Ah, it’s that time of the year again and I simply love it. No, not Christmas, but the end of the year lists that all end up being about the same everywhere you look. Seriously, I think every music magazine has awarded album of the year to Kanye West, but that’s a topic for another article. Here we discuss the Premier League and the individual footballers that make it one of the best leagues in the world.

2010 has been quite interesting if you’re a fan of the Premier League. We’ve seen current Champions Chelsea start the season on a flier only to loose out on some key players and suffer once again from the goings on behind the scenes as owner Roman Abramovich and his cronies have their way. Adding parity to the Premier League, all three promoted teams are comfy in mid table or there abouts while once boring Bolton have enjoyed a mini resurgence under current boss Owen Coyle. The end of last season’s title race was a close one with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney picking up most of the accolades. Chelsea were deserved Champions but Manchester City and Tottenham have emerged as serious title contenders in the last four months.

While familiar faces currently hold the top two spots in the standings, 2010 hasn’t been the kind of year dominated by English football’s ‘big 4′. Liverpool are re-building under Roy Hodgson, Manchester United have been solid without being great, and Arsenal seem to be plagued by the same old problems that have hindered their title credentials for the last few years. Critics will say that the big 4′s lack of dominance has burdened an already top heavy league while proponents will argue just the opposite. Regardless of your stance on the overall theme of this year’s Premier League, there have been some standout performances which we’ll now take a look at in the form of the league’s best starting XI.

Author’s Note: While not an easy feat, the following list has been complied by analyzing performances from the entire 2010 calendar year. If readers fail to see a player on the list they feel was deserved, it’s likely said player had a great few months but was injured, suffered a drop in form, fell to the fact that only one player can occupy each position or simply wasn’t good enough over the course of the last 12 months. As always, feel free to leave comments and suggestions in the space below.

Goalkeeper – Joe Hart, Manchester City- While Chelsea’s Petr Cech has enjoyed his best form since 2007, the league’s best keeper thus far has been the England #1 Hart. Hart started 2010 on loan with Brum then was called back to his parent club Manchester City. He began the season in the kind of super-human form football fans are used to seeing on highlight reels and maybe even in their dreams. Manchester City are chasing the title and with Hart healthy, fit and between the sticks, they’ll feel their shot at the title will increase.

Right Back -Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea- Having filled in for the injured, first choice right back at Chelsea Jose Bosingwa, Ivanovic slowly claimed the spot as his very own over 2010 yet remains available to fill in in defense wherever needed. A good crosser of the ball when getting forward to support attacks, Ivanovic is a staunch defender and able to score the occasional goal from a set piece when opportunities present themselves.

Central Defender -  Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United – Vidic has arguably been the league’s best defender for a couple of years as well as this calendar year of 2010. Strong, smart and with brilliant defensive positioning, Vidic remains a staple in the heart of United’s back line and should be considered as one of the best defenders in the world.

Central Defender – Vincent Kompany, Manchester City- Although City have been leaky recently, they’re not challenging for the title for nothing. They finished last year in fifth and look to improve upon that this season. Kompany has been a rock solid defender for City through their resurgence up the table.

Left Back – Leighton Baines, Everton- Ashley Cole and Patrice Evra have also had a great 2010, but I grow tired of players the likes of Leighton Baines missing out on recognition. Baines has been one of a few standouts on an Everton side with not much to gloat about in recent weeks. And although one could argue that Baines isn’t asked to do as much as the aforementioned Cole and Evra, he remains as important to his team as Cole and Evra do to theirs. Baines just missed out on joining England at last summer’s World Cup to Aston Villa’s Stephen Warnock but it wasn’t because of form, but more because of the experienced players in front of him. Baines is a solid defender and possesses the attacking abilities that modern day full backs need to enhance the shape of their team moving forward.

Midfield (Right) – Nani, Manchester United- Nani’s stock has risen immensely in 2010 with some great wing play on the right, a number of important goals scored and has shown he possesses the kind of footballing maturity needed to succeed at United. Nani was brilliant in last season’s away victory at Arsenal on 31 January by turning in a man of the match performance and remains one of the league’s most dangerous attackers when on form.

Midfield (Attacking) – Samir Nasri, Arsenal- The brilliant Nasri can play on either flank or in central midfield in an attacking role. Quite possibly the league’s form player so far this season, Nasri has been an instrumental play-maker and attacker as Arsenal chase the Premier League title. Quick, a good link player, a goal scorer and emerging as a leader while Cesc Fabregas continues to struggle with injury, Nasri has excelled as a footballer in 2010.

