Danny Murphy's end of season review
Tue May 11 15:14
PLAYER OF THE SEASON: In my opinion, it has to be Wayne Rooney, and not just for the goals he has scored. His desire and passion is fantastic and, at moments during the season, he has been the one player at Manchester United that has stood up and won the club games. They have missed him massively at this late stage of the season.
Didier Drogba won the Golden Boot but caused controversy with his reaction to Frank Lampard taking the first penalty at the weekend against Wigan. It was understandable that he had a degree of frustration but I believe Lampard was right to step up and assume the responsibility. At 1-0, the game was still fairly open and the penalty gave Chelsea the opportunity to put the game to bed. They are both winners, but the team has to take priority over the individual and Drogba showed his class as the game progressed.
MANAGER OF THE SEASON: Naturally, I think Roy Hodgson was the manager of the season given our progress in Europe, and I was pleased he won the LMA award. If you consider the Premier League alone, Harry Redknapp has done a great job and was very deserving of the Barclays award. Tottenham's defensive record this season has been exceptional and their turnaround from where they were in the league is very impressive. On the back of this season, with some shrewd investment in the summer, I think Tottenham will cope admirably in next season's Champion's League.
MOMENT OF THE SEASON: The most memorable moment of my season must be our victory at home against Juventus when we came back from a goal down to win 4-1. It was one of the best turnarounds I have ever witnessed. In the Premier League, it has to be our 3-0 win at home against Manchester United who were leading the league at the time.
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE SEASON: As a supporter, I was disappointed Liverpool weren't able to build on their second placed finish last season and compete in and around the top four this year. Their fantastic fan base expected more, and I am sure they will bounce back next season.
RULE CHANGE FOR 2010/11: A regulation that I believe could improve the game next year is to have a panel for retrospective opinion on bookings and punishments from within the game. A panel of experts would provide the clarity we need on certain decisions that are difficult to make in the heat of the game.
Danny returns on Wednesday to preview the Europa League final as his Fulham side take on Atletico Madrid.
FIRST! Danny, good luck for your match against Atleti
From alvinbeo888 on Tue May 11 15:21All of what you have said HAS already been highlited Murphy. Hodgson is manager of the season but look at the job McLeish has done in the Premiership with Brum, totally overlooked. I think if any is looking to see whose better Rooney or Drogba then watch England and Ghana's prgress throughout the WC, i bet Rooney scores more.
From abou.nasreevesgascky on Tue May 11 15:30@abou.nasreevesgascky
No offense, but Drogba comes from the Ivory Coast, not Ghana.
From remijmjs on Tue May 11 15:37Danny it was Ballack who took the first penalty not Lampard,JEEEEEEEEZ check your facts!!!
From rafascrackingdown on Tue May 11 15:48Good luck to the team tomorrow Danny, it'd cap off a brilliant season for you Cottagers
From joshuageorge on Tue May 11 15:50I respect Murphy for his opinion. However, i make bold to state that Drogba was the player of the season. This is not only because he won the Golden boot, but more importantly, for being the big time player as was evident in Chelsea's matches against Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool.Rooney had a wonderful season, no doubt about that but certainly, Drogba deserved the accolade.Referring to the monor row with Lampard over who will take Chelsea's penalty kick against Wigan, i equally make bold to say that it was Drogba's hunger to see Chelsea succeed that accounted for his wanting to take the penalty. He is a good penalty taker as well as was demonstrated in their carling cup loss to Blackburn. He should indeed, be given credit for a wonderful season. Apart from his goals, he had ten assists which showed that he was not selfish.That could not be said of Rooney, Fabregas, Tevez and Bent that largely relied on penalties.With these few examples, it is very clear that Murphy got it wrong as to who the player of the season should be.
From amaidunama on Tue May 11 16:01Good luck next season Danny boi and the europa league !
From crfoxley on Tue May 11 16:02No one denies Wayne Rooney bla bla bla but how about Frank Lampard that consistently play all the 37 games, injury free and any top-class striker would be delighted with 26 goals yet Frank does this season after season and Frank isn't a striker but a midfielder who consistently scored, 22 league goals this season and 26 in all competition with most assists -18 in comparison with Rooney who played 32 games and he is a striker!
From haycomel on Tue May 11 16:39Danny good luck in the final against Wolfsburg
From markjmcsorley on Tue May 11 16:57@ rafascrackingdown; check your facts yourself, Danny is correct Lampard did take the first penalty!
From anthony_quinn43 on Tue May 11 17:24Good luck, Danny! You boys have been an inspiration. Up the Cottagers!
From joelconner_stlmc on Tue May 11 17:24Danny you are sooooo wrong, moment of the season is winning the Europa cup. Bring it home to the cottage, good luck.
From karlrose on Tue May 11 17:33come on danny,win the europa cup for us. so i can wake up thursday morning with a winners hangover. come on you super whites.
From david.a.rose on Tue May 11 18:22sweet pic Danny!
From sjvjaguar16 on Tue May 11 19:04Durphy you are a total tool but good luck in the Final.
Love to all the Cottagers everywhere, you know who you are.
What is your opinion on the scandal of Didi's member being lesser in stature than Cristiano's ?
From nikyates on Tue May 11 19:27All the best for Wednesday eve Danny and thank you for the blogs over the last season
From jowitherden on Tue May 11 20:22samlongworthless go and play elsewhere.
Danny gd call re rule changes, if players could retrospectively be punished or exonerated it might help stop all the fairies diving and trying to cheat
From drice61163 on Tue May 11 20:55At number 4, rafascrakingdown, it was Lampard who took the penalty.
From blinky651 on Tue May 11 21:36Nice one Danny. I went to the Liverpool v Fulham match, and you got a well big cheer. Shame we didn't win though (I'm a Liverpool fan).
From blinky651 on Tue May 11 21:38@haycomel, no. 12, I completely agree. Not only did Lampard score 22 league goals this season, he also led the league in assists with 17! Cracking season, the fact that he was out of the team of the season on this site is beyond belief. And for the record, I really don't like the guy, but he's been brilliant.
From j.grigsby on Tue May 11 22:54good luck Danny... up the cottagers!
From ya_shami on Wed May 12 02:18If Drogba took all of Lampard's penalties then he would have 40 league goals to Rooney's 26. Drogba has been the better player overall, overlooked only because:
(a) with players like Lampard around he isn't the standout player in his club. Rooney's carried his club and that made him more noticeable.
(b) he isn't English.Rooney's chosen to disappear for the big games, but Drogba's had a big influence in them all. I don't know why Drogba was overlooked.
From akilesh_radhakrishnan on Wed May 12 04:59Danny I just wish you help fulham to win the europa, it will be good. I am yo fan dating back from Liverpool time.
From makosadan on Wed May 12 08:38Chelsea without Drogba, same as Liverpool without Torres.
MU without Rooney, same as Liverpool without Torres.
Arsenal without Henry, same as Liverpool without Torres.
Spurs without Defoe, Crouch, Pav, Keane, (Bale and Lennon for the future) same as Liverpool without Torres.
What I'm saying is: 1, 2, and 3, rely too much on ONE star striker. Spurs can play 1 or 2 from a pool of FOUR star strikers.
From philipbennison on Wed May 12 14:16chelsea were without drogba alot of time and then they kept on winning...
From janibozev on Sat May 15 11:47drogba would win a gold medal for diving lampard is not wourld class rooney never plays well when marked man to man Torres 22 goals no penalty's or free kicks
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