Now that the European leagues are over, its time to look back upon the season! Congratulations to the English champions Manchester United, Spanish and European Champions Barcelona, German champions Wolfsburg, Italian champions Inter Milan and the Scottish champions Rangers for being magnificent consistently and deserving their silverware! All these champions and other teams also..had some marvelous performers in their team. So, looking back to the season 08-09, here's my Team Of the Season!
DEFENCE:
EDWIN VAN DER SAR
Manchester United have been lauded for their strong defence this season and one of the indispensable figures in their backline has been the veteran Edwin van der Sar. The Dutch goalkeeper proved to be very much a reliable player who never lets his team down. With more than 20 clean sheets this season - he deserves this!
DANIEL ALVES
He may not be the ideal defender but he was certainly explosive going forward! He complimented Lionel Messi on the right wing tremendously and the Spanish media at a point described him as the second best player in the world! Sadly, he missed the CL finals through suspension.
NEMANJA VIDIC
Nemanja Vidic has been the best central defender in Europe for two seasons running and 2008-2009 was once again a great year for the Manchester United star. His worst games in the season were against Liverpool at Old Trafford in the Premier League and Barcelona in the Champions League when he was torn to pieces. But barring those two failures, the Serbian had a perfect season for the Premier League champions.
GIORGIO CHIELLINI
Giorgio Chiellini is arguably the best Italian centre-back at the moment and is one of the best in Europe in his position. The 24-year-old Chiellini is a player to watch and has been an outstanding player in an otherwise slightly better than average Juventus side. Arsenal are currently interested in him.
PATRICE EVRA
He is similar to Daniel Alves. He is still lacking in his attacking talent compared to Alves, but his defensive solidarity has made him this position. He's performed well all season,never let his team down,truly deserves this position!
MIDFIELD:
( This is a tough one!!! )
STEVEN GERRARD
Currently the Football Writer's Association and PFA fans player of the year,Gerrard had a magnificent season. The Liverpool and England star has been injured for a while in this campaign but for the time he has been fit, he has been exceptionally brilliant. Not a player who is audacious with his tricks or can dribble past the entire team, Gerrard’s ability lies in going for the right challenges at the right time, scoring goals that nobody else even can think of. He wears his Red heart on his Red shirt and is someone on whom you can always rely.Truly a match winner!!
XAVI HERNANDES
The EURO-2008 man of the tournament has carried on his scintillating form for his national team as well as Barcelona helping them winning them the Champion sLeague. His midfield partnership with Iniesta has been world-class and the combination of these two is lethal!!
ANDRES INIESTA
The Spanish international midfielder has demonstrated that he is the best possession-retaining midfielder in the world and can rip apart even a 10-man defensive wall. The more dynamic half of the Barcelona midfield duo, Iniesta has been running defences ragged both in Spain and in Europe and if there wasn’t a certain little Lionel Messi, he would have been the best player in the world.
ATTACK:
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Cristiano Ronaldo was arguably the best player for Manchester United this season after Nemanja Vidic. He started the season slowly but then started gathering momentum and towards the tail-end of the season he was even in contention of becoming the top scorer in the league again. Ronaldo was also responsible for United progressing into the final of the Champions League, scoring crucial goals against Inter Milan, FC Porto and Arsenal in the knock-out stages and was arguably the best player for the Red Devils against Barcelona in the final.
LIONEL MESSI
Lionel Messi might be only 21 but he has already established himself as the best in the world. Messi has had the best season of his playing career this year. The best player for Barcelona this season, the Argentine international’s football has been breathtaking. Diego Maradona II finished the 2008-2009 season with 23 goals and 11 assists in 31 league matches and 9 goals and 5 assists in the Champions League. Messi also scored in the final against Manchester United and helped his team immensely in achieving their TREBLE.
THIERRY HENRY
With 19 goals, 8 assists in only 25 starts in the league and 5 goals, 3 assists in 10 Champions League match and Henry has rediscovered his old Arsenal form. Just like last season he has been deployed in the left channel at Barcelona to accommodate Barcelona to play in a perfect 4-3-3 formation but this time he has played with more composure. He has always helped his fellow strikers Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi in finding goals. And to justify his inclusion here, he won the Champions League this season.
Substitute bench:
Xabi Alonso
Fernando Torres
Wayne Rooney
Nicolas Anelka
Samuel Eto'o
Rio Ferdinand
Grafite
(Wolfsburg striker with 28 goals)
This has been a tough decision, but thats the way it goes...there are only eleven to choose!!
This is my TEAM OF THE SEASON and I hope most of 'em are in your team as well!!
TBH , Rio has done nothing
And Legend Fletch was Best man on field for United .
Should have been in team !
Its your opinion though , Still I would have at least replaced Ferdi with Fletch :(
I feel Samuel Eto'o should've been IN the team.
If you score 35 goals in a season and yet not manage to make the best 11 - then I doubt what will!
Methinks Bosingwa should have been there
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i think u hav misd a lot of not so big name players such as arshavin
& wat has rio done dis season???????????
alex was way betr thn him!
gerard et ronaldo shud b on d bench & aguerro or forlan or lampard or eto shud replac thm!
senseless to say Gerrard on the bench - he has been a class act all season
Haha ! Anelka on the bench and Ronaldo on the field. Anelka was way better than Ronaldo and Gerrard this season in term of goals scored. Added to the fact, Ronaldo and Gerrard are usual free-kick takers. And no Bosingwa ? Strange !!