Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale scored his side’s second-half equaliser in their 2-2 draw against Barcelona in the latest episode of the El Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday night, and Arsenal fans have urged whoever their new manager is going to be to sign the Wales international.
The forward, who currently earns £350,000-a-week after tax, according to The Guardian, has endured another injury-hit campaign, but has been a regular in the team in recent months.
The versatile Welshman, who can play on either wing or as a centre-forward, has scored 16 goals and provided a further eight assists in 36 appearances in all competitions for Zinedine Zidane’s side this term.
Arsenal supporters, who showed their emotions on Twitter following Arsene Wenger’s final home match on Sunday, were quick to have their say on his latest display and goal via social media, and while one said “Arsenal next manager: Sign Bale”, another said “Arsenal sign him up ASAP”.
Controversial pundit Alan Shearer has been at it again offering up his highly contentious views on all things football.
The dome-headed ticket-donator may be paid a ludicrous amount of license fee money for his opinions but when they’re so damn insightful they make us ordinary mortals reassess our very core beliefs; when they’re so utterly profound our doors of perception are blown clean off their hinges….well, how is that not worth every penny and more?
This time out the sagacious human think tank was asked by the BBC for his thoughts on the season ahead. His answers were rightfully given a prominent spot on their website, dwarfing Celtic’s Champion’s League travails and two Norwich City transfer coups.
Having read them our eyebrows are now permanently transplanted onto our crown so a warning here might be appropriate. Buckle in your brains people because we’re in for a bumpy ride where everything you once thought true will be catapulted into the ether.
Chelsea, according to forthright Al, will once again be the team to beat. Madness, we admit, but bear with him because he’s going somewhere with this. And let’s not forget his loads of goals for Newcastle and England that give his debate-stirring standpoints a great deal of weight.
If Liverpool fail to win any silverware this season then Brendan Rodgers may find himself under a bit of pressure. Mind. Blown. Shut the back door and let’s take a moment to recover from that one.
Okay, it took a lot quicker than we thought to recover. In fact let’s whizz through the rest because all this liquid gold is starting to sear.
Arsenal need a centre-forward while there is still work to be done for Manchester United. The top four from last term meanwhile will all inhabit the Champion’s League spots once again only “not necessarily in that order”.
Ah that is brilliant, quoting Eric Morecombe like that. Only Wor Al probably didn’t realise he was quoting Eric Morecombe. One genius’ famous punchline is another man playing it safe.
It could be argued that this bombardment of erudite truth-bombs could equally be gauged from a budgie having skim-read a few tabloid headlines left at the bottom of its cage but that would be quite, quite wrong.
Alan is a soothsayer and a seer and frankly in these trepidous times his wisdom is wasted on mere footy.
We that in mind we asked the Premier League’s top scorer (we didn’t really) to offer his unique insights on all manner of things ranging from this Sunday’s big game to global issues.
This should really have been titled ‘Alan puts the world to rights’. Here’s what he had to say (not really)…
Alan on….the Community Shield
“I think it’s going to be between Arsenal or Chelsea for this one. Look out for Diego Costa who is a big bustling centre-forward type of player – some might say similar to myself (laughs). He’s going to be in the thick of the action for sure. Then there’s Rooney? No? Are you sure?
“Fabregas! That’s it, Fabregas. He’s a midfielder and a good one too. I think he is good at what he does.
“On the touchline will be Jose Mourinho who likes to stir things up with some comments here and there. He certainly speaks his mind. As for Wenger…he doesn’t like to spend money does he.”
Alan on….ISIS
“It’s cheap and cheerful but decent quality to be fair. Though you wouldn’t get away with wearing their stuff in a Newcastle changing room that includes Rob Lee let me tell you. That man’s banter was legendary…”
(We remind Alan that we’re not talking about the online clothing company of a similar name)
“Oh bad people. The government will be disappointed and there’s still a little bit of work to be done. But they are definitely bad people.
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“Handbags is one thing but….well, I’ll say it…they’re taking it too far now. Is disgraceful too strong a word? Perhaps.”
Alan on…the Labour leadership contest
“It’s going to be close. You can quote me on that. It’s going to be close. And I would say it’s between Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Jeremy Corbyn, and Liz Kendall for me.
“All four need to do well in the weeks ahead and they will be looking to do that. They certainly have it in their lockers.”
Marmite
“It’s like golf. Some people like it and some people don’t. There are those who like it on their toast or in a sandwich whereas with others…and I’m going out on a limb here…they really don’t like the taste. Can I have that big cheque now?”