Midfield (Defensive) – Nigel de Jong, Manchester City- What a year City midfielder Nigel de Jong has had for both club and country. His exploits in South Africa, while at times controversial, earned him a starting spot in the Final v Spain while he remains a staple with club. Strong in the tackle, a good distributor of the ball and a solid defender, de Jong is currently one of the most effective defensive midfielders in the Premier League.

Midfield (Left) – Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur – No one in the world has been as effective on the left side of midfield in world football in 2010 as Bale has been for Spurs. First a left back with attacking abilities and now an out and out attacking winger, Bale’s stock has risen higher than any footballer this year. Bale’s a strong, marauding runner, a brilliant crosser of the ball, dangerous over a free kick and can score goals. His trickery in attack is only matched by his effectiveness when running at defenders while his abilities to defend shouldn’t be overlooked.

Forward – Didier Drogba, Chelsea- Drogba hasn’t been at his best in recent weeks, yet he’s still a top five goal scorer this season and was last season’s highest scorer. Although he’s battled sickness and injury, Drogba remains a threat the moment he steps out onto the pitch and let’s not forget, Chelsea are the title holders largely because of how good Drogba was earlier this year.

Forward – Carlos Tevez, Manchester City- Like Drogba, Tevez is always near the top of the goals scored list while his work rate remains mostly unmatched by any other forward in the Premier League. I’m happy to hear that he’s rescinded his transfer request and will remain at City, at least for the time being. Tevez is one of the league’s best and most exciting players to watch.

Bench: John Terry, Chelsea – Patrice Evra, Manchester United – Petr Cech, Chelsea – Darren Fletcher, Manchester United, Roger Johnson, Birmingham City – Florent Malouda, Chelsea – Wayne Rooney, Manchester United – Darren Bent, Sunderland – Stewart Downing, Aston Villa

Harry Redknapp was right to be bullish after Saturdays amazing fight back against Arsenal at the Emirates, for too long Tottenham have promised much and delivered little. Spending wise Tottenham have ploughed millions in the club with little real achievement to show for it, but under Redknapp the club has begun to make strides on that investment. For too long, Tottenham have been nearly men, with no significant breakthrough or consistency to the team and its results.

Ironically, it seems it took Spurs to actually hit rock bottom to finally realise just what was required. For too long, too many players have come to Tottenham thinking it was an easy switch. Too many players who can play when it suits them, but when they need to dig in and fight for a result, they’d go missing. In fact, there’s still a couple at the club now, but probably not for much longer.

Redknapp has thrown the gauntlet down to Daniel Levy, the chairman by asking him to get the two players he feels the club need to continue moving forwards in the January transfer window. For me, the club need to concentrate on two key positions, right midfield and left back. Ask an honest Spurs fan what the teams weak spot is and they’ll point to left back as a key weakness. Now, that’s not to say Benoit Assou-Ekoto is not a competent full back, he just has a tendency to switch off when you least require it.

It’s odd how football unbalanced football squads can sometimes be and at Tottenham, they have a completely unbalanced defence in terms of cover. At right back, the club currently have 5 players that can play right back. Hutton, Corluka, Kaboul, Naughton and Walker but the latter two are out on loan. At left back it’s a case of Assou-Ekotto or Bale and Bale is far more dangerous further up the field as a left midfielder. Ironically, Kyle Walker can play left back, but has yet to be given the opportunity and it’s a clear position that needs strengthening.

Perhaps more contentiously, the right midfield/winger role is one that has seen either Aaron Lennon or David Bentley fill in. Bentley for whatever reason just hasn’t been able to show anything like the form he had with Blackburn Rovers, Lennon suffers from a lack of real consistency and quality of delivery. Of the two, Lennon has the extra option of blistering pace and can burn teams with it, but too many times his delivery lets him down. For Tottenham to progress to true title contenders, they need someone who can mix both Lennons pace and Bentley’s passing and set piece play.

The one advantage Lennon has is that he is still only 23, so perhaps there is time for Redknapp and his coaching staff to add the parts of his game that are missing or lack real consistency. To do that Lennon has to focus purely on improving his technique, pace alone at this level is no longer enough. Of the two, I’d rather keep Lennon due his undoubted potential.Added to this though is how the club are viewing their transfers in regards to the ability of new signings to play in the Champions League.

It certainly makes Tottenham more appealing, as Rafael van der Vaart’s arrival showed, but can Tottenham find the quality of players they need who are not cup tied in Europe? This will be a crucial transfer window for Spurs and their fans.

Leave me your thoughts below and you can find me at www.twitter.com/paulbestall

The funny thing about the Premier League is that you never quite know how things will turn out until matters play out on the pitch. Before the weekend, many were waxing poetic on Chelsea’s very realistic chance of thrashing Sunderland by four, maybe five to Sunderland’s sad nil. Sunderland failed to get that memo though and while Arsenal were able to hold serve away to Everton, participants in the Premier League title race now looks to be a competitive three.

