Half Time Report: Premier League Team of 2014

Following the Ballon d'Or ceremony, which saw an abject lack of players from the English league, and the second half of this season under way, it's a good time for me to pick my Premier League team of 2014.

Here I'll be looking not only at the first half of this season, but the back end of last to determine who should be considered one of the best Premier League players of 2014.

Goalkeeper - David de Gea (Manchester United)
Towards the back end of last year, he was in the category of good, but not great. However, the poor defensive performances from United this season have seen de Gea move ahead of the likes of Hart and Lloris and into this team. Having almost single-handedly saved United's season in the early sticky patch at the beginning of Louis van Gaal's reign, he has secured them points at home to Everton and away to both Arsenal and Southampton. As a result, he deserves his place, and is set to be key in the run-in.

Left back - Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Though he hasn't been necessarily the most talked about player in the Premier League, he can certainly stake his claim for the best left back. By the end of last season, I'd have said that only Luke Shaw was ahead of the Chelsea player for performances, however, a well-publicised lack of fitness since his move to Manchester United and a string of injury problems mean that it's Azpilicueta that has been the most consistent left back, and deserves his place in my team.

Centre back - Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)
The City stalwart also makes the team. Though it hasn't necessarily been his greatest 12 months, he was still a significant driving force behind the club's second title win in three seasons. Again a consistent performer, himself and Martin Demichelis struck up a good defensive partnership at the back end of the season. Though City have failed to continue that form, it has not been as a result of the big Belgian, and City have missed him considerably since his injury.

Centre back - Martin Skrtel (Liverpool)
Despite Liverpool's defensive capitulation for the majority of this season, I still have to put Skrtel in this team. Primarily because no centre backs have particularly stood out, but he was also a critical figure in the Reds' march towards the title. His six goals from set pieces earned them valuable points against Manchester City last year, and Arsenal this, and has proven himself to be among the best in the Premier League.

Right back - Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton)
An absolute revelation this season. Run close for this place by Seamus Coleman's performances in the first half of the year, he has been a different class in the first half of this year. Both he and Ryan Bertrand have been flying down both wings for Southampton, leading to their incredible push into the Champions League places so far this season. If Southampton can keep hold of him long-term, I see them having the long-term England right back.

Left midfielder - Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
A no-brainer for the team. Probably the most deadly midfielder plying his trade in the Premier League today. With his exceptional pace and eye for a pass, he has laid claim to the title of the world's third best player. Scoring 18 goals in all competitions this year is a good return for a midfielder and with his 10 assists, he is always a real threat going forward. No defender in the world enjoys playing against him, so he should certainly be included.

Centre midfielder - Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
The only new signing to make the team, and no wonder! His 14 Premier League assists to date surpasses the total amassed by Steven Gerrard for the entirety of last season, and he now has Thierry Henry's league record of 20 well within his sights. Having contributed 17 assists and four goals in all competitions, Fabregas has been at the heart of Chelsea's drive towards the top of the Premier League, and has more than begin to repay the £30m spent on him.

Centre midfielder - Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
The enormous Ivorian was without a shadow of a doubt Manchester City's most influential player in their title winning season last year, outscoring the likes of Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo and David Silva. Only Frank Lampard scored a greater number of goals in a season from midfield than Yaya, and despite an opening half of the season criticised by many (predominantly Paul Scholes), he still has nine goals. Not a bad return for a midfielder, and his lung-busting, powerful runs alone means he deserves his place.

Right midfielder - Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
The find of the season last year. Raheem Sterling burst onto the scene with his lightning pace and skill, terrorising defences up and down the country and providing numerous chances for the SAS pair in Liverpool's strike force. He can score too, netting 12 times in 2014 and bursting into the England squad for the World Cup. Though Liverpool's demise this season has left him slightly out of the limelight, he has begun to be relied upon by the Reds far more for game-changing moments, and who would have expected that 18 months ago?