It takes a certain type of bond for a club and its star player to turn a page and start afresh following a rough, rocky and ugly patch. With Liverpool and Luis Suarez, there may be something positive to work with, now that signs indicate the player will be staying – for the time being at least. But it’s doubtful that it’s a completely new page in the Suarez-Liverpool story.
An indictment of the modern game is that clubs need to prove their worth to their own players. Arsenal have been down that path many times in the past, with the most recent episode culminating in Robin van Persie publically outlining the difference in view for the way in which the club should move forward.
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With Suarez, the player clearly wants Champions League football, but importantly also a future away from Anfield. As talented as he is – for some, among the best in the world – he has never had a full campaign in the Champions League. There is a desire to battle alongside the leading names in European football, with international teammates both echoing and voicing their own opinions on the matter.
But obviously Liverpool don’t have that on offer at this time. The club are spending wisely and look to continue to do so before the window closes on September 2nd, but does the player have that affinity with the club to alter his views on the immediate future? He wants Real Madrid above all else, much like many from South America do. Based on what’s formed the basis of this transfer saga, Champions League football is at the head of his priorities, not forming part of a building project to attain that in a few years. Though for a player of his calibre, a consistent charge on league titles would also be a priority, probably even more so.
You’d certainly feel that Liverpool would accept a sizeable bid from Real Madrid, something in the region of £60 million. The club have continued to work on the field without the Uruguayan, despite appearances in preseason, and the formation of a promising, young attack is keeping him out of mind for now.
But Liverpool and Suarez’s ambitions simply do not fall in line with one another – similar ambitions, obviously, but both are not on the same wavelength. The club have followed a formula in the market and sought to strengthen their climb up the Premier League table. Even with the apparent U-turn in the saga, Liverpool still appear to be chasing a big-money signing, suggested by their interest in Willian. You’d have to ask whether the club would sound out players like the Brazilian if they felt Suarez would be a long-term fixture in the team.
Steven Gerrard may have acted as peacemaker between the player and Brendan Rodgers, and sure, Liverpool will have an even better chance of securing a place in the top four this season with the Uruguayan in the squad, but that doesn’t mean that this story has been put to bed. Suarez doesn’t strike you as a player who will remain settled for a prolonged period of time. Sure, he spent nearly five years at Ajax, but his previous two clubs only saw a year of him each, while Liverpool could lose him two-and-a-half years after signing him. He has no prior affiliation with Liverpool, and with Real Madrid extremely prominent in his mind, it doesn’t appear that there is a basis for a long-term future with Liverpool, with or without Champions League football.
Has Rodgers done enough to convince Suarez to stay?
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Arsenal are set to open up contract negotiations with star attacker Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain in the near future, The Sun claim.
The England international has four years left on his existing deal at the Emirates Stadium, but has made a dramatic impact since moving to north London.
The Gunners have had to watch on as Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri have forced a move away from the club in the last year of their contracts, whilst Theo Walcott is in the final 12 months of his deal and is refusing to extend for the time being.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to be rewarded for promising showings for the north Londoners with a prolonged deal and a pay increase to boot.
Arsene Wenger hopes that signing the Ox up on a new long-term contract will avoid a similar tricky situation arising in the future, and may even convince Walcott to consider a new contract with Arsenal also.
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Leeds United are reportedly interested in re-signing Swansea City centre-back Kyle Bartley for the 2018-19 campaign.
Bartley spent last season on loan at Leeds – scoring six times in 50 appearances during an impressive year before returning to his parent club last summer.
The centre-back has only made five Premier League appearances for Swansea this term, and is widely expected to seek another exit in this summer’s transfer window.
Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom addressed the rumours during his press conference on Friday ahead of this weekend’s match against Queens Park Rangers, with the 40-year-old insisting that he is aware of how impressive Bartley performed for the Whites last season.
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The Leeds fans have been discussing a potential return for the 26-year-old this summer, and not everyone is in agreement about the Manchester-born defender’s future.
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It is certainly an interesting one to watch ahead of the opening of the summer window.
A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Leeds fans can be seen below:
Manchester City’s summer business is yet to really click into gear and their high profile targets seem to be slipping away. Paul Pogba looks to be on his way to Barcelona, Kevin De Bruyne’s future is seemingly in Germany and Raheem Sterling’s move is stalling and dragging, despite the Reds’ own moves.
