Team of the weekend David James (Portsmouth) Rory Delap (Stoke City) Michael Turner (Hull City) Sol Campbell (Portsmouth) Juliano Belletti (Chelsea)
Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Frank Lampard (Chelsea) Salomon Kalou (Chelsea) Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool) Wayne Rooney (Man. United) Amr Zaki (Wigan Athletic) Player of the weekend Wayne Rooney Over in the North East, Frank Lampard was at his imperious best in not wasting a pass in Chelsea's demolition job at The Riverside, but it was Rooney's infectious enthusiasm and invention that wins him his second gong in as many weeks. The England favourite added to his double-brace for his country over the past seven days with United's first in Saturday evening's 4-0 defeat of West Brom. Prior to Rooney's opener Tony Mowbray's Baggies had proved stubborn to break down, but once the talismanic forward broke the deadlock, the floodgates soon opened as West Brom were drowned by a special, special talent. Goal of the weekend Amr Zaki With every Zaki goal Wigan fans are left to ponder whether their celebrations will soon turn to ire, as the vultures circle on an Egyptian fast becoming the Premier League's hottest property. There were more than a few chortles of laughter when Dave Whelan claimed he had bagged the new Alan Shearer, but the JJB supremo appears to be on the money with his exalted assessment of the loanee. At Anfield the powerful striker showed he is not intimidated by the big boys, as his brace included a stunning scissor kick that caught the attention of an appreciative Anfield faithful. Manchester City were credited with holding an interest in the player in Sunday's press but for the moment, Zaki remains a man on a mission for Wigan. On any other weekend, Juliano Belletti's long-range missile against Middlesbrough would have taken the top prize. Performance of the weekend Hull v West Ham Chelsea and Manchester United had the look of champions against Middlesbrough and West Brom respectably, while Liverpool's fifth successive win after coming from behind again has raised more than a few eyebrows. Stoke's compounding of Tottenham's woes is a credit to the tenacity Tony Pulis' side showed at the Britannia, but it is Hull City's remarkable start to the season that continues to fascinate. Few gave Phil Brown's play-off winners a chance of retaining their first top flight place come the season's conclusion, but they are now almost halfway there following a 1-0 win over West Ham at the KC Stadium. Hull deservedly sit above Arsenal and Manchester United in the table, after Michael Turner's header saw another capital club fall at the hands of Brown's Tigers. Controversy of the weekend Phil Sharp's injury Aston Villa's home draw with Portsmouth was not the most entertaining of games but it will be one that lives in the memory for all of the wrong reasons. Assistant referee Phil Sharp was struck by a coin thrown by a Villa supporter - gashing his head badly in the process. Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp thought the coin had been meant for him and was understandably apoplectic at the final whistle, in calling for the culprit to be banned for life. Aston Villa have vowed to study CCTV footage in a bid to reprimand any supporter found to have brought the game to a sorry standstill on Saturday. Match of the weekend Liverpool 3 Wigan 2 Stoke's defeat of Tottenham had three goals, two red cards and as many penalties but it's Liverpool's laying down of their title credentials that steals this weekend's gong. Rafa Benitez will warn his side that stirring Roy of the Rovers comebacks can only take you so far, but secretly he must be delighted with the steely resolve - at times missing in the past - that his side have shown this term. Twice Zaki put Wigan on course for a welcome away day on Merseyside but even without Fernando Torres, Liverpool had enough to claim a last-gasp win that keeps them level on points with Chelsea. No luck of the weekend Kieran Richardson Richardson was at the hub of all that was good about Sunderland's performance at Fulham but at the final whistle had to content himself with a solitary point, rather than the three his creative promptings deserved. The midfielder saw one free-kick hit the woodwork a remarkable three times (some kind of record?), while another was harshly disallowed as Pascal Chimbonda was adjudged to have interfered with Fulham's defensive wall. Save of the weekend Paul Robinson Blackburn's goalkeeper is slowly playing himself into the type of form that once made him a permanent fixture between England's posts. Rovers boss Paul Ince has been delighted with his summer signing and never more so than when he flung himself across a slippy surface at The Reebok to repel Matthew Taylor's sweetly struck free-kick. All goalkeepers love a clean sheet and at Bolton, Robinson more than played his part in securing a share of the spoils. Miss of the weekend Jermain Defoe Portsmouth striker Defoe is enjoying a fine season to date on the South Coast but on his Midlands sojourn to Aston Villa at the weekend his predatory touch deserted him. When Villa failed to clear their lines following Armand Traore's crashing drive off the post, the goal appeared to be begging Defoe to steer home his sixth goal of the season. However, taking the acrobatic route, Defoe hammered the ball over the top of a relieved Brad Friedel and his crossbar. Depression of the weekend Juande Ramos, his players, Spurs supporters Tottenham boss Ramos may have endured worse weekends in his football career but there can't have been many. The Spaniard has now overseen the club's worst ever start to a league season and would appear to be hanging onto his position by the thinnest of threads. He inherited a squad in poor form under Martin Jol but it was nonetheless one that had finished fifth in the previous two seasons. The lingering spectre of Jol is only one that can be exorcised by a set of results that propel the club up the table. Going on Spurs' showing at Stoke - where they had two men sent-off and had the width of the goals to thank for not receiving a heavier defeat - Ramos has it all to do on the training field and in the dressing room over the next few weeks. =========================================== "... dalam hidup banyak-banyak lah memberi, jangan banyak meminta..." -Pak Harpan (Laskar Pelangi)- http://dheryudi.wordpress.com http://klikpliz.com/kangdude http://klikpliz.com/pulsaoke =========================================== [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
