PFA team fo the year

Ok, we all know that the team of the year isn't really that.

Who would you change?

De Gea (Man Utd), Zabaleta (Man City), Vertonghen (Spurs), R Ferdinand
(Man Utd), Baines (Everton), Carrick (Man Utd), Mata (Chelsea), Hazard
(Chelsea), Bale (Spurs), Van Persie (Man Utd), Suarez (Liverpool)

I certainly wouldn't have De Gea, Rio or Hazard.

You could have a case for several keepers above De Gea (sadly not Joe), Williams, Nasty or a couple of other CBs instead of Rio and Yaya or Michu instead of Hazard.

Hazard definitely not. The rest probably deserve it, especially Zabaleta, and each time I've watched United, Carrick has been very good. He's like our Barry, who I think has been brilliant this season.

I'd probably have put Nasty in there instead of Rio, but maybe that's just me being biased. Michu hasn't exactly been great since Xmas.

You can tell there's a lot of players hoping their votes will swing them a place at one of either United or Chelsea, given some of these calls. And Dawg, you've picked out the three that I'd have put a massive question mark over.

De Gea? I'd have had Mignolet in there, he's been outstanding.

Ferdinand would be replaced by Nasty or Agger.

Hazard, no chance, he hides in big games. I'd have had Santi Cazorla there.

Agreed fellas,

De Gea?? maybe Begovic

Nasty for Plug

Hazard???? Cazorla or Michu

I actually think Maloney at Wigan's done well this season, but he's never gonna get recognised.

He has, but Wigan are relegation fodder and as such nobody really gives a crap. Kone has been good for them, too, but I suspect a few of the Wigan team will end up elsewhere if they get relegated, including the manager.

Begovic is a good shout, second best keeper in the prem for clean sheets after our Joe.

So let me get this right leo. Hart's kept the most clean sheets, but because he's had an iffy season by his standards he gets overlooked and Begovic has the 2nd most clean sheets, but despite him having had a decent season, he too gets overlooked probably because he'si n a shit team.......so how exactly does De Gea warrant the No1 spot?

Hart's not in it because he's been kept largely out of work by his defence - he's had 15 clean sheets, but only made 59 saves, meaning he's not exactly had much to do. As for de Gea, yes, he's had 11 clean sheets, but he's only made 88 saves himself, so he's not really been all that busy either.

Actually, I was wrong, Begovic has the joint third best clean sheets. The keepers who've had 10 or more clean sheets:

15 - Hart
13 - Cech
12 - Begovic, Reina
11 - De Gea, Mignolet
10 - Jaaskelainen

More than 100 saves made:

148 - Jaaskelainen
129 - Mignolet
121 - Guzan
118 - Schwarzer
114 - Cech
106 - Begovic

On performance, we're looking at Mignolet, Begovic, Jaaskelainen and Cech as being miles better. But, if we then look at the goals conceded:

Jaaskelainen - 49
Mignolet - 45
Begovic - 41
Cech - 32
Hart - 31
de Gea - 25

And suddenly Jaaskelainen, Mignolet and Begovic don't look all that good any more and de Gea looks better.

I suspect it's come down to the fact that de Gea has made his stats up in fewer games that makes him appear to be the "best" keeper. But considering he missed games because his manager chose to replace him, rather than being injured, I'd say that this is a dubious premise.

I'd still choose Mignolet as the keeper of the year, but Begovic and Jaaskelainen are both good shouts. And if we want to go with a top end team only, then Cech should be the one to take it. But it definitely shouldn't go to someone who was replaced by his own manager for not being good enough!

Ski bi di bi di do bap do
Do bam do

Bada bwi ba ba bada bo,

Leo's a stat man.


See what I did there Leo

Erm.... right, okay, thanks Jordan

But to summarise, de Gea was only chosen because most players are too stupid to see beyond the veneer of success.

Sorry Leo, the grind of having absolutely naff all to do in work for 2 weeks has taken it's toll. Damn the end of financial year.

When you take everything into account, league position, saves, goals conceded and then look possibly how the team would have fared if they wasn't there, I'd probably say Jaaskelainen was the pick of the bunch. Or maybe Foster was in for a shout.

I still can't understand why Hazard is there though, surely Milner has been better?

I think it's a bit unfair letting a player win both awards. 23 isn't exactly young in footballing terms is it? Should it be for under 22's? You could say Bale is nearly halfway through his career.

I think Jaaskelainen would be a good shout as a backup keeper for Joe, to keep him honest. Watching him on Saturday, he looked pretty good.

Jordan I thought it was funny mate ;-)

leopold wrote:I think Jaaskelainen would be a good shout as a backup keeper for Joe, to keep him honest. Watching him on Saturday, he looked pretty good.

True. Pants hasn't done himself any harm though with his performances in the FA Cup. Old Wrighty will hardly have Joe shaking in his boots though.


Ha, cheers Blistering.

every time I think of jaaskelainen I remember last season 2nd game when silva scored with a shot that squirmed in under his body. a few games later he was replaced as No 1 by bogdan. he is also 36 / 37 years old. I know keepers have a bit more longevity but still don't think he would be the answer to pushing joe Hart. Maybe that lad from Reading, McCarthy. His performance against Liverpool was nothing short of brilliant. Hart would have to look over his shoulder more has this lad is only 23. So you would think he would be hungry to prove himself. All that being said I do agree Pants has not let us down at all with his performances, although he did appear to start a little nervous in the semi.

I think Pants got edgy because his defence fell apart.

Point taken on Jaaskelainen. I've seen him put in some quality performances for Bolton, he'd kept them up year after year and he still looked good at weekend, although we did tend to hit the ball straight at him. But given he's not got many years left in him, he might be more willing to play second fiddle than a younger keeper like Begovic or Mignolet. Plus, look at those stats, he's definitely been keeping the Hammers in the hunt, and he's played in every game.

I accept that Big Joe is doing okay for clean sheets ,but twice he has let the ball slip through his hands between his legs and into the net.That is one of the first things you should learn as a keeper not to do.He still has a way to go,but he does not seem to be learning from his mistakes!!

It's all bollocks anyway. How can you pick a team in January FFS??

DeGea....could've easily been in there on stats.

Zabaletta - disgrace he wasn't in the PFA awards as he has been superb all season.

Rio - 25 starts over the whole season so far.....so go back to Jan and how many had he made?? Woeful decision.

Vertonghen...can see that, he's been one of Spurs top performers.

Baines - as above.

Carrick - solid vote

Mata - yep.

Hazard - WTF??? Average at best. One or two outstanding games....then hides in others.

Bale - goes without saying - but been berated by opposition players and managers for his diving.

Van Persie - goes without saying

Suarez - and again had a great season, though disciplinary wise, not great.

It's a joke...why not vote in the last 2 weeks of the season and have the awards after the season has ended??

Hazard and Rio are my only two real gripes.

I agree with others, Carzola over Hazard and Nasty over Rio would be a fairer summation of a whole season.

Martinez got it spot on against the Spuds on Saturday - regardless of whether they are relegation fodder. If it hadn't been for the second string keeper - who gifted that goal to Bale with his poor pass - then Wigan would have won with two great goals. Spurs looked pretty average. He has got Wigan playing well with some bargain basement players.