There are numerous candidates for this year’s player of the season; Dimitar Berbatov hitting 20 Premier League goals with nothing but criticism being aimed his way, or Samir Nasri, who was in blistering form in the early months to help Arsenal cope without Cesc Fabregas, or perhaps Tottenham’s creative Croatian Luka Modric; however, to win the player of the season title, you should not only be talented but also make a significant difference to your team.
Gareth Bale was signed from Southampton with many raving about his potential, but few expecting such prodigious talent to exude from him. The young Welshman was in formidable form in the first few months of season, in the league and Europe; embarrassing the ‘world’s best attacking right back’ Maicon with a hat trick at the San Siro and being linked with the likes of Barcelona. Bale’s performances not only have been breathtaking but have also been consistent and are one of the main reasons Spurs find themselves in the Quarter Finals of the Champions League and pushing for qualification again on the home front. His blistering pace, acceleration and deft touch have lit up the world of football, however, like any player who is out injured for five or six weeks, it takes a while to regain a certain sharpness and it took Bale a considerable amount of time to hit top form again. At the age of 21, Bale is still learning the game and has his best years ahead of him, which is why, in this writer’s opinion, Gareth Bale will fall short on player of the season, but will more than likely pip Jack Wilshere to young player of the season.
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Scott Parker has had a fantastic season, on a personal level; after being culled from the World Cup squad for a rather lame Gareth Barry, he has taken it in his stride and received rave reviews from fans and colleagues alike. Parker’s motivational team talks, commanding displays and never-say-die attitude have helped West Ham cling onto their Premier League status and with each week that passes they look more and more likely of maintaining their position among the best of English football. The main argument for Scott Parker to be considered for the prestigious title of Player of the Season is that he has a Lionel Messi type quality about him (yes, I said Messi). Parker, like Messi, is in a team that is abnormally dependent upon him, whilst Messi turns Barcelona from a very good team to an exceptional one, Parker is the player who wears his heart on his sleeve and drives West Ham forward.
Parker though, I feel will be beaten to the post by Manchester City’s captain and talisman, Carlos Tevez. Manchester City would have probably struggled to be in contention for a Champions League place without the feisty Argentinean. Tevez is the complete package; the South American flare combined with the determination and grit you need to succeed in the Premier League. Tevez’s goal to game ratio is phenomenal and he has on countless occasions come from the bench to be City’s match winner, despite his manager’s attempts to rest his key man. I’m not a supporter of simply giving the captaincy to the team’s best player, as they aren’t always the greatest leader, for example, Cesc Fabregas, or even to a forward, as in their position it is virtually impossible to communicate with their defenders unless they run the length of the pitch for 90 minutes. Nonetheless, Tevez is a worthy exception has caused me to rethink my opinion, as City clearly lack drive, creativity and that match winning instinct when Tevez isn’t playing and when Tevez, with his bull dog like approach, enters the field of play it is not only the fans excitement that increases, but also his teammates.
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