Ali-Al Habsi, David De Gea, Shay Given, Tim Krul, John Ruddy...there are plenty of goalkeepers currently plying their trade in the Premier League who produce consistently for their club without getting the recognition they deserve, but none more so than Wayne Hennessey. The 25-year old has had to contend with the 'protection' of one of the worst back fours in the country and has yet managed to endure an overall good seasons. He's had plenty of saves to make (Wolves are the most attacked club in the Premier League) and despite being involved in many a heavy defeat, very few Wolves supporters would lay any of the blame at the Welshmen's feet. Cruelly sidelined with a knee injury for the next 6 months, it looks as if Hennessey will have to work his way back up to the top flight with Wolves as he'd have surely attracted suiters this summer had he managed to stay fit.
Kyle Walker has received almost universal praise for his displays at right back this season, and rightly so, but he's not the only young English player deserving of praise for his efforts this season. Danny Simpson has become a mainstay of a remarkably successful Newcastle United team, starting all of their Premier League fixtures this term. After being discared (perhaps rather rashly) by Manchester United, he has proved himself to be a more than competent top-flight defender, and were it not for the performances of Walker and Micah Richards this season, as well as the continued popularity of Glen Johnson amongst England coaches, he'd surely be in contention for Euro 2012.
Some would argue that the inclusion of Jonny Evans in an alternative Team of the Season is contradictory, given the praise he has received for his performances in the latter half of the season. But I imagine that many who read this post will still chuckle at the inclusion of a player who is still derided by many. When Manchester United crushed Wolves 5-0 at Molineux (a game I attended) many casual or opposing fans reacted with incredulity at the fact that Evans managed to score past us, it being deemed hilarious that a player deemed so bad after his poor start to the campaign managed to bag a goal against us. But this is an incredibly short-sighted view...Evans is maturing into a calm, composed and deceptively strong defender who could yet become a permanent fixture in United's back four, considering that the legs of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are continuing to creak.
Most would agree that Ashley Williams has enjoyed a fine debut campaign in the Premier League, yet he has garnered little praise from the press. The 27 year old Welshman has played in all but one of Swansea's Premier League fixtures this season, a campaign in which they have impressed particularly at home, where they have conceded only 14 goals (the joint second best in the division). Having caught the Swans several times on the box, it became apparent to me that Williams sees an awful lot of the ball, such is his team's tendency to recycle possession around the park. This means he is often a key component when starting attacking moves, making him a key player at both ends of the field. If he could add more goals to his repertoire (only 2 this term) then he would arguably be a much more coveted player. Still, there's no doubt that Williams is a class act.
John Arne Riise has always struck me as being a 'fashionable' player, by which I mean people seem to rate him without actually having any idea of whether he's any good or not. I've always presumed this is because he possesses that most fashionable of skills...a decent shot. However, since he returned to the Premier League with Fulham he has shown himself to be a more than competent defender, starting all but 3 of their league fixtures, whilst also providing 3 assists. He appears to have bedded in well to a Fulham side that has in my opinion become more expansive under the tutelage of Martin Jol, evidenced by the fact they have scored a considerable 34 goals at home. Riise's unpredictable play down the left, where he can both overlap and shoot effectively, has played a big part in this change of style.
The choice of a player who has 22 caps for England may throw many of you, but hear me out. Walcott is an under-valued player...if I can refer to another anecdote from a recent experience at Molineux, then you might understand my point a little more clearly. During Arsenal's (relatively) routine 0-3 defeat of Wolves, the home support constantly abused Walcott, suggesting that if he was good enough to play for his country, then so were they. I found myself baffled by this; firstly, because Walcott is an England international, and I have never understood the logic of abusing a player that has been asked to represent your country. Secondly, I have always rated Walcott...he is a modern, dynamic winger who is more often than not a real handful for defenders. What he lacks in his decision-making, he often makes up for in goals or assists, evidenced by his tally of 8 goals and 8 assists this season. Indeed, when presented with his PFA Player of the Year award, Robin Van Persie thanked the efforts of his team mates, particularly Walcott, for creating so many goal-scoring chances for him. If he's good enough for a guy that's scored 27 goals this season, he's good enough for me.
