Don't know whether you've all seen this but Garth Crooks' team of the week includes three City lads (Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez) in the actual team and Joleon Lescott also figures.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 631245.stm
Per the Eurosport stats it's pretty pleasing to see that Craig Bellamy really is having just as good a season as it seems to us. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to take in the fact that over a couple of seasons we have gone from Samaras, Corradi and Bianchi to Bellamy, Tevez, Adebayor and Santa Cruz. Buzztastic!
TEAM OF THE WEEK
The Premier League had more comedy drama than the 9pm time slot on ITV this weekend, what with handshake-related shenanigans and linesmen being badly wounded by corner flags.
Right up there, though, was Carlos Tevez's first goal as Manchester City downed league leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge: a glorious mis-hit that bumbled towards the far corner like a glacier inching down a mountainside. Luckily for City fans, Chelsea keeper Hilario managed to carefully dive out of the way of the ball, while the Blues defence stood motionless watching it trundle in.
With moments like that there's little wonder that Tevez and the superb Craig Bellamy are both in the Team of the Week this morning, with the only puzzle being why the Daily Express marked Bellamy down sufficiently to leave Tevez as Player of the Week.
The Chelsea-City game aside, it was defences to the fore this week - and we could easily have made up a solid TOTW composed entirely of centre-backs. Everton and Tottenham's defences both earned high marks, but Brede Hangeland of Fulham and Scott Dann of Birmingham get the nod in the middle, with Gareth Bale and Liverpool's Javier Mascherano - impressive out of position - on the flanks.
Burnley might have lost out to Portsmouth at the weekend, but Clarets striker Martin Paterson received plenty of pats on the back for his display up front, while Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas turned in a typically excellent display.
Story of the weekend, though, was Bolton's American midfielder Stuart Holden, given an all-round thumbs up by the papers this week. Though we can't help but think that the marks might have been slightly exaggerated so that the match reports could run with the headline 'Holdenballs' before discussing an MLS player who has apparently outshone David Beckham when they've gone head-to-head.
Team of the Week (Diamond):
GK: Pepe Reina (Liverpool) - 7.5
RB: Javier Mascherano (Liverpool) - 7.5 (Out of position)
CB: Brede Hangeland (Fulham) - 7.5
CB: Scott Dann (Birmingham) - 7.5
LB: Gareth Bale (Tottenham) - 8
CDM: Stuart Holden (Bolton) - 8
RCM: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) - 7.5
LCM: Luka Modric (Tottenham) - 8
CAM: Craig Bellamy (Manchester City) - 8
FW: Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) - 8.5 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FW: Martin Paterson (Burnley) - 7.5
FLOPS OF THE WEEK
The week started all too well for Burnley defender Clarke Carlisle: the Clarets' skipper put in two of his best performances of the season in mid-week, with Carlisle himself scoring like it was going out of fashion.
Sadly, all that scoring was confined to his appearance on TV show Countdown, where he won two shows and narrowly lost his third.
When he returned to the pitch this weekend, however, it looked like he was still thinking about that final conundrum which confounded him - and in his absent-mindedness he conceded two penalties as his side went down to Portsmouth. On this evidence a mid-career switch to Dictionary Corner might be his next move.
As noted above, Hilario and John Terry were both well worth a spot in this week's flops, with John Obi Mikel also making the line-up.
Sunderland's players got a critical mauling after their 0-0 draw at home to Fulham, with four players making the side.
Flops XI (Diamond):
GK: Hilario (Chelsea) - 4.5
RB: Mario Melchiot (Wigan) - 5
CB: John Terry (Chelsea) - 5
CB: Clarke Carlisle (Burnley) - 3 - FLOP OF THE WEEK
LB: Stephen Ward (Wolves) - 5
CDM: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) - 4.5
RCM: Lorik Cana (Sunderland) - 4.5
LCM: Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) - 4.5
CAM: Frazier Campbell (Sunderland) - 4.5
FW: Johann Elmander (Bolton) - 4.5
FW: Kenwynne Jones (Sunderland) - 5
TEAM OF THE SEASON
Luke Young falls below the minimum starts threshold this week to let the Liverpool right-back into the side after a brief spell on the bench.
Across the pitch at left-back we could see a change as the season draws to a close: Tottenham's Gareth Bale has been in great form since returning from injury, and though he's only started eight matches this season his average of 6.95 leaves him with Ashley Cole's spot comfortably in his sights.
Up front Craig Bellamy's display on Saturday and Didier Drogba's anonymous day at the office closes up the Player of the Season race nicely, with all three players within a few hundredths of each other.
Team of the season (minimum 14 starts):
GK: Shay Given (Manchester City) - 6.82
RB: Glen Johnson (Liverpool) - 6.57 - NEW ENTRY
CB: Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) - 7.01
CB: Roger Johnson (Birmingham City) - 6.84
LB: Ashley Cole (Chelsea) - 6.68
RM: Aaron Lennon (Tottenham) - 6.95
CM: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) - 7.01
CM: Scott Parker (West Ham) - 6.87
LM: Craig Bellamy (Manchester City) - 7.16
FW: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - 7.19
FW: Didier Drogba (Chelsea) - 7.23
FLOPS OF THE SEASON
John Obi Mikel's woes see him return to the side this week as the only change to the line-up. Aaron Mokoena is the man who makes way.
Up front Craig Fagan and Aruna Dindane are both about to drop below the starts threshold. Portsmouth's Frederic Piquionne is a surefire bet to take one spot, with Birmingham duo James McFadden and Cameron Jerome fighting it out for the other spot.
Flops of the season (minimum 14 starts):
GK: Manuel Almunia (Arsenal) - 5.91
RB: Paul McShane (Hull) - 5.54
CB: Marc Wilson (Portsmouth) - 5.40
CB: Tal Ben Haim (Portsmouth) - 5.39
LB: Paul Robinson (Bolton) - 5.52
RM: Steed Malbranque (Sunderland) - 5.81
CM: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) - 5.74 - NEW ENTRY
CM: Radoslav Kovac (West Ham) - 5.82
LM: El-Hadji Diouf (Blackburn) - 5.61
FW: Craig Fagan (Hull) - 5.61
FW: Aruna Dindane (Portsmouth) - 5.61
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