Top XI: Pies’ Premier League Team Of The Season

By Chris Wright

No unnecessary spiel, no waffle, let’s just get straight down to brass tacks. Presenting, Pies’ Premier League Team of the Season…

GK – Edwin van der Sar, Man Utd

Recently became the oldest man to win the Premier League at 40 years and 206 days – and boy did he deserve it. The fact that his few detractors continually single out the same bloody mistake over and over (the howler against West Brom) just goes to show how otherwise immaculate the veteran Dutch custodian has been this campaign.

DF – Robert Huth, Stoke

The stat doing the rounds is that Huth has scored 13% of Stoke’s goals this season while Nicolas Anelka has only managed to net 12% of Chelsea’s. Towering headers aside, the witch-chinned German has been excellent for the Potters.

DF – Nemanja Vidic, Man Utd

Obviously.

DF – Vincent Kompany, Man City

Like Vidic, only without the looming ‘this could all go to shit very quickly’ factor. Classy, subtle, strong and sensible throughout. No Premier League defender has been involved in keeping more clean sheets (18).

DF – Leighton Baines, Everton

No surprise that Baines took the top gong at Everton’s recent awards bash. The flying left-back has a tally of 11 assists and has also carved out a further 63 ‘unconverted’ chances this term – both of which are unparalleled by any other top flight defender.

MF – Luka Modric, Tottenham

Bit of an unsung hero, Luka has been a joy to behold this season. Needs to chip in with a few more goals if he’s truly going to make the step up into the upper echelons, but that’s just nit-picking.

MF – Yaya Toure, Man City

Yes, he may earn the equivalent of a small country’s GDP on a weekly basis but, no doubt about it, City’s midfield colossus has been…erm, colossal in his maiden Premier League season – scoring a decent haul of important goals along the way.

MF – Rafael van der Vaart, Tottenham

Mercurial, demanding, instinctive, inconsistent, prissy and arrogant – VDV has displayed all the hall-marks of a great poacher/playmaker in his first season at The Lane. Petered out slightly towards the end of the season, but those first few months were truly exhilarating.

FW – Nani, Man Utd

The stats and goal compilations speak for themselves. May not be everybody’s cup of tea but the Portuguese sprite has been intrinsic in Manchester United’s title win. To be honest, I’d have included him for his superb cross (Rooney’s second goal) against Villa alone – it was a work of wingplay-based artistry.

FW – Dirk Kuyt, Liverpool

So undervalued it’s almost criminal. Admittedly, Deadly Dirk may not be the easiest player on the eye, but he provides endless running, toil and industry as a matter of routine and has also scored ten league goals (including a hattrick against Manchester United) in the 18 games since King Kenny’s return. Shades it into the XI by virtue of his endless stamina and guile.

FW – Carlos Tevez, Man City

A truly brilliant creative player with absolutely no allegiance to anything other than his paycheck, his children and a persistent desire to score mesmerising goals on a regular basis. As with Nani, I’d have him in for that free-kick against Stoke last week alone.

Chicharito may have made a bigger splash for considerably less cash, but Captain Carlitos carried City and their gargantuan expectations for months on end.

Substitutes: Ben Foster (Birmingham), Scott Dann (Birmingham), Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Scott Parker (West Ham), Samir Nasri (Arsenal), Javier Hernandez (Man Utd), Peter Odemwingie (West Brom).

Agree/Disagree? Feel free to leave your own ‘Team of the Seasons’ shouts in the comments box below…

Compare and contrast: Pies’ Team of The Year…So Far (From January)

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53 Comments

  1. Joe says:

    He only arrived in January, but Suarez.

  2. EDub says:

    *sigh* … Truly sad that not a single Arsenal player would make this list …

  3. Chris says:

    @Joe: Suarez made the shortlist for the bench due to his impact at Liverpool, but Nasri looked like a genuine world-beater at the start of the season – seems so long ago now, mind you.

  4. Nick says:

    I think that Charlie Adam could at least make the bench. We all have our own particular aesthetic tastes, but that Charlie Adam free-kick against Blackburn pips the Tevez one for me. Robinson is SO FAR away from saving it that it mad me marvel at how more don’t go in. But each to their own. The Tevez one was unreal, but didn’t give me the same buzz.

  5. MGJ says:

    Surely RVP in the subs if not in the first team replacing Kuyt! Ok so he missed a bit of the season but he finished second and was at time the only person dragging Arsenal onwards.

