EFT Player of the Month for October: Jussi Jaaskelainen!
The month of October saw a host of players battle it out for our player of the month award. Ryan Giggs, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Barry, Francesc Fabregas, Tim Cahill and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all featured in the voting among the five man EFT panel. Yet the player to come out on top of this quality selection of players is the Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
He has been a crucial player in Bolton's high-flying start to the season, and this was significantly highlighted a fortnight ago when very late into a tough away game at Blackburn Rovers he made two penalty saves in two minutes (the 87th and 88th minute) to help secure a narrow one goal victory for his side. Okay, he conceded four goals to a rampant Man Utd side a week later but watching the highlights it was clear that if it wasn't for the excellent Finnish international keeper the scoreline could have been a lot worse for the Wanderers.
For me Jussi Jaaskelainen is a composed, consistent, highly athletic and reliable keeper who would not be out of place in any side in the world. At 33 years of age he will be reaching his prime as a keeper so expect many more top-rate displays this season from Bolton's shot-stopper as they press for European football qualification.
posted by T at 11/05/2006 09:50:00 am
EFT match of the season for 2008/2009: Barcelona construct a masterclass footballing performance to defeat the reigning Champions League holders and current English champions, Manchester United, by a scoreline of 2-0 in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome
EFT player of the season for 2008/2009: Chelsea central midfielder, Frank Lampard
EFT player of the month for May 2009: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for April 2009: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for March 2009: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2009: Phil Jagielka (Everton)
EFT player of the month for January 2009: Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd)
EFT player of the month for December 2008: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2008: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2008: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for September 2008: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for August 2008: Amr Zaki (Wigan Athletic)
EFT match of Euro 2008: Turkey's amazing comeback from two goals down to beat Czech Republic 3-2 as captain Nihat Kahveci's two goals in the last three minutes sensationally put his country through to the quarter finals at the expense of their beaten opponents
EFT player of Euro 2008: Spain (anchor) central midfielder, Marcos Senna
EFT match of the season for 2007/2008: Liverpool win titanic Champions League quarter-final second leg 4-2 against Arsenal that also saw two of the best football moments of the season - Fernando Torres' top corner strike and Theo Walcott's thrilling run across the whole of Anfield.
EFT player of the season for 2007/2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for May 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for April 2008: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
EFT player of the month for March 2008: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2008: David James (Portsmouth)
EFT player of the month for January 2008: Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for December 2007: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)
EFT player of the month for November 2007: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for October 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for September 2007: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for August 2007: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for May 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for April 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for March 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for February 2007: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for January 2007: Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for December 2006: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for November 2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2006: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers)
EFT player of the month for September 2006: Andrew Johnson (Everton)
EFT player of the month for August 2006: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth)
EFT match of World Cup 2006: Italy win a thrilling 'end-to-end' World Cup semi-final 2-0 against Germany courtesy of two late extra time goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro del Piero 
EFT player of World Cup 2006: Italy captain and centre-back, Fabio Cannavaro
EFT match of the season for 2005-2006: Liverpool win the FA Cup final 3-1 on penalties against West Ham after a Steven Gerrard-led fighback saw the Anfield side recover from 2-0 and 3-2 down to level the match in normal time
EFT player of the month for May 2006: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for April 2006: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for March 2006: Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur)
EFT player of the month for February 2006: Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough)
EFT player of the month for January 2006: Jason Roberts (Wigan Athletic)
EFT player of the month for December 2005: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2005: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for October 2005: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for September 2005: Danny Murphy (Charlton Athletic)
EFT player of the month for August 2005: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT match of the season for 2004-2005: Liverpool win Champions League final 3-2 on penalties against AC Milan after sensationally recovering from 3-0 down to level the match in normal time
6 Comments:
Nice one T - I was wondering how the heck Jussi could save TWO penalties in the same game...there must be something statistically wrong with that! Kept Bolton up there fighting at the top last week...and only a loss to Everton has started pushing them down the table.
