As the title would suggest this is thread is one for people to pick their team of the season, we'll say a starting 11 and a subs bench of 5, from what they've seen in the premiership this fine season.

Here's mine:

-----------------Cech

G. Neville---R. Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra

Ronaldo----Eissen----Scholes---Giggs

---------Drogba-------Rooney

Subs:
David James
Gallas
Gerrard
Benni McCarthy
Bentley

If they hadn't missed most so much of the season I suspect van Persie and Henry might have made that team.

The complete United back 4 is down to the fact that their record is so good despite unlike Chelsea & Liverpools defence getting relatively little cover from the midfield.

Is it just me or have there not been very many good wingers in the premiership this year?

As for the bench looking for versitility there with Gallas able to play right across the back 4 and Gerrard and Bentley both able to slot into a variety of roles in midfield.

I would say the first team you have picked wouldn't be far out!
I would maybe change the bench a little with maybe Reina taking a place due to his heroics against Chelsea (allbeit in the CL) and probably Carragher as he has had another faultless season. Tevez i feel could also replace Bentley for his part in keeping WH up towards the end of the season where he was immense. Your first team however looks pretty accurate to me!

Below are the stats for the players with the highest success rates in their relevent positions! I realise stats don't always tell the full story, just thought i'd share the info.

Goalkeepers Team Saves Saves/shots
Hahnemann Reading 161 78%
Friedel Blackburn 149 73%
James Portsmouth 141 77%
Howard Everton 134 82%
Carson Charlton 123 69%

Tacklers Team Tackles Success rate
Parker Newcastle 166 79%
McCann Aston Villa 156 70%
Brown Fulham 139 74%
Reo-Coker West Ham 135 87%
Clichy Arsenal 135 81%

Passers Team Passes Accuracy
Fabregas Arsenal 2585 81%
Scholes Man Utd 2070 91%
Xabi Alonso Liverpool 2023 81%
Gilberto Silva Arsenal 1907 82%
Lampard Chelsea 1851 79%

Scorers Team Goals Goal/shots
Drogba Chelsea 20 19%
McCarthy Blackburn 18 29%
Ronaldo Man Utd 17 12%
Viduka Middlesbrough 14 27%
Rooney Man Utd 14 13%

Mine:-

Ed Van Der Sar
G. Neville---R. Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra
Ronaldo----Essien----Scholes---Giggs
Drogba-------Rooney

The whole Sheffield United team, and Niel Wharthog, and the fans....


Made me laugh all the way up to the final minute of the final game!

Mine:-

Ed Van Der Sar
G. Neville---R. Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra
Ronaldo----Essien----Scholes---Giggs
Drogba-------Rooney
Do you not think VDS was a bit dodgy for the last 1/4 of the season?

1 David James
2 Matt Taylor
3 Steve Finnan
4 Richard Dunne
5 Nicky Shorey
6 Mikel Arteta
7 Morton Gamst Pederson
8 Christiano Ronaldo
9 Dimitar Berbatov
10 Didier Drogba
11 Frank Lampard
Subs
12 Joleen Lescott
13 Brad Friedal
14 Jamie Carragher
15 Michael Essien
16 Steven Sidwell
17 Benni Mcarthy
18 Wayne Rooney
Manager Steve Coppel closely followed by David Moyes.

As the title would suggest this is thread is one for people to pick their team of the season, we'll say a starting 11 and a subs bench of 5, from what they've seen in the premiership this fine season.

Here's mine:

-----------------Cech

G. Neville---R. Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra

Ronaldo----Eissen----Scholes---Giggs

---------Drogba-------Rooney

Subs:
David James
Gallas
Gerrard
Benni McCarthy
Bentley

If they hadn't missed most so much of the season I suspect van Persie and Henry might have made that team.

The complete United back 4 is down to the fact that their record is so good despite unlike Chelsea & Liverpools defence getting relatively little cover from the midfield.

Is it just me or have there not been very many good wingers in the premiership this year?

As for the bench looking for versitility there with Gallas able to play right across the back 4 and Gerrard and Bentley both able to slot into a variety of roles in midfield.

Gallas was injured for half of the season?

Gallas was injured for half of the season?
Can you think of anyone else who can do a better job right across the back 4? This wasn't his best season to be sure, I just think he'd be an excellent option to have on the subs bench.

I would say the first team you have picked wouldn't be far out!
I would maybe change the bench a little with maybe Reina taking a place due to his heroics against Chelsea (allbeit in the CL) and probably Carragher as he has had another faultless season. Tevez i feel could also replace Bentley for his part in keeping WH up towards the end of the season where he was immense. Your first team however looks pretty accurate to me!
I know Tevez finished strongly but wasn’t he a bit rubbish for atleast the 1st half of the season whilst he got used to the premiership? If he sticks around in the premiership next year though he should be pretty damn good.

Carragher obviously plays well in the Liverpool system but anyteam I was in charge of would be a recklessly attacking one and I’m not sure if he has the pace to cope with the lack of cover my prefered style of play which is effectively a 244 system would expose him to :D

Cech - The best in the country by a long way, otherwise Brad Friedel seems to have produced a number of match winning performances.

