BPL Team of the Season Shortlist - Part 2 - A few Ins and Outs
Thank you all for the reaction I received on Part 1, I’m not even sure if I managed to read all of your comments as the comment section went a bit iffy. Below is some thoughts on the proposed changes to the initial shortlist which I’ve thought long and hard about, some really hard calls to make! If you want to voice your opinion then you can do it in the comment section below the article as well as on Twitter. Links to my Twitter and FUTWIZ’ Twitter along with an explanation as to what this is all about can be found in Part 1 here:
In next week’s Part (Part 3), we’ll hopefully be able to update some of the images and whittle down the shortlist into 23-24 players so that we’re almost at a final team!
Also PLEASE remember, you only need to comment once! Once you have typed in your comment and entered it, refresh the page and it should appear.
IN?:
GK: David Marshall (Cardiff) – Right, yes, Cardiff have conceded an AWFUL lot of goals this year but David Marshall has been unbelievable in between the sticks for them. He cannot be held responsible for many of the numerous goals that have beaten him and he has also stopped an huge number more from beating him and for that reason, I may just have to consider him for this. Hmm….
CB: Steven Caulker (Cardiff) – I sorta get why people suggested Steven, but I’m afraid that he shouldn’t be anywhere near this TOTS. Firstly, the whole “he has 3 IFs argument”, IFs come from individual performances and are irrelevant at deciding how well a player has played over the course of a season, especially when all three are for scoring goals and two of which came against Fulham! Secondly, as I mentioned with Marshall, Cardiff have the 2nd worse defensive record in the league. I understand a ‘keeper being considered because he’s not as likely to be at fault for as many of the goals, and in this case has put in exemplary performances game after game to make sure Cardiff do not concede anymore, but a centre-half?! Nah, sorry.
CB: Gary Cahill (Chelsea) – Someone I couldn’t believe I forgot to consider for this is Mr Gary Cahill, because of John Terry he can get overlooked from time to time but he should have most certainly been on the initial shortlist after another solid season. Apologies Chelsea fans!
LB: Jon Flanagan (Liverpool) – Remember Arsenal vs Liverpool earlier in the season, when Jon was named in Liverpool’s line up and the vast majority of ‘Pool fans thought he was going to be a weak link? How silly do we all look now, the “Scouse Cafu” has made the Liverpool left back role his own and is putting in solid performance after solid performance. Still, cannot see him being in the TOTS given Cesar Azpilicueta and Luke Shaw’s great seasons.
CM: Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) – A lad who was once (harshly) being labeled a flop at Liverpool has had the season of his life. Hard to believe he’s still only 23 and has been at Liverpool for almost 3 years now, Jordan Henderson looks not only to be back to the Sunderland form which had enticed Liverpool to buy him, but has gone far beyond that. He compliments Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho so well in Liverpool’s midfield and I would not be at all surprised to see him on the plane to Rio come the summer… but a place in TOTS? I’m not so sure, given the fantastic performances of numerous other central midfielders this year. Tough one to call.
CAM: Oscar (Chelsea) – Someone who’s form had very, very badly dropped off until last weekend and perhaps a good last few weeks of the season may see this little Brazilian sneak into a few people’s TOTS’s. At the moment though, he has to do a bit more to gain a spot in my opinion.
LW: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) – The third and final Liverpool youngster on this list and another massively improved one at that. It is easy to forget that Raheem is still only a teenager and has so much room left to improve and if he does continue improving at anything like the rate that he has done in the past 12 months, he’s going to be even more so of a useful asset to Liverpool and England very soon. His final ball, finishing and decision making has improved no end over the past few months and without this improvement, I don’t think the “SAS” partnership would be quite as profitable as it has been. Done enough for a TOTS though?
OUT?:
LB: Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal) – A huge number of Arsenal fans disagreed with me on this one and I may just have to accept I was wrong to include him, even leading up to the controversy vs Chelsea he was not playing well. Could Bacary Sagna replace him in the shortlist? Thoughts?
RW: Adam Johnson (Sunderland) – The more I think about it, the more I cannot understand quite why I considered this fella for a TOTS. Sure, he’s played well in a struggling team, but TOTS material?! Nope, sorry Sunderland fans.
ST: Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) – Similar reaction to the one I received for including Gibbs really, many, many unhappy Gooners. From what I’ve seen, I think they’re being a tad harsh but admittedly Arsenal are not a side I’ve seen a huge amount of this year.
Thoughts?
@fifaRAWR
