Topic: Premiership Team of The Week: Match Day 31  (Read 1722 times)

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Premiership Team of The Week: Match Day 31
« on: April 02, 2012, 12:40:37 PM »
GK: Adam Bogdan (Bolton)
DEF: Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)
DEF: Antolin Alcaraz (Wigan)
DEF: Michael Williamson (Newcastle)
DEF: Younes Kaboul (Tottenham)
MID: Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland)
MID: Leon Osman (Everton)
MID: Adel Taarabt (QPR)
MID: Victor Moses (Wigan)
ST: Papiss Demba Cisse (Newcastle)
ST: Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland)

Manager: Mark Hughes (QPR)



Bolton Wanderers may have conceded twice, but it could have been considerably worse had it not been for some of the goalkeeping heroics of Adam Bogdan. The Hungarian has been widely praised since coming into the first-team in January and produced another top performance to once more silence his doubters. In the first-half alone, Bogdan produced a string of fine saves to deny Wolves, with Steven Fletcher in particular disappointed on more than one occasion. Bolton grabbed a third win in a row to continue their rise and can thank Bogdan for the three points on this occasion.

Branislav Ivanovic has been one of the few consistent performers of Chelsea's season. On Saturday, as Chelsea beat Aston Villa 4-2, there were two more goals for the Serbian defender's tally. Making his return from injury, Ivanovic happened to be in the right place at the right time for both goals, but complemented his match-winning contribution with fine work down the flanks and solid defensive play. Ivanovic will be crucial to the outcome of Chelsea's season.

Wigan have been frail at the back this season, but in recent weeks have shown signs of really toughening up as a defensive unit. At the heart of the back-line and leading the way was Paraguayan Antolin Alcaraz, who also headed home at the other end to give Wigan the lead. Up against a fiercely competitive Stoke side, Alcaraz led the way in negating the significant threat of Peter Crouch as the Latics handled Stoke's set-piece opportunities with ease all game. Not afraid to get physical with opponents, Alcaraz shone as Wigan finally displayed some much needed steel.

As Newcastle beat Liverpool on Sunday, the headlines went to Newcastle's attacking players, but it was the work of Mike Williamson and defensive partner James Perch that laid the platform for victory. Williamson dealt with the threat of Andy Carroll with ease for the majority of the game, often rising highest to clear the ball in dangerous situations. With Fabricio Coloccini sidelined through injury, the defensive line looked a weak point for Newcastle, but Williamson commanded the ranks with authority and made sure that danger was generally dealt with before it had time to develop.

Tottenham centre-back Younes Kaboul has been outstanding in recent months and continued in the same vein against Swansea. It had been a fairly quiet afternoon for the big defender, with his biggest contribution a fantastic header from a corner that required a top save from Michel Vorm, thanks to the harrying work of those in midfield. Yet, had it not been for the Frenchman's interventions on three occasions in the last ten minutes of the encounter, Swansea may have left White Hart Lane with at least a point to their name. A colossus at the back.

Sebastian Larsson makes our Team of the Week once more after an outstanding performance against Manchester City, in which he grabbed two goals that looked like giving Sunderland an away win. Energetic and with great quality on his right-foot, Larsson linked well with the lively Stephane Sessegnon all game to cause problems and a smart finish from just outside the area gave Sunderland the advantage. In the second-half, Larsson then took advantage of lackadaisical defending from Kolo Toure to race in at the back-post and give his side a 3-1 lead. An excellent all-round performance from the Swede.

Everton continued their rise up the table on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over West Brom and once more Leon Osman was at the centre of everything good for those in blue. The return of Steven Pienaar to Goodison Park has lifted the Englishman's performances to another level as the two interact to great effect in midfield to support Nikica Jelavic up front. Osman's goal was eventually awarded as an own-goal, but the 30-year-old was exceptional in all areas of his game on Saturday, retaining possession well and providing Everton with an additional goal-threat with his late bursts into the box. A much underrated player.

Adel Taarabt has undoubtedly struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League this season, but against Arsenal on Saturday showed what he is capable of at this level. There had been glimpses in other games, but QPR and Taarabt managed to string together a fine 90 minutes of football that belies their league position. The headlines will be grabbed by the Moroccan's first goal in the league this season, but Taarabt was full of invention all afternoon and enjoyed the freedom granted by Arsenal's defence. Thomas Vermaelen will not want to see replay's of the QPR man's goal anytime soon.

Wigan have come to life in recent weeks and much of the side's good work has come via the excellent work of Victor Moses from the right-flank. Always dangerous with the ball at his feet, Moses terrorised the Stoke defence at times on Saturday and showed great calmness to bag a last minute goal to seal the points. Linked up well with his team-mates in midfield and should have had an assist when he laid a chance on a plate for Jean Beausejour to squander meekly. The youngster is now starting to show the consistency of product that he has threatened to produce from an early age.

If the build-up to Liverpool's trip to St James's Park was all about one former-Newcastle number 9, it was the current occupier Papiss Demba Cisse who grabbed the headlines in the match itself. Working as part of a vibrant attacking trio with compatriot Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa, Cisse provided an ever willing runner as the focal point of the unit, buying his colleagues time and space to excel. A beautiful headed finish brought his opener, having pulled off the back of Martin Skrtel. Then in the second-half, the Senegalese striker capitalised on a poor offside decision to add to his account by coolly rounding Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal.

When Sunderland grabbed an impressive away draw at Manchester City on Saturday, it was Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner who proved a thorn in the side of a below-par City defence. The striker found space between his markers with regularity and rose high to head Sunderland into a half-time lead with a well-directed header. Always on the move, Bendtner tormented Kolo Toure in the City backline and capped his performance with a fine assist for Sebastian Larsson's second, after breaking down the right flank. Often derided, Bendtner can take great pride in his performance this weekend.

Before the weekend's encounter with Arsenal, QPR were dead-and-buried in the eyes of many observers given the difficulty of their remaining Premier League fixtures. Yet, once more when faced with a 'big four' opponent, QPR upped their game to seal the win. Mark Hughes must take great credit for his team selection for the game, starting with a bold line-up featuring several attacking options. The decision to stick with the often infuriating Adel Taarabt paid-off, whilst recalling Joey Barton also worked out well for the 'Super Hoops' as the captain put in an energetic performance in midfield. The Welshman will now be telling his side that they will avoid the drop if they can perform at that level on a more regular basis.

PremierLeague.com

 

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