Admittedly, the choice of Marouane Fellaini is not purely down to this season's performances alone, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the Belgian midfielder deserves more recognition than he receives. Since Everton signed him for £15 million, an eyebrow-raising fee at the time, he has become a key component of their midfield. This season he has only managed to make 27 league appearances, but played in all 6 of their FA Cup games, a competition in which they reached the semi-finals. Were it not for the doubts about his overall fitness, I think he would attract far more interest from clubs around Europe. Indeed, I have often thought him to be the type of midfield enforcer that Manchester United have missed since the retirement of Roy Keane and the sad decline of Darren Fletcher. Nonetheless, his goal at Old Trafford on Sunday showed how key a player he is for the Toffees, as it inspired a comeback from two goals down, demonstrating that this is a player that deserves more recognition than he receives.
When compiling this team, I told myself that I would try not to include more than one player from the same club. However, the cases of Alex Song and Theo Walcott are ones I believe to be similiar in that they are both criminally under-valued. Song has taken time to establish himself in Arsenal's midfield, gathering interest for his hairstyles more than he has his football. However, over the past couple of seasons there is no doubt that he has become one of the most improved players in the league, so much so that I believe him to be deserving of a place on the Player of the Year shortlist. This season alone has provided 9 assists, and has been involved in all but four of Arsenal's league fixtures. His range of passing is very impressive, evidenced by the gorgeous lobs he layed on for Robin Van Persie when the Dutchman scored remarkable volleys against Everton and Blackburn. His physical stature also means that he is more than capable of dominating most midfield duels, something which he has done frequently this year. Were Arsenal to further invest in the centre of the field, they would surely be capable of challenging for greater honours than they have over the past few seasons. Regardless, there is no doubt that Song has now established himself as being, along with Van Persie and Vermaelen, one of their most important players.
It is almost astounding (but sadly not surprising) that the PFA managed to conspire to ignore both Victor Moses and Scott Sinclair when compiling their Young Player of the Year shortlist. The inclusion of Sergio Aguero and Gareth Bale, both established players, suggests that whoever was responsible for the selection of the final six had very little idea about the level of young talent currently plying their trade in this country. Indeed, the choice between Sinclair (scorer of 8 goals this year) and Moses (scorer of 4) was a difficult one. The decision to plump for the Wigan starlet was based on age (he is, at 21, two years younger than Sinclair) and the fact that his employers are mired in a relegation dog-fight, which means that his recent performance, and indeed those from now until the end of the season, are of paramount importance. Moses is a thoroughly exciting talent, a player that is capable of creating something out of nothing due to his combination of power and pace. He is also something of an entertainer, his drag-back past Bacary Sagna in Wigan's 1-2 defeat of Arsenal being evidence of his taste for flair. If his club do manage to beat the drop, it is paramount to their chances of future success that they manage to tie him down to a new deal. Don't be surprised if he has plenty of high-profile suitors this summer though.
Considering that at one point this season, Marc Antoine-Fortune was plying his trade at now relegated Doncaster Rovers and that he may not even be a West Bromwich Albion player next season, his story is more than a little impressive. After a relatively in-auspicious second spell at the club, Fortune was loaned to Donny by manager Roy Hodgson, presumably with a view to a permanent move away from the club. However, after an injury crisis forced Hodgson's hand, Fortune was back at the club and in the starting eleven to face Stoke City. The French forward put in a virtuoso performance, leading the line with aplomb and guding his side to a rare win over the Potters. He repeated his heroics in their 1-5 mauling of Black Country rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was a key component in a run of form that has seen them steer themselves away from relegation trouble and into the top half. A true unsung hero.
In a fair world, Yakubu Aiyegbeni would be a much more respected centre forward than he is. A consistent goal-scorer at Premier League level, he has never really been given the opportunity to shine on a bigger stage. Indeed, this time last season it looked like his time as a top-flight player was drawing to a close. Farmed out on loan to struggling Leicester City, his goals steered the club away from a perilous position and towards the top half of the Championship table. How the Foxes wish they could have held on to the Nigerian. Instead, he moved to Blackburn Rovers and has since been on a one-man mission to fire the club to safety, scoring an impressive 16 goals in 27 games, almost half of their overall tally for the season. Still only 29, you have to believe (or perhaps hope) that one or two more established clubs are preparing to parachute Yakubu out of Ewood Park should Rovers find themselves relegated at the end of the season.
So there it is, folks. An attempt at a tip of the hat to the players that won't be making the end of season teams of the year. Feel free to harass me on Twitter (@benrasmin) if I've missed anyone out!
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