Thierry has won the Opta Player of the Season award: http://www.arsenal.com/sportsappcon...e&type=com.sportapps.news.NewsItem&id=3847005 Some anti-Arsenal slap-ass "journalist," James Somebody, recently tried to make the argument that Van Nistledive should have won the Player of the Year award, which was given to Henry *twice* before the Opta award. I can't find the link to his anti-Arsenal screed right now, but I'll post it if I find it. Here's a link to one of his typical columns: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sports/sp...subsection=soccer&thesecondsubsection=general Anyway, now that Henry's 3-for-3, this pretty much puts this argument to rest, especially in light of his 20 assists. Also, Henry's near coast-to-coast goal against Sp*rs was picked by ITV as the goal of the season. Van Nistledive's 8 penalties apparently weren't considered.
First, I didn't see Ruud van Nostrildive anywhere in the top 20 list for assists. Second, why do they count PKs toward the golden boot? They're a given at least 80% of the time. Third, how about a Golden Boot scoring system where you get 2 points for a goal and one for an assist? That puts TH14 at 71 points to RvN's 50 points for goals and no more than 5 assists for a max of 55. Now who's the better player? Just an idea...
I like that idea, but you'll never see it. The purists will always say that goals are the only statistic (besides wins and losses) that matter for every player except the keeper. Assists are sort of an extra statistic that is kept just to see who the best setup men are in the game, but it's really only for show. I doubt that will change until the football purists, the ones who are appalled at the commercialism in the game now and talk of the "good old days" when the First Division teams had all English players and the terraces were still around, fall into the minority, like they have in baseball here.
For the record, it wasn't Lawton who said Henry didn't deserve the Player of the Year award, it was this unnamed prat in the Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/sport...0143&headline=WENGER LEFT WITH THE UGLY TRUTH Lawton still sucks, though.
I just saw the EPL review show and was totally sickened to see TH14 cheated out of the Golden Boot by the most blatent dive I've seen this season!!! Out of curiosity I wonder, as well as most shots on target, most assists and most goals from open play, how many times were penalties awarded for fouls on Henry. I don't remember him going to ground that often? The League uses video evidence to review fouls missed by officials. Why aren't they using similar evidence to punish players for cheating. Not only did Nistledive's little collapse cheat Henry out of the GB, an accolade he justly deserved, it could have denied Everton a UEFA cup spot.
Re: Re: TH - Opta Player of the Season; Goal of the Season Van Nistelrroy's dive was a shocking decision. But the ref was Mike Riley, a noted giver of penalties to Man Utd. The reason why Henry doesn't go to ground is that no-one can catch him to hack him down
If you don't count goals from PK's, how many goals does Ruud Van Divingeverysingletime have? Golden boot or no Golden Boot, we know who the better striker is.
And your question has been answered. While looking at another thread: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=49345 I came across hese two stats: 32% of all Ruud Van Nistelrooy's goals came from the penalty spot. 8 penalties taken by Ruud van Nistelrooy - the most by a single player in the Premiership. He scored them all. I do think that you don't give enough credit to those who take penalties. With our own well documented inability to take a decent penalty kick over the last few years, I think you must admit that it's not quite as easy as you make out.
Oh yes it is. p.s. David Batty & Paul Ince might beg to differ though, what the hell was Hoddle thinking anyhow?
I think we should get you on the coaching staff to give Henry, Bergkamp, Kanu et al some lessons Senor.