Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Fulham, Sunderland and Newcastle United players all feature in our list. Who do you believe has been the standout player?
It is almost time for the Player of the Season Awards to be announced, so we thought we would get in there early with our shortlist. We have selected seven candidates, and seven ‘almost made it’ candidates. Let us know if you agree with our selections, and vote in our poll to let us know who you believe deserves the honour.
Robin van Persie
Let’s face it, the award may be a done deal. Often there are two or three standout players, but this year surely Robin van Persie has been head and shoulders above everybody else, especially in terms of consistency. This season he has scored 33 goals already, and provided 12 assists, and a failure to score in his last two matches seems like a big shock. Highlights include a memorable hat-trick away to Chelsea, and a match winning brace against Liverpool, as well as a sumptuous volley at home to Everton. Arsenal fans will be desperate that he stays at the club and signs a new contract. Michael Owen stated on Twitter on Sunday night that he felt there was nobody whose achievements this season can match the Dutchman.
David Silva
Early in the season Silva looked to be a shoe-in for this award, but lately his form has dipped. Nonetheless he is well worth his place on the shortlist, and he has been instrumental to City’s title charge. In the league he has scored five goals and assisted an incredible 14, the most of any player. His highlights include helping tear Manchester United apart at Old Trafford in an unforgettable 6-1 victory, and scoring the winner against Arsenal at the Etihad. If City are to win the league, Silva will have a big involvement in the remaining games. As they say, form is temporary, class is permanent.
Demba Ba
Demba Ba’s consistency at Newcastle, mainly in the first half of the season, was astounding. Prior to leaving for the African Nations Cup in January he had scored 15 goals. Signed on a free, he is surely unbeatable as the ‘signing of the season’. Since returning from international duty, he has only scored once, adjusting to a new striker partnership with Papiss Cisse. His highlights include helping his side to a 3-0 win over Manchester United, and scoring a hat-trick away to Stoke City in October, a month after his first hat-trick for the club at home to Blackburn.
Clint Dempsey
As well as becoming the highest ever scoring American in the Premier League, Clint Dempsey’s form this season has seen him linked with Liverpool and Manchester United. While Fulham struggled early on under Martin Jol, they have picked up form since the New Year, with wins over Arsenal and Newcastle, in which he scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 win. He has scored 18 goals in total this season, 12 in the Premier League, and he seems to be getting better and better each season.
Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero’s transition to Premier League football has appeared to be seamless, introducing himself with a fine brace off the bench against Swansea City on his debut. He has remained consistent, scoring against Tottenham and Manchester United, and netting a winner over Arsenal in the Carling Cup. In total he has 17 league goals, while he has provided six assists too, making a mockery of excuses used by many, defending South Americans who take their time to settle in England.
Stephane Sessegnon
The Sunderland playmaker has had a special season, and at times he has looked unplayable. Despite being forced to miss three games after a red card against Newcastle, he got back into the groove with a goal against QPR this weekend. Playing in midfield and even at times as a striker, he has consistently baffled defences, coming into his own especially after Martin O’Neill’s arrival as manager. He has scored seven in the league and created nine, in comparison to Antonio Valencia’s three goals and 12 assists.
Wayne Rooney
Rooney may have had a barren Autumn, but his start to the season was superb, and since the New Year he has picked up his brilliant early performances. He remains United’s most potent attacking threat, and is a man for big games. He has scored big goals in games against Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Chelsea, also bagging a brace in the FA Cup win over Manchester City. His highlight will be back-to-back hat-tricks against Bolton and Arsenal in August, although you get the feeling he is keen to create an even more memorable moment as the title-run in intensifies.
Almost made the shortlist: Antonio Valencia, Laurent Koscielny, Michel Vorm, Tim Krul, Fabricio Coloccini, Leon Britton, Vincent Kompany
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image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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