As injuries continued to pile up and plague an Aston Villa side who were coming off a dramatic midweek win against Blackpool, many assumed Manchester United would have their way at Villa Park to close the gap on leaders Chelsea. Even though Villa eventually conceded a point to United after going up by two goals, United were no where near the dominating force many said they would be.

And lastly in the ‘let’s just see how things play out’ saga, Liverpool, just last weekend disposed of Chelsea in grand fashion at Anfield while it seems the ‘one step forward, two steps back’ saying could prove to be an accurate moniker for Liverpool’s season as the Reds stumbled to a 0-2 defeat against Stoke City.

So while Premier League detractors continue to spout the evil rhetoric that denotes a lack of parity in England’s top flight, the faithful and the believers in the league just need to point to gameweek 13, its results and excitement, as proof things aren’t always as they seem and that there’s some pretty good reasons why the game continues to be played out on the pitch.

Honorable Mentions -

Marc Albrighton, Aston Villa- Villa were quite dangerous when Albrighton possessed the ball at his feet on the right flank and crossed into the box. The extremely effective and pacy winger used his full bag of tricks to torment Patrice Evra and provide relevant service that only required a decent target man to head home. Although Albrighton missed what should have been a certain goal when he headed a stunning Stewart Downing cross across the face of United’s goal and out, he soon made up for the miscue.

After Villa opened up the scoring through an Ashley Young penalty, Albrighton finished a picture perfect counter attack when he tapped in another great Stewart Downing cross (Downing too was brilliant on the day). Soon after his strike to double Villa’s lead, Albrighton this time proved a defensive asset when he saved one by heading away Rio Ferdinand’s close range effort.

Aston Villa currently hold the key to the future (and the present) with some of their young players. Barry Bannan, Nathan Delfouneso, Jonathan Hogg and Albrighton himself look a good lot for Villa to hold onto and nurture for the upcoming years.

Nedum Onuoha, Sunderland- You just knew someone from Sunderland would make the list, didn’t you? Shouts for Danny Welbeck, Asamoah Gyan and Jordan Henderson all crossed my mind while it was Sunderland’s starting right back who eventually gets the mention for his all-around good play on Sunday. Sunderland produced a master class in counter attacking football in their eventual 0-3 victory at Stamford Bridge and while the victory should largely be credited to Steve Bruce’s tactics and the overall team effort, it’s hard to leave a Black Cat off the list.

Sunderland’s opener was the first time a visiting player scored at the Bridge this season and wasn’t it one to behold? Onuoha picked up the ball some 30+ yards from goal and ‘Messi’d’ his way past three Chelsea players before slotting home a slow roller past Petr Cech for a deserved lead. It was arguably the goal of the weekend as it stunned the Stamford Bridge crowd and even the match commentators.

While Onuoha continued to hold down the fort on Sunderland’s right side, Jordan Henderson’s ball into the path of Asamoah Gyan for Sunderland’s second was a thing of beauty and unlocked Chelsea again before Danny Welbeck tapped in a third to seal a now famous victory.

Samir Nasri, Arsenal- No stranger to this list, Nasri has arguably been Arsenal’s best and most consistent player this season. In his right-ish attacking midfield role, Nasri played creator with his pace, passing ability and vision during Sunday’s 1-2 away win against Everton. The victory put Arsenal second in the table and sets them up nicely for next weekend’s North London derby against Tottenham.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

Gareth Bale, Tottenham- Also no stranger to this list and he’ll continue to appear until he proves otherwise, Bale was up to his usual tricks on Saturday against Blackburn. Equal parts goal scorer and provider, Bale remains the lynch-pin to a Tottenham team who currently look solid, but just maybe spread a little thin as a top four spot continues to elude them. Tottenham should qualify for the round of 16 in the Champions League, an incredible feat for a club who were so recently rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table under Juande Ramos.

While the Ramos days are far gone, the Redknapp and Bale days seem to be here to stay. Bale bagged a brace in Spurs 4-2 win over Blackburn on Saturday, his brilliant snap header to open the scoring was easily the highlight of the day. For Bale, one would assume it should be impossible to keep this kind of form up for much longer. But as the Welsh wizard continues to score and provide vital goals for his club from the position of left midfield, the assumption that Gareth Bale is a flash in the pan remains one only held by those who know little about football.

If the 2009-10 season was the one in which Bale announced his name to the Premier League, then the 2010-11 campaign looks to be the one in which Bale’s name appears along side the league’s best.

