So the season’s over, who’d have thought back in August that Robin would play over 30 PL games, score 30 PL goals (only Titi has managed that feat for us since the PL era), score his 100th Arsenal goal, win the golden boot (again only Titi has managed that feat for us, again in the PL era), win the PFA and the Football Writers Player of the Year (only DB10 & guess who have managed that feat for us – ever). A great season for the mercurial Dutchman. One problem though, we won nothing. He’s so selfish!
So rather than wax lyrical on our Number 10 (he does deserve all the plaudits he gets), I thought I would look at some memorable moments of our season, where he didn’t figure on the scoresheet, plus look at who is in the top 3 players of the season (without him).
3 important games where RVP didn’t score.
1. Sunderland away, not the easiest of places to go. Mr O’Neill’s team were on great form and flying up the table (unfortunately, we found that out to our cost the following week in the FA Cup). We lost the big F@#king German in the build up to their goal and it all looked bleak until Aaron with a rare goal and a stoppage time winner from the old legend TH14 in his last game in England gave us a valuable 3 points. This moved us up to 4th and into the Champions League places. We would never fall below this for the rest of the season.
2. Man Citeh home, Easter Sunday, miserable weather, great performance against the future Champions (although they didn’t look anything like it. Not even a shot on target). Great strike from Mikel and doing the Poznan, oh how I laughed. Possibly our best performance of the season along with the spuds game at ES & Chelski away.
3. WBA away, I’m sure AW was teasing the Twitch for the last 3 weeks of the season (defeat at home to Wigan, draw against a knackered Chelsea, draw against the thugs with nothing to play for, and a draw against Norwich is hardly inspiring). Come on H, it’s all yours now, do you want that 3rd place, do you. Well you can’t have it. Yossi, Santos (the man who has an error and a moment of brilliance in every game he plays) and Laurent, plus not to mention Fulop’s comical keeping ensured a place straight into next season’s group stages.
Top 3 players of the season.
1. Laurent Koscielny, the Hans Christian Anderson man. Last season’s ugly duckling has transformed into one of the best centre halves in the Premier League. He may not have the same leadership attributes as a Kompany, Vermalean or Vidic, but he’s brave, intelligent, a much better tackler than last season plus the goal to ensure 3rd place. Don’t forget the odd driving run from defence (remember that run that lead to the penalty for the 3rd goal against Villa in the Cup?). The jury was out last season, but this year he has come on leaps and bounds.
2. Tomas Rosicky, aka Lazarus. The man has awoken from the dead. He’s reminded us that he is the Czech Rep captain. Since the turn of the year, he has been the inspiration (along with RVP of course) in dragging us into 3rd place. Definitely worth his new contract. Excellent against the spuds and the ill fated 2nd leg against Milan. A big change from the man who turned his back against Manure on that horrible Sunday in August.
3. Sagna, the most missed player of the season. Controversial one this, I know he ain’t played much. Having 2 fractures in a season, is a tad unlucky! However, I can’t help but think, had he’d been as available as much as our captain, we would be a lot closer to the Manc clubs (I don’t think we would have won the league though (I’m not that blinkered)!). the most consistent player in the team.
So there you have it, a special mention to Arteta, I remember a lot of Everton fans thinking we had paid over the odds for a 30 plus year old. However, his calming influence and PL savvy have been a big factor in our improvement since that disastrous start to the season. However, I think his appearances will be a little bit limited when JW19 returns to the fold.
Here’s to Wimbledon and the Olympics – BORING!
K.T.F
Statto
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