Premiership 2011-2012 end of season awards
Leave a commentMay 26, 2012 by joshilan14
With the Premiership having come to a close with an enthralling last day of the season, I have decided to take a look back at arguably the best season in the Premierships’ history.
Team of the season (4-4-2)
Despite Michel Vorm’s heroics for Swansea and Tim Krul’s performances for Newcastle, the only winner here is Joe Hart after helping Manchester City to their first ever Premiership title.
Everton’s Leighton Baines has had another great season with the Merseyside club, which shows why it should be him, and not Cashley Cole who is England’s first choice left-back.
It would be criminal not to leave out Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany after his demeanour both on and off the pitch this season. Newcastle United’s Argentine captain Fabricio Coloccini has helped his club in an unlikely battle for a Champions League space.
How Capello, Hodgson and Mancini underrate Micah Richards is simply pathetic after his wonderful season for the champions.
Yohan Cabaye has become one of Newcastle’s most important components this season due to his playmaking ability. David Silva might have faded out in the second half of the season, but his early season form was simply majestic.
The first wide position goes to Fulham’s Clint Dempsey due to his amount of goals and his performances all-round this season. Chelsea’sJuan Mata joins him on the wing after a great breakthrough season in the Premiership.
Arsenal would have been nowhere near a Champions League place this season had it not been for the goals of the Premiership’s Golden Boot winner Robin Van Persie. Norwich’s bulldozing target man Grant Holt joins him after adjusting brilliantly to life in the Premiership.
Goal of the season
It was looking impossible to choose a winner for this seasons goal of the season with such a high calibre of goals being scored. Peter Crouch’s sensational volley against Manchester City, Luis Suarez’s halfway line lob and Sebastian Coates bicycle kick would have won the award any other year. The only winner though is Papiss Cisse, with his swerving volley from outside the box securing a 2-0 win for Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.
Save of the season
What a way to make up for giving away a penalty! Wojciech Szczesny’s penalty save to deny Dirk Kuyt was good but his follow-up save was even better. With Kuyt looking likely to bundle home to rebound, Szczesny bounces over to the other side of the goal and keeps out a certain goal.
Miss of the season
Apart from Luis Suarez claiming that he ‘missed’ Patrice Evra’s hand, the worst miss of the season has to be Wigan Athletic’s Jean Beasejour for his two misses against Stoke City. His first miss was when he skewed the ball over the yards when unmarked and only four yards away from the goal. The second miss was when he glanced a header wide with the goal gaping in front of him.
Quote of the season
“We will finish in the top-ten of the Premiership and we will win the Carling Cup” were the words of Steve Kean when he was asked by a Blackburn Rovers fan how the season would pan out: Blackburn got relegated. The video also saw him call his predecessor Sam Allardyce a “crook” and he claimed to have discovered Steve Jones, who had been in the Rovers team when Allardyce was in charge. It would have been interesting to have seen Allardyce and Kean face each other as opposing managers-could have been Terry and Bridge all over again.
Game of the season
There are two games that I could not choose between as to which the best was. I was fortunate enough to be at the Emirates Stadium for the North London derby, which saw Arsenal beat Spurs 5-2, despite being 2-0 down at one point. The other game was Manchester City’s 3-2 win over QPR to see the teams secure the title and avoid relegation respectively.
Worst player of the season
It was very bad tactics on Owen Coyle’s part not to play Kevin Davies or Ivan Klasnic upfront for the majority of the season. Instead it was David N’Gog who played there instead. Having been brought in at a fee of £4,500,000 a lot was expected of him. A paltry reply of three goals in 33 appearances has left Trotters fans underwhelmed. To put it into perspective, Nigel Reo-Coker scored more goals than N’Gog this season.
Signing of the season
It would have been easy to give this award to Sergio Aguero, Nikica Jelavic or the Newcastle contingent of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Yohan Cabaye. It is Juan Mata who gets the award, with the Spaniard grabbing six goals and 13 assists in his debut season.
Surprise player of the season
The season started with his clubs fans wanting him to leave the club and labelling him a “donkey.” The season ended with him being acclaimed by the clubs fans. Manchester United centre-back Jonny Evans has now established himself as an important part of the Red Devils defence; with United conceding fewer goals when Evans was playing in the side.
Young player of the season
Swansea’s City Joe Allen has had a great first season in the Premiership, with the young central midfielder getting four goals in 36 games. He has become one of his club’s key players and the Welshman’s form has seen him attract the interest of some of England’s elite.
Player of the season
Without Vincent Kompany, Manchester City would never have won the title. On the pitch, he was calm at all times and made the City defence hard to break down, with his aerial and tackling ability being praised. Off the pitch, he was a good leader and helped the club get through some problems that could have plagued their season such as the Tevez saga. He is already a Manchester City legend and another season like this will make him a Premiership great.
Manager of the season
Brendan Rodgers, Paul Lambert and Roberto Mancini all had brilliant seasons in charge of their respective clubs, but there is only one winner here. Alan Pardew came into Newcastle in December 2010 with no support: Now he has the support of every Geordie. His transfer nous of Europe has proved excellent, with many players having come in from across Europa for relatively small fees. If he adds to the squad he’s got, Newcastle have a big chance of being in the same position next season.
Lowdown
Team of the season: Joe Hart; Leighton Baines, Vincent Kompany, Fabricio Coloccini, Micah Richards; Yohan Cabye, David Silva, Clint Dempsey, Juan Mata; Robin Van Persie, Grant Holt.
Goal of the season: Papiss Cisse vs Chelsea (second goal)
Save of the season: Wojciech Szczesny double save vs Liverpool
Miss of the season: Jean Beausejour’s double miss vs Stoke
Quote of the season: Steve Kean -“We will finish in the top-ten of the Premiership and we will win the Carling Cup”
Signing of the season: Juan Mata
Game of the season: Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham and Manchester City 3-2 QPR
Surprise player of the season: Jonny Evans
Young player of the season: Joe Allen
Player of the season: Vincent Kompany
Manager of the season: Alan Pardew
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