Striker - Luis Suarez (Liverpool)
Despite the biting incident, and his transfer to Barcelona in the summer, it would be doing his performances a disservice to leave the Uruguayan out of the team. As proven by Liverpool's drop-off, his performances led to the side's agonising run to title contention, only for a slip, and a catastrophic collapse from 3-0 at Crystal Palace to deny them. His 14 goals in all competitions for Liverpool this year put them on their incredible run of 16 Premier League games unbeaten, a run they can only dream of without him.

Striker - Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Again, a simple choice. Probably the best striker in the Premier League at present, and his statistics are simply absurd. 28 goals in 2014 in only 35 games is an incredible return for any player, with only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo boasting a better record. He has single-handedly won games and saved points for Manchester City, most notably in Europe, where his hat-trick against Bayern Munich put City on the road for Champions League qualification. The only question that comes to mind is just how many goals would he have scored this year if he had avoided injury for such a large chunk of the early months?

Bench - Joe Hart (Manchester City), Leighton Baines (Everton), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Diego Costa (Chelsea)

So there is my selection - who would make your team?

2013/2014: The Year of the Free-Kick?

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, David Beckham, Roberto Carlos. All of these men have been considered 'dead-ball specialists'. We have seen many spectacular goals from each of these from free-kicks, and it has become an essential to have such a player in your team. Very much like in rugby or American football, kicking has become an ever-more important aspect to football. Over the past few years, goals from free kicks has been fairly stable in the Premier League, with several players renowned for their ability, but few outside those beginning to chip in. However, this season, free kicks have taken a much more important role, and we have seen many players who you would not consider 'dead ball specialists' score them.

Looking at statistics, we can see that during the 2011/2012 season, 29 direct free kicks were scored, with Sunderland scoring the most (5). After just 15 games of the 2013/14 season, the total of free kicks scored has reached a staggering 20. If free kicks continue to be scored at this rate, we will see over 40 goals from free kicks this season, setting an all-time Premier League record.

So who has been scoring all of these free kicks? Though they may be top of the table and have marksmen like Podolski and Ozil to take them, Arsenal are yet to contribute to the free kick goal tally. Aston Villa have two, and both have been scored by the same man. Leandro Bacuna, the relatively unknown midfielder before this season, with spectacular efforts against Manchester City and Cardiff City, made himself well known to the Villa fans, and Premier League viewers around the world. Cardiff and Crystal Palace, like Arsenal are yet to score from one, but a familiar name in Frank Lampard has registered for Chelsea. Everton also contribute two from a single player, and Leighton Baines scored them both in the same match! Turning the game on its head, his two brilliant set pieces ensured Everton would leave West Ham with all three points.

Fulham have struggled to score goals all season, so that they do not appear on the list is unsurprising. Hull also do not feature, but Liverpool certainly do. In Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard they have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to free kicks, and the pair have not failed to deliver, with Gerrard scoring one against Hull, and Suarez contributing two, against Everton and in a four goal display against Norwich. Free-scoring Manchester City have been most prolific from dead balls, but not from the usual sources. Aleksandar Kolorov and David Silva are the club's recognised free kick takers, but Alvaro Negredo's goal against Swansea, and Yaya Toure's incredible haul of three, against Newcastle, Hull and Norwich, mean that Manuel Pellegrini may want to review his set piece takers! Manchester United have contributed with three, with Wayne Rooney scoring all, against Crystal Palace, Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion.

Newcastle, despite having an excellent taker in Yohan Cabaye, have failed to register a free kick yet this season, whilst Robert Snodgrass has added one for Norwich City. Southampton's resident specialist, Rickie Lambert has added another one for his collection, whilst Stoke have had efforts from Marko Arnautovic and Jermaine Pennant. Sunderland, despite their previous supremacy in this area, have also failed to score from a free kick this term. Swansea, West Brom and West Ham all have also failed to register, whilst Kyle Walker's recent effort against Manchester United is the only free kick from Spurs. Nevertheless, this is already nearly as many as the whole of 2011/2012, despite neither Gareth Bale nor Cristiano Ronaldo being in the league.