Pedro, linked with the Citizens of late, has been marginalised even further at Barcelona with the signings of Neymar and Luis Suarez and the Spaniard looks a long way from even competing for a starting berth. In fact, Pedro’s best chance of a regular place is, probably, a Suarez ban for some insane behaviour.
Despite signing a new contract, it is likely the Spain international could be lured away from the Camp Nou if more starts were offered. Even with only 15 league starts last season, Pedro still managed six goals and six assists – the sort of end product that City sometimes find hard to come by.
Notably, Manchester City are often short on width and rely heavily on their overlapping full-backs. When Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy/Aleksandar Kolarov are more restricted the game becomes severely cluttered in the centre, and breaking teams down increases in difficulty. Jesus Navas was signed to be the answer to this, but even with his electric pace his end product is often disappointing – he failed to find the net at all last season.
Pedro would bring a different approach to Navas’ and is more of a wide goal-scorer than creator, as he shows regularly at Barcelona. However, it is not just Navas who has been tasked with providing width at City, as previously James Milner was often used in a wide role. In failing to retain Milner for the 2015/16 campaign, City have lost not only a massively versatile player, but one of their more natural wide men.
Although Pedro is not a wide player in a traditional sense himself – do not expect to see him with chalk on his boots – he is could bring more width to City’s attacking moves than the likes of David Silva and Samir Nasri.
City are at risk of becoming further reliant on Silva if they are to use a 4-2-3-1. Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic are both likely to be sold and the revenue could be used to fund a move for Pedro, who will allow tactical flexibility and bring goals from deeper in the team. While Manuel Pellegrini wants to stay with his 4-4-2, City often look at their best in a 4-2-3-1 and Pedro would fit perfectly into that system, while allowing Silva to pull the strings in the ‘No.10’ position.
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With the move for Sterling still alive, Pedro could play on the opposite flank and allow their most creative force, in David Silva, to play in between the lines and create for Sergio Aguero. The cost of signing Pedro is far outweighed by the benefit of the extra goal threat, particularly when Aguero gets his regular injury.
Manuel Pellegrini’s wealth of experience will stand him in good stead when he takes over at Manchester City. The lack of trophies won’t matter, nor will his solitary season at a ‘big’ European club count against him in the Premier League – at least it shouldn’t. Manchester City, provided they take on a realistic approach in what they want from Pellegrini, could reap the rewards of one of Europe’s better managers in the game today.
There is nothing not to like about the Chilean manager. He is the anti-Mourinho, persistent in his desire to steer clear of the eye of the storm and remain utterly dignified in his attitude to management. Manchester City, for their achievements with Roberto Mancini and his recent firing, do not want to hold themselves in the same line as Chelsea. Pellegrini won’t write headlines for the wrong reasons, accusing his counterparts of voyeurism, exposing club captains and declaring war on anyone who seeks to challenge him. Pellegrini is here for the football, and that should be the biggest headline.
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Manchester City need to regroup and rediscover the level of football they reached during their title-winning season. Under Pellegrini, the emphasis will be on players like David Silva and, should he arrive, Isco. The biggest breakthrough this coming season, however, will be in taking Sergio Aguero back to the top as the team’s premier striker.
And success is almost guaranteed under Pellegrini on this front. He has a sensational record of getting the best out of his players, overcoming obstacles and delivering aesthetically pleasing football. His teams at Villarreal and Malaga were built around small schemers, excellent technicians in the midfield just ahead of a robust central midfielder or midfield pairing. Mancini must be wondering what he had to do to get Fernandinho last summer; under Pellegrini, the soon-to-arrive Shakhtar player will be City’s Jeremy Toulalan, their Marcos Senna: the undeniable and necessary balance to the flair forwards.
If this is a project Manchester City are serious about, Pellegrini will deliver success on numerous fronts. The most obvious goal is to reclaim the Premier League title and justifying the incredible outlay by the club over the years; many have been quick to question whether Fernandinho is worth the reported £34 million. Manchester City will also need to become a force in Europe, doing away with the tag of disappointment from their two recent ventures into the Champions League. Pellegrini has a phenomenal record in UEFA’s premier club competition. Some will look to Real Madrid, but that short spell does little to discredit the fine work put in with Villarreal: the excellent football on display at El Madrigal, the Champions League semifinal. It’s difficult to forget Malaga’s fairy tale adventure last season, and there is almost a certainty that Pellegrini will pull off something equally spectacular with a club and squad who dwarf Malaga on every front.
