Premier League - Team of the Week: Milijas bites

Eurosport - Mon, 17 Aug 18:11:00 2009

Premier League new boy Nenad Milijas and West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green head up our new-look Team of the Week - but there's bad news for Everton fans.

FOOTBALL Nenad Milijas of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Serbia - 0

HOW IT WORKS

We take marks out of 10 awarded to Premier League players from a selection of six national newspapers - The Sun, Daily Star, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, The Times and the Guardian - then create an average and round to the nearest half. The top player in each position will be rewarded with a spot in the team of the week, while the worst scorers will be named and shamed in our Flops XI.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

A new season, a new Team of the Week system - and a new name on the team sheet as Premier League new boys Wolves show that their scouts are earning their lengthy overseas trips with all expenses paid.

Top eye-catching new name of the week is 26-year-old Serbian playmaker Nenad Milijas (pictured). The summer arrival from Red Star Belgrade was a real bright point in an opening-day performance from Wolves that was evidently as a solid a 2-0 home defeat as they could have asked for.

Their decent performance was underlined by the fact that the first name on the team sheet this week is that of the West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green, who did a great job frustrating them. Green's superb performance between the sticks kept the hosts at bay throughout. His team-mate Mark Noble also makes the starting line-up after scoring the opener.

It's an unusual trio to kick off TOTW with, but the opening day also saw superb performances from superstar names Didier Drogba, Cesc Fabregas and Wayne Rooney, who showed the predatory talent, brilliant all-round skills and determination that they're famed for.

Elsewhere, Hull's plucky loss - during which they clearly showed they had used up all their 2009 allocation of luck on that ridiculous last-day-of-the-season escape - netted them TOTW spots for Andy Dawson and Michael Turner, with Boaz Myhill only missing out narrowly to Green in goal.

One of several former Swansea-based residents of Wigan, Jordi Gomez, impressed on his Premier League debut, as did Arsenal new-boy Thomas Vermaelen.

In the final spot is a Manchester City player - and no, it's not one of the players from Mark Hughes's £200 million spending spree. Instead, it's good old Micah Richards, who has been with the club since before he needed to shave.

Team of the week (4-4-2)

GK: Robert Green (West Ham) - 8.5

LB: Andy Dawson (Hull City) - 7.5

CB: Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal) - 8.0

CB: Michael Turner (Hull City) - 7.5

RB: Micah Richards (Manchester City) - 6.5

LM: Nenad Milijas (Wolverhampton Wanderers) - 8.0

CM: Jordi Gomez (Wigan Athletic) - 8.0

CM: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) - 8.0

RM: Mark Noble (West Ham) - 8.0

FW: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - 8.0

FW: Didier Drogba (Chelsea) - 8.5

FLOPS OF THE WEEK

Everton fans may want to click away now, because this ain't going to be comforting reading. The boys of Fleet Street were universally merciless in their assessment of the Toffees during the 6-1 defeat by Arsenal.

Deep breaths, then: the goalkeeper, entire back-four, attacking midfielder and striker are all Everton players in the inaugural FOTW - and with some of the scores they picked up (Joseph Yobo, this means you) they'll need a couple of weeks of great play even to pull themselves back up to the league average.

Villa's lacklustre display against Wigan earned a slot for Gabriel Agbonlahor up front, while title hopefuls Liverpool and Chelsea saw Ryan Babel and John Obi Mikel make the Flops XI after their disappointing opening-day efforts.

Flops of the week (4-4-2)

GK: Tim Howard (Everton) - 4.0

LB: Leighton Baines (Everton) - 3.5

CB: Joseph Yobo (Everton) - 3.5

CB: Joleon Lescott (Everton) - 4.0

RB: Tony Hibbert (Everton) - 4.5

LM: Ryan Babel (Liverpool) - 5.0

CM: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) - 4.5

CM: Tim Cahill (Everton) - 4.5

RM: Gavin McCann (Bolton) - 4.5

FW: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) - 4.5

FW: Jo (Everton) - 3.5

Eurosport

Comment 38 - 57 of 57

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  1. of course drogba is on it

    From Hamza, on Wed 19 Aug 3:42PM

  2. i never heard for this guy Nenad Milijas but he is very­ good i hope he will stay with wolvs.

    From triple6serbian, on Tue 18 Aug 1:30PM

  3. I know I'm not blind....but I hope who ever comes­ up with the team of the week must have watched the­ games throughout the week.... if Ryan Giggs was the­ Players Choice for the Player of the Year last­ season... let's be honest it was mostly to do with­ the fact that he's served in the most entertaining­ league for more than a decade and still has room to­ improvise his position and perform at the highest­ level, not forgetting his contribution last season that­ led Man United to another league title. One can only­ see so far to the first game of this season where­ George Boateng performed immensely for Hull against­ Chelsea that he'd be the Man of the Match if Drogba­ hadn't been magnificient scoring both goals and­ leading Chelsea to victory. Boateng was at the center­ of Hull's movement. whether they were in attack or­ even when they were defending. He had 3 notable shots­ at target to which Hunt scored on his third deflected­ shot....sometimes you don't have to do spectacular­ things on the pitch but the simple stuff and Boateng is­ highly efficient......yet he doesn't even get­ mentioned...... I told you I wasn't blind... maybe­ someone else is.....