Phew!! Well what can I say? If it hadn’t been for the antics of Nani and the reliable consistency of Charlie Adam, last week’s effort would have been disastrous. This could end up being a cryptic tips column where doing the exact opposite will prove the most rewarding! I have always been taught to hold your hands up and admit when you are wrong, well my arms are aching having been raised apologetically all week.

My quest for redemption begins at the back where there is a definite bargain to be had. Jose Bosingwa is fit again and available for 5.6 million. He may not have forced his way back into the Chelsea starting eleven yet, but he will, and if you have space to add to your squad I recommend you snap him up before his value increases.

There are more defensive bargains available. Liverpool’s Sotirios Kyrgiakos may play havoc with most spellcheckers but is a snip at 5.1 million. The Greek is proving to be a rock at the back for the Reds and a threat going forward at set pieces.

White Hart Lane’s current hot topic is marauding down the left wing, but if you cast your eye to the opposite flank you will see that Alan Hutton has slotted in very well at right back. He is a rampaging attack minded full back and is excellent value at 4.8 million.

Now that I’ve mentioned it I can’t ignore it. Gareth Bale has the World at his feet after having had Maicon on toast, and remarkably the Welsh wonder is currently available for 6.7 million. How the likes of Man Utd, Barcelona, Inter Milan et al must wish that Fantasy League transfer fees translated directly into the real world.

If you don’t feel like hopping on board the Bale bandwagon then for the same price you can pick up Fulham’s goal getting midfielder Clint Dempsey, or for an extra million you can opt for Arsenal’s Samir Nasri. Both are locked on 47 points and are both are bang in form.

Last week’s big tip Emile Heskey won’t be kicking any balls for a while, no, he hasn’t rediscovered his World Cup form, the big striker has picked up a knee injury. I’d look to Blackpool’s front line to fill the gap, Luke Varney and Gary Taylor-Fletcher, 4.6 and 4.5 million respectively, are performing well and confidence will be high after picking up their first home win of the Season.

I can’t leave without mentioning Newcastle, after a barnstorming derby win against Sunderland Messrs. Nolan, Barton, Carroll and Ameobi will be looking to capitalise on Arsenals disappointing showing in the Champions League. The exciting thing about Newcastle this season is their total unpredictability, Sunday’s lunchtime clash at the Emirates could be a high scoring classic.

If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/  the code you need to join is 13413-5300

Once again Gareth Bale starred for Tottenham in the Champions League, with two stunning assists that helped the Champions League new-boys to a memorable 3-1 win over the tournament holders Inter Milan.

Bale had already sent out a warning to Rafa Benitez’s side two weeks ago, when with Spurs four goals, and a man down, he ran the Inter defence ragged, ending the night with three excellent goals and a memorable hat-trick.

In many ways his performance tonight may just prove to be even more important, because it demonstrates that his display in the San Siro was no fluke. While fans in the Premier League have been aware of Bale’s ability for some time now, he is only just beginning to establish himself on the European stage.

Consistency in his performances is now crucial if Bale wishes to establish himself as one of the world’s best footballers, and if he can continue to turn out displays like he has been recently there is no reason why he shouldn’t.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp couldn’t have heaped any more praise on Bale when speaking after the Inter win. Redknapp said: “He was amazing. Maicon is rated as the best right-back in the world and what he’s done to him over the last two games is amazing. He can cross, his left foot is great on the run, he can shoot, dribble, head it, he’s got everything.”

Bale is now arguably the first name on the Spurs team-sheet and this is quite unbelievable when you consider he is only 21. In years to come you really do see him starring at the very highest stage, because his potential his limitless.

I have no doubt that the world’s super clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona will come hunting for Bale in the not so distant future, and it will really be a test of Spurs’ ambition as to whether they sell or not. To challenge for the Premier League they need to keep hold of Bale, he is that vital to their future.

That is not just a measure of how good Bale is now, but how good he could be. The talent is there, the work ethic is there, and now the confidence is there. Barring injuries Bale really could go down as one of the Premier League’s best ever players.

Just yesterday I claimed that Tottenham needed to strengthen if they were going to challenge in Europe and domestically this season. While I thought a big name signing was unlikely I have been proved wrong in spectacular circumstances as Harry Redknapp made a sensational swoop for Dutch playmaker Rafael van der Vaart.

At a reported £8 million the deal is an unbelievable scoop for Tottenham and hopefully could give the squad a real boost when they return from international duty.

Van der Vaart is exactly what Tottenham need. He was almost a little unfortunate not to succeed in Madrid and probably suffered from a change in management shortly after arriving. His ability though was never doubted, but in a team of galacticos he was always going to struggle to hold down a first team place.

