Ranking the 20 Best Goals of the Premier League Season
With the 2014-15 Premier League season in the books, we can definitively say one thing on reflection: It was a campaign filled to the brim with stunning goals.
Whether it was Juan Mata's delicate scissor kick, Cesc Fabregas' slick capping off of a Chelsea team move or Jack Wilshere's half-volley thunderbolt against West Bromwich Albion, everyone has their favourite strike of the campaign.
Here we rank the top 20. Be aware: We had to leave quite a number of golazos off the list because of the sheer quantity provided this season.
20. Mame Biram Diouf, Stoke City vs. Manchester City
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Mame Biram Diouf features a little lower on this list than some may have expected, and that's because the finish was a little fortunate, given Joe Hart probably should have stopped it.
But we commend the former Manchester United man's effort, surging from well inside his own half, showing pace and power in abundance, knocking it around his marker before slotting home.
It's not often you see someone with the physical ability to do what Diouf did.
Watch the goal here.
19. Charlie Austin, Queens Park Rangers vs. Southampton
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Charlie Austin levelled the scoreline between Queens Park Rangers and Southampton with a remarkably deft, controlled strike. It proved his poise and prowess as a striker of the ball early in the season.
A vaguely accurate right-sided cross was chopped toward him after he'd found a pocket of space in the box, and he took one touch to control it in midair and another to slam it home past Fraser Forster. Stunning execution.
Watch the goal here.
18. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal
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Taking a break from long-range strikes, Harry Kane's header in the north London derby back in February was one to truly savour.
Arsenal took the lead early on, but Spurs had pegged them back. Kane then rose highest to head a deep cross home, hanging in the air, extending his neck and looping a ridiculous effort over David Ospina and into the top corner.
Watch the goal here.
17. George Boyd, Burnley vs. Manchester City
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George Boyd proved to the Premier League he can execute a half-volley as well as anyone back in March, slamming an opportunistic effort into the corner past a helpless Joe Hart.
A free-kick was blocked and fell to the edge of the box, where Boyd showed a ruthless lack of hesitation in slamming a grass-cutter into the far corner.
Watch the goal here.
16. Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal vs. Manchester City
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Alexis Sanchez scored several epic goals during his debut season in English football and is perhaps unlucky only to have one featured. His thunderbolt against Liverpool was a close contender for the list.
But this strike, against Manchester City, is a particular favourite because of the sheer perfection of the technique involved. He volleyed the ball right into the top corner despite having to redirect it completely and contort his body to do so.
Watch the goal here.
15. Angel Di Maria, Manchester United vs. Leicester City
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A wild game at the King Power Stadium early in the season saw Leicester City beat Manchester United 5-3. It wasn't the right result for Louis van Gaal and Co., but one of his players did score an absolute belter in the opening exchanges.
Angel Di Maria, fresh from signing from Real Madrid, scored his second goal for the club in the game, and it was an absolute cracker. Running onto a slipped pass in traffic, the Argentine proceeded to outrageously chip Kasper Schmeichel, spooning a left-footed effort over the 'keeper and into the net.
Watch the goal here.
14. Olivier Giroud, Arsenal vs. Aston Villa
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On the rare occasion Olivier Giroud scores a one against one, we must celebrate. This goal against Aston Villa also happened to be stunning thanks to the buildup play from Mesut Ozil.
The German flicked a long pass into Giroud's path with the outside of his boot, lobbing Jores Okore in quite literally the most nonchalant fashion possible. The Frenchman did the rest, running onto the ball, taking a great first touch and burying it past Brad Guzan.
Watch the flick here.
13. Christian Benteke, Aston Villa vs. Manchester United
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Like Alexis Sanchez, Christian Benteke is unfortunate only to have one strike in this list. His free-kick against Queens Park Rangers and his solo effort against Crystal Palace are both worthy of praise.
But it was this strike that announced to the wider world that he was back, as he scored it against Manchester United. Shifting left and right in the box, he eventually fashioned an angle and bent a ridiculous left-footed effort around a wall of bodies and into the corner.
David De Gea didn't even move.
Watch the goal here.
12. Shane Long, Southampton vs. Aston Villa
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There will be questions asked of Shay Given—what was he doing so far off his line? He never leaves his line!—but this Shane Long strike was stunning nonetheless.
Typifying his combative yet technically sound 90 minutes, he robbed Ashley Westwood deep in midfield, turned and bent a 40-yard strike over Given and into the top right-hand corner.
Watch the goal here.
11. Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool vs. Southampton
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Philippe Coutinho stunned St. Mary's in February with a truly wonderful long-range strike when Liverpool visited Southampton.