What could be causing this? If we were seeing players like Robin van Persie or Luis Suarez scoring more free-kicks, we could simply put it down to increasing player ability or speciality, but it is not. We are seeing a plethora of players scoring from free-kicks, many of whom have either never or infrequently scored from them before. Could it be to do with the ball? There have been complaints from goalkeepers in recent years that the balls move in the air far too much, making it impossible to track the path of the ball. However, has the ball changed so drastically over the past two years that it could account for the rapid increase in goals from direct free kicks? I think not. If we compare free kicks stats from now to those from the 1970's and 80's, then we could explain it that way, but two years is too little time.

However, another explanation may go some way to explaining it. Over the last decade, football has become less and less physical, with challenges often resulting in free kicks. Clubs have therefore cottoned on to the fact that dead balls are going to be of greater importance than ever before. As a result, further training has been done to improve the free kicks of a wide range of players. Whereas 10 years ago, perhaps only one or two specialist free kick takers would be used for dead balls, now any one of six or seven may be used. The correct accuracy and power will take time to perfect, so two years can make a massive difference in this time frame. This may not be the whole explanation, but I believe it goes some way to explaining the recent trend of free kick goals in the Premier League.

 This season has been truly record-breaking in terms of free kicks, and to do it without some of the greatest free kick takers in the world is astonishing. However, such is the importance of free kicks in football, I feel this will slowly become the norm. It will be extremely interesting to see if this trend continues over the next few seasons, as this will determine whether it was a flash in the pan, or if we are seeing the hard work on the training ground come to fruition in the Premier League. This may be the Year of the Free-Kick, but it may also be the beginning of a free-kick dynasty.

IPL 2013 Team of the Year

In the second, and final part of my IPL series, I will be setting out who would make my perfect IPL Fantasy XI based on their performances in this season. For my first post, click here.

 

                As I discussed in my earlier post, there have been many memorable performances and moments in this season’s IPL. Many batsmen have thrilled us with their power and ability to hit maximums out of nothing, and many bowlers have excited us by uprooting middle stumps galore. My team of the year is made entirely of people I think deserve accolades, but I did come to wishing that there were 15 or so men in a cricket team! I will order this in terms of batting line-up, and who would occupy each position:

 

Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore): The obvious pick for opener, the West Indian’s performances leave me in no doubt. Whilst it is a shame the RCB failed to make the playoffs, and thus deprived us of at least another game of Gayle magic, his massive hitting has been a joy to watch. With his contract soon to end, I envisage a titanic scrap for his signature next year.

Michael Hussey (Chennai Super Kings): The Orange Cap holder also practically picks himself for opener. I put him at number two simply because I feel that had RCB made the playoffs, then Gayle would be the man with orange on his head, and not Hussey. Nevertheless, the experienced Aussie has been fantastic for the Super Kings this season, and consistent in all bar the final.

Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore): The perfect partner for Chris Gayle, and chipping in with plenty of runs on the way, Kohli makes my XI. This one was very much between Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but with Kohli forming valuable partnerships and having fewer high profile failures, I felt he was the better choice for number three, illustrating the strength of the RCB’s batting.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings): My wicket keeper, and captain, Dhoni has been exceptional once again this IPL. A born leader and a talisman when batting, Dhoni has the ability to piece together seemingly broken innings. The final is a key example of this, taking the CSK from 39-6 to 125-9 almost single-handedly.

Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals): A breakthrough season for the fiery Aussie, who ended as the Pepsi Atom MVP, an award which gave points based on wickets, sixes, catches and dot balls. The best all-rounder in the competition this season, Watson has turned many innings with both bat and ball. His knock against the Kings XI best illustrates my point, leaving David Hussey to state the the ‘Watson factor’ was a game-changer.

Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians): Another superb season for the big West Indian, once against smashing balls to all four corners of the cricket ground, and picking up valuable wickets  for his side. His performance against the Sunrisers Hyderabad shows this, where he single-handedly turned the run chase on its head, allowing the Mumbai Indians to claw their way into the playoffs. He has also produced one of the catches of the season, one handed on the boundary against the Kings XI.