    From MSt, on Tue 18 Aug 10:41AM

  4. I know I'm not blind....but I hope who ever comes­ up with the team of the week must have watched the­ games throughout the week.... if Ryan Giggs was the­ Players Choice for the Player of the Year last­ season... let's be honest it was mostly to do with­ the fact that he's served in the most entertaining­ league for more than a decade and still has room to­ improvise his position and perform at the highest­ level, not forgetting his contribution last season that­ led Man United to another league title. One can only­ see so far to the first game of this season where­ George Boateng performed immensely for Hull against­ Chelsea that he'd be the Man of the Match if Drogba­ hadn't been magnificient scoring both goals and­ leading Chelsea to victory. Boateng was at the center­ of Hull's movement. whether they were in attack or­ even when they were defending. He had 3 notable shots­ at target to which Hunt scored on his third deflected­ shot....sometimes you don't have to do spectacular­ things on the pitch but the simple stuff and Boateng is­ highly efficient......yet he doesn't even get­ mentioned...... I told you I wasn't blind... maybe­ someone else is.....

    From MSt, on Tue 18 Aug 10:39AM

  5. everton suck eggs

    From L, on Tue 18 Aug 8:24AM

  6. To all real gunners
    Read this article GREAT ONE
    go to­ (arsenalvision . co . uk) the name of the article is­ "Arsenal, the next Ferrari"

    Cheers

    From creed, on Tue 18 Aug 7:39AM

  7. Tearoom......you're right m8. Rafa is scum who­ blames everybody else except himself or the team.
    Go­ back to Spain you fat waiter @#$%.

    From PAUL H, on Mon 17 Aug 10:22PM

  8. Rafa want to win the league by awarding his team­ penalties even the team under perform, he accuses Sir­ Fiegie for the not awarded penalty

    From Wonderful, on Mon 17 Aug 10:03PM

  9. arsenal ran us ragged...... the worst display i have­ seen from a Everton side in years ( typo, i had typed­ tears )maybe appropriate for an abysmal display ... i­ thought if any paper or media give a Everton player­ more than 5 out of 10 ,,they couldn,t have been­ watching the same game as me ....Hibbert gets 4.5 on­ here thats got to be the crack of the season ....­ total waste of space ..

    From doog, on Mon 17 Aug 9:57PM

  10. @56 because rafa is a @#$% stirring liar and awful­ loser, with no respect for his superiors, wenger and­ ferguson. Hes also a @#$% man manger who gives his­ players little respect. Thish ish a fachht.

    From Samaldo, on Mon 17 Aug 9:09PM

  11. Hypocritical EPL fans and yahoo bloggers.When Chelsea­ was OVREBOed and denied penalties against Barca all of­ you complained bitterly but when Rafa was Ovreboed­ against Spurs all eyes on him.Why? Why why and why?Why­ cant you guys be objective?

    From Michael, on Mon 17 Aug 8:57PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Where the F*** is Modric & Bassong & Lennon­ & ....

    From lee, on Mon 17 Aug 8:55PM

  13. milijas is the king! RED STAR FOREVER!

    From lazar2695, on Mon 17 Aug 8:31PM

  14. im not sure about andy dawson but i thought rooney was­ exceptional his movement and runs wer brilliant and­ lovely freekick by the drog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Declan, on Mon 17 Aug 7:33PM

  15. Robert Green showed once again thaT he is currently­ englands best and most consistent keeper COME ON YOU­ IRONS!!!!!!

    From GAVIN, on Mon 17 Aug 7:06PM

  16. everton were @#$% defence & they know they were.­ realy @#$%, @#$%.

    From s.coleman972, on Mon 17 Aug 6:24PM

  17. COME ON MILIJASH!!!!!!!!!!!

    From bukinac, on Mon 17 Aug 6:07PM

  18. 1 je miki kapiten

    From simpppatizeri, on Mon 17 Aug 6:01PM

  19. hi chelsea fans, goes to show this season is gonna be­ ours for the taking, but i seriously disagree with your­ choice of mikel in FOTW, his substitution was purely a­ tactical one, blues 4 laif!!!

    From eazy segun, on Mon 17 Aug 5:49PM

  20. So very typical of non-Arsenal supporters. We take­ Everton apart and instead of us receiving accolades for­ a superb performance, Everton get castigated for not­ being very good. I'm sorry but the Toffees were­ simply beaten by a much better team. Shame on the Team­ of the Week compiler.

    From Sussex BY The Sea, on Mon 17 Aug 5:49PM
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