  6. nonso says:

    no rvp, nasri, wilshere??? no adam??

  7. Goaltastic says:

    Posting mine tomorrow – it’s still a work in progress but surely Bale has to be there if it’s Europe as well as Domestic football.

  8. V says:

    vPersie, who scored 18 goals since January.

    And a mention to Park, with performances such as vs Wolves.

  9. piffy pete says:

    sure, its not like the berba didnt pull man utd through the entire first half of the season..you know…the team that went on to win the premier league? yea no, he doesnt deserve a mention.

  10. huh says:

    no right back??

  11. Tickkid says:

    Great list. I really got to see Nani at the end of the season and was very impressed with his ability to clear himself space outside the box. As a casual American fan of Premier League that only gets to catch a game a week – I miss out on some of the talent that isn’t SUPER named. I’m surprised that Berbatov isn’t on the list considering his scoring touch, but I’m more familiar with the number and not the play as much.
    I’d love to see Pies’ World Team of the Season. Love the site.

  12. youreds says:

    Kuyt has scored some important goals and performed in some big games but at the end of the day he has not been one of the best footballers in the Premier League this season. As someone already mentioned perhaps Van Persie who set a record for consecutive goals in away games, or Jack Wilshere, who has been the best English player in the league this season in my opinion.

    Other than that it looks like good choices all round (except Huth because he is an anti-footballer).

  13. Steve says:

    Darren Bent top english goal-scorer again now top scorer over the past 3 seasons in the premier league and yet overlooked. Something doesn’t quite add up there!

  14. tom says:

    Hello?!?
    Where’s Berbatov?? He’s the effin’ Man!!!

  15. Markell says:

    David Silva, anyone?

  16. EgyptianGooner says:

    Wilshere.

  17. Party Boy says:

    I’m glad there is no Bale in the XI, undoubtedly a very good player with a great deal of potential but he is so inconsistent and very injury prone.

    His hat-trick against Inter was impressive, nothing more, it was against a very poor Inter team who lost 40% of their home games in Europe and who were 4-0 at half time.

    I would agree with most of the choices, maybe Van Persie over Kuyt, both only really performed in the second half of the season but Van Persie’s goal scoring has been incredible.

    Also, not too sure about Toure, a good player who got some important goals but for me he just isn’t quite good enough.

    Finally glad Parker wasn’t included, had about a handful of good games, the others he’s been completely anonymous which is exactly why West Ham ended up where they are.

  18. Jason says:

    As others have already said, you got the wrong Dutchman. RvP in for Kuyt for sure. Not much of a complaint with the rest. Except having 2 spurs and none from Arsenal or Chelsea who both finished higher than them seems strange to me.

  19. Anonymous says:

    rvp-unreal this year

  20. Tom says:

    Pleased Leighton is in there, he’s been far and away the best left back in the league this season

  21. Jett says:

    Absolute horsesh*t. No RVP and Nasri not a starter?

  22. C says:

    What? No Torres?? What a disgrace! ;)

  23. Tom Jones says:

    Bent

  24. Anonymous says:

    i’m gonna say it. lucas

  25. Kevin says:

    Now you know why England have a crap national team!

    10 don’t qualify and the other one is too homesick to play away!

  26. Anonymous says:

    Where’s Jack Wilshere? He had a strong campaign, especially for such a young boy. Suarez.. only 5 months and he made a huge impact. There should be also some space for Charlie Adam, RvP, and.. Berba ! Come on, maybe Fergie had dropped him lately to the bench, but Dimi scored 20 goals this season, most of them amazing, isn’t that enough ? Dirk Kuyt? Ok, he’s always been all-around the pitch, fighting for every ball, but it’s not the first XI of the season.. Where’s Raul Meireles ? Where’s Imogen Thomas ?

  27. LFC Boy says:

    Where’s Jack Wilshere? He had a strong campaign, especially for such a young boy. Suarez.. only 5 months and he made a huge impact. There should be also some space for Charlie Adam, RvP, and.. Berba ! Come on, maybe Fergie had dropped him lately to the bench, but Dimi scored 20 goals this season, most of them amazing, isn’t that enough ? Dirk Kuyt? Ok, i’m LFC fan and he’s always been all-around the pitch, fighting for every ball, but it’s not the first XI of the season.. Where’s Raul Meireles ? And why Nasri ? He’s been good for only half of the season, so if you judge players by only few months, why not Andy Carroll? He was the best striker of EPL till january… And where’s Imogen Thomas ?