But at Tottenham you can’t see this been a problem. I expect him to be used as the advanced midfielder allowing for Luka Modric to compete with the ever improving Gareth Bale for a spot on Tottenham left flank.

If anything I expect it to be in Europe where Van der Vaart has the most impact. Redknapp will be well aware that most teams will play five across the midfield, and he really needed an extra man to be used in the middle of park.

Van der Vaart fits the bill perfectly and will slot in to a 4-5-1 system comfortably.  His experience of playing in Holland, Germany and Spain could prove absolutely priceless to Spurs as they look to cause a stir at Europe’s top table.

Redknapp has proved me wrong with the capture of Van der Vaart, and once again shown that there are bargains to be had by acting late in the transfer market. Now I want him to back up my claims that the Dutch midfielder can help take the club to the next level.

• 6-0, the new 1-0.
• Parity, maybe? Well, not really.

Three Barclays Premier League matches ended 6-0 this weekend with one still left to come Monday night. As the parity debate rages on concerning the overall quality of Premier League teams 1-20, gameweek 2 went a long way in proving just how unequal the league currently is, or did it?

Usual suspects Chelsea repeated their opening weekend thrashing of Nobody United while beautiful passing home boys Arsenal properly welcomed Tangerine Ltd. to the Premier League by the same score.

A plethora of goals were seen Saturday and Sunday would be no different. Sunday would also host the weekend’s best match that saw Fulham fail to capitulate after conceding a late OG and earn a well deserved draw against Manchester United.

After Aston Villa’s gameweek 1 victory over West Ham (who are having a horrid start), one could have been granted the freedom to assume they’d do something similar to the back-in-the-big-time-boys Newcastle United. This time, parity won. Newcastle were brilliant in all things football related on the day as Villa played as if they’d been out on a serious bender the night before. Surely not many Newcastle supporters or Premier League fans would have guessed the Toon could have pulled a Chelsea or Arsenal and post 6 against the boys from Birmingham. Welcome back Newcastle.

So, was parity the winner or is gameweek 2 still too early to tell how equal this league is from top to bottom? Flukes? Defenses still finding their cohesion? Or, the most uneven league in Europe?

Honorable Mentions -

Andy Carroll, Newcastle United – There was something rewarding and maybe even a little charming in watching Newcastle thump Villa at home on Sunday in front of their supporters. I guess I have a soft spot for the Northern club who’ve had a tumultuous time in the Premier League in recent years. When Steve Harper was adjudged to have brought down Ashley Young for a penalty, I suddenly got the feeling that this match was going to mirror one from the 2008-09 season which saw Newcastle relegated. Cue John Carew to the penalty spot and one match-changing blast off later and Newcastle had new life and a renewed sense of purpose.

Joey Barton, Jonas Gutierrez and Jose Enrique all had great performances for Newcastle, but it was Carroll’s hat-trick, striker’s instinct, link play and ability in the air that led Newcastle to the home win. Carroll is a massive target man who can win most balls in the air and flick on to other players. Similar to Emile Heskey at his best for England, could Carroll be the #9 that England so desperately need? Newcastle fans won’t be bothered by a potential call up to the England senior squad as long as Carroll can keep his goal scoring form for the Toon and keep them in the Premier League where they belong.

Gareth Bale, Tottenham – No longer the best new player or most improved player in the Premier League but now simply one of the best players in the league, Bale continually finds ways to impress in attack. I briefly touched on his brace for Spurs in an earlier article, but if you’ve yet to see his second, it’s definitely worth a look.

Harry Redknapp set up Spurs in a 4-5-1 formation with Bale out wide on the left. He’s best in this role because of his goal scoring, dribbling and crossing abilities as opposed to his earlier role for Spurs at left back. Spurs got their first win of the season largely because ref Chris Foy failed to award Stoke City what looked to be the equalizer late on. Bale was brilliant though and continues to shine.

Theo Walcott, Arsenal- Often times described as the type of player who can do so much but lacks that final killer ball, Walcott seems to be finding it, if somewhat slowly. During Saturday’s thrashing of Blackpool, I lost count of how many times Walcott blew past Blackpool left back Stephen Crainey. It was as if Walcott had two or three gears he could easily use to accelerate past anyone Blackpool threw at him on his way forward and into the box.

Oddly enough though, while Walcott bagged his hat-trick, his best moves and best service into the box didn’t see an Arsenal player latch onto the end of his crosses. When an Arsenal player was forward in support was when Theo failed to provide that meaningful service his opponents have criticized him for in the past. A good display with some fine finishing, but Walcott still not that complete player many still think he can become. Blackpool however defended poorly and Arsenal, like Chelsea, will always be a good enough side to exploit the weaknesses of a poor opponent.

