Premier League Team Of The Season

Goalkeeper

Manchester United conceded the fewest goals - 22 - followed by Chelsea (26) and Liverpool (28), so Edwin van der Sar, Petr Cech and Pepe Reina would obviously be in contention for the goalkeeper's jersey in a Best XI.

However, Van der Sar and Cech, particularly, missed several games through injury or rotation, and while the Dutchman had the benefit of the best back four ahead of him, the Czech international had a slightly less assured campaign by his own high standards. Reina, who was ever-present or Liverpool, kept most clean sheets (18, though as teams, both United and Chelsea kept 21), but the keeper most consistently hailed as a winner or saver of points was the veteran David James (Portsmouth).

Although approaching his 38th birthday, James was also an integral part of a defence that broke the club record for most clean sheets in a season while reaching the FA Cup final, and demonstrated remarkable reflexes, agility and shot-stopping ability in what was undoubtedly the best season of a long career that had always previously been punctuated by the odd aberration. James was also the only player from outside the 'Big Four' to be nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award.

Others who impressed were a mercifully injury-free Chris Kirkland at Wigan, and two Americans - the consistently reliable Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers) and Marcus Hahnemann of Reading. The latter played behind the second worst defence, which was reflected in the fact he made more saves than any other keeper. But taking everything into account, including the frequency, quality and difficulty of outstanding saves, James gets the vote.



Right-Back

Two players who impressed  at right-back despite being central defenders played out of position for much of the season were Aston Villa's Olof Mellberg and Wes Brown of Manchester United. It was Mellberg's last English campaign before heading to Juventus; and for a long time it looked as though Brown was running down his final United contract too, until he put pen to paper on a new one a couple of weeks before the end of the season.

But someone in the first year of his contract was Bacary Sagna of Arsenal, and leaving aside the alarming hairstyle, he took to Premier League football like the proverbial duck to water. Another gem unearthed by Arsene Wegner, arriving in England from Auxerre last summer as a relative unknown, Sagna slipped so smoothly into Arsenal's back-four it was as if he'd grown up through the ranks and been there years. His contribution was outstanding, both in defence where he was consistently strong, and in support of the attack where his pace, crossing ability and vision lent a new dimension to the Gunners offensive play. He managed only one goal - putting Arsenal ahead against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge - but got injured in the same game and missed the final run-in, when his absence was telling.  

Alan Hutton also merits a mention, the Scot adding a bit of class to Tottenham's right-flank after joining in January from Rangers.


Centre-Backs

There was simply no better central defensive pairing than the one on which United's season was built. Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand provided the rock-like foundation for a successful title defence, with defence being the operative word.

The partnership, like most of the good ones, was one of contrasting styles: Vidic is the consummate defender willing to put himself on the line physically to repel opposition attacks, rarely making an error and also adding a considerable aerial threat at set-pieces in attack.

Ferdinand, always comfortable on the ball, has a naturally more cultured style and appears to have put behind him those lapses of concentration and more casual moments that often put question-marks against his reliability earlier in his career. He has clearly matured, and his consistency is underlined by his selection in the PFA's Team of the Year during three of the last four seasons. At the end of what has been his best season by some distance, he is now favourite to be handed the captain's arm-band by England boss Fabio Capello on a full-time basis.

While most strikers got little joy from the United pair, Chelsea's John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho were not too far behind, and given the extent to which Terry's season was ravaged by one injury after another, his performance was impressive.  Martin Laursen also impressed at the heart of the Villa defence, while Phil Jagielka had an excellent first season in an Everton shirt, and Jonathan Woodgate looked assured in Tottenham's notoriously suspect defence after joining them in January.


Left-Back

As part of United's back-line, Patrice Evra did little wrong all season and was a strong contender for this position, as was Arsenal's Gael Clichy, whose speed, forward forays and crossing ability, and powers of recovery to get back and tackle, were a consistent asset for the Gunners. However, someone who shone throughout the campaign, and who was largely regarded as a central defender but revealed outstanding qualities at left-back for Everton, was Joleon Lescott.

As well as being solid, difficult to beat and athletic in his defensive duties, Lescott emerged as most prolific goalscorer among Premier League defenders. That reflected not only his predatory instincts but the additional licence he was afforded out on the flanks: as a central defender he is mainly utilised in an attacking sense for corners and free-kicks.


Right Midfield

There could only ever be one pick for this position this season. Cristiano Ronaldo scored 31 Premier League goals from the wing to claim the Golden Boot (and could yet add to his overall total of 41 in Moscow), scooped the PFA, Football Writers' and Fans' Player of the Year awards and was hailed by many, including hitherto sceptics, as the best player in the world at the moment. Barcelona's Argentine magician Lionel Messi might justifiably challenge that status, but it would be a very close contest, and United's Portuguese star was without question the Premier League's most outstanding performer from beginning to end. Nobody else could touch him as a match-winner whose goals at vital times repeatedly saw United over the finish line.

His potency at set-pieces was almost an unfair weapon in the United armoury, and he revealed impressive heading ability too.  Ronaldo's season was a shattering riposte to those who, dubious of the mazy runs and step-overs, damned him by insisting he delivered too little 'end-product.' But Ronaldo also deserves some credit for guts: he may still be criticised for going to ground too easily, though less so than before; but he continued to put himself on the line, took the knocks, beat opponents with skill and then came back and did it again. His problem will be trying to top such a season in the future.  

It was a thankless task competing with Ronaldo for this berth, but the best challenger was Blackburn's David Bentley, the natural successor to David Beckham in the England side and now, it seems, a big-money target for Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea.