  28. drags says:

    Surely the joint top scorer in the league should get a mention? yeah he was quieter at the end of the season but really…

  29. syndex says:

    Not even one chelsea player mentioned in passing, thats got to be the first time in a long time

  30. Chris says:

    Most of the omissions mentioned came ridiculously close to making the ‘squad’ and several of them (RVP/Adam/Wilshere) actually rotated in and then out of the draft on several occasions.

    In fact it came down to a coin toss between Adam and Parker as to who ended up on the bench – the sweaty Tibetan jodhpur-fox won.

  31. Coolie says:

    As a liverpool fan I would not have kuyt in there, its easily forgotten that he was piss poor for large chunks at the start of the season. RVP for his 2nd half of the season maybe but certainly no Berba if your not first choice for your club you cant make it into the best 11.

    Happy you have no Bale in either. I would nearly have Giggs in my team,certainly on the bench. I think he has been better this year than he was the time he won that life time achievement award.

  32. CFC_Jay says:

    @ Chris………that Nani cross for Rooney’s scissor kick was deflected…………and it deflected perfectly into Rooney’s path……..had the ball not detoured on its way from Nani’s boot then that goal would never have happened! Cracking goal but so not a good cross, lol!!!

  33. Alex says:

    I think the inclusion of modric and VDV just goes to show how different spurs season might have been with a twenty goal scoring striker in our ranks, speculation of course but for me if Luka was in a chelsea blue shirt this year they would have lofted the title weeks ago.

    Even as a spurs fan I must say I’m a little surprised that bale got a mention, don’t get me wrong the young monkey lookalike is capable of the truly incredible (volley against Stoke anyone?), but since his back problem early this year he has not been the same player at all, looks short of confidence, pace and all round general fitness. All of which I’m praying will put of any potential suitors this summer

  34. fergusonA lanjiau says:

    where is good guy balotelli! unfair!

  35. Hillyid says:

    Sol Campbell?

  36. Ty says:

    Surely Scotty Parker deserves a place in the top 11.

  37. aspers says:

    @ cfc jay. pie said cross at against villa not city

  38. hitlan says:

    i think park could make the bench at least especially after that vital performance against wolves and he’s just been amazing on the left flank

  39. QMario says:

    Funny after a whole season of ranting at each other we can accept what happened and have a civil conversation about who was good for their clubs.

  40. adam says:

    how about n’zogbia? people are quick to dismiss his but he has single handedly kept wigan in the premier league. people rave about parker for standing out in a drab team, but n’zogbia has actually gone onto save a team scoring a hat full of quality goals in the process. plus he has completed the most successful dribbles in the premier league this year – could you ever imagine nani single handedly saving a team?!

  41. minimal says:

    kuyt???:))))))))) you must be joking;)

  42. Nick Wiper says:

    Kuyt was a good shout, Dempsey’s got to be in at least on the bench

  43. Sheasy says:

    Berba? only the co-top scorer in the league and put united on his back at the beginning of the season when rooney was shite

  44. pay.niss says:

    raul meireles!

  45. Tracy says:

    No Drogba?
    No Lampard?
    No Van Persie?

  46. nicko says:

    Who the hell thought of that team…..? Have they even watched this season…. bollocks.

  47. Wolverine says:

    WAT!!…nani is in?

  48. Anonymous says:

    Where’re chicharito berbatov rooney

  49. riska says:

    Where’s my best player Wayne Rooney. I think he deserve to get top XI best player.

  50. scott says:

    no surprise Rooney not in the team only 4 league goals this season yh maybe he scored the goal of the season but not enough goals maybe tired from world cup like some strikers this season e.g drogba,rooney, torres , defoe all underperformed this season also there would have no europ this season for spurs if it werent for modric and vdv who were undoubtly best spurs players amazingly no van persie ,wilshere adam maybe. yaya toure? why so many better cm than yaya tore and also joe hart so much better than his counterpart on the other side of manchester joe hart been best keeper by a mile but where are torres and gomes its a discrace

  51. Elderprof says:

    Amazingly!!! No Almunia.. Waoh

  52. john says:

    john…

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