G. Neville - Solid player, solid season
R. Ferdinand - Not for me, I'd prefer either of Chelski's, or Toure
Vidic - Buy of the season perhaps
Evra - hard to think of any good ones, but Gallas or Clichy would spring to mind first.

Ronaldo - Agreed, player of the season.
Eissen - agreed, awesome in midfield, pretty good at right back or central defender
Scholes - Agreed, great season
Giggs - I'd replace with Fabregas. The midfield would be unbalanced but you're right there haven't been many good wide players.

Drogba - best striker of the year but I'm not sure he looks as good playing along side another striker.
Rooney - Subs bench for me, a bit in and out. I prefer Berbatov

I've gone for some players that I think did well considering the clubs they're at, and some that just can't be left out. Players like Primus, I know aren't as good as Terry or Ferdinand, but I think he's excelled himself this season.

___________James__________
Carragher_Ferdinand_Primus_Clichy
Ronaldo__Sidwell__Fabregas__Giggs
_____Berbatov_____Drogba____

And subs:
Cech
Rooney
Terry
Gerrard
MCCarthy

Can you think of anyone else who can do a better job right across the back 4? This wasn't his best season to be sure, I just think he'd be an excellent option to have on the subs bench.

When he played at Chelsea, Gallas was a great player, not quite hit it off with Arsenal yet. I know he only plays 3 out of 4 at the back but I'd sooner have Carvalho in defence at the minute.

Carvalho is a great defender, you could even give him a try in midfield if they ever got a crisis, he's great on the ball and makes some fantastic runs, aswell as been a great tackler.

Essien has been magnificent this season. Played right wing, right back, centre midfield, centre back and always gives a great solid performance.

My team would be:

David James

Gary Neville Nemanja Vidic Jamie Carragher Patrice Evra

Mikeal Arteta Michael Essien Paul Scholes C.Ronaldo

Dimitor Berbatov Didier Drogba

SUBS:

Scott Carson, Benni McCarthy, Ryan Giggs, Phil Jagielka, Carlos Tevez

What about your manager tom m8

James

Essien
Shorey
Vidic
Lescott

Bentley
Carrick
Lampard
Ronaldo

McCarthy
Drogba

Subs:
Jaaskelainen
Carvalho
Arteta
Berbatov
Crouch

Do you not think VDS was a bit dodgy for the last 1/4 of the season?

Yep he was .. but for the rest of the season, he kept us in games when needed and he looked solid for a long long time for me.

I only wish we had got him after Peter Schmikes left.

When he played at Chelsea, Gallas was a great player, not quite hit it off with Arsenal yet. I know he only plays 3 out of 4 at the back but I'd sooner have Carvalho in defence at the minute.
I've seen Gallas play well at left and right back and in the middle he can do a good job anywhere across the back 4.

I'd agree that Carvalho, on this seasons form atleast, is a better central defender but I picked Gallas as a sub because of his versitility and quality. Carvalho may be a better half back than Gallas but is he a better left and right back?

To all those people who have picked both Drogba and Berbatov don't you realise that they are both main strikers? A Much better combination would be Drogba or Berbatov with a second striker like Rooney, Tevez, McCarthy... playing off them.

To all those people who have picked both Drogba and Berbatov don't you realise that they are both main strikers? A Much better combination would be Drogba or Berbatov with a second striker like Rooney, Tevez, McCarthy... playing off them.

Yes but you asked for a team of the year, not a dream team ;)

Yes but you asked for a team of the year, not a dream team ;)
What’s the difference? I understand ‘team of the year’ to mean the 11 players from that year who would make the best team and that would tend to include a main striker and a second striker.

Drogba is a much better main striker than Berbatov and good as he is Berbatov hasn’t got the pace of someone like Rooney, Tevez, McCarthy… to be effective in a supporting role. Drogba with Rooney, Tevez or McCarthy would be an incredible combination and in my opinion atleast much more effective than Drogba and Berbatov.

What’s the difference? I understand ‘team of the year’ to mean the 11 players from that year who would make the best team and that would tend to include a main striker and a second striker.

Drogba is a much better main striker than Berbatov and good as he is Berbatov hasn’t got the pace of someone like Rooney, Tevez, McCarthy… to be effective in a supporting role. Drogba with Rooney, Tevez or McCarthy would be an incredible combination and in my opinion atleast much more effective than Drogba and Berbatov.

My understanding of a team of the year was picking 11 individuals and putting them in respected positions in order of merit. But meh, differance of opinion ;)

I think Tevez deserves alot of credit. He was tormented in the press at one stage but continued to work hard even when the goals weren't coming. As a Blades fan, it sickens me to say he deserved his goal against Man Utd. In a time when prima donna foreign footballers are slated for showing no passion or commitment to the cause, he never shirked and that type of attitude goes down well with any fans.

Can you think of anyone else who can do a better job right across the back 4? This wasn't his best season to be sure, I just think he'd be an excellent option to have on the subs bench.
Carragher???