One of the biggest successes, though, could be Pellegrini’s promotion of youth players. Again, if City are serious and look past the somewhat idiotic notion that all managerial appointments work in cycles of two or three years, they’ll see a rediscovery of the youth system at the club. For all their wealth and ability in the market, the goal should still be to bring through academy players. John Guidetti is a name who could benefit greatly from Pellegrini’s presence at the club.
The media in England might find some disappointment in Pellegrini, as the manager will do little to feed their appetite for a controversial story. But that’s exactly what City will want. The club will be represented by one of Europe’s classiest and most likeable managers. Pellegrini won’t plant battles with his players in interviews and he most certainly won’t lose or create divisions within the dressing room. There will be some who won’t easily forget the short spell with Real Madrid, but that was a project that was never truly Pellegrini’s, and City should learn a lot from the lack of control the manager had at the Bernabeu. It’s been said that if Jose Mourinho had not been available following his single season at Inter, Pellegrini would likely have stayed on. Barcelona, too, are not oblivious to the Chilean’s credentials, singling him out as a possible replacement for Tito Vilanova should his health continue to play a factor in his management at the Camp Nou.
Pellegrini has a history of overachieving, doing so much more than what is expected of him. Martin Demichelis was a player reborn at Malaga, Borja Valero’s career was turned around completely at Villarreal, and Joaquin experienced his best years in Spanish football under Pellegrini at Malaga.
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Pellegrini finally gets the reward he’s been deserving of: a very real opportunity at silverware in European football. There’s absolutely no doubt that Manchester City have made one of the best managerial appointments of the summer.
Arsene Wenger has stated that he is relaxed over his transfer strategy and feels that his squad is strong enough to compete for silverware this season.
The Gunners have added Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud to their squad this summer, but have lost Robin van Persie and Alex Song.
The French coach is expected to potentially dip into the market on the last day of the transfer window, but Wenger is happy with how things have panned out for the north London side.
“I am relaxed. We have enough players, that is for sure, but you want always to improve your squad,” The Telegraph report Wenger as saying.
“We have resources available so if it is not happening now it will happen in December. But we believe strongly that we have the quality in our squad to do very well.
“We bought Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud so you cannot say we have not bought but, when you listen to people, you always have to buy more.
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“Getting our injured players back is the best way for us to strengthen the squad. We do not just want to bring average players in. Spending in itself is not a quality. Buying good players is a quality, better players than you have is a quality,” he concluded.
Newcastle fans have been reacting to reports claiming the club is still up for sale this summer, and let’s just say they aren’t totally convinced.There will probably never be a less popular figure on Tyneside than Newcastle Mike Ashley, well besides from Alan Pardew that is.The 53 year-old businessman bought the Magpies back in 2007, and has taken plenty of stick from fans for his penny-pinching tactics in the transfer market.Fans have often felt Ashley uses the club as a business more than a football club, and they are desperate for him to either back the manager in the transfer market or sell to someone who will.[ad_pod ]Rumours of a sale to Amanda Staveley have been on-going for months, and a statement from Wednesday’s fans forum read: “The position has not changed (in response to the club being up for sale). If or when there is anything to update, the club would do so.â€This statement might be music to the ears of a more gullible fan base, but Newcastle fans have been here before, and they are convinced Ashley will not sell the club.With Rafa Benitez’s future at the club hanging in the balance, Newcastle fans are hoping for the best but expecting the worst, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
With the final ball of the 2014/15 Premier League season kicked, the title, the relegation places, the European qualifying rankings and everything in between now decided, it’s time to reflect upon what has been a typically gripping year in English football.
We’ve already had the Player of the Year awards and the PFA Team of the Season, but we at Football FanCast believe it’s time some of the division’s lesser decorated stars are given their spot in the limelight as well.
Therefore, we’ve created this honorary select Xi of rather ambiguous criteria. It’s not so much for those who fall into the ‘unsung hero’ category; rather, for those who haven’t received the recognition that their emphatic form deserves this term.
So without further ado, sit back and enjoy Football Fancast’s underrated XI of the year, filled with the Premier League’s most under-appreciated.
Are these eleven names the real stars of the show in the English top flight?
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GOALKEEPER – Costel Pantilimon
Football FanCast’s Underrated Glove award goes to, without a doubt, Sunderland’s Costel Pantilimon.
Last season, striker Connor Wickham was the miracle that kept Sunderland in the top flight. This year, it’s been the Romanian international, epitomised by his Man of the Match performance during a scoreless draw with Arsenal last Monday that affirmed the Black Cats’ survival.
