EARLIER THIS WEEK, the PFA announced their team of the year.
While there was a few no-brainers on the list (Van Persie, Kompany), there was also at least one or two questionable choices (Silva, Parker).
And given that the votes are cast well before the end of the season, there was considerable criticism of some of the PFA’s selections.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to highlight some of the players who were arguably unfairly overlooked for the accolades.
Luka Modric
Parker and Bale were given much praise for Tottenham’s successes this season, however the Croatian deserves as much, if not more credit, for his role in their good form. His footballing intelligence provided Spurs with a level of creativity that few teams in the Premier League can match, and he also managed to perform consistently, despite having to deal with potentially unsettling rumours linking him with Chelsea at the start of the season.
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Clint Dempsey
Fulham currently have as many points as Liverpool, and for a club with nowhere near their spending power, such a position represents a phenomenal achievement. And USA international Clint Dempsey has been integral to their success. With 16 goals in 34 league appearances, the midfielder holds the type of record that most strikers would be proud of. He surely would have made the official team of the year ahead of less consistent players such as Bale and Silva had the votes been cast at the end of the season.
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Brad Friedel
Joe Hart took most of the acclaim in the goalkeeping stakes this season, however his propensity to commit errors in big games (Bayern Munich away springs to mind) shows he can still improve over the next few years. On the other hand, Friedel, who is almost twice Hart’s age, has been a pillar of consistency in a team that has been more than a little flaky in most areas of the field this season. Spurs’ defensive record has been as good as most sides though, and he has also made more saves (so far) than any Premier League goalkeeper playing with a team in the top half of the table.
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Joleon Lescott
Vincent Kompany is seen by most people as the reason why Man City currently boast the best defensive record of all the teams in the Premier League, however Lescott has made just as many appearances, and has been equally solid at the back for Mancini’s men. The defender endured a tough time following his big-money move to the club, however he has belatedly settled into the team this season, and looks capable of remaining in the side for years to come. He also chipped in with the occasional goal, as the clip below demonstrates.
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Paul Scholes
Perhaps the most contentious choice on this list, Scholes obviously only featured for Man United during the second half of the season, nevertheless his impact was so significant that he warrants inclusion here. Man United at times didn’t look themselves during the first half of the season, as their 6-1 hammering by Man City attested. However, Scholes’ return gave them a noticeable lift. He occupied the midfield playmaker role that had been conspicuously missing from the United side, in addition to bringing some much-needed experience to the team for their all-important title run-in with City.
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Sergio Aguero
Although Aguero hasn’t scored quite as many goals as Rooney and Van Persie this season, he has had to contend with far more competition for places in the Man City side. Moreover, he is younger than his slightly more prolific colleagues, and it’s his first season in the Premier League, whereas his rivals have a wealth of experience in English football. Therefore, when all these facts come under consideration, his feats have arguably been as impressive as those of any player this season.
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Demba Ba
Like Aguero, Ba is relatively inexperienced when it comes to Premier League football, having only signed for West Ham in January 2011. However, perhaps it’s hardly a surprise that Ba has been such a success for Newcastle, given that he managed an impressive seven goals from 12 games for West Ham, despite the well-documented troubles at the club. And with 16 goals in 30 appearances so far this season, Ba has been a revelation for Newcastle, and is one of the principal reasons why the Magpies remain in the hunt for a Champions League place.
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Who have we missed? Let us know in the comments section below.