I believe Walcott can start for England and regularly for Arsenal in the near future because of his pace and ability to change a game in a second when he’s at his best. Even when he’s only playing decent, he can still be dangerous. Oppositely though, Walcott seems to have these little breakout games once or twice a year only to succumb to injury or loose form in the proceeding weeks. On Saturday, Arsenal supporters will have hoped Walcott marked a line in the sand for future performances and will expect more of the quick wing play and finishing from their young Englishman.

Note: I want to recognize Chelsea Football Club for another incredible performance against Wigan on Saturday. The Champions blitzed another poor side and played well together as a team without necessarily having one player dominate the headlines. Drogba was brilliant in his passing and unselfish play, as was Lampard while Anelka proved he’s a fine finisher. Ashley Cole did what Ashley Cole does best while a team of classy and experienced players took their chances well. Chelsea aren’t the Champions for nothing and they showed just why they’re the league’s best team over the past two weeks, I’m just waiting for them to play a side that won’t eventually be relegated this season.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

Paul Scholes, Manchester United- The influential midfielder scored one for United on Sunday and was man of the match in his club’s opening season win last Monday v Newcastle. Scholes has been at his best for last season’s runners up and when sharp can control the pace and flow of a game better than most. He seems to be getting better with age and so far this season has been one of the leagues best midfielders. His poise on the ball when looking for an open man is unmatched. He never gets flustured and rarely misses finding his man.

Scholes scored his 150th goal for United on Sunday, a low, hard drive from just outside the box, not unlike one you’ve seen from Scholes in seasons past and continued to spray passes in his quintessentially cool manner as United dominated the majority of the first half. Everything starts through Scholes when United are at their best. Even when Darren Fletcher receives the ball from a defender, it seems as if his first task is to then find Scholes to start the attack.

Ferguson will rue his decision in allowing Nani the responsibility to take United’s penalties. Surely Sunday marks the last time he’ll ever be granted the opportunity as United drop early season points because of Nani’s attempt to the dismay of Ferguson. Nani struck his penalty well, but it was his placement that allowed Fulham keeper David Stockdale to make the save. If Scholes can maintain his brilliant early season form and Wayne Rooney can regain match sharpness with the help of his supporting cast, I believe United can and will challenge Chelsea for the title this year. Chelsea and Manchester United to battle it out again for the title - a fine example of parity if you ask me.

• Slim Pickens isn’t just the name of the bloke from Dr. Strangelove
• Congratulations isn’t just the name of the new MGMT album
• Rafa’s (Money Back) Guarantee

In one of the all time “we’re not up for this” performances, the proud, historic, legendary Liverpool Football Club capitulated any hope of fourth (which remember, was guaranteed) and sadly shook the hand of Chelsea FC while Chelsea’s left clutched the title.

Were Chelsea that good? Or was Liverpool’s uninterested, lackluster, impotent display a further extension of the season that begins the slow, tumultuous off season look for a new manager, midfield captain and replacement for Spanish stud? It was a good idea Rafa’s guarantee didn’t have money attached to it.

Still though as my mind battles bitterness with professionalism, the league table doesn’t lie after 37 matches. Averting what would be a monumental meltdown, Chelsea will claim a deserved title next weekend at home in front of their supporters.

A Congratulations is in order to Ancelotti and his men who’ve shown the ability to rebound from adversity (away loss to Spurs then thrashing of Stoke), score goals (hit 7 in league matches three times, hit 5 in league matches twice), and remain focused after off field shenanigans or players out of squad (John Terry, enough said and African Cup of Nations absentees). All variables a champion doth make.

Half the games didn’t matter this weekend. The ones that did, half the teams didn’t show up. So Slim Pickens.

Honorable Mentions -

Steven Gerrard, Chelsea FC – Gerrard’s pass to team mate Didier Drogba to unlock the 0-0 stalemate against Liverpool was a thing of beauty. The midfielder found Drogba with a low direct ball from the center of the park that allowed Drogba to side step Pepe Reina and score Chelsea’s first on way to what could be their first title in four years.

Ryan Giggs, Manchester United – Giggs was heavily involved for United on Sunday linking up play and spreading balls from midfield. United may not have been at their best, but the 1-0 victory away to Sunderland keeps them in the title hunt, if only Wigan can conjure something similar to that of their recent victory over Arsenal.

Giggs remains evergreen for United having secured another 1 year deal that will keep him at United until 2011.

Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur – Again, I know. Bale must be a confidence player. His performance again for Spurs was inspiring as they now look set for a winner take fourth clash v Manchester City on Wednesday night.

