ive heard buffon will be city keepers next year
My source in Turin has confirmed this.
Sublime finish by Nani but an awful awful game. Have to admire United, playing poorly, feeling poorly but still outgrinding teams. Thought Bale wasnt great alright didnt track Nani for the goal but its a sad state of affairs when your left back is your sole attacking outlet. Tottenham were a gutless disgrace. Some of you guys go on about Carrick hiding but Tom Huddlestone may aswell have dug a hole in the pitch and hid inside in it for the impact he made. Palacios is fairly hopeless on the ball too. The Spurs back four was a mess all afternoon too. Will be some laugh if Dawson is starting for England in the World Cup. United were fairly shocking until the introduction of Macheda. Without Rooney United simply have to play with two up top. Thought Berbatov linked the play up well but looks short of confidence. Scholes was decent enough, Vidic superb, Nani made an impact, Gomes and King were decent, the rest…meh.
Birmingham have been robbed here, an utter disgrace.
There are some amount of inbreeds in the crowd in Villa park today.
Are they playing Tipp?
There may have been some sort of twinning arrangement done perhaps.
Brum are seething.
Sorensen in shite here now, bad weekend for keepers in England. Looked v dangerous from Kalou there. Andy Gray shiting on, but I think he’s right here.
Wayne Rooney showed no signs of his recent injury problems tonight as he collected the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award, and confirmed as much afterwards when he allayed any fears he could miss the World Cup by saying he will be fit to take his place among the leading lights in South Africa this summer.
The 24-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring 34 goals for United and eight for England, and is key to the nation’s World Cup hopes. But a spate of injuries have caused mild panic that the England coach, Fabio Capello, might be forced to go to South Africa without his star man.
The Manchester United striker who has only just returned from an ankle problem, missed yesterday’s 3-1 victory over Tottenham with a groin injury sustained in training. But the Barclays Premier League’s top scorer hopes to return for United’s campaign finale against Stoke on Sunday 9 May and promised he would be ready for the World Cup.
“The groin will be fine for the World Cup, there are no worries about that,” he said. “I’m hoping to play for United in the last game of the season.”
If that is good news for Capello, being named the first Englishman to win the PFA’s top award since Steven Gerrard in 2006 was a big thrill for Rooney. “It’s a great feeling to win the player of the year award because it’s voted for by the players,” he said.
“It’s something I’m really proud of and it’s a great honour. I remember coming here in 2005 and 2006 to win the young player of the year. I saw the players winning the main one and it’s something I’ve aimed for since.”
Rooney also paid tribute to the influence that United’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has had on his career. “Sir Alex is a great manager who has really brought me on as a player since I joined United,” he said. “His hunger passes through to the players. It’s great to see that he’s pushing 70 and hasn’t changed a bit. I’m sure he’ll be here for a long time yet.”
Rooney was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year but that award went to James Milner of Aston Villa. Milner appears to have played himself into Capello’s World Cup squad with a string of outstanding performances and the 24-year-old midfielder credited a change in position for his success this season. “I’ve been moved into the middle and that suits me as it helps me influence the game a bit more,” said Milner. “Maybe sometimes wide right you want to influence the game but you just can’t get yourself into it.”
The former Leeds and South Africa captain Lucas Radebe, 41, won the PFA Merit award.
Premier League team of the year: Hart (Birmingham), Ivanovic (Chelsea), Vermaelen (Arsenal), Dunne (Aston Villa), Evra (Manchester United), Fábregas (Arsenal), Milner (Aston Villa), Fletcher, Valencia, Rooney (all United), Drogba (Chelsea).
Fletcher on TOTY?
He’s been decent, but not that good i would have thought.
Reina is the best goalie in the EPL, yet they gave it to Hart. Dung.
Fletcher is a brilliant player. Lampard should have been included instead of Fabregas.
Reina is seriously overrated with regard to the Premier League.
Useless on crosses and prone to the odd error or two.
He’s one of the best at shot stopping and penalties but to say he’s the best in the Premier League in complete crap.
A poor man’s Shay Given.
Most clean sheets, despite being behind one of the poorest defences in the league.
Nuff said. This season he is the best keeper in the league.
Clean sheets have nothing to do with a keepers job obviously… Its all about catching/punching clean ball :blink:
You are so wrong it’s ridiculous.
Playing behind a flat back eight has more than a little to do with it.
Van Der Saar spent about four weeks playing with a back four in front of him that consisted of three midfielders and a full back filling in at centre half.
hes shocking on crosses mbb. hart has made spectacular saves and is part of the reason birmingjham have gone so well this year, and he hardly has the iron curtain in fornt of him.
Are you arguing that VDS is has been a better keeper this season that Reina, Hart and Given?
I’m not convinced, but I’ve always rated Reina and thought he’s been exceptional yet again this season. His distribution is the best I’ve seen this side of Cassilas. Watch the amount of times he’ll pluck a ball down and release an attack with an amazing throw, its unrivalled.
I believe Reina to be the best 'keeper in the EPL by quite a distance. Given is probably the 4th or 5th best 'keeper according to my calculations.
Hammers safe for another year. In fairness, Hull and Burnley have muck the last month or so in the whole and deserve to head down to the championship. Burnley might make a craic off of coming back up again but you’d fear for Hull. Portsmouth could find themselves in League 1 sooner rather than later.
West Ham next year, what needs to be done: the new owners don’t fancy Zola as a manager seemingly. Lawro was saying they have contingency plans in place to get rid of the little man. I like him to be fair and Scotty Parker showed what he thinks of him after scoring his goal on Saturday. The players there need to get their head out of the clouds wages wise, buckle down and push on up the table. I see West Ham as a top 10 team, possibly pushing for an Europa Cup place.