Anybody saying this is only a pro-Arsenal site should take note - BOLTON is not exactly our favorite team!
Well done Jussi!
11/05/2006 1:30 pm
Thanks mate... I'm pro-Arsenal because I'm a gunner but the rest of the EFT team would be quite amused to be considered as pro-Arsenal!
Anyways, I simply ditto your congrats to Jussi!
11/05/2006 4:12 pm
Right decision, the keeper has been excellent for Bolton and kept the deficit down last week, plus the two saves he made at Blackburn. But they haven't met Everton as yet, just lost to Charlton, Man Utd and now Wigan.
I'm certainly not pro-Arsenal! Just call it as I see it.
RedsMan.
11/05/2006 4:25 pm
GunnerPete says....Good one 't' its about time this guy was reconised as a very good player. I would like him at the Emirates.
'T' I think the time has come for a very serious analysis of wher the Gunners are going. You know I have put my head on the block before with predictions, but I must say the one I would love to be listened too is still available ie; Kolo for capatain AND more important to replace Silva has our destroyer & forward drive force. He sets examples to the youngsters like no other, and if he was released from non stop defensive duties, I would forecast that he would score as many goals as Lampard every year. In short I think he is multi talented, and wasted.
I also believe that with Senderos back beside Gallas, we would have a great pair of attacking defenders. Add the two best young full back / wingers Eboue & Clichy and I think we could win the lot, and Im serious.
My own personal first team would therefore be:-
Lehmann
Eboue Senderos Gallas Clichy.
Kolo Toure (Capt)
Hleb Fabrigas Rosicky Van Percie
Henry
Subs: again I would go for it ie; no defenders because Kolo can always switch back if required.
So. Adebajour, Almunia, Walcott, Stokes, Bentner.
The reason....ive seen them all and certain players have it and others dont.
Flamini, Freddy & Lauren, should be sold asap, and replaced with a proven goal machine like Huntelarr. Aw should spend the rest on the best British goalie arounf =Foster, Im sure Manure would sell at the right price.
Well thats it.....in my opinion, if AW does not vary his ideas, we will not will anything but we will entertain everyone.
11/06/2006 11:29 am
GP, I must say that in the past week when I have watched yet another attacking move frustratingly finish in failure I have thought the same as your concluding words.
But then again I do think we are moving in the right direction and that this side IS capable of winning the P'ship... but maybe this season is one season too early... as I thought before the start of the season.
Our squad is thin at the mo in the midfield area because of injuries and I think this has contributed to the past week's results because we have not been able to rotate and freshen the team when they needed it.
I also think that we particularly miss the finishing composure of Pires as demonstrated yesterday when Rosicky was through but chose to blast the ball without full control rather than pass it into the net. If Pires was in the same position y'day it would have been one-nil to us and I think we would have gone onto win quite well. I look forward to seeing Freddie and Baptista back because they do know how to cooly finish when attacking from the midfield.
I also can't wait to have Bendtner back from Birmingham because he does look a very composed finisher. And I totally agree with your tip of Huntelaar - this guy is a natural and would be able to score loads of goals in the Arsenal team. The inclusion of Bentdner or Huntelaar would also mean that Arsenal revert to a 4-4-2... which I think we need to go back to for home matches... I'm still not totally convinced about using the 4-5-1 because I don't think it gets the best of Thierry.
As for Kolo in midfield - I first mentioned this possibilty the day Pat left and I agree with you GP that it should be seriously considered given that we have a wealth of excellent centre-backs who can replace him at the back. Y'day Gil looked fatigued and this is a problem that will affect us again this season because there is no adequate replacement for Gil from the current batch of midfielders.
GP- if you want to write an article about Kolo for Central Midfield for me to post onto the site I'd be happy to publish it..
11/06/2006 9:48 pm
By the way, I should point out that we have a new email address: eftmail@yahoo.co.uk.
11/06/2006 10:15 pm
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