The players who form the backbone of the top flight
On Wednesday, we brought you the Pepe Reina-free Big Four XI, and today it’s time to look at the best of the rest. The likes of Jo and Luka Modric have been excluded as we’ve yet to see how they adapt to Premier League football. Plus, there’s no Dimitar Berbatov because we’re assuming he’s off to Old Trafford, or maybe the Nou Camp.
Shay Given (Newcastle)
Why Given over James, Friedel and Howard, you ask? Well, the other three can always rely on their defence for support which is a luxury that the Newcastle goalkeeper has never been blessed with. The Irishman is the only man this century to twice wear the number one jersey in the PFA’s Team of the Year.
Gareth Bale (Tottenham)
The young left-back was one of Spurs’ only solid performers at the start of the last campaign before an injury in December ruled him out for the rest of the season. The Welshman also boasted an impressive scoring record with three goals in nine domestic starts.
Richard Dunne (Manchester City)
Despite his error last night, the Irishman is one of the best defenders in the Premier League. Dunne would wear our captain’s armband and would probably be voted player of the season each and every season, much like he does at Man City.
Joleon Lescott (Everton)
The odd-looking defender swept up all the end of season awards for the best club outside the Big Four last season, so there’s no way we can leave him out. He switched between playing left-back and centre-back without complaint, scored ten goals and got in the England squad.
Micah Richards (Manchester City)
Not only has the defender formed a great partnership with Dunne, but it’s clear that Manchester City struggled when he was missing last season. The Citizens took 40 points from 25 games when Richards played compared to 15 from 13 games when he was missing.
Martin Petrov (Manchester City)
The Bulgarian managed nine league assists and five goals in his first season, compared to £11.8 million-rated Alexander Hleb’s seven assists and two goals. How much did Petrov cost? Just £4.7 million…and he hasn’t moaned about Christmas or noise once!
Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)
There aren’t many bigger compliments you can receive than having a Champions League winning manager deciding that he would rather have you alongside Steven Gerrard in his midfield than Euro 2008 winning Xabi Alonso. Shame it ain’t gonna happen.
Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth)
Some Arsenal fans believe that selling Diarra was a costly mistake by Arsene Wenger than in hindsight may have cost the Gunners the title. While Arsenal ended the season trophyless, Diarra was posing for photos with Harry Redknapp and the FA Cup.
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
This guy was the one outfield player outside the Big Four who made the PFA Team of the Year last season. Martin O’Neill’s wisdom was questioned when he paid £8 million for the winger in January 2007 but now it looks a bargain, especially considering David Bentley cost Spurs £15 million.
Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn)
When a mid-table club sign a striker for £3.8 million the last thing you expect is that they will score 19 goals in their first season. Man United, Arsenal and Man City have all been linked with the Paraguayan but it would be a huge blow to Blackburn if they lost him.
Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland)
The Spoiler knows both West Ham and Arsenal season ticket holders who consider the Trinidad and Tobago international the best opposition player they saw last season. Don’t trust them? Even John Terry had this to say after facing the striker in March: “Jones was fantastic and I have played against him twice now. He is a very good player, very hard working and probably the best in the air in the entire Premier League, he really is that good.”
Spoiler Bonus: Betting on the new season? Check out what the boffins think with the Betfair Premier League predictor
Disagree with our choices? Let us have it with a comment below.
18 responses so far
1 windy // Aug 15, 2008 at 9:38 am
leaving out woodgate and arteta is criminal.
2 Aaron // Aug 15, 2008 at 9:43 am
Kenwyne Jones? Really?
If he’s such a star then why are none of the bigger clubs after him? He’s had a few good games but I’d pick even (a fully fit) Michael Own over him.
3 Avram Magic // Aug 15, 2008 at 9:48 am
Aaron, there were whisperings that we were going to bid for him this summer but obviously his injury put paid to that. I’d take him over Drogba any day of the week!
4 steve // Aug 15, 2008 at 10:12 am
darren bent
5 burndawg // Aug 15, 2008 at 10:17 am
its clearly
gomes, richards, woodgate, king, bale, bentley, barry, modric, dos santos, santa cruz, berbatov
richards, barry and santa cruz the only ones with a hope of getting into the spurs side. its the bleak reality and im right and you all knoew it!!!!!
6 Ankon // Aug 15, 2008 at 10:17 am
How can you not have Berbatov in there?!?
7 Jamie // Aug 15, 2008 at 10:26 am
this site is so anti-spurs. LOL
8 Dan // Aug 15, 2008 at 10:43 am
Kenwyn Jones!!! hahahahaha Swap him for Berbatov and probably not far off to be fair but Kenwyn Jones……… not for me!
9 Upminster Iron // Aug 15, 2008 at 11:05 am
Hey Burndawg, I believe Woodgate, King, Bale and Berbatov finished below Upson, Ferdinand, McCartney and Carlton Cole last season in the table!
10 Allen_Spurs // Aug 15, 2008 at 11:44 am
David James
Gareth Bales, Woodgate, Distin, Micah Richards
Petrov, Modric, Fabregas, Bently
Bent, Santa Cruz
11 honest abe // Aug 15, 2008 at 12:18 pm
BENT? BENT?
your clearly a bias spurs fan.
one good pre-season doesn’t make up for the fact you paid £18 million for a flop who earns £90,000 a week.
12 Twon // Aug 15, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Allen_Spurs, how can fabregas be in the team, it not includin top 4. also evry1 else it explains why berbatov aint in the team at the top
13 burndawg // Aug 15, 2008 at 12:39 pm
upminster, your point being? thats just like saying darren fletcher finished higher than every other player in the premiership for united so hes better than them all?????? means nothing. if your considering the best 11 this is how it would be. end of. no other player would get in the spurs side including those 4 mugs.
14 seetow // Aug 15, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Given, Richards, Lescott, Distin, Bale, Young, Arteta, Muntari, Butt, Berbatov, Martins.
My team, well balanced and non biased :D
15 j.wayne // Aug 15, 2008 at 1:12 pm
SPURS ARE SWEATBAGS… WAIT A MINUTE THERES A MAD GOAT RUNNING ROUND SEMI NAKED SINGING ‘CUM BY AHH’ …. HES EVEN GOT A SPUDS SHIRT ON !!!
16 honest abe // Aug 15, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Muntari can’t count, he’s at Inter Milan now. The rest of the team is pretty damn good. Nice pick with Arteta, he gets over looked far to often.
But Nicky Butt? lol… noo way. he picks up too many cards, and he’s past it.
17 Big Jill // Aug 15, 2008 at 1:22 pm
TWON “also evry1 else it explains why berbatov aint in the team at the top”
berbatov is a united player, you spud
18 honest abe // Aug 15, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Well thats news to EVERYONE at 5pm Friday the 15th of August.
According to Big Jill Berbatov is a United player? funny how sky sports news, bbc, goal.com, etc havent mentioned this.
But who am i to question BIG JILL?