williamhills team of the season 0809

My 1st XI (4-3-3):

GK: Pepe Reina (Liverpool)
This was almost Edwin van der Sar’s spot just because of the long sequence of clean-sheets that helped his team to the top spot but I’ve always thought of Reina as the best goal-keeper in the Premier League, a personal favourite. Some say the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are the keys to Liverpool’s relentless fight for the top spot this season, but Reina has a hand (or two) on it too.

DR: Glen Johnson (Portsmouth)
Impressive throughout the season, totally inspirational in Pompey’s relegation fight and he has looked more like the kid who burst into the football scene when he was in West Ham. Surely has the England’s right back position in his hand. Jose Bosingwa could have enter my XI but that unibrow scares the bejesus out of me.

DL: Patrice Evra (Manchester United)
Stiff competition from Merseyside’s left-backs Leighton Baines and Fabio Aurelio, but his consistency in both defence and attack is fundamental to Edwin van der Sar’s clean-sheets record and his team’s attacking prowess. A real handful when he races up the touchline and capable of serving his team-mates, rarely gets caught out in defence.

DC: Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd)
Should have won the Player of the Year award methinks, missed out on the Players’ and the Writers’ vote but he did pick up the Premier League Player of the Year award recently. Another consistent player like Evra, except from the blip against Liverpool this year. The shining star and key component to Sir Alex Ferguson’s back four, and not forgeting van der Sar’s clean-sheets.

DC: Brede Hangeland (Fulham)
The biggest rise, and we’re not just talking about heights here and he is a bloody monster of a man, to football stardom this season. Solid and assured. Should be one of the summer’s top transfer target, although I would really like to see him guide Fulham to another great or even better season next year.

DM: Wilson Palacios (Wigan Athletic & Tottenham Hotspur)
Two three words: work horse, deluxe.

AM: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
AB said both Lampard and I have the same haircut so hey, we need a handsome fellow in this team. Plus, he’s a fantastic player with another fantastic season under his belt. Fantastic.

AM: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Yes yes yes, I’ve seen it time after time that both Gerrard and Lampard can’t play in the same team but this isn’t England it’s the WDKF Team of the Season. Plus it works with my master league team on Pro Evolution Soccer 09.

RW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd)
18 goals, and some blinders. Not as many goals as last season, but one short of this season’s top-scorer Nicolas Anelka so he’s alright to me . Although, one sulk and I’ll sub him directly to Real Madrid in a heart-beat. He is equally as dangerous up front as he is on the wing, and at some points he was pretty dangerous to his own team while defending too.

LW: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)
Another work horse here. Alot has been said about Carlos Tevez’s work-rate but Rooney’s team-ethic has increased ten-fold this season, still not a prolific scorer but he has had an amazing Premier League season. Another certain starter for England if fit.

CF: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
As good as any striker in the world right now, he is deadly accurate and potent in front of goal. I say he’s the best when he’s match-fit, not bad when not fit too. I, personally, think that if both Gerrard and Torres didn’t have any injuries this season, it would have been a very different story for the Premier League.

Sub-bench:

Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton)
Leighton Baines (Everton)
Phil Jagielka (Everton)
Xabi Alonso (Liverpool)
Stephen Ireland (Man City)
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)

Manager:

Roy Hogdson (Fulham) and David Moyes (Everton). Just like the nightmare managerial partnership of Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier, except well the obvious.

Have a go at this and drop your winning XI in the comment box.

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