Despite starting the campaign as understudy to Victor Mannone, the 28 year-old has gone on to record the sixth-most clean sheets and seventh-most saves of any Premier League goalkeeper from just 28 appearances.
Perhaps most tellingly of all, his save success rate of 78.4% is by far the best in the division, outclassing Thibaut Courtois (71.8%), Joe Hart (71.6%) and Manchester United’s David de Gea (69.4%) by quite some way.
RIGHT BACK – KIERAN TRIPPIER
Danny Ings has been the talk of the town at Burnley this season but the performances of right-back Kieran Tripper deserve equal praise.
Last term Trippier added 14 assists to the Turf Moor outfit’s promotion bid and he’s had a similar effect this year, recording the joint-most set-ups of any Burnley player, four, along with the aforementioned Ings.
The 24 year-old also been Burnley’s most prolific creator, with 1.7 chances per match, whilst his 2.4 accurate crosses per match is the strongest return throughout the Premier League.
A lack of top level quality ultimately cost the Clarets in their bid for survival, but Trippier has been providing it all year from right-back.
CENTRE-BACK – JORES OKORE
Tim Sherwood and Christian Benteke will be seen as the definitive factors in Aston Villa’s survival this season, but youngster Jores Okore deserves a noteworthy mention too.
Big things were expected of the 22 year-old when he first arrived at Villa Park two summers ago, only for an ACL injury in September 2013 to rule him out for over a year. The Danish international returned to first team action in November and his performances at the heart of defence have been pivotal.
From his 22 Premier League outings this term the Villains have kept five clean sheets, but perhaps most crucially conceded more than twice on just eight occasions – six of which have come against sides that finished in the Premier League’s top seven.
Regularly filling the void of ever-crocked skipper Ron Vlaar, Villa – who finished just three points off the drop – might not have been so lucky this term if Okore’s return to fitness had happened a few weeks later.
JOSE FONTE
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I’d describe public and punditry appreciation of Southampton’s Jose Fonte as largely in accordance with his abilities, but the Portugal defender makes it into this select Xi for one predominant reason – his shock exclusion from the PFA Team of the Year.
No doubt, Chelsea duo John Terry and Gary Cahill have been absolutely fantastic this season, but the Saints finished the campaign with just one more goal conceded and two less clean sheets than the Premier League champions.
Skipper Fonte, who claimed the Player of the Year award at St. Mary’s this season, played in every single minute of their Premier League campaign barring a single game’s absence due to suspension.
In the process, he’s averaged the third-most interceptions per match, 3.2, of any Premier League centre-half.
DALEY BLIND
He may not have the awesome goalscoring record of Radamel Falcao or a record-breaking transfer fee like Angel Di Maria, but pound for pound Daley Blind has proved to be Manchester United’s best signing of summer 2014.
Utility men of the Netherlands international’s variety tend to fall into two categories; they’re either equally terrible in every position or equally brilliant.
Blind firmly belongs in the latter, producing equally strong displays at left-back, left wing-back, central midfield, defensive midfield and even making a few outings as an emergency centre-half, whilst his two goals of the campaign clinched United vital draws against West Bromwich Albion and West Ham – just as the pressure was beginning to mount on Louis van Gaal.
Clearly a victim of his own versatility, Blind will likely always dodge his fair share of the praise at Old Trafford. But in my opinion, the 25 year-old would be a huge asset to any top European club.
Defensive Midfield – KI SUNG-YUENG
So underrated he didn’t even claim Swansea City’s Player of the Year award, Ki Sung-Yueng might well be the most underappreciated central midfielder in the Premier League.
He’s been the metronome in a Swans side that have now recorded their highest ever points total of the Premier League era, conducting traffic with deft flick-ons and neat one-twos to record a pass completion rate of 89.9%, whilst shielding the back four with his exceptional anticipation – epitomised best by his 1.8 interceptions per match.
But most impressive of all is the 26 year-old’s goal tally. Eight goals makes him Swansea’s top scorer in the league – with the exception of Wilfried Bony, now with Manchester City – whilst Yaya Toure and Steven Gerrard are the only Premier League centre-mids to have scored more this year.
There isn’t too much speculation in the tabloids at the moment but something tells me England’s top clubs will be considering bids for the South Korean this summer.
Central Midfield – JASON PUNCHEON
Yannick Bolasie is the first name that comes to mind when reflecting upon Crystal Palace’s many fantastic performances under Alan Pardew – but Jason Puncheon has been the real star of the show.