I know Tevez finished strongly but wasn’t he a bit rubbish for atleast the 1st half of the season whilst he got used to the premiership? If he sticks around in the premiership next year though he should be pretty damn good.

Carragher obviously plays well in the Liverpool system but anyteam I was in charge of would be a recklessly attacking one and I’m not sure if he has the pace to cope with the lack of cover my prefered style of play which is effectively a 244 system would expose him to :D

Then why pick a 4 - 4 - 2 as your team of the season :D

Carragher???
Too defensive, he's no Evra but Gallas bombs up and down the wing are fair bit when played at full back.

Then why pick a 4 - 4 - 2 as your team of the season :D
Tradition, such things always seem to be 442, besides my team is 442 on paper it would just turn into 244 when they got on the pitch.

Yeah, I picked my players for their individual merit, not for how they'd play together.

Still, I reckon Berbatov and Drogba would be a nightmare for any defence.

To all those people who have picked both Drogba and Berbatov don't you realise that they are both main strikers? A Much better combination would be Drogba or Berbatov with a second striker like Rooney, Tevez, McCarthy... playing off them.

I don't understand what you mean by 'main' strikers. If you define that as 'a player who scores a lot but doesn't create scoring opportunities for others', you clearly haven't seen Berbatov play (and I'm not sure I've seen McCarthy create much).

Although there has always been a view that one finisher and one creative player is the best combination, it hasn't always worked out thast way: Shearer's best ever season was in partnership with Les Ferdinand, Arsenal have never played with a 'finisher' etc.

So start with the best two front players, Drogba and Berbatov, with Rooney ready to come on if it doesn't work out.

Drogba and Berbatov would be a dream partnership.

I don't understand what you mean by 'main' strikers. If you define that as 'a player who scores a lot but doesn't create scoring opportunities for others', you clearly haven't seen Berbatov play (and I'm not sure I've seen McCarthy create much).

Although there has always been a view that one finisher and one creative player is the best combination, it hasn't always worked out thast way: Shearer's best ever season was in partnership with Les Ferdinand, Arsenal have never played with a 'finisher' etc.

So start with the best two front players, Drogba and Berbatov, with Rooney ready to come on if it doesn't work out.
Who said anything about a 'finisher'? For one things it's pretty obvious that all the players I mentioned can finish pretty damn well.

A main striker such as Berbatov or Drogba plays the furthest up the pitch with a second striker taking a deeper role using the space the mainstriker helps create by playing on the shoulder of defenders and feeding off the knockdowns and so forth that the main striker wins, in the way Keene does with Berbatov, McCarthy does with Roberts at Blackburn (when Roberts is fit atleast) and Rooney does off Saha.

From what I've seen of Drogba and Berbatov they tend to take up similar positions on the pitch which would make defending against them easier than it shoudl be, complementing one of them with someone who presents a different kind of threat to deal with would make them more effective.

Yeah, I picked my players for their individual merit, not for how they'd play together.

Still, I reckon Berbatov and Drogba would be a nightmare for any defence.
Drogba and Rooney, Tevez or McCarthy would be a worse one.

Who said anything about a 'finisher'? For one things it's pretty obvious that all the players I mentioned can finish pretty damn well.

A main striker such as Berbatov or Drogba plays the furthest up the pitch with a second striker taking a deeper role using the space the mainstriker helps create by playing on the shoulder of defenders and feeding off the knockdowns and so forth that the main striker wins, in the way Keene does with Berbatov, McCarthy does with Roberts at Blackburn (when Roberts is fit atleast) and Rooney does off Saha.

From what I've seen of Drogba and Berbatov they tend to take up similar positions on the pitch which would make defending against them easier than it shoudl be, complementing one of them with someone who presents a different kind of threat to deal with would make them more effective.


Using a front man and a link man is just one way of playing with two strikers, it's not the only way and it's not necessarily the best way depending on the players available. One of the main disadvantages of playing a linking forward is that he's never close enough to the front man to profit from headers and ricochets, Sutton and Shearer created havoc by contesting every ball and feeding off the rebounds.

The other argument is that there are different types of linking forward: the attacking midfieder like Tevez and Rooney who try to play in between opposition defence and midfield, and the centre-forward link player like Sheringham who took a far more advanced position and used his strength and vision to shield the ball and then play others in.

I would say Berbatov and Sheringham were similar except that Berbatov is better on the ball and Sheringham was a better goal scorer.

I've mentioned three successful partnerships involving Shearer and in each case they involved another out and out 'main' striker. You never know how different players are going to gel until you try them; there is no magic formula. Who would have guessed that Gerrard and Lampard would be unable to operate together in the current system?

I had to get Jags in there...

To be honest this probably isn't the best side you could muster from the Premiership players available but it'd be interesting to see it in action.


.........Drogba.....Berbatov.....

...Ronaldo.....Essien.....Gerrard.....

................Jagielka....................

Evra.....Terry.....Ferdinand.....Neville

.................Cech.......................

SUBS

Bent
Lampard
Sidwell
Bridge
Van der Sar

Best team, or best 11 players?

It was always an issue for Sven....

Anything remotely to do with anything not football was an issue with that fella.