Half-season awards 2023/24: Greatest sport, funniest Roy Keane second, MNF star and far more! | Soccer Information

Aim of the season up to now: Let’s be trustworthy, this may not be overwhelmed this season and even this decade. Man Utd teenager Alejandro Garnacho silenced Goodison Park by scoring one of many biggest objectives in Premier League historical past with a merely gorgeous overhead kick. Roll the tape…

Sport of the season up to now: Tottenham 1-4 Chelsea. 5 objectives scored, 5 objectives disallowed, two purple playing cards, a hat-trick, a penalty and Tottenham’s ridiculously excessive line. A bona fide Premier League traditional.

Worst strategy of the season up to now: “That is fallacious that, Daz.” The toe-curling VAR audio from Luis Diaz’s disallowed objective towards Tottenham uncovered the communication points between officers which led to a change of protocol and even pilots being referred to as in to assist. Effectively achieved boys, good course of.

Unsung hero of the season up to now: “Wait, wait, wait, wait. The on-field resolution was offside. Are you pleased with this? Delay the sport, delay the sport. Cease the sport.” The VAR Replay Operator did his greatest to forestall the farcical Diaz resolution. We’ll keep in mind you.

MNF visitor of the season up to now: What’s higher than returning to the membership that sacked you and beating them on their turf? Exhibiting everybody precisely how you probably did it on Monday Evening Soccer! Gary O’Neil arrived at Sky Studios armed with video clips from Wolves coaching of how they deliberate to beat Bournemouth and in-game examples of it paying off. There was additionally time for him to interrupt down their victory over Man Metropolis. A footballing masterclass!

Roy Keane’s greatest one-liner of the season up to now: Magician Dynamo wowed Sky Sports activities pundits Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards by turning fireplace into ice, however Roy Keane was tougher to impress. “It is his job, is not it?” he smirked.

Participant of the season up to now: That is all the time a tricky one to name at this stage. Whereas Erling Haaland leads the scoring charts with 14 and 4 assists in 15 matches, Mo Salah has notched 11 and contributed seven assists in 17 for Liverpool. Ollie Watkins has 9 objectives and 6 assists. Heung-Min Son has scored 10 and made 4. Take your choose.

The EFL’s most ridiculous second of the season up to now: Wycombe thought they have been heading for a degree at Barnsley deep into damage time in November. That was till goalkeeper Max Stryjek went down theatrically whereas holding the ball in an try to waste time after a nudge from Sam Cosgrove. The ball, although, slipped from Stryjek’s grasp and Cosgrove was capable of faucet into an empty internet for the winner.

Rant of the season up to now: “It is embarrassing, it is a shame, that is what it’s, a shame. It isn’t acceptable, there’s an excessive amount of at stake. We’re losing our time. It can not proceed. I really feel sick.” Mikel Arteta raged after Anthony Gordon’s successful objective for Newcastle was allowed to face and Arsenal then introduced they “wholeheartedly” supported his rant.

Lawyer of the season up to now: Remarkably, Arteta’s tirade went unpunished by an independent regulatory commission after he was charged by the FA. Arteta’s defence was that a part of his interview had been misplaced in translation as a result of the English which means of ‘shame’ which suggests contempt, dishonour or disrespect has a special which means to the Spanish ‘desgracia’ which has connotations of misfortune, tragedy or unhealthy luck. Saul Goodman would have been happy with that one.

Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton’s argument of the season up to now: These two have been all the time going to provide fireworks over their Rangers and Celtic allegiances and so they haven’t upset. Their first clash came after Rangers’ opening day defeat however it was earlier this month discussing Celtic’s January switch plans that introduced out their greatest. “You are speaking absolute nonsense!” stated Sutton, “You idiot!”.

Crew of the season up to now: Who noticed this coming from Aston Villa? Virtually high of the league earlier than Christmas and into the Europa Convention League final 16. Who is aware of the place they may be or what they may be lifting in Could.

Supervisor of the season up to now: Unai Emery has transformed Aston Villa. Ollie Watkins has discovered constant goal-scoring type, John McGinn is taking part in in addition to he is ever been, they’ve nailed constructing assaults from the again and their offside lure is impeccably timed and coordinated. Emery may not have received a Supervisor of the Month award but however he has this one.

Efficiency of the season up to now: The one problem with this efficiency was the 1-0 scoreline. Unai Emery tactically dismantled Pep Guardiola as Aston Villa earned an announcement victory over Man Metropolis. Metropolis tried simply two pictures, each within the eleventh minute, which is the fewest ever tried by a Guardiola staff whereas the 22 from Villa was the joint-most confronted by considered one of his sides.

