Manchester United's End of 2014/15 Season Awards
While nothing that happens in the next 10 slides can hope to improve on Louis van Gaal's speech at Manchester United's end-of-season awards, we will at least hand out a few more prizes than the club did.
As well as the goal and player of the season, we will take a look at United's most improved player, best and worst signings, and a couple of more left-field choices, like third-best goal of the season and best United-related Vine.
Without further ado, let's hand out some virtual gongs to the worthy.
Best Outfield Player: Ander Herrera
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Given he earned the No. 2 spot when I put together the season's power rankings last week, Ander Herrera is a shoe-in for outfield player of the season.
David De Gea will get his due, but two seasons in a row of the goalkeeper being awarded United fans' and players' player of the season has become a little dull, so this award is designed to reward one of the players whose job involves running around.
He is a worthy winner. There is no outfielder who has been consistently good across the season, because they have either endured mixed form or been out of action through injury or not being selected. Herrera, though, is the outfield player who has delivered most consistently when he has been present, and who has been used often enough to make a sustained impact.
This may not be the last award Herrera receives here...
Best Signing: Ander Herrera
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This one lacks suspense, given that Herrera has already been named best outfield player.
However, he has certainly earned the best-signing award too. United's exciting summer has not been parlayed into an exciting season for much of the time, but Herrera has been the exception that proves the rule.
He looks perfectly suited for the Premier League, has contributed goals and assists and has been a key part of all United's best team displays. If he stays at United for any length of time, he looks guaranteed a good write-up in the club's history books. He has certainly exceeded the impact of any of his fellow signings.
Worst Signing: Radamel Falcao
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It should not have been like this.
But sadly this category is easy to award. Radamel Falcao was loved by fans, and that love seemed mutual. His effort could not be faulted. At his best he was one of the best strikers in the world.
At United, though, he lost his confidence and never found it again. The only other possible contender for this award was Angel Di Maria, but he has time to redeem himself, and even in a poor first season he managed 10 league assists.
Falcao was bought for his goals, but he did not manage to score more than Chris Smalling. For that alone, he has this unwanted award to add to his collection.
Most Improved Player: Ashley Young
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Ashley Young kept Angel Di Maria out of the United side for a long stretch of the season.
For one reason or another, that sentence—or variants of it—have been written a lot lately, but it is still surprising every time. Young—decent at left-back and left wing-back for Van Gaal during the first half of the season—made the left wing his own during the run-in.
He excelled there, providing four assists and a goal in the season's last seven games. His high point was a man-of-the-match performance against Manchester City at Old Trafford, and he is a worthy recipient of this award.
Biggest Disappointment: Angel Di Maria / Radamel Falcao
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The South American duo can share this award. I have written in more detail about the subject here, but suffice it to say, it's all just a big shame.
So much promise, so little delivery. With a sigh, a dream of what might have been and a slow shake of the head, the award for biggest disappointment goes to Falcao and Di Maria.
3rd-Best Goal: Wayne Rooney Against Aston Villa
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Goal of the season—which comes later—is such a lock I had initially considered handing out a second-best goal of the season, but it turned out that was a lock too. Di Maria and Mata may have those spots taken, but what of United's third-best goal of the season, a subject worthy of genuine debate?
Herrera was in with a chance of a third gong, thanks to his belting volley against Yeovil Town, but his captain has swooped in to claim it for his remarkable effort against Aston Villa.
Receiving a slightly misplaced cross from Di Maria, Rooney displayed sublime control thanks to a deft first touch with an outstretched leg. With the ball under his stewardship, he swivelled and volleyed into the net.
Rooney's very best has only been sporadically on display this season. This was a rare and beautiful example of it.
United-Related Vine of the Season
7 of 10While performances on the pitch have been mixed, the output of the football Vine community has been top-notch all season.
Of course, the award for best Vine goes to a Vonstrenginho offering, as indeed does the runner-up spot.
The runner-up was a spoof of the Blur song "Parklife" featuring Sam Allardyce and Van Gaal in a starring role, in the wake of "long-ballgate."
The winner, though, was based on a clip from the above press conference, and features a dancing Van Gaal sharing his joy at the end of the injury crisis with the press.
"Only one player injured, can you believe it?" is a phrase that will live long in the memory thanks to this remarkably addictive Vine.
Best Team Performance: Manchester United 3 Tottenham Hotspur 0
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Cast your mind back to the build-up to this game. United had been knocked out of the FA Cup by Arsenal, and laboured to wins over Sunderland and Newcastle United in their past three games. They faced a run of tough games against rivals for a Champions League spot and local rivals. Things were looking very uncertain.
They had shown some signs of improvement—indeed they played some good football against Arsenal. However, there was little to foreshadow the way in which it all came together in spectacular fashion against Tottenham Hotspur.
Without Robin van Persie or Angel Di Maria, Van Gaal found a new balance in his side. On one flank Herrera and Juan Mata interchanged passes with near-psychic understanding. On the other Marouane Fellaini and Young were joined by Daley Blind as they played neat triangles which wreaked havoc.
It was a superb performance, a tonic for United fans' spirits, which offered the promise of better times ahead.
Best Goal: Juan Mata Against Liverpool (Obviously)
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Di Maria will have to settle for second, and feel hard done by that unlike third it does not get a special award. I made Mata's flying volley my moment of the season on Monday, and it certainly wins this prize.
The faces of the crowd in the above picture show just how much it meant, given it was scored at Anfield. But it was also a moment of stunning technical expertise, with Mata calculating that the spectacular was his best option.
For all those of a United persuasion, it is a joy that he did.
Player of the Season: David De Gea (Obviously)
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Double player of the year again in the official awards. No. 1 in the aforementioned power rankings. He is the standout candidate for this award.
The story of David De Gea's remarkable season is told here. He has been utterly superb for much of it. There were times when the well of superlatives ran dry, as he kept United in game after game.
Sometimes it was the spectacular, as against Everton at home.
At other times it was the less splashy but no-less challenging aspects of the 'keepers art form, as against Liverpool at home.
In the end it was fitting that it was a remarkable De Gea save—from Glenn Murray—which changed the balance of the game in which United's eventual victory all-but guaranteed them their top-four finish.
After all, De Gea's interventions were crucial throughout the season. If he does leave, he will be much missed.
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