by andy_g » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:01 am
best defender - hyypia, in the games that he has played he has shown that he is absolutely imperious. if we can find a special drug to stop or reverse the ageing process we're sorted. special mention for aurelio whoo is really starting to offer something.
best midfielder - alonso, back to form and majestic.
best forward - um... er... torres?
best newcomer - riera, the only real option. he's definitely brought something to the team but frustratingly not as much as his first few games seemed to promise. really hoping he can improve a little, at least with his consistency, next season.
best young player - i just about go for insua as he's put in some good performances and is a fairly exciting attacking left back. a big shout for little jay spearing as well who has shown a lot of promise in the few times we've seen him.
player of the season - this is where i have to put dirk kuyt. i think he has really grown into his role this season, he's found a decent first touch, discovered the incisive forward pass, chipped in some important goals, and as ever has not stopped running since last august. he has been vital to our good form this season.
goal of the season - i really enjoyed riera's route one net breaker against villa so it gets my vote. very honourable mentions to torres v blackburn and gerrard's volley against real madrid.
match of the season - how can anything be better than beating the mancs at old trafford? especially with 4 goals and making half their defence look like amateurs. its a long long time, may 25th 2005 probably, since a match has left me grinning from ear to ear for days afterwards.
there is no gerrard in my picks, as i feel the others i've mentioned are more deserving - so i'm going to invent a new category.
best steven gerrard - for me this has to be steven gerrard, one of the very best footballers anywhere on the planet right now and the essential inspirational engine to this football club. he's put in some amazing performances this season but its what we expect of him now. he has raised the bar so high for himself that a man of the match peformance is pretty much run of the mill.
for me he needs to work on two elements of his game. it frustrated the hell out of me to see him buying so many free kicks - we all know he goes to ground a little too easy at times. he doesn't need to and all it does is give the haters something to get their teeth into. he also needs to frown a little less.
Get up! everybody's gonna move their feet
Get Down! everybody's gonna leave their seat
I also like your logic on selecting Aurelio. Carragher has been slightly below his high standards this season so it seems a little off to select him. On the other hand, a slightly off-colour Carra is still a hell of a defender and, with Aurelio missing a fair chunk of the first half of the season to injury/rotation, I think there's still a case to be made for Jamie. But, I think Aurelio deserves some acknowledgement for his vastly improved form this season. He's looked the part going forward and on set pieces (finally) and he was majesterial against both Robben and Ronaldo.
