Fat Tom
09-11-2005, 08:29 PM
Goalkeeper: Shay Given (Newcastle)
That Newcastle are not in the relegation zone with that comedy defence is largely down to the Irishman, who has double-handedly kept the Toon in several games this season when the likes of Titus Bramble and Jean Alain-Boumsong have desperately tried to out-do each other in the kamikaze stakes.
If you thought his double save from Matty Taylor was good, take a look at the point-blank stop from Rob Earnshaw when you thought even the facially-challenged Welshman had to score. Quite frankly, the boy's been brilliant.
Right-back: Pascal Chimbonda (Wigan)
Taking over from West Brom's Zoltan Gera as Football365's favourite footballer this season, the be-gloved Chimbonda has been a key component in the Premiership's best (yes, that's right) defence along with Stephane Henchoz, Blair favourite Arjen De Zeeuw and Leighton Baines.
Four consecutive clean sheets and two goals for Chimbonda have seen other Premiership managers reach for his agent's number. But it seems the boy will stay because he loves the Wigan, which makes us love him even more. The only thing we don't like is his distrust of pies.
Centre-back: Ledley King (Tottenham)
Clearly he should start alongside John Terry in the World Cup. But clearly he won't. Fantastic for Tottenham and for England this season, even the staunchest Gooner could not fail to have been impressed by King's performance in the north London derby, when he capped his usual dominant display with a goal.
Now forming a partnership with Michael Dawson that should be screaming '2010 World Cup', England could end up being very, very thankful to Martin Jol...
Centre-back: John Terry (Chelsea)
After six games, the bookies were taking decent money on Chelsea not conceding a single Premiership goal this season. And that was largely down to the form of Terry, who seems as natural a captain as a centre-half. Since then they have faltered (only six points clear now) but Terry has stood firm, and if he'd only been a couple of inches taller, he would have halted Darren Fletcher's transition from 'oh, was he playing?' to goal hero.
Left-back: Asier Del Horno (Chelsea)
With Gabriel Heinze and Ashley Cole injured, there was an opening for an outstanding Premiership left-back and Del Horno has seamlessly drifted into the role. He's not been particularly eye-catching, and there has been no fanfare to accompany his first season in England, but he has been effective and tidy. Wayne Bridge must be cursing his luck.
Midfield: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Jose Mourinho says he's the best player in the world right now - we're not sure about that, but we know he's certainly the most effective all-round midfielder in the Premiership today. By some considerable distance. The leading Premiership goalscorer, from midfield (most coming from just outside the box), he has the ability to take a game by the scruff of the neck by the sheer force of his determination and professionalism.
All this and six weeks ago people were saying he's just not that good anymore. Hmmmm.
Midfield: Kevin Nolan (Bolton)
This season's Tim Cahill for this season's Everton, Nolan is developing the knack of scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win...though Cahill never celebrated with a 'rock on' salute. Focused and belligerent, Nolan is the player that epitomises the Sam Allardyce way at the Reebok - rejected as a kid by Liverpool (he still has the letter from Steve Heighway), he found a more natural home for his talents at Bolton.
Allardyce is tipping Nolan for an England call. It seems unlikely to happen this side of the World Cup, but you know whose will be the first name on the teamsheet if the FA are crazy enough to give Mike Bassett the job.
Midfield: Danny Murphy (Charlton)
When Sven announced his squad for the last two World Cup qualifiers, there was genuine rage that Murphy had not been included after a startlingly good start to the season. And it wasn't just Mrs Murphy who was angry. Murphy and Darren Bent were at the heart of everything good for Charlton, with the former Liverpool man contributing four Premiership goals and six assists (second only to Didier Drogba of all folk).
His eye for a killer ball is as sharp as it ever was at Liverpool, and Crewe before that - for proof witness the game against Portsmouth in which the Addicks looked dead and buried until two moments of genius from Murphy. If only there wasn't now the suspicion that it's all downhill from here...
Left Midfield: Morten Gamst Pedersen
Liverpool, ManYoo and Tottenham have all been sniffing around the Norwegian, possibly alerted by his I'll-just-hit-this-on-the-volley-while-I'm-running-wide-of-goal strike against Fulham. But that certainly hasn't been the only high point in Pedersen's season, which has seem him relish and thrive within Mark Hughes' more attacking tactics.
Anyone dismissing Rovers as a bunch of thugs should watch the impeccably-behaved and dynamic Pedersen - ManYoo fans certainly won't forget him in a hurry.
Right Midfield: Yossi Benayoun
How wonderful that the Israeli chose West Ham over Bolton at least partly because Sam Allardyce told him that the Hammers were the leading candidates for relegation and that they didn't play 'real football'. Watching Bolton's brand of stifling football, Benayoun must now know he made the right decision. He is not a player who should be shackled in a hard-working but restrictive 4-5-1, he is a player that relishes the freedom of being on the Hammers' wing.
Watch him combine with Teddy Sheringham, Sam, and then tell us again that the Hammers don't play 'real football'.
Striker: Wayne Rooney
It's little wonder that Roy Keane did not have a bad word to say about Rooney, ManYoo's most oustanding player by about seven country miles this season. Often left to shoulder the entire burden of United's attacking impetus, Rooney often comes close to achieving the impossible. Devastating against Sunderland and Newcastle, he was also the only Reds' player who could walk off the pitch at the Riverside with head held high.
Give him a (non-sarcastic) round of applause.
