For those of you feeling overwhelmed by football, I promise that my next post will not be football-focused. But as promise, here I present my team of the year in my typically (hopefully) humorous fashion.
GK: Iker Casillas - there's just no one else. Thanks to San Iker, as he is called in Spain (mostly Madrid), Spain beat Italy on penalties in the quarterfinals of the European Championships. He was fantastic for the entire tournament. He also helped Real Madrid win La Liga (you have no idea how painful it is for me to include him for that). Clearly the Spanish knew, for it was he, not winning goalscorer Fernando Torres, who lifted the trophy in Vienna.
Centre-Half No. 1: Nemanja Vidic - Obviously my pick for World Footballer of the Year has to make my team of the year. Vidic just doesn't make mistakes at the back. I've never seen one - ever. Man U. won two trophies last year and while Ronaldo has gotten all the glory, Vidic was as important, if not more so in that accomplishment. He's been voted Serbia's best player abroad for three of the last four seasons. And as if keeping clean sheets weren't enough, he's also scored his fair share of goals, including some important ones (reflecting on the first against Chelsea, but that was this year so it's obviously not affecting my objective approach).
Centre-Half no. 2: Martin Laursen - Not on most people's radars, Laursen is the rock of Aston Villa's defense. Villa's success this season and last season is largely attributable to their solid defense (in addition to the emergence of Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor) to which Laursen has been central (pun intended). Laursen scored more than twice as many goals as Vidic last year in the EPL as well.
Right Back: Daniel Alves - spent the end of last season finishing up his time at Sevilla, where he was remarkable. In the summer, he moved to Barcelona where this year, he has been even more fantastic. Already has 8 assists from right back. That's fantastic. Barcelona also have the best defensive record in La Liga this season.
Left Back: Patrice Evra - Although he plays for France, and they had somewhat of an off year, he won two titles with Manchester United. He's solid defensively and working with Ronaldo down the left he has absolutely terrorized opposing defenses. I simply cannot imagine a team with Evra and Alves playing down the wings. The attacking options would just be too plentiful. The only downside is the fracas with which he involved himself with the groundsmen at Stamford Bridge. One moment of idiocy, in this instant, doesn't negate a full year of brilliance.
Defensive Midfield: Marcos Senna - The second best defensive midfielder in the world, but Essien has been injured for the last five months, meaning he's simply missed too much time to be in the TotY. Senna was the lynchpin of Villarreal's success in their best ever season in La Liga - finishing 2nd. He is also widely credited with being Spain's best player at the European Championships. Additionally, he always plays with a smile. You just gotta love the guy.
Holding Midfield: Xavi - the best player for Spain at the European Championship, he was also of paramount importance for Barcelona last season and in the first half of this season. He sees passes other players just don't. Spain suffer from having too many of those players at the moment, but I'm sure Vicente Del Bosque, their new manager, won't complain about having to bring Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas off the bench because Xavi's just too good to take out. That was Luis Aragones' decision in the summer and it worked. You have to imagine that a player who can relegate Fab and Alonso to the sidelines deserves to be in the TotY.
Right/Left Midfield: Lionel Messi and Dirk Kuyt... Just kidding... Messi and Ronaldo - the two best players in the world, by a long ways (sorry Torres), they just have to be the outside midfielders for the TotY. After Messi burned five Getafe players to score a goal in the Copa del Rey last year, then manager Bernd Schuster was quoted as saying something along the lines of "the only thing my players did wrong was not to foul him." That's how good he is. Despite being the bigger ass-hole per your comments, Ronaldo did score over 40 goals last season. He was the best (if not also the second and third best) attacking player in the world. He simply has to be included. Two trophies, a plethera of individual awards. How could you not want him on your team. Wait, don't answer that. I don't either, but damn, I just can't leave him out.
Attacking Midfield: Steven Gerrard. I know all of you who know I'm a Liverpool fan are wondering why there had yet to be a Liverpool player on my list (Pepe Reina's my 3rd string goalie and Jamie Carragher could warrant an honourable mention). Well, Stevie G.'s there, so have no fears. He scored I don't even know how many goals and the number of them in the closing minutes of games were truly remarkable. There were two players responsible for all of Liverpool's non-mediocrity last year and he was one of them. The other one is...
Forward: Fernando Torres. He's the best forward in the world - no debate about it. If I've offended any Swedish or Inter fans who think Zlatan Ibrahimovic should be there, I'm not remotely sorry because you're all off your rockers. Those Chelsea fans who think Drogba should be there should be wondering why Chelsea are in FOURTH right now. Drogba's not been able to produce in the last year. That's why. Those Man U. fans who somehow think Rooney should be there. Well, Rooney's class, but he simply doesn't produce the goals that Torres does. Adebayor? Van Persie? Raul? Del Piero? Pato? Toni? No No No No No No. In addition to scoring over 20 goals for Liverpool in the league last season, Torres bagged the winner against Germany in the final of Euro 2008 and a beauty of a goal it was too, beating Lahm and chipping the goalie fantastically. You couldn't ask any more of him. The combination of pace, power, and control is unmatched and his running off the ball is better than just about anyone else's in the game (reference David Villa's racing to hug Torres on the bench after he'd scored his third against Russia. He knew who had created his hat-trick).