With six goals and seven assists in 31 Premier League starts, he trumps the Congo winger in terms of output and has been the driving force in the Eagles’ midfield, epitomised best by his impressive averages of 1.8 shots, 1.8 chances created, 1.6 successful dribbles, 1.8 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per match.
Pardew hailed the 28 year-old as Palace’s best performer earlier this month as he signed a contract extension until 2019 and Football Fancast firmly agree. The south London outfit’s Player of the Year award, however, went to Scott Dann.
Central Midfield – JAMES MILNER
The undisputed king of modern day unsung heroes in the Premier League, despite receiving more adulation than normal this season James Milner was always going to make this select Xi. In fact, he’s wearing the captain’s armband.
The England international has just ended his strongest campaign to date for the Citizens, claiming five goals and seven assists in the Premier League whilst also netting a vital Champions League goal against Spartak Moscow, but received just 18 league starts from Manuel Pellegrini.
Yet to extend his contract past the end of the season, the 29 year-old will most likely leave the Eithad this summer – hopefully for a club with a much better appreciation of his many talents.
Right Wing – WILLIAN
If James Milner were to pass on his crown as the Premier League’s least-sung of unsung heroes, his successor would undoubtedly be Chelsea’s Willian.
The 26-year-old will never be a world-class talent in the same vein as Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa or Eden Hazard, largely due to his ever-underwhelming output. This season he’s bagged just two goals and three assists in 36 Premier League appearances.
But the Brazil international’s incredible industry and work-rate has been equally as pivotal to the Blues’ successful title bid this season, providing intrinsic balance to Hazard on the other flank and epitomising everything about the Jose Mourinho philosophy.
Likewise, he’s absolutely lethal on the counter-attack, with his power, pace and dribbling ability laying the framework for countless Chelsea goals this year. He’s very much the assistor to the assistor, the instigator of attacking moves others take statistical credit for.
Perhaps most tellingly of all, Willian’s importance to Chelsea has increased as the season’s gone on.
LEFT WING – Nacer Chadli
Admit it. You thought Nacer Chadli was a waste of space and so did we at Football Fancast. He’s one of many Tottenham signings who left an underwhelming impression last season but the Belgium international has hit back in emphatic fashion, bagging eleven goals and five assists in 28 Premier League starts.
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Harry Kane has been the talk of the Lane this season with supporting act Christian Eriksen not too far behind – largely due to his unique ability to bag last minute winners for the north London club.
But Mauricio Pochettino’s side wouldn’t have finished in fifth without Chadli’s goals either. In fact, the 25 year-old’s strikes have proved decisive on five occasions this term – earning the north Londoners four draws and one win.
Striker – MAME Biram Diouf
Due to the fact strikers are by nature the habitual stars of the show, choosing a front-man for this select Xi was the toughest task Football Fancast faced.
Crystal Palace’s Glenn Murray, Southampton’s Graziano Pelle and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy were all in the mix but we’ve gone with Stoke City’s Mame Biram Diouf – purely because his fantastic form in front of goal hasn’t received the column inches it deserves this season.
The 27-year-old may not be the greatest front-man to ever face the Premier League but his eleven goals for the Potters is a significant achievement in itself. No striker has scored more for the Britannia outfit in a single campaign throughout their Premier League history.
It caps off a sensational season for Mark Hughes’ side, in which they recorded the highest ever points total and joint-highest league standing of the Premier League era.
Subs Bench – Honourable Mentions
Adrian – The Spaniard rarely gets discussed as one of the Premier League’s top goalies but he’s been in sensational form for West Ham yet again this year.
Ashley Williams – As consistent as ever, if Ashley Williams wasn’t already held in high regard he would’ve made the starting XI.
Ahmed Elmohamady – The wing-back can hold his head high despite Hull City’s relegation. He’s been their biggest threat going forward and made significant contributions in defence too.
Lucas Leiva – Liverpool’s upturn in form around Christmas time coincided with the Brazilian’s return to the starting Xi. He’s averaged the most tackles per match, 3.9, of any Premier League player this year.
Gylfi Sigurdsson – The Swansea midfielder is little too unappreciated the PFA Team of the Year but a little too appreciated to make our starting Xi.
George Boyd – The Scotland international has given Burnley absolutely everything this year, grabbing five goals and two assists whilst averaging the eighth-most tackles per match of any Premier League player.
Jamie Vardy – Only an England call-up has stopped Jamie Vardy making the starting Xi. Five goals and eight assists doesn’t tell anywhere near the whole story of the striker’s influence on Leicester City’s survival.