Right Central Midfield

The PFA's Young Player of the Year, Cesc Fabregas - although he only turned 21 this month - has now played just two games short of 200 games in the Arsenal first team, and is no longer thought of as one of the best young talents in the world, but simply as one of the greatest central midfielders around.

It was tough on the Catalan that, despite a magnificent season of huge influence in the Gunners' midfield, he finished empty-handed in terms of team trophies.  His maturity is such that he is already being tipped to captain Arsenal next season, and presumably would take that in his stride, too. As well as recording his best ever season as a scorer with 13 goals in all competitions, Fabregas contributed the highest number of assists in the Premier League - 20 - which reflected his impact as a playmaker.

Others who excelled were Michael Essien, who in contrast to Fabregas was all drive, hard-running and uncompromising tackles; and Javier Mascherano at Liverpool, who protected the back-line, breaking up attacks and playing the simple, effective ball out of danger. Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves both shone for Manchester United in contrasting ways, with the range and variety of Carrick's slide-rule passing particularly impressive, and Elano had his moments at Manchester City, though not enough of them.  But Fabregas was the stand-out in this position.


Left Central Midfield

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are always likely to be in the frame for central midfield slots. And while Gerrard made the PFA team and was also short-listed for their Player of the Year award, and Lampard despite injury absences still finished as Chelsea's top scorer with 19 goals (10 in the League), the vote just went to Aston Villa's Gareth Barry.

With 10 assists and nine goals in the League, Barry shone throughout the season in a team outside the Big Four - so much so that one of those four, Liverpool, have spent the past couple of weeks publicly declaring their admiration for the Hastings-born England international who has just completed an 11th season with his only professional club. Barry's performances for Villa last season were consistently inspirational and he has forced his way into a regular place in the England team. Whether Villa can hold on to him, or whether he is persuaded to join close friend Gerrard at Anfield remains to be seen. It is a fair bet though that his value to Villa is proportionately far greater than it would be to Liverpool, because he is the reliable heart-beat and dynamic driving force of Martin O'Neill's team.

Others who deserve a mention include Mathieu Flamini in what proved to be his final season at Arsenal; Michael Ballack, who improved as the season progressed; and two whose influence for their respective sides was dramatically highlighted when they returned from long-term injuries - Jimmy Bullard of Fulham and Everton's Tim Cahill.


Left Midfield

Alexander Hleb sparkled, albeit somewhat fitfully, on the left for Arsenal (though his scoring input - four goals - remained well below the benchmark for Arsenal wide-men set by Robert Pires). And Stewart Downing excelled for Middlesbrough. However, one of the most exciting talents in the Premier League season was Barry's team-mate Ashley Young. The former Watford winger underlined why Martin O'Neill paid £8million (possibly rising to £9.5million) for him 18 months ago with 17 assists (second only to Fabregas) and eight goals. Young, 22, also earned full England recognition during what was a highly satisfying campaign in the claret and blue.



Strikers

Both Wayne Rooney (18 goals in all competitions; 12 in the League) and, especially, Carlos Tevez (19; 14) enjoyed fine seasons for Manchester United, albeit in Ronaldo's slipstream; and the Spurs pair of Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov were consistently dangerous, both netting 23 goals in all competitions, 15 of them in the League in both cases.  

Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz (23: 19) and Everton's Yakubu (21; 15) both had outstanding campaigns with their new clubs, the Paraguayan making a particularly positive impact on his baptism in English football.

Jermain Defoe had scored eight for Spurs (four in the League) before being sold to Portsmouth, where he added eight more League goals and fully justified Harry Redknapp's faith in his ability with the quality of his performances. And in the lower half of the table, two strikers who served their respective clubs well were Kenwyne Jones of Sunderland (seven goals) and the gutsy Brian McBride who returned from serious injury to hit four vital goals in Fulham's Great Escape.

However, the two strikers in this Team of the Season virtually picked themselves. Both Fernando Torres and Emmanuel Adebayor broke the 30-goal barrier in all competitions, something only Ronaldo also managed, and both finished on 24 Premier League goals. Torres broke a series of records during a remarkable debut season in English football, in which he netted 33 goals overall and surpassed Ruud Van Nistelrooy as the Premier League's most successful ever foreign debutant. It was not only the quantity of goals El Nino scored, but the quality of so many of them, allied to his composure and team-play. And at only 24 his best years are still ahead of him, which is frightening.

Arsenal were predicted to miss Thierry Henry alarmingly, and the fact that they didn't is in part attributable to the consistent goalscoring of Adebayor, who racked up 30 goals, never stopped running for the cause, gave Arsenal an unaccustomed but potent aerial dimension and also exhibited a deft touch and control for such a big man. He proved a lot of critics wrong must be added o the lengthy list of virtual unknowns unearthed by Wenger who have made a big impact on the Premier League.


Prem Best XI Of The Season - Final Selection:

DAVID JAMES (Portsmouth)

BACARY SAGNA (Arsenal)
NEMANJA VIDIC (Manchester United)
RIO FERDINAND (Manchester United)
JOLEON LESCOTT (Everton)

CRISTIANO RONALDO (Manchester United)
CESC FABREGAS (Arsenal)
GARETH BARRY (Aston Villa)
ASHLEY YOUNG (Aston Villa)

FERNANDO TORRES (Liverpool)\
EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR (Arsenal)


Substitutes:
BRAD FRIEDEL (Blackburn Rovers)
PATRICE EVRA (Manchester United)
MICHAEL ESSIEN (Chelsea)
STEVEN GERRARD (Liverpool)
ROQUE SANTA CRUZ (Blackburn Rovers)


Graham Lister