Bench: Nihat, Benzema, Ribery, Schweinsteiger, Kaka, Mascherano, Capdevila, Puyol, Buffon (I know - it's a little oversized. Ribery, Nihat and Mascherano can share a seat though.)
Your criticism is not only welcome, it's expected. Who'd I leave out who deserves to be mentioned?
My team of the year: (4-4-2 formation)
ReplyDeleteG-Petr Cech- had his woes but is consistent
RB-Gabriel Heinze- one of the best at what he does
CB-John Terry- long in the tooth, but always a smart defender
CB-Curtiss Davies- one of the most underrated players in the sport
LB-Ashley Cole- always gets the job done
LM-Cristiano Ronaldo- one of the greatest players of our generation
CM-Gennero Gattuso- one of the best defensive mids out there
CM-David Beckham-overpaid yes, but playing well in Serie A
RM-Ze Roberto-another consistent player you would like to have on your roster
FW-Luca Toni- the best target in the world
FW-Miroslav Klose-simply a goal scorer, gets the job done always
Mr. anonymous - you are clearly afraid to reveal your identity for fear of public humiliation due to your lack of football knowledge. (This is nothing personal - I simply make it my goal to be overly critical.) Cech is disastrous. Heinze barely played for club (Man U/Real Madrid). JT is one of the dirtiest defenders in Europe (excluding all of Italy). While Curtis Davies is no doubt significantly underrated, he still plays second fiddle to Martin Laursen (reference my pick). Ashley Cole is the nastiest person in the game of football. He makes Maradona look like a Saint. Ronaldo is indisputable, but how have you left off Messi!!!! Gattuso is deserving, but I felt Senna's performance throughout the year better. Ze Roberto??? Very questionable. Where are Gerrard, Lampard, Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta, Nedved, Totti, etc? Beckham doesn't play central midfield, nor is he one of the 100 best players in the world. He also didn't play for Milan last year (as surely you know). Toni and Klose? Did you watch the Euros? Toni against Romania - that's all I have to say. My great-great-grandmother could have scored some of those from her grave. What did he have - 10 - 15 good chances? Absurdly bad. And Klose has never done anything good other than stand there and touch the ball in when it gets played in. He's the product of playing in a system that suits him well. So Mr. anonymous, I await your defense of your team.
ReplyDeleteHey man this is Chris C.; I wandered on to your blog and was just curious to see your reaction to such a ridiculous team, so I posted the above roster of lame people (although I do like Davies, but not nearly enough to put him on my team of the year). I must say that you were completely successful in destroying that joke of a team.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I am watching more football now (it is a great thing to do on a Saturday mornings/afternoons ) and I would agree with most of your choices.
Also, I was curious to know your opinion on a few players I have observed in my watchings.
Alexandre Pato- saw him score a beautiful finish and fell in love with him ever since. Would you consider him a possible super-sub for Brazil is summer?
Also- Shaun Wright-Phillips- watched him in the most recent Man City game and he is what they call a gamer. I would put him over Beckham in qualifying this summer and then I saw the free kick he took for Milan on Sportscenter....
Chris, glad to see you're watching more football. I wondered if it was you who posted this, as my mom told me that you and your mom had been reading occassionally.
ReplyDeletePato - he'll be more than a super-sub. Can you think of a better out and out forward for Brazil? I can't. He's Milan's no. 1 forward, and like you said, I haven't seen much, but what I have seen is awesome.
SWP - too inconsistent to be starting for England. For me, England's midfield should read something like Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard, Theo Walcott. SWP off the bench isn't a bad option, and England always need more creativity. I just don't think SWP's play has been good enough this year to warrant his starting place on the right side of midfield. Remember that there's Beckham, David Bentley, Theo Walcott, and Aaron Lennon out there. That's stiff competition.
Any thoughts on who has been the best forward in England this year? It really hasn't been a year for forwards.
Let me start by saying that although Pato is excellent he is only 19 and not internationally tested, so I would likely give the edge there to Robinho as Brazil's best striker. Also Adriano's 31 international goals are forever looming. (had to look that up) Still Pato starting and Robinho off the bench or vice versa could only prove to be amazing for Brazil.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Wright-Phillips has that creativity that is so key and also I simply thought he could be a role player on a team of stars, much like USA Basketball did in 2008 and failed to do in 2004. I just think he has that competitive edge that many players lack.
Anyway, it obviously been a poor year of forwards (especially English ones) Since it has been really an off year for both Rooney and Owen, I think that you would have to give the best English forward label to Darren Bent; he has delivered a pretty good season for Spurs and it seems as though he is the only one who has been consistent.