Go past defenders, put the ball where it needs to be, add width to the pitch. Bale has had a fantastic breakout season and certainly deserves all the accolades I or anyone else has thrown his way this season.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

Adam Johnson, Manchester City – I’ve spoke highly of his qualities before, but Johnson again proved he’s one for the moment and the future on Saturday as City came from behind to claim 3 points at home to Aston Villa.

What Johnson does best is what he did Saturday – advancing the ball down the right side of midfield and providing crosses into the box for attempts on goal. In the 41st, the pacy winger forced Villa’s Stephen Warnock into a rash challenge that resulted in a penalty that Carlos Tevez converted.

A minute later, Patrick Viera slid a weighted ball to Johnson on the wing who conducted a tidy two step, kept his poise and found Emmanuel Adebayor in front of goal. Adebayor finished coolly to send City into the half with a 2-1 lead and eventually came out 3-1 winners. Johnson hero for the day yet again.

Anticipate Wednesday.

Author’s Note – If you haven’t listened to this Monday’s weekend review show on the EPL Talk podcast, DO IT! The fellas have really hit their stride as of late and are slowing becoming one of the better shows around. Things get slightly to a little beat heated when the boys discuss the best footballer in the world. It’s all a bit of fun in the end, but makes for some great listening.

• Recovery & Confession

I feel the need to recover from this incredible weekend for quite some time, only I won’t be able to. There’s simply never enough time in one’s life to live and breath and follow this game we love yet still attempt to lead some form of normal adult life. It’s the game that just keeps coming and keeps giving. I mean at some point one has to throw their hands up in a state of capitulation and think, “when will it ever end, when do we get a break from the insanity?”

Answer: it never does, but honestly, we never really want it to.

My exhausted state originates from not only the fine display of English football on offer this weekend, but also a healthy casserole of European fixtures from various leagues across the continent. Throw in a splash of Lexington’s late night pub and bar scene, and one can slowly loose all sense of reason and desire for anything not related to sleep or more football. Such is life, I meander, and we push on,…

To further my explanation of football’s continuation, after Saturday and Sunday, there’s a league fixture Monday featuring two great English clubs the likes of West Ham and Liverpool with relegation and L4 implications. The Premier League-less Champions League continues midweek with some tasty fixtures while the fantastic Europa League resumes Thursday as Liverpool and Fulham remain energetic and involved. After Thursday, well, the weekend approaches yet again.

Such it is though that this post is devoted to the past and not the future so we now look back to some great performances from the weekend. 

Honorable Mentions -

Charles N’Zogbia, Wigan- Oddly ironic that Arsenal bow out of yet another title race, this time by a young, fast, attacking Frenchman. Hhmm, anyone notice a direct correlation?

Wigan came from behind to beat Arsenal with three second half goals in the span of eleven insane minutes. N’Zogbia scored the winner in the 91st and was integral in Wigan’s attack all afternoon. N’Zogbia’s 89th minute corner that Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski mistakenly bobbled was headed home by Titus Bramble to level the score. Before the howler, N’Zogbia twice came close to scoring for Wigan when his curled effort barely missed, and later, when a low, well struck shot ended up in the waiting arms of Fabianski.

N’Zogbia set up on the right side of midfield in an attacking 4-3-3 formation implemented by Wigan boss Roberto Martinez. He’s most comfortable on the left side though and has even played left back before in his career. His winner in stoppage time was the result of a beautiful run across the face of goal just outside of the box and an even more beautiful left-footed strike that found the back of the net. The strike seemed to place Fabianski in a block of concrete as the Polish keeper was left rooted to the ground in a state of shock and disbelief.

Vincent Kompany, Manchester City- The big Belgian defender came out on the losing end of a heartbreaking Manchester derby, at least for the blue side of Manchester. But his efforts in dealing with Wayne Rooney warrant him a mention. Rooney was petulant at best for United and Kompany’s efforts, coupled with those of the solid Nigel De Jong, were enough to see Rooney pulled and keep United out of the City goal for some 93 minutes.

Gary Neville, Manchester United – Neat, clean and tidy. No, I wasn’t describing Gary Neville’s mustache. His performance at right back for United in the Manchester Derby was essential in keeping City’s Craig Bellamy quiet on the wing and helped to lead United to a clean sheet wherein a late goal could keep their title hopes alive. We all know the outcome.

The former England international could find himself in Fabio Capello’s England World Cup squad if he can continue his current form. If not as a starter, then possibly as cover for Liverpool’s Glenn Johnson. We all know Neville’s attributes as a footballer. He’s a smart defender who can contribute in attack with crosses into the box. What he lacks in pace these days, he makes up for in football smarts. All features of Neville’s game, including his pride playing for United, were on offer Saturday as United played snatch and grab at Eastlands. If only he could do something about that mustache.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur – SPURS…..WERE…..BRILLIANT, and so was Bale. What a week it’s been for the North London side. Two massive 2-1 homes wins, one against their hated rivals Arsenal, and then on Saturday against league leaders Chelsea. The young Welshman Bale scored the winner in both matches which proves on paper how valuable he’s been for Spurs, but his overall contributions going forward in attack on the left wing and his crossing & tackling abilities, pace and overall work rate for Spurs has been integral in their recent success and pursuit of L4.