Receiving the ball fully 35 yards from goal, he took a touch to dig it out of his feet and launched a rocket destined for the top corner. Fraser Forster, powerless, dived in vain as it soared in off the angle of the post and bar.
Watch the goal here.
10. Jack Wilshere, Arsenal vs. West Bromwich Albion
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On the final day of the Premier League season, Jack Wilshere struck a genuine Goal of the Season contender against West Bromwich Albion.
A corner was only half-cleared and Gabriel Paulista was able to flick the ball into Wilshere's path on the edge of the box. The Englishman let the ball bounce, then hammered an unbelievable volley into the top corner of the net, leaving Boaz Myhill helpless.
Watch the goal here.
9. Graziano Pelle, Southampton vs. Queens Park Rangers
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Minutes after Charlie Austin had equalised for Queens Park Rangers with a fine strike of his own, Graziano Pelle took it upon himself to re-establish Southampton's lead.
Receiving the ball with his back to goal inside the box, he flicked it up with one touch, then sent his next one into the top corner with a stunning overhead kick.
He tried—and failed—to replicate it all season long thereafter, but at least one went in!
Watch the goal here.
8. Phil Jagielka, Everton vs. Liverpool
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It was late on in the first Merseyside derby of the season and Liverpool were leading 1-0, predictably through a Steven Gerrard goal. Everton needed a hero, and one emerged in the unlikely form of Phil Jagielka.
This is what's known, in the sports business, as the classic centre-back "ka-bosh." He ran onto it, contorted his body a little to line up the shot and hit it as hard as he possibly could.
The result? A golazo!
Watch the goal here.
7. Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace
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A team goal cut from Arsenal's cloth, you might say.
Chelsea scored a wonderful, slick effort at Selhurst Park this season, with Cesc Fabregas topping off a brilliant, interchanging move.
Oscar and Eden Hazard combined with him, utilising one-touch passing and eventually freeing the Spaniard on the left to tee up his slotted effort, which beat Julian Speroni.
Watch the goal here.
6. Matt Phillips, Queens Park Rangers vs. Crystal Palace
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This was a strike that sparked shocked cries and sharp intakes of breath among those in Selhurst Park when it went in.
With Queens Park Rangers dead and buried in a routine away loss to Crystal Palace, Matt Phillips opted for the spectacular from 45 yards. He set himself nicely, powered it through, and the ball kissed the underside of the bar before rippling the net.
Watch the goal here.
5. Jermain Defoe, Sunderland vs. Newcastle United
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So good it brought him to tears.
Jermain Defoe is no stranger to goals—he's scored over 200 of them in his career to date—but this one was so sweet he left the pitch at half-time sobbing. In fairness, it was a truly remarkable strike.
A long ball up to Sunderland's attack was nodded down by Connor Wickham, and Defoe opted for the golazo volley, fizzing a wicked effort into the top corner. Outstanding.
Watch the goal here.
4. Juan Mata, Manchester United vs. Liverpool
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On technique alone this might just be the best goal we saw this season. Juan Mata's remarkable scissor kick at Anfield drew many plaudits, and understandably so.
It was his second goal of the day, once again manipulating the space behind Mamadou Sakho and Alberto Moreno to good effect and finding space to receive a pass. He volleyed Angel Di Maria's lofted ball first time into the far corner, beating an in-form Simon Mignolet.
Watch the goal here.
3. Andre Schurrle, Chelsea vs. Burnley
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One of the finest goals this season came on the opening gameweek, with Andre Schurrle putting the finishing touches to a world-class, free-flowing Chelsea move. It announced, truly, that the Blues were back in business.
Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic combined in the buildup, finding Cesc Fabregas on the edge of the box. He arrowed a sharp, accurate pass into Andre Schurrle's run, who finished first time past a flabbergasted Tom Heaton.
Watch the goal here.
2. Bobby Zamora, Queens Park Rangers vs. West Bromwich Albion
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Bobby Zamora managed a pretty decent personal season despite playing for relegated Queens Park Rangers, outlining again why he is one of the best technicians in the business on his day.
There was one goal in particular, away to West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns, that saw him astound every onlooker in the stadium. He flicked a high pass first time into the far corner of the net with the outside of his boot. Sumptuous technique.
Watch the goal here.
1. Charlie Adam, Stoke City vs. Chelsea
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Our Goal of the Season award goes to Charlie Adam, and really, we're giving him the Honest Endeavour prize too. He's been trying to score from inside his own half for a long, long time; few would have guessed it would've been Thibaut Courtois he beat when he finally did it.
Stoke City moved the ball quickly out of defence and began initiating a counter-attack at Stamford Bridge. A full 60-odd yards from goal, Adam saw the Belgian 'keeper off his line.
He generated all the power, all the movement and all the deception to send it into the net. Stunning.
Watch the goal here.
