Defoe is top Lion
Sunday, 13 February, 2005
Jermain Defoe’s delightful FA Cup double for Spurs earns him this week's award.
LION OF THE WEEKEND: Jermain Defoe’s FA Cup double for Spurs earns him the award from another natural goalscorer Malcolm Macdonald.
Defoe booked Tottenham’s place in the FA Cup Fifth Round with two terrific goals in Saturday’s 3-1 win against West Brom.
Both his second half strikes were unstoppable and hit powerfully without any backlift.
It also gave the England forward his second Lion of the Weekend nomination of the season with one of the game’s all-time great goalscorers Malcolm Macdonald hugely impressed.
"I think the Tottenham revival has more to do with Jermain Defoe than anyone else," said Supermac.
"I first saw him play for England under-21s and to be honest didn’t think he would make the grade as a top, top player.
"He has come on in leaps and bounds since then. His two goals on Saturday were top-class.
"I used to find it an advantage to hit the ball cleanly without having to take a big swipe at the ball.
"You can’t really coach a striker to be able to produce shots without much of a backlift. It’s down to nature really and Jermain has that talent."
Spurs were being held 1-1 by Albion before Defoe cracked home his first goal from Michael Carrick’s 50th minute free-kick.
Five minutes later, Defoe produced another deadly drive from 10 yards and nearly went on to complete a hat-trick.
Lion of the Season - Total nominations so far
Stewart Downing 3 (08 Nov, 18 Oct, 04 Oct)
Shaun Wright-Phillips 3 (25 Oct, 16 Aug, 22 Nov)
Michael Owen 2 (01 Nov, 30 Aug)
John Terry 2 (29 Nov, 13 Dec)
Alan Smith 2 (23 Aug, 04 Jan)
Frank Lampard 2 (06 Dec, 17 Jan)
Wayne Rooney 2 (15 Nov, 31 Jan)
David James 2 (13 Sept, 07 Feb)
Jermain Defoe 2 (20 Dec, 14 Feb)
Ashley Cole 1 (27 Sept)
Rio Ferdinand 1 (11 Oct)
Ledley King 1 (20 Sept)
Steven Gerrard 1 (06 Sept)
Darren Carter 1 (10 Jan)
Dean Ashton 1 (24 Jan)
* Every Monday TheFA.com announces the outstanding England player from the weekend’s matches, selected with the help of a former England international.
Lion of the Weekend is chosen by five former England internationals: Alan Mullery, Russell Osman, Mick Mills, Malcolm Macdonald and Paul Parker.
The player with the most votes at the end of the season will be crowned "Lion of the Season".