Third year running. Can’t let anything like an awful season spoil tradition.
Leave your own awards in the comments. You know, when you're in the mood to relive this glorious campaign.
Player of the season:
1) Pepe Reina (Without a doubt. Unanimous decision.)
2) Javier Mascherano (His usual monstrous self once Argentina qualified for the World Cup.)
3) Fernando Torres (Let’s not imagine what would have happened had he been fit the whole time.)
Most pleasing result:
1) Liverpool 2-0 United
2) Liverpool 1-0 Everton
3) Liverpool 4-1 Benfica
Most dominating performance:
1) Liverpool 6-1 Hull
2) Liverpool 4-0 Burnley (h)
3) Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland
Most entertaining game:
1) Liverpool 4-1 Benfica
2) Liverpool 2-0 United
3) Liverpool 3-0 Lille
Most underrated player:
1) Sotiros Kyrgiakos (Direly needed his aerial ability after Sami's exit.)
2) Pepe Reina (Will be on this list until everyone recognizes he’s the best keeper in the league and one of the top three in the world.)
3) Lucas (Sorry. Had to. It's true, though.)
Young player of the season (PFA does 23 or younger, I’m using 21):
1) Emiliano Insua
2) David Ngog
3) Daniel Ayala
It’s a close call between Ayala and Pacheco, both only 19. While the glimpses of Pacheco tantalized, Liverpool only let in one goal during the 234 minutes Ayala played over five games. And that goal came with nine men on the field. Otherwise, two clean sheets in starts against Stoke and Burnley, while he steadied the ship as a substitute against Spurs and Chelsea. Had Kelly stayed healthy, he’d probably be #3, though.
Also, I’d rather not start more fights over Insua; I know he was skinned often and got worse as the campaign went on. But he was absolutely thrown in the deep end with a brick tied to his ankle because of injuries and a lack of resources, and performed adequately – despite his struggles since mid-season – for his age and experience. Baptism by fire.
Best Signing:
1) Sotiros Kyrgiakos
2) Glen Johnson
3) Maxi Rodriguez
So, yeah, Liverpool barely made enough signings to have this list. Yes, I know Aquilani’s missing. Next season will be his true test. And two consecutive years where I struggle to fill out this category – two seasons where Liverpool’s been ballin’ on a budget – probably isn’t a good thing.
Best Goal:
1) Torres 1-0 Sunderland
2) Aquilani 3-0 Portsmouth
3) Kuyt 3-0 Stoke
The annual Top 10 video will be up in the next couple of days. Yes, I’m surprised Gerrard’s not in the top three.
Worst performance of the season:
1) Liverpool 0-2 Pompey
2) Liverpool 0-1 Wigan
3) Liverpool 0-2 Fiorentina
Toughest category by far.
Stomach punch of the season:
1) Liverpool 2-1 Atletico aet
2) Liverpool 1-2 Reading aet
3) Liverpool 1-1 Lyon
Unsurprisingly, this was the second-toughest category.
Daylight Robbery:
1) Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland
2) Liverpool 1-2 Spurs
3) Liverpool 1-2 Fiorentina
Also difficult.
False Dawns/Non-Turning Points:
1) Liverpool 2-0 Everton
2) Liverpool 2-0 Spurs
3) Liverpool 2-0 United
Sigh.
3 comments :
Looking over the whole rhythm of the season, it is difficult to imagine it going any worse--I mean, obviously we're not getting relegated or anything, but just the whole cycle of shit, shit, rotten luck, injury, false hope, more shit etc. Really it's those early games against Villa and Spurs that stand out; I didn't want to admit it at the time but we did lose the league in the first couple of weeks.
I would bump that 0-1 to Wigan up as worst performance of the year, just because there was absolutely no excuse for it, with a shout in for the 1-2 to Reading as well. Leaving the ground that night I expected to see people throwing themselves under buses. The Pompey game was awful, yes, but a 12:30 kickoff on the South Coast is a tough ask no matter how bad the opposition is.
As far as robbery, not on the scale of the ones listed, but I would add in a mention of the 0-2 to Chelsea at the Bridge--thought we played some very good stuff there, went toe to toe with a team that was devastating at home all year, and didn't deserve to lose.
I think also this season requires another category to be added, something like:
Consolations, however scant:
1) tremendous promise in the youth ranks
2) still even on league titles
3) no English teams even in semis of CL--nor did Real succeed in buying it (did want to see Barca win it in the Bernabeu but oh well)
oh and:
4) World Cup this summer as distraction
Player of the season:
1) Pepe Reina
Most pleasing result:
3) Liverpool 4-1 Benfica
Always good to beat United, but this felt much, much more like a turning point. Wasn't to be, but felt like it.
Most dominating performance:
1) Liverpool 6-1 Hull
Most entertaining game:
1) Liverpool 4-1 Benfica
Most underrated player:
4) Alberto Aquilani. Once he got going, and Rafa found the right place for him, he was a revelation.
Young player of the season (PFA does 23 or younger, I’m using 21):
1) Emiliano Insua (not always great but what a warrior)
Best Signing:
2) Glen Johnson (when he was good, he was a delight)
Best Goal:
1) Torres 1-0 Sunderland (by a mile)
Worst performance of the season:
1) Liverpool 0-2 Pompey
Stomach punch of the season:
4) Liverpool 0-1 Balloon - I know its below, but it was the first punch to the gut of the season.
Daylight Robbery:
1) Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland
False Dawns/Non-Turning Points:
4) Liverpool 4-1 Benfica
Thanks!
Player of the season:
1) Pepe Reina (Without a doubt. Unanimous decision.)
Most pleasing result:
1) Liverpool 2-0 United
Most dominating performance:
3) Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland
Most entertaining game:
1) Liverpool 4-1 Benfica
Most underrated player:
3) Lucas (Sorry. Had to. It's true, though.)
Young player of the season (PFA does 23 or younger, I’m using 21):
3) Daniel Ayala
I am really impressed by Ayala, he is really comfortable on the ball for such a big lad. Reminds me of Hyypia. He has the potential to be a class act.
Best Signing:
3) Maxi Rodriguez
Argentine international got a free, can't get better than that. How many former club captains do we have in our squads now?
Best Goal:
1) Torres 1-0 Sunderland
Worst performance of the season:
1) Liverpool 0-2 Pompey
I really hope we don't get Lee Mason as ref ever again.
Stomach punch of the season:
1) Liverpool 2-1 Atletico aet
Daylight Robbery:
1) Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland
Beach ball magic. It can only happen to Liverpool. Can someone get introduce a feng shui master to Rafa?
False Dawns/Non-Turning Points:
3) Liverpool 2-0 United
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