The PFA have chosen their star men for the 2008/09 campaign but do you agree with their choices?
Skysports.com wants to hear your views on the best players from the 2008/09 campaign
With the Professional Footballers' Association having dished out their annual awards,
skysports.com wants to hear your views on who you feel have been the stand-out performers in the 2008/09 campaign.
In a series of features we will be looking to compile a team made up of players voted for by you - the fans.
Logic dictates that every good team needs a combination of craft and graft in the middle of the park so we will be continuing our search for the Premier League's best XI in that area.
The PFA voted Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Manchester United's Ryan Giggs as their top choices, but do you agree with that verdict?
We have selected 16 candidates we feel are worthy of gracing any side and all you have to do is choose your favourite.
Xabi Alonso - Liverpool
Speculation suggested Liverpool were ready to part with Alonso last summer, with Gareth Barry supposedly lined up to step into his boots. However, that much-touted deal never materialised and the Spanish schemer remained at Anfield - much to the satisfaction of Kopites everywhere. If Rafa Benitez needed any persuading that in Alonso he has one of the best all-round midfielders in the business, then the 2008/09 campaign should have laid those doubts to rest. One of the best passers of a ball in the game, the man from the Basque country is also not afraid to put his foot in when required.
Gareth Barry - Aston Villa
As previously mentioned, it looked for long periods as though Barry would be on his way to Merseyside in the summer of 2008, with the England man ready to break ties with Villa after 12 years in the Midlands. The 28-year-old did little to endear himself to the Villa faithful as he brazenly admitted his interest in such a switch, but he never let off-field activity affect his game. Once it became apparent that he would be remaining at Villa Park, Barry realigned his focus and set about giving his utmost for Martin O'Neill's men. He was even re-awarded the captain's armband once Martin Laursen was struck down by injury, having been stripped of the honour following the summer of discontent. He may not have been able to help Villa into the UEFA Champions League this term, but he remains one of the best in the business.
Michael Carrick - Manchester United
It has taken a while for Carrick to fully justify the sizeable fee splashed out by Manchester United to take him from Tottenham in 2006. While the more creative aspects of his game have never been in doubt, there were lingering question marks over his ability to take control of a game and dictate proceedings in the famed 'quarter-back' mould. He has certainly stepped up to that challenge this season, though, with his vision and passing range proving to be a useful weapon for the Red Devils. He has also found the target on four occasions in the Premier League this season, his best ever return in the top flight, while he has also laid on nine goals for his title-winning team-mates.
Lee Cattermole - Wigan
Perhaps not an obvious choice to be in contention for this season's top honours, Cattermole has gone about his business this term in an efficient yet largely understated fashion. He may catch the eye for all the wrong reasons every now and again, with his combative nature ensuring he is never far away from a referee's notebook, but he is much more than just a midfield enforcer. Good on the ball and rarely wasteful in possession, how former employers Middlesbrough must rue the day that they decided Didier Digard was a better option than the England U21 international.
Denilson - Arsenal
Denilson has quickly become a mainstay in Arsenal's starting XI and has been a virtual ever-present for the Gunners this year. At just 21-years-old and with Brazilian flair at the tips of his toes, he embodies the philosophies Arsene Wenger has attempted to implement at Emirates Stadium. Denilson is by no means the finished product, but with time very much on his side he can only get better in the future. During the 2008/09 campaign he has provided seven assists to those around him, while also finding the target three times himself. Not a bad return from a man who had made just 23 Premier League appearances prior to this season.
Cesc Fabregas - Arsenal
The Spaniard would probably admit that he has not been at his sparkling best this season, but he does not always need to be in order to catch the eye. Injuries have prevented him from finding the fluency required to add consistency to his considerable array of talents, but it is worth remembering that Fabregas is still only 22. Taking on the club captaincy at Arsenal has placed further expectation on his young shoulders, but he appears to revel in the responsibility and can never be accused of shirking a challenge. Much will be expected of him in 2009/10, as the Gunners look to end their trophy-less barren spell, but nine assists and three goals suggest their failings this term cannot be laid at his feet.
Marouane Fellaini - Everton
When Everton smashed their transfer record to sign Fellaini from Standard Liege last summer there were more than a few quizzical looks shot in the direction of Toffees boss David Moyes. To gamble £15million on an untested 20-year-old appeared to be something of a risk, but has been made to look like a bargain. Moyes most definitely knew best, with his Belgian powerhouse taking to life in England with consummate ease. His bustling approach to the game, and his useful knack of finding a goal or two, quickly made him a firm fans' favourite. The fact that he went on to grow the kind of bubble perm most Scousers can only dream of only served to further endear him to the blue half of Merseyside.
