Garth
Crooks' Team of the Week: De Gea, Foden, Saka, Ronaldo
At the end of every
Premier League weekend, BBC football pundit Garth Crooks will be on hand to
give you his Team of the Week.
But who has he picked this time? Take a look
and then pick your own team below. And, as ever, Garth will have his say on the
game's big talking points in The Crooks of the Matter.
Goalkeeper
David de Gea (Manchester United)
He could do nothing about the strike by Everton's Alex Iwobi, but having been beaten by the Nigeria midfielder he wasn't going to allow a similar effort to beat him again. The save from James Garner in the dying seconds of United’s win at Goodison Park didn't just keep the ball out of the net but also prevented Amadou Onana heading it in. It has been some time since United came back from a goal down away from home and went on to win a league match. Then again, when you've got De Gea in goal he will, on average, save you ten points a season - and in a good season even more.
Defenders
Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)
He took his goal brilliantly, but his overall contribution to Manchester
City’s 4-0 demolition of was very telling. This gifted full-back can play
in any position on a football pitch he is so comfortable on the ball.
It was honest of Ralph Hasenhuttl to admit he played the wrong
tactics. His high line might have worked if it hadn't been so easy for City to
get out. This result left the Saints with seven points and two above Nottingham
Forest, who were bottom of the table before they played Villa.
These are worrying times for Hasenhuttl, particularly as rumours
circulate that his job at Southampton may soon be coming to an end, and it
would be irritating for me when I've just learned to pronounce his name
properly!
Kalidou Koulibaly
(Chelsea)
Kalidou Koulibaly has had to convince new manager Graham Potter
he is worthy of a place in Chelsea's starting line-up.
The arrival of Wesley Fofana, who was impressive in their 3-0
Champions League victory against AC Milan midweek, has made success in the
Premier League for the Senegal captain even more difficult. However, in Chelsea’s
3-0 win against Wolves, Koulibaly looked comfortable in a back three and showed
why he had been so successful in Italy. He is an instinctive defender, and
given time I think he will be as important to the Blues as Antonio Rudiger
eventually became before his departure.
Craig Dawson (West Ham)
How many times did Andreas Pereira think he could block Craig
Dawson's run into Fulham's penalty area without the referee taking action?
Three times is the answer, and on the fourth occasion referee Chris Kavanagh
decided, with Pereira not heeding the warnings, to award West Ham a penalty
which set them on the way to a 3-1 win.
What was worse, not one of his Fulham team-mates told him to
refrain from such activity, or even changed places with Pereira to make the
situation less problematic. To then see the entire team surround Kavanagh in
horror and disgust at awarding West Ham a penalty makes you wonder if the
Cottagers had lost the plot. The only sensible person in that scenario was
Dawson, who handled the situation brilliantly.
Midfielders
Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle)
Brentford and Ivan Toney looked a shadow of the side who
destroyed Leeds a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, Bruno Guimaraes is playing out of
his skin for Newcastle.
The Brazilian's performance in the 5-1 thrashing of
the Bees was quite outstanding. He intercepted the ball from the halfway
line for his second goal, dribbled to the edge of the Brentford penalty box and
struck a lovely shot past David Raya. The Bees goalkeeper, who had a shocker by
the way, needs to learn who not to give the ball to when his team is under
pressure. And Ethan Pinnock needs to understand that there is no shame in
telling your goalkeeper you don't want the ball in certain situations.
Phil Foden (Manchester
City)
He scored a hat-trick last week against Manchester United and is
looking every inch the player people said he would be when he first burst on to
the scene. I must confess I wasn't convinced, but he certainly looks the part
now.
The big question for me is can Foden replicate his club form on
the international stage and influence England's chances at the World Cup when
it starts next month?
There will be Bukayo Saka, Mason Mount, Jude Bellingham, Marcus
Rashford, Raheem Sterling and even his team-mate Jack Grealish fighting with
him for places.
Yet none of them have shown either the level of consistency in
their overall performances or his clinical finishing. Should Foden have a good
World Cup and establish himself in the England team then we will know for sure
just how good he actually is.
Miguel Almiron (Newcastle)
Why are defenders trying to play in and around their penalty
area when they don't have the technical ability to produce clever football?
They aren't Gerard Pique or Carlos Puyol, defenders who have
been schooled in the art of possession football in the white-hot pressure
cauldron of Barcelona's Nou Camp. So why try it away at St James' Park when
you're under the cosh and your job is simply to defend your goal? Giving
players the licence and responsibility to play outside their comfort zone cost
Brentford three points against Newcastle. Miguel Almiron on the other hand was
in great form and made Brentford pay dearly for such folly.
Cheikhou Kouyate
(Nottingham Forest)
Nottingham Forest's 1-1 Draw with Aston Villa wasn't
a classic by any means but it was worth a watch. For the first time this season
Forest looked like a team that just might come to terms with life in the
Premier League. A point against Villa was enough to take them off the bottom of
the table but the question is for how long? What sort of impact Steve Cooper's
new contract had on their performance is hard to tell, but what Forest lacked
in guile and craft they made up for with sheer endeavour. Cheikhou Kouyate
provided much of the energy to keep Forest going against Villa and his
performance deserved a mention, but if they are serious about surviving in the
league then they are in desperate need of more quality.
Forwards
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Casemiro was having a nightmare for Manchester United when he
redeemed himself and set up his former Real Madrid team-mate for his 700th
club career goal.
The finish by Cristiano Ronaldo was as crisp as I've seen from
the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. It was as if the moment he was put through
there was no doubt he would score. If Casemiro can come to terms with the pace
of the Premier League, especially in the big games, then he might prove to be a
valuable asset for United - but more importantly for Ronaldo.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
I said that his penalty miss in the Euros would be the making of
this kid. Granted, he had already put Arsenal ahead against Liverpool in an extraordinary
game between two fabulous teams, but the penalty that won the Gunners the game
didn't even come close to the pressure he experienced from the spot against
Italy.
In fact he will have stayed awake some nights wishing for a
similar moment to arise where he could redeem himself.
And boy, when it came, did he relish the moment. Arsenal
beat Liverpool 3-0 in a classic encounter to go back to the top of the
Premier League, and I must tell you I am not enjoying this one bit.
Kai Havertz (Chelsea)
If Chelsea are still looking for a number nine, I think they
might have found him if they are bold enough. Kai Havertz is starting to find
himself in top-flight football.
With two goals for Germany against England recently, he's also
starting to find the back of the net in his Chelsea colours as well. Havertz
looks altogether much more composed around the goal these days.
So too is Armando Broja. The Albania forward looks particularly
comfortable at Stamford Bridge these days and I wonder if Graham Potter would
consider playing them as a pair. It would certainly give teams something to
think about. Perhaps even Manchester City.