Darren Bravo (Chennai Super Kings): The Purple Cap holder must also make my list. His record breaking season of 30 wickets shows Dwayne Bravo’s potential, a potential he had failed to fully realise until that point. One of the best death over bowlers in the competition, and the leader of CSK’s attack.

Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders): The ‘mystery spin’ bowler, having competed with Harbhajan Singh, is in too. Whilst Narine may not have been as effective as he was last year, where his unplayable deliveries handed the KKR the IPL title, he still managed to be the highest wicket-taking spin bowler, making his place in my XI assured.

Dale Steyn (Sunrisers Hyderabad): The Sunrisers were never favoured to reach the playoffs, and one of the key reasons they did lies in Dale Steyn. The South African fast bowler plays with his heart on his sleeve, and tends to take important wickets at opportune moments, a very impressive attribute for a bowler.

Mitchell Johnson (Mumbai Indians): A toss up here between Johnson and Malinga, but Johnson gets my vote for being the more consistent of the two. Particularly at the start of the season, Johnson was on fire, taking wickets almost a will, and producing some fantastic figures. Whilst others began to take over towards the latter stage, Johnson still pitched in with two valuable wickets in the final.

James Faulkner (Rajasthan Royals): A bit of an unknown quantity before this season, Faulkner found his wings in this season’s IPL. Involved in a game of leapfrog with Dwayne Bravo for the Purple Cap for the majority of the season, Faulkner illustrated his talents with two five-for’s against the same team, the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

 

                This team certainly looks daunting on paper, and I am certain that no other Twenty 20 side worldwide would want to face them. All have produced outstanding performances, and all have maintained their high standards throughout the season. Next year may produce new names, better performances, bigger hits and higher scores. But it will take some doing to better some the achievements of the men on this list.

PFA Team of the Year 2013

             My Player of the Year blog turned out longer than I thought, so I thought I would do a separate one on the PFA Team of the Year. Again, another highly contentious subject, with fans from most clubs complaining about someone having been omitted. I believe that the vast majority of the team selected is correct, or at least justified, based on the performance of many throughout the season. This certainly would have been one of the toughest squads to call, as there has been little to choose between many players this season, and many teams, and indeed individuals, have surprised us with their performances over the past nine months.

 

                I have only one significant complaint regarding the team. In terms of both attack and midfield, it is difficult to argue with the selections, as all have been exceptional. In fact, there are a few more names that would not have looked out of place: Marouane Fellaini, Santi Cazorla, Michu etc. It is in defence where the PFA appear to have neglected to note the statistics, and instead opted for the very tempting approach of ‘pro-champions’. If you look at statistics, Manchester City have conceded fewer goals than Manchester United, and have kept more clean sheets. I am not saying they have done it deliberately, nor am I saying this out of bitter City loyalty, having experienced it for City myself last year. I am merely stating that it is easy to understand why, especially with Manchester United so far ahead in the title race, players, that in another team would have been omitted, have been included. I seem to remember at the start of the season that United were being heavily criticised for their poor defending, epitomised by the chaotic 4-3 victory over Reading in December.

 

                Nevertheless, I will run down each of the selected players, stating why I think they deserve (or do not) their place, culminating in me putting forward my own Team of the Year (maybe with a few substitutes...)

 

David De Gea (Manchester United) – Unfortunately, we start with one of the members of the team that I believe should not be there. It is often not particularly difficult to be a goalkeeper in a championship-winning side, but despite this, De Gea has still made several high profile errors this season. Whilst he is much improved from last season, and his shot-stopping ability is unquestionable, his collection from crosses remains poor.

Leighton Baines (Everton) – A close run thing with both Patrice Evra and Ashley Cole, either of which would have deserved a place, but I find it difficult to argue with Baines. A consistent performer and often the driving force behind many of Everton’s forward bursts this season.

Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham) – Another certain inclusion for me. The big Belgian has had a highly impressive first season in the Premier League, even going on a recent scoring streak.

Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) – Whilst Rio has had a good season, especially when you consider his age, this is a prime example of what I was discussing above. If he played for a mid-table team, his performances this season would be generally forgotten. As he plays for the champions, his performances are instantly upgraded.

Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City) – City’s only inclusion into this team, and a thoroughly deserving one. A rock at the back, Zabaleta’s consistency this season has been superb. Whilst, at times, his defensive colleagues have gone missing, he has been the one to ensure that City’s defensive record remains the best in this season’s Premier League.

Gareth Bale (Tottenham) – As you can probably tell from the previous blog, a truly deserving winner of the Player of the Year, and therefore an obvious selection for this team. Having scored two or three simply stunning goals (vs West Ham in 90^th min springs to mind), and been incredibly consistent all season, Bale has been the catalyst for Spurs’s push towards the Champions League.

Juan Mata (Chelsea) – Another simple inclusion. The diminutive Spaniard has had arguably his best season this term, currently leading the creator’s charts. The headline of the ‘Holy Trinity’ currently operating at Chelsea, his trickery and vision has been a joy to watch this campaign.

Michael Carrick (Manchester United) – Although, personally, a surprising nomination for the Player of the Year, it cannot be denied that Carrick has had an exceptional season for United and deserves his place in this team. Most fans would have conceded pre-season that central midfield is the area United lacked. Carrick has most capably filled that void with his performances this year.

Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – Another of the successful signings this season. With a reputed £30+ million price-tag, the stakes were always going to be set high for the former Lille man. In his first season (if we ignore the kicking of a Welsh ball-boy) Hazard has become a catalyst for much of what Chelsea has created going forward, forming a great partnership with Mata and Oscar.

Robin van Persie (Manchester United) – Top goalscorer for the last two seasons, it is hardly difficult to see why van Persie has been selected. His ability to deal with the move from North London to the North West has put many Premier League underperformers to shame (especially the likes of Fernando Torres). His 25 goals this year have arguably won United the title single-handedly. I disagree, but I can’t deny it helps.

Luis Suarez (Liverpool) – The enigmatic striker has certainly had his most successful goalscoring season since moving to Merseyside. Whilst his unprofessional conduct all too often detracts from his talent, the positive performances still deserve some form of recognition.

 

My Team of the Year

       Jussi Jaaskelainen (WHU) 

Leighton Baines(EVE)      Ashley Williams(SWA)        Jan Vertonghen(TOT)       Pablo Zabaleta(MNC)

 

Gareth Bale(TOT)              Juan Mata(CHE)                   Michael Carrick(MNU)        Eden Hazard(CHE)

                                           Robin van Persie(MNU)              Luis Suarez(LIV)

Substitutes:

David De Gea(MU)    Matija Nastasic(MC)    Patrice Evra(MU)    Marouane Fellaini(EV)    Santi Cazorla(AR)    Michu(SW)    Christian Benteke(AV) 

PFA Player of the Year Award 2013

              Last night marked the prestigious PFA Awards for the 2012/2013 Premier League season. Firstly, congratulations must go to Gareth Bale for winning both the PFA Player of the Year, and the PFA Young Player of the Year. Secondly, I was unsettled by the booing that greeted Luis Suarez’s name at the ceremony last night. As the audience was made up of his peers, it shocks me a little that they lacked the necessary class to simply ignore the situation. Furthermore, it reinforces the implicit argument, by the FA’s punishment, that biting someone is worse than racism. No players booed Suarez after the Evra affair, but now he has bitten someone (again), he deserves booing? I think not. This lack of professional courtesy, along with the recent controversy over Reginald D. Hunter’s jokes, has slightly detracted from what I believe is a deserving winner.