Darren Fletcher - Manchester United
A few years ago it would have been unheard of to suggest that Darren Fletcher's absence from a UEFA Champions League final would be the source of such anguish to Manchester United supporters. But, the Scotland international has enjoyed a remarkable rise to prominence in recent months, stepping out of the shadows and finding himself embraced as a key cog in the Old Trafford trophy-winning machine. As such, when the Red Devils head to Rome looking to defend their European crown against the might of Barcelona, there are many that wish the suspended Fletcher could be among their ranks. Never one to set the pulse racing, in quite the same manner as a Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo, Fletcher could still prove to be the heir apparent to United stalwart Paul Scholes at the Theatre of Dreams - and that is some mantle to take on.
Steven Gerrard - Liverpool
What more can be said about Gerrard that has not already been reeled off on countless occasions already. He is the complete footballer, with the Liverpool skipper able to boast power, pace, an eye for goal and the kind of engine which makes armchair supporters feel tired. He is one of the stand-out performers of his generation and would walk into any side in the world. He continues to lead by example at Liverpool and came agonisingly close this season to getting his hands on the prize most-coveted at Anfield - the Premier League title. He contributed 16 goals and 10 assists to the Reds' pursuit of glory, while has also taken
skysports.com's Man of the Match award on no less than seven occasions.
Ryan Giggs - Manchester United
The Peter Pan of Premier League football shows no sign of slowing down as he enters the twilight of his career, and he continues to set the standard for others to follow. He has added an 11th top-flight title to his burgeoning medal collection this season, while Club World Cup and League Cup honours have also been secured. He remains the only man to have found the target in every season since the inauguration of the Premier League and was named PFA Player of the Year for 2009 by his fellow professionals. He may no longer be the wing wizard that burst onto the scene during his formative years, but his considerable experience in the middle of the park has proved to be equally as priceless to Manchester United.
Stephen Ireland - Manchester City
Pipped to the PFA Young Player of the Year award by Aston Villa's Ashley Young, Ireland has come of age this season. Unfazed by the endless stream of world-class talents linked with a move to Eastlands, the 22-year-old has proven that the Blues are already well-stocked in the midfield department. Nine goals and nine assists have made him as integral to Mark Hughes' cause as the Samba talents of Robinho - if not more so - and City will be hoping that a man nurtured through their academy system can help to save them a few pounds in the transfer market.
Frank Lampard - Chelsea
Frighteningly consistent, the 2008/09 campaign has been another stellar season for Lampard. Goalscoring midfielders are at a premium these days, but Lampard continues to make the art form appear effortless. He has once again broken into double figures in the Premier League this term, while 10 assists prove there is more to his game than just complementing Chelsea's attacking unit. His efforts this season may yet prove to be in vain, with only an FA Cup final date with Everton offering the Blues an opportunity to salvage their season, but Lampard can be proud of his contribution nonetheless.
Luka Modric - Tottenham
Modric initially took time to settle into English football, with his lightweight frame seemingly not cut out for the rigours of life in the Premier League. Tottenham's disappointing start to the season hardly helped his cause, with few men shining in a lacklustre Spurs side. However, the revival ushered in under Harry Redknapp's stewardship has seen the Croatian playmaker begin to display the kind of form which earmarked him as one of Europe's hottest prospects prior to his arrival at White Hart Lane. Three goals and eight assists are a positive step in the right direction and suggest there will be much more to come from the diminutive 23-year-old next year.
Danny Murphy - Fulham
Like a fine wine, Murphy appears to be getting better with age. Now 32 years old his creative talents are as evident as they have ever been. Without doubt his presence in the Fulham side makes the Cottagers tick and he is largely responsible for their logic-defying achievements this term. Having helped to stave off relegation last season, Murphy could be plying his trade in Europe next term should Fulham snatch the final Europa League spot. Should they achieve that goal, five goals and five assists from penalty-king Murphy should not be underestimated.
Mark Noble - West Ham
West Ham's famed youth academy has produced its fair share of top-flight stars down the years, with aforementioned nominees Lampard and Carrick among them. Noble will be hoping to tread a similar path to that pair in the years to come, with England recognition seemingly beckoning for a man who is a regular in Stuart Pearce's U21 fold. As a local lad his place in the hearts of the Upton Park faithful was never going to be in doubt once he burst onto the scene, but he has proven to have the ability to justify his lofty standing in the eyes of those from the East End. Three goals and six assists have helped the Hammers to a top-half finish this season, while he will be hoping to make the step up into continental action at some stage in the near future.
Stiliyan Petrov - Aston Villa
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill always maintained that Petrov was cut out for life in England, even when the sceptics were suggesting the Bulgarian was a luxury Villa could ill-afford to accommodate. Perhaps some of those critics were right in part, as Petrov has altered his game over the last couple of seasons on his way to becoming the top-flight fixture he is today. His game is now based less on the fancy flicks he was famous for during his days at Celtic, and is instead focused more on a team ethic. He has been forced to rein in his attacking instincts as he occupies a midfield alongside the likes of Gareth Barry, James Milner and Ashley Young, but it has not been detrimental to his overall contribution.