There’s a song from the band Interpol called Pace is the Trick that I’d like to dedicate to Bale. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen him blow past defenders this season for Spurs. From Blackburn’s Michel Salgado to Arsenal’s Bacary Sagna to Chelsea’s Paulo Ferreira, Bale’s pace and determination with the ball at his feet has seen him emerge victorious over the Premier League’s best right backs.

Spurs face another top opponent this weekend as they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in what’s sure to be an exciting, important and possibly incredible match. The potential match up of Bale on the left for Spurs and the in form Gary Neville for United could by key in the result of the match. Will Neville have the pace and power to deal with the spry Bale? Time will tell, but until next weekend, both players will surely be enjoying their respective performances and results from this weekend.

Most soccer pundits will claim that Arsenal’s title challenge is over after their deserved 2-1 loss against Tottenham Hotspur Wednesday night when they were outclassed by a Spurs side who played more like they wanted to win. But the inconsistency that each of the Big Four clubs has shown this season tells us the Premier League title race is far from over.

Based on the performances of late, it’s entirely possible that Tottenham Hotspur will give Chelsea a tough time when the Blues visit White Hart Lane on Saturday afternoon. Plus, Manchester City has its best chance in ages of beating Manchester United at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday morning. Who does Arsenal play this weekend? None other than Wigan Athletic who disappointingly could only draw 0-0 Wednesday night against Portsmouth.

If Chelsea slips up against Spurs and Manchester City beats its cross-town rivals United, and Arsenal wins at the DW Stadium, the Gunners will move into second place and will only be three points behind Chelsea. And remember that Arsenal has the easiest run of fixtures between now and the end of the season in early May.

Having said that, Arsenal did not look anywhere near Premier League title contenders Wednesday night at White Hart Lane where they were completely played off the park until the last 20 minutes when Robin van Persie came on as a substitute to ignite Arsenal’s attack. Prior to that, Arsenal were pathetic, lacked a leader on the pitch, were flaccid in attack and failed to create any real chances except for an attempt that was cleared off the line in the first few minutes and a shot by Nicklas Bendtner that whizzed past the far post three quarters of the way into the match.

Tottenham’s game plan was perfect. Harry Redknapp’s side played exactly the way that Arsenal should have played against Barcelona. As soon as Arsenal got the ball, Tottenham pressured the players and stifled any chances of creating anything meaningful in midfield. When Spurs got the ball, they broke on the counter and used the pace of Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe to break down the Arsenal defense. But when Arsenal did attack, Tottenham quickly retreated and got nine men behind the ball to prevent Arsenal from having anyone to pass to in the box.

When Tottenham opened the scoring through a wonder goal by Danny Rose — and what a spectacular volley it was — the players and supporters at White Hart Lane erupted and it really seemed as if it was going to be Tottenham’s night. The 19-year-old Rose scored one of the goals of the season on his Premier League debut start. It doesn’t get any better than that for the former Leeds United footballer.

I won’t go into the full match report, but three players who were inspirational for me Wednesday night were Gareth Bale, Heurelho Gomes and Robin van Persie. Bale, even up until the final whistle, was explosive down the left wing for Tottenham. As he has been all season, he delivered dangerous crosses from the left wing, put every ounce of energy into his tackles and continually gave right back Bacary Sagna a tough time throughout the night until the Frenchman was taken off.

As for van Persie and Gomes, these two players created golden moments for highlight reels which we could watch over and over again. Van Persie had three incredible shots on goal and showed in just minutes what Arsenal has been missing most of the season. But just as van Persie delivered these world-class attempts on goal, Heurelho Gomes was equal to the task and performed save after world-class save to keep the Gunners at bay. When Arsenal finally did score through Bendtner, it was a flurry of a finish but Spurs held on for a well-deserved three points that re-ignites their race for fourth place.

This is one of those Premier League seasons that has been so topsy-turvy with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United all flip-flopping in their race for the title. And at the same time, the race for fourth has seen several teams flip flop such as Manchester City, Spurs, Liverpool and Aston Villa. So many neutral observers of this league have complained for far too long that the league is too predictable. But in this final dash for the Premier League title and the race for fourth, we’ve seen how unpredictable this league and this season really is. What an incredible match we witnessed and what a brilliant advertisement it was for the English game.