State of the Republic
11:55, 23 Apr 2012
John Kelly
PLAYER OF THE WEEKEND
Darron Gibson (Everton)
Played 90 minutes (Manchester United 4-4 Everton)
We should have known with the score at 4-2 and with Alex Ferguson allowing himself a little celebratory wave at the Stretford End that Everton were not going to lose. We should have known that despite not winning at Old Trafford in 20 years Everton have something more powerful than tactics, spirit or luck. They have a cosmic force of immeasurable significance that doesn’t allow them to lose when Gibson is in the team. It doesn’t even matter how Gibbo plays – and he was very good, by the way -- he is currently invaluable to the Toffees.
GOALKEEPERS
Shay Given (Aston Villa)
Played 90 minutes (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
It would be some achievement were Alex McLeish to relegate both Birmingham clubs in the space of a year. It would be even more hilarious were Villa to pass Birmingham City on the way down with the Blues on the way up. Given had little to do except pick the ball out of the net after Nicklas Bendtner knocked it in from a slightly offside position.
Paddy Kenny (QPR)
Played 90 minutes (QPR 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur)
England boss Harry Redknapp said his second favourite team had all the play at Loftus Road. That wasn’t really true. It was comfortable for the most part for the home side. Kenny tipped a Gareth Bale header over the bar bit other than that he wasn’t very busy.
Brian Murphy (QPR)
Injured (QPR 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur)
Keiren Westwood (Sunderland)
Unused sub (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
DEFENDERS
Richard Dunne (Aston Villa)
Injured (Aston Villa 1-1 Stoke City)
It is going to be a close call for the big man if he is to make Poland.
Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa)
Injured (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
Enda Stevens (Aston Villa)
Not in squad (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
Derrick Williams (Aston Villa)
Not in squad (Aston Villa 1-1 Stoke City)
Stephen Kelly (Fulham)
Injured (Fulham 2-1 Wigan Athletic)
Marc Wilson (Stoke City)
Played 90 minutes (Sports Direct FC 3-0 Stoke City)
Bit of a nightmare for Wilson who found it difficult to cope with the Premier League’s worst-kept secret, Hatem Ben Arfa.
John O'Shea (Sunderland)
Played 90 minutes (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
It probably wasn’t meant as a dig at McLeish when Martin O’Neill said he left Villa in a much better state than he had found them. It took O’Neill four years to make Villa top four contenders; it has taken the former Birmingham City boss just eight months to make them bottom three candidates. O’Shea, meanwhile, was back in the side after injury and struggled against the smaller, pacy attackers while doing okay in the air.
Steven Reid (West Bromwich Albion)
Injured (Liverpool 0-1 West Brom)
Stephen Ward (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Played 90 minutes (Wolves 0-2 Manchester City)
It was very upsetting to hear Niall Quinn referring to David Silva as David da Silva. He also had an interesting interpretation of the pronunciation of John Heitinga. He watched his fellow Irishman Ward struggle in the first half before the full-back offered more going forward in the second. Nowhere to be seen when Samir Nasri scored City’s clincher and the goal most of us wanted to see to ensure a Premier League play-off next Monday.
Kevin Foley (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Played 90 (Wolves 0-2 Manchester City)
It is going to be a fascinating week of mind games. Even when Sky were interviewing Roberto Mancini we all waited excitedly to hear what he would say about City’s title chances. Like their performance at Molineux, so-so he reckons. Foley, like Ward, was more positive in the second half as Wolves finally looked a threat. Hard to know if either full-back will attract top-flight interest during the summer. Hopefully one of the promoted sides will take a punt on one or both.
MIDFIELDERS
Conor Henderson (Arsenal)
Not in squad (Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea)
Stephen ******* (Aston Villa)
Played 90 minutes (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
There was a fascinating interview with the man on BBC during the week when he came across as articulate, thoughtful and intelligent. He is also determined to cover most of his body with tattoos, it seems. On the pitch he continues to mix the magnificent with the mundane. There were some fine passes against Sunderland but mostly he played within himself. Or he isn’t able to play without himself anymore, we don’t know.
