Thursday, March 28, 2024

FA Cup and Premier League – Who’s Hot and Who’s Not?

Who's Hot and Who's Not?

Who's Hot and Who's Not?

  • Hot team
  • Manchester United scraped to a win, Bolton had a crucial win at West Ham and Arsenal made hard work of seeing off Burnley. All picked up points but none of them are getting the award. Everton are strong contenders but Hull are so poor that I can’t give it to them. Chelsea were comfortable and Aston Villa were great, but only for a half.

    I have given Portsmouth the ‘Not Hot’ award more than once this season but the way they have reacted to their financial woes and trouble behind the scenes is a testament to the players and the manager. A trip to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final is a deserved reward for them and their loyal fans.

  • Not Hot team
  • There are a few contenders but one team stand head and shoulders above the rest. Just how poor were Hull? It is hard for the Premier League to claim it is the strongest league in the world when teams like them are playing in it.

  • Hot keeper
  • What an enigma Tottenham keeper Heurelho Gomes is. He is just as likely to be the ‘Hot keeper’ as he is to be the ‘Not Hot keeper’.

    This week he put in a faultless display at Fulham and earned his side a replay at White Hart Lane. His handling was excellent and he made two or three very good saves indeed.

  • Not Hot keeper
  • The keepers all aquitted themselves pretty well this week so my decision is a little harsh. Boaz Myhill saved a penalty and had little chance with four of the five goals he conceded. However, he did get beaten five times so, a little unfairly, he can have this one this week.

  • Hot defender
  • He has had a rotten couple of weeks on and off the pitch and many people may say that is nothing less than he deserved. John Terry put all the personal trauma behind him yesterday and put in a fine defensive performance against the aerial threat provided by Stoke and then went up the other end to head home the decisive goal to put his side in the FA Cup semi-final.

  • Not Hot defender
  • James Tomkins had a nightmare for West Ham on Saturday. He misjudged a cross for the first goal and then caught trying to see the ball out for a goal kick on the second goal. He is a young lad but he shouldn’t be making mistakes like that. Those mistakes could prove really costly come the end of the season.

  • Hot midfielder
  • Although I haven’t given Everton the ‘Hot team’ award and I have said how terrible their opposition was, I am going to pick Mikel Arteta for this award. He pulled all the strings and for a man playing just his sixth game after a lengthy injury lay off, he was outstanding.

    In his absence I think we had forgotten just what a fine player he is. Everton with him at their centre are a much different proposition than they are without him.

  • Not Hot midfielder
  • Hull’s George Boateng has been around for a long time and I have never been convinced by him or understood exactly what he brings to a team. Many managers have played him and signed him so I know it must be me who is wrong.

    Against Everton yesterday he looked slow, cumbersome and clumsy against the Everton midfield who played around him like he wasn’t there.

  • Hot striker
  • As an outsider I have always found it really hard to understand why John Carew is often left out of Martin O’Neill’s starting line-up at Villa. Whenever I see him play he looks absolute quality, gives defenders a torrid time and he scores goals.

    Maybe a Villa fan can explain why he isn’t the first name on the team sheet?

    His second half hat-trick yesterday sent Villa back to Wembley and surely cemented his place in the team.

  • Not Hot striker
  • Poor Wolves substitute Sam Vokes will never have a better chance to write his own page in the clubs history books. 1-0 down to Manchester United and the ball falls to your feet eight yards out with the goal gaping. It was a gilt-edged chance and a chance for Sam to really make a name for himself.

    As we all know, he somehow managed to sweep the ball over the bar. You couldn’t help but feel sorry for the lad when you saw him pull his shirt over his face at the final whistle in an attempt to hide.

    That miss was the only reason that the award didn’t go to the woeful Nicklas Bendtner!

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Graham Fisher


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    • gooner-11

      0 0

      haha, totally!

    • Master John

      0 0

      @gooner-11 the goals came from his reserve of the misses last weekend.

    • gooner-11

      0 0

      haha, 3 CL goals for bendtner today!

    • Brad

      0 0

      haha. you almost crapped in your pants. . . you must’ve been scared. . . I dont know, I couldn’t see the match, as it wasnt on ESPN.

    • Ali Ezzedine

      0 0

      ^^ Yeah but when the ball got to Vokes I almost crapped my pants – I thougfht that was in – I was cursing in 3 different languages ! But well then, Surprise Surprise.

      And at least Arsenal came out with something from the match so Bentdner’s misses were a little condowned, in the case of the Wolves that strike could have provided 1 precious point.

    • gooner-11

      0 0

      haha, yea, poor bendtner, brutal misses, he could (should) have got 3 or 4.
      worse than vokes, i think, cause it was more than one!

    • Brad

      0 0

      they always pull through somehow.

    • Chelsea FC Fan

      0 0

      lol @ Bendtner…

      Bendtner was awwwwwwwwfulll…sorry Gunner fans…but make light of it – the Gunners still pulled out a victory…it was funny watching the commentating about Bendtner’s highlights…they went back and forth between Wenger’s reaction and Bendtner’s…haha…it was a good laugh…on a more positive note, the plays were brilliant, but they just lacked a finishing touch…

      Arteta and Everton were also brilliant against Hull…glad to have watched that game for sure…but, I guess everyone should be looking brilliant compared to Hull right now…

      Way to go Terry – thanks for pulling through!

    • Chelsea FC Fan

      0 0

      lol @ Bendtner…

      Bendtner was awwwwwwwwfulll…sorry Gunner fans…but make light of it – the Gunners still pulled out a victory…it was funny watching the commentating about Bendtner’s highlights…they went back and forth between Wenger’s reaction and Bendtner’s…haha…it was a good laugh…on a more positive note, the plays were brilliant, but they just lacked a finishing touch…

      Arteta and Everton were also brilliant against Hull…glad to have watched that game for sure…but, I guess everyone should be looking brilliant compared to Hull right now…

      Way to go Terry – thanks for pulling through!

    • Brad

      0 0

      they always pull through somehow.

    • gooner-11

      0 0

      haha, yea, poor bendtner, brutal misses, he could (should) have got 3 or 4.
      worse than vokes, i think, cause it was more than one!

    • Ali Ezzedine

      0 0

      ^^ Yeah but when the ball got to Vokes I almost crapped my pants – I thougfht that was in – I was cursing in 3 different languages ! But well then, Surprise Surprise.

      And at least Arsenal came out with something from the match so Bentdner’s misses were a little condowned, in the case of the Wolves that strike could have provided 1 precious point.

    • Brad

      0 0

      haha. you almost crapped in your pants. . . you must’ve been scared. . . I dont know, I couldn’t see the match, as it wasnt on ESPN.

    • gooner-11

      0 0

      haha, 3 CL goals for bendtner today!

    • Master John

      0 0

      @gooner-11 the goals came from his reserve of the misses last weekend.

    • gooner-11

      0 0

      haha, totally!

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