Worst resolution towards Gary O’Neil of the season up to now: You possibly can make an creation calendar for the unhealthy selections Gary O’Neil has confronted this season, and the actual fact it hasn’t turned him right into a footballing equal of Ebenezer Scrooge is to his immense credit score. Sasa Kalajdzic, congratulations – getting thumped within the head by Andre Onana was price it in any case. You may not have received the blatant penalty you deserved, however you have bought a greater prize right here.

Signing of the season up to now: Was £105m for Declan Rice too low-cost? The midfielder has made an instantaneous impression to Mikel Arteta’s facet which is extra defensively sound this season. Except for doing his day job very, very properly, Rice has additionally chipped in with two essential late objectives in wins towards Luton and Manchester United.

Celebration of the season up to now: There are a number of first rate contenders for this one so we’ll allow you to resolve. There may be Buakyo Saka stealing James Maddison’s dart-throwing celebration within the North London Derby, Jeremy Doku’s completely executed ‘Griddy’ and Jack Grealish’s Diego Maradona-esque celebration down the digital camera lens towards Spurs.

Jones Is aware of’ greatest tip of the season up to now: Gustavo Hamer scoring first at 22/1 vs Tottenham, maybe? Or Chelsea’s 0-0 with Bournemouth at 16/1 that broke a run of 51 video games with out a scoreless draw was a savage shout for people who learn our weekly predictions column. However Jones Is aware of prides himself on his Greatest Bets column and the 15 factors of revenue gained from Dejan Kulusevski’s objective for Spurs at Manchester Metropolis that was suggested with double stakes at 15/2 actually warmed his cockles and his revenue and loss margin.

Jones Is aware of’ worst tip of the season up to now: Writing forward of Aston Villa’s residence conflict with Brighton, our tipster confidently declared: “Aston Villa stay a staff being grossly overrated and are set for a interval of sticky outcomes. I am all the time eager on backing Brighton when priced as an outsider – like they’re right here at 8/5 with Sky Guess. Away win it’s.” Aston Villa 6-1 Brighton. Ouch.

Save of the season up to now: It was a save that pressured Aaron Ramsdale to place a courageous face on. David Raya went sprawling to his proper to claw away what appeared like a sure objective from Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson and preserve Arsenal stage within the North London Derby. The Sky Sports activities cameras rapidly panned to the benched Ramsdale, who had no choice however to show his admiration for the save made by the person who had taken his job.

WSL objective of the season up to now: What higher technique to win the north London derby than with a 13-pass transfer? Tottenham’s excellent staff objective began on the toes of goalkeeper Barbora Votikova and was rounded off by Martha Thomas.

WSL return of the 12 months up to now: ACL accidents are merciless, simply ask Arsenal Girls. 4 such accidents in a single season is hard going, however whereas two stay sidelined, famous person ahead pairing Beth Mead and Viv Miedema are again in motion. The league is actually a greater place with them in it and the Gunners’ title cost additionally a extra practical ambition.

WSL shock exit up to now: Emma Hayes. Chelsea’s Emma Hayes. The pair go hand in hand. Will probably be unusual to see one other determine within the Chelsea dugout subsequent season, after Hayes departs to supervise the US nationwide staff. Query is, after unprecedented success – the likes of that are unlikely to ever be seen once more – can she exit with one final bang?

Wonderkid of the season up to now: What have been you doing on the age of 17? Lewis Miley grew to become Newcastle’s youngest-ever participant to attain for the membership aged 17 and 229 days earlier this month and has proved if you’re good enough then you’re old enough. Pesky children.

Heartwarming second of the season up to now: Luis Diaz marked his return to the Liverpool squad in November for the primary time since his father was kidnapped in Colombia by heading in an equaliser at Luton earlier than revealing a ‘Libertad Para Papa’ (Freedom for Dad) message beneath his shirt. Luis Manuel Díaz was then freed four days later after over a fortnight in captivity.

Commentary line of the season up to now: “Metropolis’s boy is Chelsea’s man!” Peter Drury completely referred to as Cole Palmer’s injury-time equaliser for Chelsea to earn a 4-4 draw towards the membership he joined on the age of eight.

Pundit debut of the season up to now: Daniel Sturridge actually made his mark on his first Tremendous Sunday look again in August. Away from his striker perception, the ex-Liverpool and England ahead entertained with an impression of Roy Keane after which confirmed off his dulcet tones when performing his ‘initiation tune’ – Usher’s Good & Gradual. “The place did all of it go fallacious?” concluded Keane.