Samir Carruthers (Aston Villa)
Unused sub (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
Injured (Manchester United 4-4 Everton)
Damien Duff (Fulham)
Played 90 minutes (Fulham 2-1 Wigan Athletic)
Duffer had some chances to add to his two league goals this season. He blasted wide and over on a couple of occasions and then Philippe Senderos almost benefitted from a scramble after another cross by the Irishman.
Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City)
Played 59 minutes (Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Norwich City)
We know Spurs are on a terrible run and don’t have a manager but Rovers have to go to White Hart Lane next Sunday. It is a game that will put Spurs back on track and then Steve Kean’s side play Wigan at home before travelling to Chelsea on the final day. It looks impossible for them but at least they didn’t blow this one. It was a game in which Hoolahan failed to impose himself and forgotten man Morten-Gamst Pederson was one of the heroes.
Anthony Pilkington (Norwich City)
Played 31 minutes (Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Norwich City)
The fifth highest scoring midfielder in the Premier League replaced Hoolahan on the hour. It wasn’t exactly cometh the man, though, as he had to make do with a half chance and a cross.
Rory Delap (Stoke City)
Not in squad (Sports Direct FC 3-0 Stoke City)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)
Played 90 minutes (Sports Direct FC 3-0 Stoke City)
Not for the first time this season, Graham Carr’s side enjoyed a measure of good luck but there is no denying he has an eye for a player. Apparently, he watched Cheik Tioté for four years before making the decision to buy him. That could be interpreted as slowness to make up one’s mind but it has worked out. Whelan was up against Tioté and Yohan Cabaye so no doubt who won the talent contest. Worked hard to limit the damage, though Stoke should have grabbed a couple.
David Meyler (Sunderland)
Unused sub (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
James McCLean (Sunderland)
Played 90 minutes (Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland)
Took a while to realise that Alan Hutton is useless before he took the Scot on more and fired over a few dangerous crosses. Well, dangerous if anyone else but Bendtner was on the end of them.
Keith Andrews (West Bromwich Albion)
Played 21 minutes (Liverpool 0-1 West Brom)
Roy Hodgson has now won as many games at Anfield in 2012 as Kenny Dalglish. Statistics such as that are great. So is the fact that both Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more goals than Liverpool this season.
James McCarthy (Wigan Athletic)
Played 75 minutes (Fulham 2-1 Wigan Athletic)
Big Murt said afterwards: “It could have turned out differently but that is hypothetical and I am glad we won in the end. They had zero corners, no chances and they scored out of nothing so it would have been harsh if we had lost.” It summed up Roberto Martinez’ approach and McCarthy was in defensive mode all afternoon before being withdrawn.
Anthony Forde (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Not in squad (Wolves 0-2 Manchester City)
Stephen Hunt (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Injured (Wolves 0-3 Manchester City)
STRIKERS
Leon Best (Sports Direct FC)
Injured (Sports Direct FC 3-0 Stoke City)
Sports Direct’s Carr should be named the 2011/2012Manager of the Year.
Jon Walters (Stoke City)
Played 90 minutes (Sports Direct FC 3-0 Stoke City)
“We had a lot of chances today. Jon Walters, who I think the world of, could have come out of the game scoring a hat-trick.” So said Tony Pulis. Walters did miss a few sitters alright but that need not concern us in Poland as we won’t even create sitters to miss.
Shane Long (West Bromwich Albion)
Played 90 minutes (Liverpool 0-1 West Brom)
Started upfront alongside Peter Odem-thingamajiggy and celebrated West Brom’s first win at Anfield for 45 years. Great leap and header to set up Chris Brunt early on but then wasted a late chance in a very confusing manner.
Simon Cox (West Bromwich Albion)
Played four minutes (Liverpool 0-1 West Brom)
Conor Sammon (Wigan Athletic)
The fixture to save Wigan will be Wolves at home on the final day. All of those battling the drop have nasty looking run-ins. Sammon enjoyed a longer gallop off the bench than usual but didn’t have any luck in the weir. That’s the last time we’ll mix our metaphors, we swear.
Kevin Doyle (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Played 30 minutes (Wolves 0-2 Manchester City)
Showed why he shouldn’t be on the bench when he came on. He should wish for a move back to his spiritual home at Reading. Wolves, meanwhile, are on the way back to their spiritual home – the Championship.
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