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Wednesday, 28 May 2014

TEAMtalk Soccers: Moment of the Season

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Simon Wilkes and Richard Garnett step up in the 2014 TEAMtalk Soccers ceremony to present the inaugural award for the Moment of the Season.


When sifting through the nominations for our Moment of the Season, there was a landslide winner, so much so it was quite a task to find any serious rivals.


With that in mind, we threw it out into the TEAMtalk Towers office and recalled some other magic moments from a fantastic season, mainly revolving poor old David Moyes.


The Chosen One's season slowly went from bad to worse - but it was fantastic theatre as he celebrated Manchester United's Champions League win over Olympiakos like he'd conquered Europe, chased a ball-boy during the defeat to West Brom and watched a plane carry the message 'Wrong One - Moyes Out' over Old Trafford before a 4-1 win over Aston Villa.


Andros Townsend's starring roles in two Wembley wins which booked England's trip to Brazil this summer live long in the memory, while Dani Alves must be applauded for his reaction to the idiotic racists who threw a banana at him - he picked it up and took a bite - during a Villarreal v Barcelona match.


In Europe, meanwhile, there were few more dramatic moments than when Sergio Ramos powered in a header for Real Madrid to send the Champions League final against Atletico into extra-time.


But the following moments were the stand-out candidates as voted for by our army of TEAMtalk readers.


5. Atletico crowned kings of Spain



Due to Gareth Bale's big-money switch to Spain, there was a huge amount of interest in the La Liga title race, which was once again expected to be a two-horse race between Real Madrid and Barcelona, who had exchanged titles for the previous nine seasons that followed Valencia's coronation in 2003-04.


Diego Simeone's men did not read the script, however, and flew out of the traps with a seven-match winning streak powered by Diego Costa's goals.


Their biggest test came on September 28 when they travelled to the Bernebeu - but Costa was the main man in a 1-0 win which sent the message that a new gladiator had entered the arena.


Atletico did not taste defeat until October 19 when they lost 1-0 at Espanyol - but they kept their momentum going all the way to a titanic tussle for the title at the Nou Camp, where Diego Godin powered home an equalising header to ensure they got across the finishing line with a 1-1 draw with Barca.


4. Sunderland end Jose's home record



The return of the 'Special One' to the Premier League also meant the return of his special record at Stamford Bridge on the domestic front.


Sunderland had been given a glimmer of hope in their survival fight after holding Manchester City to a 2-2 at The Etihad - but when Samuel Eto'o put the Blues 1-0 up after 12 minutes it looked set to be another routine win for the hosts.


Connor Wickham had different ideas, though, and levelled matters six minutes later, laying the foundations for a dramatic finish which saw Sunderland awarded a penalty eight minutes from time after Jozy Altidore was fouled.


On-loan Liverpool striker Fabio Borini kept his composure to drill home the spot-kick and inflict a first home league defeat in 78 games on Mourinho, who kept his calm as coach Rui Faria saw red on the touchline.


It was a massive moment for Gus Poyet's battlers, who went on to win their next three games against Cardiff, Manchester United and West Brom to pull off a Great Escape.


3. Pardew sticks the nut on Meyler



Everything seemed rosy for Newcastle after 72 minutes of their away game with Hull City on March 1, as they were 3-1 up and cruising to victory.


Then something quite extraordinary happened. David Meyler chased the ball out of touch and shoved Magpies boss Alan Pardew out of the way as he tried to get it for a quick throw-in. It was a petty thing of Meyler to do, but no one expected the reaction as Pardew lunged at Meyler's face with his head like a rutting stag.


It proved costly for Pardew, who was fined £100,000 by his club before being handed a £60,000 fine and a seven-match ban by the FA.


2. Gerrard's teamtalk



The week of the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster was always going to be an emotional period, but it also served up arguably the best match of the season between the Premier League's top gunslingers at Anfield.


A classy tribute to the 96 from both sets of supporters preceded a match of high quality, which ebbed and flowed in the manner only a great game does.


Having wiped out Liverpool's 2-0 lead in a blistering second-half spell, Manchester City's captain Vincent Kompany uncharacteristically sliced a clearance into the path of Philippe Coutinho, whose first-time strike gave Liverpool victory and sent Anfield into joyous celebration.


The match ended with an emotional Steve Gerrard rallying his troops in the middle of the pitch. "This does not slip. We go again", he cried.


The huddle filled Liverpool supporters with a sense of unity and pride, reinforcing the belief that the league title was finally on its way back to Anfield.


1. Gerrard's slip at Anfield



Football is a cruel game. If Gerrard's mantra for Premier League success had become 'this does not slip' then fate had decided otherwise.


Still top of the league with only three games to go, Chelsea went to Anfield and showed little appetite to leave the edge of their penalty area straight from kick-off.


As unattractive a tactic as it was, it was one the footballing gods had decided would be effective.


With half-time approaching, Gerrard miscontrolled and then slipped in his deep-laying midfield position, and with the centre-backs split, left Demba Ba with a free hit at goal, which he duly converted.


Liverpool's season never recovered. Chelsea went on to win the match 2-0 and the destiny of the league title changed course for a definitive time.


For the fans that had revelled in an incredible 11-game winning streak it was like a sudden blow to the stomach.


But no one will have hurt more than the stricken Liverpool captain who, in the run-in, gave everything he had to push his team to Premier League glory.


So often matches and trophies are decided by the fine details and this was another one of those moments, perhaps the most significant of all.







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