PFA Awards 2010

On Sunday night, Wayne Rooney won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award whilst James Milner picked up Young Players' Player. Rooney is the top scorer in the Premier League with 26 goals and 5 assists, Cesc Fabregas was second behind Rooney with 15 goals and 15 assists from Midfield. Didier Drogba was third and the statistics suggest he arguably deserved to win the award with 26 goals and an amazing 13 assists from the Forward position. It isn't as if Drogba cashes in on these 7 goal wins Chelsea have so frequently, in fact he didn't play in the 7-1 victories versus Sunderland and Aston Villa and only picked up 2 assists against Stoke in the 7-0 drubbing on Sunday. But as an Englishman I am happy to see Rooney win the main award in this World Cup year and Milner another Englishman picking up Young Players' Player.

The PFA Divisional Team of the Year - Premier League looked like this: Joe Hart, Branislav Ivanovic, Patrice Evra, Thomas Vermaelen, Richard Dunne, Cesc Fabregas, Darren Fletcher, Antonio Valencia, James Milner, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba.

This selection of players without a doubt flattered the Manchester United team.

Patrice Evra has had an outstanding season, probably his best yet, but Chelsea's Ashley Cole has scored 3 goals to Evra's 0 but Evra has 7 assists to only Cole's 3. Despite this Cole has played over 1100 minutes less than Evra still being involved in 11 clean sheets. This selection isn't a clear mistake and is very debatable.

Although the selection of Darren Fletcher seems fair, Fletcher has scored a mere 3 goals and had 6 assists this season but after being dubbed as the "Big Game player" by the press. This "Big Game player" did manage 2 goals in the Manchester derby and picked up assists versus Liverpool and Spurs. Apart from that he, like most United players, has relied on Rooney this Year. The man who should unquestionably be in the Squad is Frank Lampard. He has scored an unbelievable 21 goals and 15 assists from Midfield. These 21 goals come from a player "who hasn't been his best this year" "who hasn't scored as many goals this year" as many 'top' pundits had stated earlier in the season. Incidently Lampard has never scored above 13 goals in the League and only once has he got 16 assists in the 04/05 season one more assist than this season so far.

Valencia is another debatable selection especially since Malouda, voted Players' Player at Chelsea recently and who arguably due to a good run of form towards the end of the season should have been in the squad with 12 goals and 8 assists in 2123 minutes. Valencia on the other hand picked up 5 goals and 9 assists in 2600 minutes.

Chelsea may feel hard done by in the Team of the Year, but at the end of the season it might be them with last laugh, needing to win their last two games to officially be named the best team of 2009/2010 season.

Barcelona lose first leg to Inter 3-1

In the 2009 Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Barcelona, Barcelona went through on away goals, after a goalless first leg they drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge in the second leg. There were 2 stone wall penalties not given whilst Chelsea led 1-0 and even after Barcelona equalised in the 90th minute there was a third claim for a handball. Iniesta's goal was there first and only shot of match portraying how Chelsea dominated the match. 


Last night Barcelona dominated Inter Milan at the San Siro, with 68% of the possession, but lost 3-1. They too were denied many a penalty claim, only 2 last night. Inter, it seems were fortunate for the score even to be 1-1, but they like Barcelona had 8 shots on goal and in fact throughout the game Barcelona committed more fouls. Inter Milan's victory mustn't be attributed to their fortune, but to José Mourinho's ingenious tactics. The special one himself prevented Messi from unleashing that lethal left foot of his.

A crucial week awaits after a disappointing defeat for Chelsea

Chelsea let lead slip to just one point after 2-1 defeat away at Spurs, earlier in the day, Manchester United moved to within one point of leaders Chelsea after beating rivals Manchester City who gave Spurs the chance to move into 4th. That chance they took. At the start of the day the door for the final Champions League spot looked wide open, whilst the door for the Premiership was almost shut: by the end of the day the hinges had swung, the title race was now wide open whereas the door for 4th spot had swung in the opposite direction needing one last push. That final push is to come on Saturday, a pivotal day for both Manchester City who lie in fifth and Spurs 2 points above them in 4th. Spurs head to Old Trafford to play United in the days early kick off and in the evening kick off Manchester City travel to the Emirates Stadium facing Arsenal, who to have hopes of the Premiership themselves. If Spurs can beat United they will have beaten the top 3 clubs consecutively, if they manage this incredible feat this could prove the end of United's title challenge, and with the form Spurs are in who is going to bet against them. Chelsea play in the 4pm kick off on Sunday at home to Stoke, in which many would expect a Chelsea victory, especially after Stoke had a rare defeat at home to Bolton today. The only thing that's for definite is that it shall undoubtedly be a thrilling end to the Season