Subs' bench: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Jamie Carragher, Joey Barton, Didier Drogba, Darren Bent.
That Newcastle are not in the relegation zone with that comedy defence is largely down to the Irishman, who has double-handedly kept the Toon in several games this season when the likes of Titus Bramble and Jean Alain-Boumsong have desperately tried to out-do each other in the kamikaze stakes.
If you thought his double save from Matty Taylor was good, take a look at the point-blank stop from Rob Earnshaw when you thought even the facially-challenged Welshman had to score. Quite frankly, the boy's been brilliant.
Right-back: Pascal Chimbonda (Wigan)
Taking over from West Brom's Zoltan Gera as Football365's favourite footballer this season, the be-gloved Chimbonda has been a key component in the Premiership's best (yes, that's right) defence along with Stephane Henchoz, Blair favourite Arjen De Zeeuw and Leighton Baines.
Four consecutive clean sheets and two goals for Chimbonda have seen other Premiership managers reach for his agent's number. But it seems the boy will stay because he loves the Wigan, which makes us love him even more. The only thing we don't like is his distrust of pies.
Centre-back: Ledley King (Tottenham)
Clearly he should start alongside John Terry in the World Cup. But clearly he won't. Fantastic for Tottenham and for England this season, even the staunchest Gooner could not fail to have been impressed by King's performance in the north London derby, when he capped his usual dominant display with a goal.
Now forming a partnership with Michael Dawson that should be screaming '2010 World Cup', England could end up being very, very thankful to Martin Jol...
Centre-back: John Terry (Chelsea)
After six games, the bookies were taking decent money on Chelsea not conceding a single Premiership goal this season. And that was largely down to the form of Terry, who seems as natural a captain as a centre-half. Since then they have faltered (only six points clear now) but Terry has stood firm, and if he'd only been a couple of inches taller, he would have halted Darren Fletcher's transition from 'oh, was he playing?' to goal hero.
Left-back: Asier Del Horno (Chelsea)
With Gabriel Heinze and Ashley Cole injured, there was an opening for an outstanding Premiership left-back and Del Horno has seamlessly drifted into the role. He's not been particularly eye-catching, and there has been no fanfare to accompany his first season in England, but he has been effective and tidy. Wayne Bridge must be cursing his luck.
Midfield: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Jose Mourinho says he's the best player in the world right now - we're not sure about that, but we know he's certainly the most effective all-round midfielder in the Premiership today. By some considerable distance. The leading Premiership goalscorer, from midfield (most coming from just outside the box), he has the ability to take a game by the scruff of the neck by the sheer force of his determination and professionalism.
All this and six weeks ago people were saying he's just not that good anymore. Hmmmm.
Midfield: Kevin Nolan (Bolton)
This season's Tim Cahill for this season's Everton, Nolan is developing the knack of scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win...though Cahill never celebrated with a 'rock on' salute. Focused and belligerent, Nolan is the player that epitomises the Sam Allardyce way at the Reebok - rejected as a kid by Liverpool (he still has the letter from Steve Heighway), he found a more natural home for his talents at Bolton.
Allardyce is tipping Nolan for an England call. It seems unlikely to happen this side of the World Cup, but you know whose will be the first name on the teamsheet if the FA are crazy enough to give Mike Bassett the job.
Midfield: Danny Murphy (Charlton)
When Sven announced his squad for the last two World Cup qualifiers, there was genuine rage that Murphy had not been included after a startlingly good start to the season. And it wasn't just Mrs Murphy who was angry. Murphy and Darren Bent were at the heart of everything good for Charlton, with the former Liverpool man contributing four Premiership goals and six assists (second only to Didier Drogba of all folk).
His eye for a killer ball is as sharp as it ever was at Liverpool, and Crewe before that - for proof witness the game against Portsmouth in which the Addicks looked dead and buried until two moments of genius from Murphy. If only there wasn't now the suspicion that it's all downhill from here...
Left Midfield: Morten Gamst Pedersen
Liverpool, ManYoo and Tottenham have all been sniffing around the Norwegian, possibly alerted by his I'll-just-hit-this-on-the-volley-while-I'm-running-wide-of-goal strike against Fulham. But that certainly hasn't been the only high point in Pedersen's season, which has seem him relish and thrive within Mark Hughes' more attacking tactics.
Anyone dismissing Rovers as a bunch of thugs should watch the impeccably-behaved and dynamic Pedersen - ManYoo fans certainly won't forget him in a hurry.
Right Midfield: Yossi Benayoun
How wonderful that the Israeli chose West Ham over Bolton at least partly because Sam Allardyce told him that the Hammers were the leading candidates for relegation and that they didn't play 'real football'. Watching Bolton's brand of stifling football, Benayoun must now know he made the right decision. He is not a player who should be shackled in a hard-working but restrictive 4-5-1, he is a player that relishes the freedom of being on the Hammers' wing.
Watch him combine with Teddy Sheringham, Sam, and then tell us again that the Hammers don't play 'real football'.
Striker: Wayne Rooney
It's little wonder that Roy Keane did not have a bad word to say about Rooney, ManYoo's most oustanding player by about seven country miles this season. Often left to shoulder the entire burden of United's attacking impetus, Rooney often comes close to achieving the impossible. Devastating against Sunderland and Newcastle, he was also the only Reds' player who could walk off the pitch at the Riverside with head held high.
Give him a (non-sarcastic) round of applause.
Subs' bench: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Jamie Carragher, Joey Barton, Didier Drogba, Darren Bent.