 

                Nevertheless, there appears to be significant debate over whether Bale did deserve this award. Having spent the morning trawling through BBC Sport’s comment section on the article (I know I’m sad!) many comments have been raised that suggest that either Robin van Persie or Luis Suarez would have been more deserving recipients. I am aware that much of what is written on these comment sections is entirely biased, and often offensive (until moderators remove it), and fans will naturally support the player for their own team. However, a few interesting points were raised, which I believe merit some discussion and examination. Firstly, one of the most overused phrases when describing Gareth Bale in this comment section was ‘a model professional’, something which was simultaneously used to castigate Luis Suarez’s chances. This prompted numerous responses from angry (and I suspect Liverpool) fans, stating that the idea of Bale as a ‘model professional’ is laughable due to his habit for diving. To me, they are arguing from a rather indefensible position. Whilst, personally, I believe that diving is one of the greatest sins of the modern game, it can be stamped out by tougher officiating. It is also simply an example of one professional attempting to gain an unfair advantage. However, both Bale and Suarez have been found guilty of this offence. Racism, and what can only be described as ABH, on the other hand, cannot be so easily eliminated. Neither are they simply an occupational hazard of having 22 highly competitive players in one place. Whilst I take the point about Bale not being a ‘model professional’, I would go a step further. I would eradicate that phrase from the dictionary when attempting to describe the actions and personality of a footballer. However, in my opinion, Bale’s misdemeanours are far slighter than those of Luis Suarez. As this award is voted for by their peers, clearly the players thought so too. I agree that personality should not be the sole determining factor, but it should definitely contribute. The winner of the award supposedly represents the best of football. Therefore, players will vote based partially on their abilities, and partially on their personalities.

 

                Secondly, arguments have been raised regarding Gareth Bale’s statistics. As he happens not to be either the Premier League’s top goalscorer, or top creator (I refuse to use the word assist on the grounds that it is an Americanism), he is apparently unworthy to win the award. Once again, these arguments completely miss the point. Firstly, you can spin statistics to say whatever you want. Gareth Bale happens to be the joint top scorer on goals scored away from home, if that really matters. Secondly, his position should be taken into account. As both Luis Suarez and Robin van Persie are centre forwards (i.e. it is their primary job to score goals, and lots of them), one should expect them to be towards the business end of the goal charts. Bale, as a winger/attacking midfielder, should not be judged to the same standard. The fact that he, at time of publishing, is only 6 goals behind van Persie and 4 behind Suarez, is impressive. The only statistic that I believe Bale lacks on is as a creator, as he remains several behind both van Persie (8) and Suarez (5), despite being in a seemingly beneficial position on the pitch. Those arguing for Suarez on the basis of statistics clearly have either not read them properly, or have spun them to their own advantage, as he trails in almost every one. As for Robin van Persie, in terms of statistics he is difficult to argue with. However, this brings me nicely to my third point. I believe consistency and moments of genius are key in determining the victor. Robin van Persie, whilst he undoubtedly has had moments of brilliance this season, went missing from the turn of the year until a few weeks ago. That is not the sign of a player destined for an award. Gareth Bale, on the other hand, began writing headlines from November onwards, and I believe has been the most consistent player this season. Timing, unfortunately, is an element in this process, and Bale appears to have picked his moment to come good to perfection.

 

                Finally, the most childish argument of them all, of ‘British-bias’ towards Bale. I was unsure whether to even include this, but I thought it so easy to shoot down I couldn’t resist. The fact that 4 of the 6 candidates to win the award this year were non-British, and that this is not untypical of most years, implies that there is no such thing. There are several British names that could have been included, if such a thing existed. Leighton Baines, Rio Ferdinand, both of whom were put into the PFA’s Team of the Year, but omitted from the nominees. The idea of a ‘British-bias’ is ridiculous, especially when you consider it is voted for by the players, most of whom, as it is regularly commented upon, are not British! This argument appears nothing more than the whining of the sore loser.

 

                So well done to Gareth Bale, overall a deserving winner. Fortunate in some respects, and I do wish he would stop diving, but a genuinely great footballer. With these awards, he joins a very exclusive list of multiple winners, and of players to have won both awards in the same season. If he progresses the same way as the last one, a Mr Ronaldo, then the rest of the Premier League will have serious problems.