EPL Hot 11: Van Persie Continues Scoring Run, Bolton Doubles Up in Match Day 11

Jonathan Woo@woo_jonathanwooX.com LogoCorrespondent INovember 8, 2011

EPL Hot 11: Van Persie Continues Scoring Run, Bolton Doubles Up in Match Day 11

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    Robin van Persie's magical scoring run continued in Match Day 11, as he maintained the top spot in the Premier League Hot 11 for the fourth consecutive week.

    Edin Dzeko makes his third straight appearance, as his scoring form kept par as well.

    Darren Bent, Ivan Klasnic and Chris Eagles all recorded doubles as the three sit comfortably atop the rankings.

    Finally, a pair of wonder strikes from Ryan Taylor and Anthony Pilkington merit themselves a place in this week's Hot 11.

    Every Wednesday, 11 footballers in the Premier League will make up the EPL Hot 11, a fluctuating power ranking that highlights the top performers over the course of the entire season. Dependent on their match-day performances, players may move up or down the list each week.






Robin van Persie

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    Theo Walcott did a large portion of the work in Arsenal's 22nd-minute opening goal, but it was Robin van Persie who cleaned up the act with his 11th goal of the season and his 10th in the last six games. 

    There was little that was flashy about the Dutchman's score, only that he continues to have a nose for the net.

    Buoyed by van Persie's fantastic scoring form, the Gunners have reeled off four consecutive victories in the Premier League to climb even with Liverpool at sixth in the table.

    There still is no player in better form than the 28-year-old van Persie.

Ivan Klasnic

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    Ivan Klasnic makes his return to the EPL Hot 11 after a scorching start to the season.

    His double and two assists in Bolton's 5-0 win over Stoke City puts him back in the rankings after a seven-week absence.

    Klasnic provided the assist to a bizarre goal to open the game. A Stoke City backpass was handled by Asmir Begovic, leading to an indirect free kick inside the box. Klasnic wasted no time in sliding a pass to Kevin Davies, catching the entire Stoke side off-guard.

    In the 61st minute, Klasnic would take a Paul Robinson pass on one touch, rifling a left-footed attempt off the hand of Begovic and into the net.

    Nine minutes after delivering a through ball to Chris Eagles for Bolton's fourth goal, Klasnic would have his double in the 82nd.

    From a corner kick, Paul Robinson headed the ball towards the goal, but from just a few yards out, Klasnic would add a final touch before the ball hit the back of the net.

Darren Bent

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    Darren Bent provided the finishing touches in Aston Villa's 3-2 win over Norwich City Saturday, as the 27-year-old collected his fourth and fifth goals of the season.

    Gabriel Agbonlahor would end up doing most of the work, but it was Bent who made the score sheet on a couple of Agbonlahor crosses from either side of the box.

    Two virtual tap-ins from inside the six-yard box, first in the 30th minute to equalize and again in the 62nd to grab a 3-1 advantage.

    Four goals in five games for Bent, as Villa won for just the first time in four matches.

Chris Eagles

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    Chris Eagles and teammate Ivan Klasnic would both record doubles in Bolton's 5-0 thrashing of Stoke City at the Reebok, but it was Eagles who struck his two-goal effort first with goals in the 23rd and 73th minutes.

    A rather poor clearance from keeper Asmir Begovic went straight to Eagles just outside the box on the left. The 25-year-old wasted no time in unleashing a low, powerful shot across the face of the goal and into the side netting at the far post.

    With Bolton ahead 3-0, the Baggies would continue to press.

    In the 73rd minute, Eagles took a precise Klasnic through ball inside the box, and the midfielder was not denied his second of the game, as he cleverly scooped his effort over a sliding Begovic.

Frank Lampard

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    Frank Lampard would have the only goal in Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Blackburn Saturday, but it was all that was needed for the Blues to get their fourth win in six to stay even with Tottenham at fourth place in the table.

    The 33-year-old midfielder put in a very technical diving header in the 51st minute, a goal that would remain unchallenged until the final whistle.

    For Lampard, that makes five goals in five games with two assists in the process.

Gabriel Agbonlahor

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    Five minutes after Anthony Pilkington's fantastic free kick goal, Gabriel Abgonlahor ripped a low cross into the box from the left flank, finding a loosely marked Darren Bent, who simply poked home the equalizer.

    Then just three minutes after the restart, Agbonlahor's sheer pace gave the Norwich backline fits as the 25-year-old forced an errant back pass. The England international collected the ball off a deflection between him and the keeper before scoring to give Villa a 2-1 lead.

    In the 62nd minute, Agbonlahor connected with Bent once more, this time with a cross from the right flank, and the same result followed.

Edin Dzeko

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    Queens Park Rangers grabbed an early lead in the 28th minute, but 15 minutes later, moments before halftime, Edin Dzeko zig-zagged through the left side of the QPR box before lashing a grounded-attempt past Patty Kenny's near post.

    It was the Bosnian's 10th goal of the season and his fourth in three games.

    Seven minutes into the second half, Dzeko would find David Silva slashing through the box; he converted for a 2-1 City lead.

    Good form from Dzkeo and Silva have fueled City's ride to the top of the table.

Gareth Bale

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    Tottenham continued its unbeaten streak to eight games with a 3-1 win over Fulham Sunday.

    It took just 10 minutes for the away side to open the scoring at Craven Cottage. Gareth Bale followed up an Aaron Lennon cross that was deflected to Bale's feet. The Welshman hammered a left-footed attempt across the face of the goal before Fulham's Chris Baird got the final touch into the net.

    Bale was credited with the score, as he followed up his two-goal effort from last weekend.

    The speedy playmaker picked up an assist just moments before halftime, as well.

    A clever first-touch combination sprung Lennon into open space, and a couple of clever moves later, the speedster slammed home Spurs' second goal of the half.

    Bale has scored all four of his goals this season in the last five league matches.

Ryan Taylor

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    After going up 1-0 on a John Heitinga own goal 12 minutes in, Newcastle's Ryan Taylor doubled the lead in the 29th minute with a wonderstrike that left Tim Howard helpless as the ball swiftly traveled over the keeper's fingertips and off the underside of the crossbar for one of the best goals of the season.

    Taylor chested down a poor clearance before taking a half volley with his right foot that dipped over the keeper.

    It was Taylor's goal that would prove the difference, as the home side would win 2-1.

    The 27-year-old had not scored since Match Day 2, but his top-class strike Saturday gets him a debut in the Hot 11.

Anthony Pilkington

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    Norwich City was on the wrong side of a 3-2 decision at Villa Park, but Anthony Pilkington got the Canaries off with a bang.

    In the 25th minute, Pilkington curled in a brilliant free kick from just beyond 20 meters. Shay Given only managed the slightest of fingertip touches, but the ball was placed too well for the keeper to stop.

    In a weekend filled with wonderful scores, this set-piece strike was one of the best.

Steve Morison

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    Steve Morison recorded a cracking goal last weekend, and he found the net again on Saturday, but just as before, it was in a winless effort.

    With just 13 minutes to the final whistle, Morison got to the end of Grant Holt's cross from the left side, needing a simple redirection with his head to pull within a goal of the home side.

    The 28-year-old Morison has had good form of late, recording two goals and an assist in the last four games.

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