Wayne reigns again
Monday 1 February 2010 14:47, UK
Man Utd and Wayne Rooney dominate Kammy's Picks of the Weekend after their Super Sunday display.
Kammy picks out the best of the Premier League weekend
Every Saturday afternoon, Chris Kamara heads to stadiums up and down the country to deliver his unique match reports for Soccer Saturday. On Sundays you can see him back in the Sky Sports studios as he brings you all of the Premier League highlights on Goals on Sunday. And then on Mondays you can find Kammy right here on skysports.com as he brings you his Premier League picks of the weekend. Join us every week as he runs through his highs and lows as well as answering YOUR questions... GAME - Arsenal 1-3 Man Utd
I was so impressed with the way United destroyed Arsenal. I know Arsenal had strikers missing, which gives them a bit of an out but it doesn't explain such a comprehensive defeat. Arsene Wenger fancied their chances beforehand, but was talking so negatively about his team after the match. For the first time it seems he is resigned to the fact Arsenal aren't going to win the Premier League this year. They have some good fixtures coming up, but I don't think they'll win it.
TEAM - Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson has got a system in his head now and it's going to stay that way for the big games. You have Wayne Rooney up front on his own, Darren Fletcher in a marauding role winning balls and the rest of the midfielders are just allowed to go and play. Nani is at last showing the potential that they paid for and they looked awesome; hard to break down and frightening on the break. They showed why Dimitar Berbatov doesn't get a game because they're all about pace and power - and when the play goes into him it slows down. In certain games in Europe he'll be ideal, but you need more pace, vitality and sharpness to win Premier League matches.
PLAYER - Wayne Rooney
There were some good performances this weekend. John Terry did well to come out and perform so well under pressure and I though Nani was very impressive on Sunday. But it has to be Wayne Rooney for his 100th Premier League goal on Sunday. He has matured so much (and he was a great player when he was 16). Seven years down the line he has emerged as an exceptional player who is getting better. Everyone says Man United miss Cristiano Ronaldo, but Rooney doesn't. He is now the focal point of that team, rather than being part of the supporting cast. Sir Alex has told him to be the main man and he has stepped up.
GOAL - Wayne Rooney
There were some good goals in the Premier League this weekend from the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Nicolas Anelka, but again I have to pick Wayne Rooney. His 100th Premier League goal is a landmark, it came at an important moment in the game and it was a fantastic goal on the counter-attack which summed up what United are all about.
GAFFER - Sir Alex Ferguson
I'd like to mention David Moyes whose Everton team have slowly but surely crept back into the hunt without making too many noises. But Gaffer of the Week has to be Sir Alex. He has given his players the perfect system - and we saw it in midweek against Man City and again against Arsenal. There are some games against the likes of Portsmouth, Hull, Burnley, Wolves, Bolton, West Ham or Wigan where United don't need to be at 100mph. The squad players can win those games for them. But in the games against the strong footballing sides, he has established a quick and powerful team.
GRIPE - No gripe this week
I've been impressed with the referees this week, particularly Howard Webb who was exceptional in last Wednesday's Manchester derby. It was a proper derby match with loads of fouls and things going on - but he used common sense and made that game as a good a spectacle as it was in the second half. So I'm praising the officials this week. I'm sure Blackburn fans were upset that Mark Noble's handball on the line wasn't spotted, but I was at the game and on my first look I didn't spot it - and I had a birds-eye view. Replays show it would have gone in the net if it hadn't hit his hand, but I don't blame the referee for missing that one.
Kammy answers your questions...
Do you want Chris Kamara to answer YOUR question? Email him at skysportsclub@bskyb.com or use the feedback form at the bottom of the page. IS ROONEY MOST FAB?Hi Chris. Can you help me and my mate settle a debate? I reckon Wayne Rooney is a certainty for player of the season. He reckons Cesc Fabregas will win it. Who would you pick? Tyrone (Manchester United fan).
KAMMY SAYS: Tyrone, get as much money together as you can and lump it all on Wayne Rooney to win Football Writers' Player of the Year and PFA Player of the Year. I think he'll do the double. Cesc Fabregas has had a great season and if his main rival was a foreign player in the same form as Rooney then maybe Cesc would come out on top. But Rooney is one of our own and going towards a World Cup we want him to be in the best mental and physical condition. What better fillip could there be than to give him those two awards? He's a certainty in my opinion.
KEN THINGS GET BETTER?I would just like to say isn't it time Steve Bruce faced facts. He ain't got the X factor at Sunderland, he's virtually ostracised Kenwyne Jones since Darren Bent arrived (nothing against Bent, he's a star) but a manager ought to know how to motivate his players and he's certainly not brought the best out of Jones. Key turning point for me was when Bruce criticised Bent when he allowed Jones to take a penalty (letting Jones know who his no 1 striker was). He's ruined the makings of a good partnership and there were plenty of good moments earlier in the season, his confidence has suffered and Bruce is to blame for plunging us back into a relegation battle again! Good luck to Jones should he be on his way I wouldn't blame him for leaving. Cheers. Quinnysdiscopants.
KAMMY SAYS: I remember watching Kenwyne Jones when he played for Southampton and he was a one-in-four lad. You watched him three times and he looked slow, disinterested and cumbersome - and that's what he's sometimes like for Sunderland. On other occasions a spark gets lit up in his head and he's unplayable. He doesn't have that consistency yet and maybe his laid-back Caribbean attitude stops him being 100% each week. When he first arrived things were going well and he looked exceptional, but you need to have the mental attitude to pick yourself up when things don't go well.
I'm not convinced it's Steve Bruce's fault either. We had Niall Quinn on Goals on Sunday a few weeks ago (if I had a pound for every Sunderland fan who'd told me how brilliant he was I'd be quite rich) and he gave his manager huge support. Have no fear Sunderland fans, you won't be going down this year. With Niall and Steve in charge things can only go onwards and upwards.