Best of the weekend

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 17th August 2008

Team of the weekend

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Caleb Folan celeb Hull v Fulham

Folan helped Hull get off to a perfect start

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Game of the weekend

Everton 2 Blackburn 3

Paul Ince has had a rough few weeks in the managerial hot-seat at Blackburn, but made the perfect to start to life in the Premier League as his side prevailed in a topsy-turvy contest at Goodison Park. David Dunn gave Rovers a 22nd minute lead when he curled a sublime effort past a flailing Tim Howard, before the visitors were pegged back a minute after the interval when Mikel Arteta beat Paul Robinson with a well disguised free-kick. Nigerian hit-man Yakubu Aiyegbeni then gave the Toffees the lead on 64 minutes, only to see Roque Santa Cruz profit from some hesitant Everton defending to restore parity. With the seconds ticking away, the unlikely figure of Andre Ooijer then snatched all three points for Ince's men when he bundled home an injury-time winner.

Player of the weekend

Gabriel Agbonlahor

Impressive Premier League debuts from Arsenal's Samir Nasri and Chelsea's Deco pushed them into contention, but it is difficult to look past an opening day hat-trick. Villa were being held 1-1 by Manchester City before the England international single-handedly turned the tie in favour of Martin O'Neill's side. The flying forward grabbed his first on 69 minutes, his second on 74, before wrapping up a remarkable seven minute treble two minutes later. Agbonlahor may not have been named in Fabio Capello's squad for the upcoming friendly against Czech Republic on Wednesday, but he gave the England boss a timely reminder of what he is capable of.

Goal of the weekend

Gretar Steinsson

Premier League action returned with a bang this weekend, with a host of contenders in the running for best goal. However, any strike that dips and swerves into the top corner from 25-yards has to be given the nod. Quite whether the Iceland international was going for goal is debatable, but he is unlikely to score another like this in his career, while he also put Bolton on the road to a comfortable 3-1 success over Stoke. Honourable mentions go to Hull's Geovanni, Liverpool's Fernando Torres, Blackburn's David Dunn and Everton's Mikel Arteta, but Steinsson gets our vote.

Save of the weekend

Shay Given

The Newcastle shot-stopper was called into acrobatic action just eight minutes into the Magpies' contest with Manchester United. As Fraiser Campbell rose eight-yards out to power a header goalwards there appeared to be only one possible outcome. However, Given stood tall and denied the Red Devils youngster with a fantastic reflex stop. Admittedly it struck him flat in the face, but he had to be there and did remarkably well to regain his bearings in order to prevent United profiting from the rebound.

Pass of the weekend

Michael Ballack

It took Chelsea just 12 minutes to open their account for the season as they proved to be far too strong for Portsmouth. Joe Cole opened the scoring in their 4-0 demolition of Pompey, but his strike owed everything to the fine work of his German team-mate. Ballack's exquisite ball with the outside of his boot was perfectly weighted for the England winger, who duly dispatched it past a helpless David James.

Audacious attempt of the weekend

Xabi Alonso

Liverpool games are not quite the same unless the talented Spaniard tries his luck from a ludicrous distance. Famed for two moments of magic against Luton and Newcastle in 2006, Alonso seems incapable of scoring tap-ins. His attempt to embarrass Sunderland's Craig Gordon at the Stadium of Light did not quite come off, but his 60-yard lob fell agonisingly wide of the post with the Black Cats keeper grasping desperately at thin air.

Moment of the weekend

Hull's opening day success

It has taken 104 years for the Tigers to climb into the top flight, but they marked their arrival in impressive style. With the doom-mongers continuing to write them off as also-rans, Phil Brown made a mockery of those doubters as his side put on a display packed with eye-catching quality and never-say-die attitude. They fell behind at the KC Stadium to Seol Ki-Hyeon's early opener, but were level at the break thanks to a wonder goal from Brazilian forward Geovanni. With nine minutes left on the clock, Caleb Folan then sent the Tigers faithful into delirium when he fired low into the bottom corner past tumbling Cottagers defenders.

Luckless soul of the weekend

Valeri Bojinov

You twiddle your thumbs on the sidelines for almost 12 months as you recover from a ruptured cruciate ligament, only to then go and suffer another long-term injury as you brace yourself for your return. That was precisely what happened to Manchester City striker Bojinov as he damaged his Achilles tendon during the prelude to City's game at Aston Villa. The Bulgarian must have been walking under a few ladders of late, as he is now looking at another six months on the treatment table.

Comments

Aaron Eaton (Newcastle United fan) says...

How on Earth is Jonas Gutierrez not in your team of the weekend? What does the guy have to do on his English debut at the European & English champions? Bizarre decision to not include him as he was superb in every way, and unlike many English players he played with a smile on his face.

Posted 11:32 18th August 2008

Adrian Lamb (Hull City fan) says...

Even though we pulled through against the odds i still believe that the two performances of the weekend were Deco and Barmby, Nick barmby was all over the park on saturday, people say that Geovanni was the best, dont get me wrong but if you look at it with pure heart, guts and most of all passion, i would have to go with Nicky Barmby for performance of the weekend. Plenty more to come boys, up the Hull!

Posted 10:55 18th August 2008

Liam Smith (Newcastle United fan) says...

Chelsea played the best this weekend but you cant have the whole team put in there. Bosingwa should have been there instead of Sagna and Gutierrez could have been in with a shout. Very impressive debut. I have put Deco instead of Lampard as he kept the midfield ticking over nicely and scored a belter.

Posted 09:55 18th August 2008

Deadly Haid (Manchester United fan) says...

i think Deco was the best player of the weekend.........

Posted 09:33 18th August 2008

Tony Fox (Chelsea fan) says...

i think everything you've said is spot on, hull played really well and i think they will stay up, they've got good premiership experience and a good manager. Chelsea just played quality, i went to the match and i used to think deco was over-rated but after seeing him yesterday, he is just world class.

Posted 09:03 18th August 2008

Biswarup Roy choudhury (Arsenal fan) says...

The team looks just about right. Feel really sorry for Bojinov. Wish him a speedy recovery. And Hull..what a start to their campaign. That's the romance of the best league in the world. Welcome to the league Tigers. And I sincerely hope you stay up.

Posted 08:06 18th August 2008

Shane Johnson (Arsenal fan) says...

You really have to feel for Bojinov, he really is a great player and to go down to injury again, really feel sorry for him. Hope he has a speedy recovery, also with the goals I thought that David Dunn's was fantastic, but I think all the moments of the weekend are pretty much spot on.

Posted 06:37 18th August 2008

Paddy Mcmanus says...

Well, you've made a big mistake there. Deco was the best player of the weekend, in any team, let alone Chelsea. For the record, Joe Cole also played better than Nasri, Ashton, Geovanni & Muamba, and Bosingwa was much better than Sagna. Heck, the Chelsea players were all on top form this weekend, which is why they produced the best performance of the weekend by an absolute mile.

Posted 01:05 18th August 2008

Joe Close (Hull City fan) says...

I think Hull City will stay up this season because they have great players like Geovanni, Folan and Boateng. That is why Geovanni is in the team of the weekend. Because he is world class.

Posted 23:06 17th August 2008

James Hoyle (Hull City fan) says...

Perfect weekend for Hull City. I'm 42. I starrted going to Boothferry Park when I was 4. 38 years waiting for this and it's just great. Phil Brown is a genius and I just hope he stays with us long enough to get us well established in the Prem. We're short of a few players yet, but it's looking good to get a squad toegther that can settle us down where we belong. Proud.

Posted 22:02 17th August 2008

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