In a decisive weekend where there was only one draw,
The Premier League was certainly no bore,
Man City beat Rovers in a rout,
The Blackburn fans want Steve Kean out,
QPR brought back down to earth,
The Fulham fans certainly got their money’s worth.
Bolton demolished by a Chelsea wrecking ball,
Frank Lampard didn’t look bad at all.
But now we must give credit where credit’s due,
So it’s time to start this Weekend Review!
Goal of the Weekend
There were quite a few goals this weekend which caught the eye. Two stood out in particular – Adam Johnson’s high curler and Kyle Walker’s low rocket. What ultimately separates the two is how much the goalkeeper’s facing the shots could have done. Paul Robinson seemed more helpless than Wojciech Szczesny and for that reason, it’s harder not to give it to Adam Johnson.
Honourable Mentions: Kyle Walker
Player of the Weekend
Gone are the days where Andy Johnson was a supreme finisher in the Premier League – until yesterday that is. He bagged a hat trick for Fulham in the West London derby. “AJ” looked much more like the player of yesteryear with three sharp finishes. The ex-Crystal Palace man will go down in the Cottagers history as the first player to bag a hat trick for the Whites in the Premier League.
Honourable Mentions: Frank Lampard, Mario Balotelli
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Reality Check?
Let’s stay in West London with QPR. Neil Warnock’s side have enjoyed a decent start but people probably got a bit too excited with an away win at Wolves. The result at Craven Cottage will firmly bring into focus the challenge ahead for QPR. Tony Fernandes will need to dip into his pockets in January to try and ensure “One Size” Fitz Hall isn’t in the centre of defence again.
Refereeing Mishap
Take your pick between Martin Atkinson and Mark Halsey. Both made key errors at Goodison Park and Molineux respectively. Jack Rodwell’s sending off wasn’t even a foul and that is certainly a case where the referee has had a massive impact on the game. Mark Halsey awarded Wolves a free kick when it should have been a penalty and his assistant disallowed a goal late on when he judged that Matt Jarvis hadn’t kept the ball in play. However, Wolves didn’t really deserve anything out of the game. Martin Atkinson’s mistake would have to therefore be deemed more unforgiveable as he hamstrung Everton early on.
The “Could It Get Any Worse?” Award
Supporters of Bolton, Wolves and Arsenal will know this feeling extremely well after this weekend’s action. Despite a tough start on paper, Owen Coyle would have expected much better than a solitary three points from seven games - they’ve now lost six on the bounce. Wolves have lost four consecutive matches and memories of their good start have been firmly erased. As for Arsenal, their inconsistency is reigning supreme. It will take an extraordinary turnaround for them to ensure Champions League football next season.
Quote of the Weekend
Yet again, the quotation gold mine that is Neil Warnock was happy to help us out this week.
“If we had Darren Bent and a few England players playing we could have still lost 6-0”
What’s most perplexing of this statement is how, when given the chance to pick any member of the England team – Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and even Jack Wilshere – Neil Warnock picks out Darren Bent to illustrate his point.
Long day, Neil?