture may finish so high in a list of most quality goals. Chris Eagles, the summer purchase from Coyle's previous employers Burnley, has, it is fair to say not exactly shined so far in a white Bolton shirt. Sunday was his coming of age as he buried 2 goals, the first of which was very, very special and one that he'll do well to forget. After an iffy back-pass from Stoke's back-line to Asmir Begovic, the Bosnian didn't shower himself in glory either as his slipped clearance was more left than forward. Although it has to be said, when it fell at the feet of Chris Eagles near the left touchline there was still not a huge scent of danger. What followed was technically brilliant, with Begovic slow to retrieve to his line, Eagles used his first touch to produce a daisy-cutter firmly across the floor, from a ridiculous angle and all of 30 yards right across the keeper in the only spot the ball could've hit the net. It was a picturesque goal and one truly worthy of breaking Eagles' Bolton goal duck.
1) Ryan Taylor - Newcastle 2-1 Everton - The Scouse defender employed at St James' Park that is Ryan Taylor takes this weeks applause, as his marvelous dipping volley over Tim Howard's head helped Newcastle preserve their fascinating and unbeaten start to the season. Newcastle had already taken an early lead thanks t a less then spectacular Jonny Heitenga own goal, the goal that followed though, could well fall into a goal of the season category after the accolade it has taken this week. After a series of waves of Newcastle attacks, Jack Rodwell cleared his lines with a defensive header, only for the ball to drop onto the chest of Ryan Taylor , who was in a not too dissimilar position to Chris Eagles in goal #2, took the control on his chest before hitting an absolute peach of a volley from a narrow angle that looped brilliantly over Howard's head, into the side of the net via the underside of the crossbar. Full-back Taylor is never too far from the spectacular, after gaining a reputation as a bit of a free-kick specialist, he really proved his attacking worth here for the Geordie outfit, in what turned out to be the game winning goal. Taylor can even prove the 'attacking full-back' theory wrong of full-backs who go forward and do special things can't defend, as Newcastle's back-line has been mostly spectacular this year. Proving he can defend and then providing moments of sheer genius like that wins the boyhood Liverpool fan this weeks #1 spot against Everton.
Ryan Taylor's special volley against boyhood rivals Everton well worthy to be this weeks winner.
No comments:
Post a Comment