Soccer Cleat Stars Premier League Awards

We are just at the end of the 2008/09 Premier League season so we decided to give our end of season awards out.

Signing of the Season: Andrei Arshavin
What a purchase Arshavin has turned out to be! It took Arsene Wenger well over 6 months to secure the signing of the Russian playmaker, but 6 goals and 8 assists in 11 Premier League games has been a good return. He has played 923 minutes, meaning he has been involved in an Arsenal goal every 65 minutes!

Flop of the Season: David Bentley
Seen as a player who would help Spurs make it into a European spot, Bentley has had a terrible season. At Blackburn, Bentley had won a place in the England team, and was one of the best right midfielders in the Premier League. Now he is a bench warmer, consigned to sitting behind Aaron Lennon!

Over Achievers of the Season: Fulham
I could have went with Stoke City on this one, but pound for pound over the full Season, Roy Hodgeson's team have been nothing less than impressive! Escaping relegation on the final day of last season, Hodgeson has not looked back. What is more impressive is Fulham's home form, which is 4th best in the Premier League. If they win on Sunday at home to Everton, and Liverpool fail to beat Spurs, Fulham will finish with the 2nd best home record in the Premier League with 39 points from 19 games!

Discovery of the Season: Phil Jagielka
David Moyes has had a knack of picking up great defenders from the lower leagues and turning them into star defenders. Last season it was Lescott, this season it was Phil Jagielka. Jagielka spent a season with Sheffield United in the top flight before joining his current club in 2007, but his top class performances this season resulted in him winning his first international cap!

Slump of the Season: Aston Villa
Poor old Villa! At Christmas they were flying high at the top league, looking like they would take a Champions League spot. An FA Cup loss to Everton on February 15th was a dramatic turning point for the Villains. Add to that Martin O'Neill's horrible decision to send a reserve team to be knocked out of Europe, and it was May 4th before their next win! Some people would choose Hull in this spot, but for me I expected it from Hull, not Villa!

Weirdest Image of the Season: David Moyes Sitting with Stoke Fans!
In September, Moyes was sent to the stand in Everton's 3-2 victory. Unfortunately for Moyes, he was left to sit in the middle of Stoke fans. He saw the funny side, and the Stoke fans seemed to enjoy the moment, but it was a sight not seen very often!

Misquote of the Season: 'Charles Insomnia'
Joe Kinnear referred to Charles N'Zogbia as Charles Insomnia in a TV interview, causing a fall out between both and a transfer for N'Zogbia. Kinnear simply mispronounced his name, but N'Zogbia seen it as a way to exit Newcastle, stating he would never play for Kinnear again.

Worst Tackle of the Season: Danny Guthrie on Craig Fagan
One of the worst tackles ever seen in the Premier League. With Hull beating Newcastle 2-1 at St James Park, Guthrie took it upon himself to swing at Fagan with the ball five yards away. Fagan ended up with a broken leg and three months on the sideline, while Guthrie got a suspension and a bad name!

The 'Back from the brink' Award: Ryan Giggs
Something nobody expected! Giggs has played a stellar role in United's march this season. When Ferguson has called on Giggs, his professionalism and maturity has truely shined. And the wisdom he oozes has been very evident all season long. To cap it off, Giggs won the PFA Player of the year for the first time.

The 'What just happened' Award: Robbie Keane
Robbie Keane made what was his dream move to Liverpool from Spurs this past summer. He was going to partner Fernando Torres to complete manager Rafa Benitez league challenging team. 5 months later, and a drought of Premier League goals saw Robbie head back down south to White Heart Lane!

Leave us a comment and let us know your favorite part of the season!