PFA Awards

[KopSpice]

Ronaldo got PFA Player of the Year; Fabregas won young Player of the Year......

 

PFA AWARDS

[Guest Prongsy]

Fabregas...

 

You can tell this s*** was voted for in January.

[Guest Beano's Dad]

Fabregas...

 

You can tell this s*** was voted for in January.

 

Looks earlier than that. This will look great if Chelsea win the PL. No players in there at all. The Championship. Not one from Hull yet they have been on fire second half of the season compared to the others.

 

Fabregas done f*** all since December IMO.

[crisps]

Reading the comments on sky, manc fan saying anderson should be there instead of Gerrard

[fyds]

Reading the comments on sky, manc fan saying anderson should be there instead of Gerrard

Dear God - in that case, I should be there instead of Anderson!

[R A Softlad]

That Viv Anderson?

[Rich Gobey]

That Viv Anderson?

 

Gillian.

[psl]

Paul surely?

[Gooner Spy]

Could have sworn I read it was Clive?

[D.Boon]

Did Fabregas beat Torres in the young player?

 

Where is the best young talent since Pele........RRROOOOOONNNEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY??

[Behind Enemy Lines]

humble as ever I see

"I voted for Adebayor because I think he has had a great season as well," he said.

 

"But you have many players who have had a good season - Torres, Fabregas, many players. But I think I deserve to win!"

[Hassony]

why are the votes for this still being taken in january? why can't be done in the last couple of weeks of the season? or is the use of email, text, Web voting too complicated for most footballers?

[Behind Enemy Lines]

why are the votes for this still being taken in january? why can't be done in the last couple of weeks of the season? or is the use of email, text, Web voting too complicated for most footballers?

I think that you may have answered your own question

[Coyler]

Isn't it for the calendar year? Relax, Torres has it sewn up for next time.

[Boca]

And the award for gayest attire goes to.....

[Hassony]

So were Gerrard/ Torres 2nd and 3rd?

[Hassony]

And the award for gayest attire goes to.....

 

Gilp will be mad with you

[Stevie H]

when did this nonsense become an 'all star XI' by the way? what was wrong with the name 'team of the season'?

 

Chelsea latecomers miss PFA all-star XI

By Henry Winter

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...9/sfntal129.xml

Last Updated: 1:29am BST 29/04/2008

 

Heard the one about the Arsenal quartet, Manchester United trio, Liverpool duo, and solo acts from Aston Villa and Portsmouth? It's the Professional Footballers' Association all-star XI announced amidst much Park Lane splendour on Sunday evening. Chelsea, the team of the moment, go unrepresented in the team of the season.

 

This is no snub, no deliberate denigration of life at Stamford Bridge. These chosen ones reflect the timing of the PFA poll, union members casting votes more than a month ago.

 

Arsenal have since faded from the picture, Cesc Fabregas and company peaking only to attract applause as the daffodils come out, not end-of-term trophies when the sun finally comes out.

 

Having delivered their performance of the season on Saturday against United, Chelsea know they have timed their run well.

 

While Fabregas was being saluted, and Cristiano Ronaldo accepted his main honour via a video-link, Chelsea powerhouses like John Terry, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba were at home, flicking through the newspapers hailing their presence alongside United in the league table, billing Chelsea as favourites to edge Liverpool and reach the Champions League final.

 

Night out in Park Lane or all-out assault on the Double? No choice.

 

Those who view the footballing world through red-tinted glasses would argue that Chelsea's season is alive only through the involuntary twitches from John Arne Riise and Michael Carrick, yet that would be to belittle Terry, Ballack and Drogba.

 

Chelsea's players displayed their character at Anfield, withstanding a local storm to return south with a 1-1 draw. If Riise's own goal rescued them on Merseyside, Lady Luck played no part at the Bridge on Saturday.

 

Chelsea's players tore into United, and could have prevailed by more than the slender margin granted by Carrick's handball and Ballack's nerveless penalty.

 

Both games reflect Chelsea season: a strong finish. The importance of strength in depth, of talent stockpiled by a wealthy owner, has been writ large again. Chelsea players look fitter, fresher, stronger. There are just more of them.

 

Overlooked at Park Lane, Chelsea's players now speed down a dual-carriageway towards glory.

 

The Blues bandwagon may, of course, be forced off the road. Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Ronaldo may remind Chelsea why they were included in the PFA Premier League XI. But no one can question Chelsea's sudden momentum sparked by the quality of their players. An all-star team for the final month of the season would have the red washed out of it, replaced by vibrant blue.

 

Over nine months, few quibbles can be had with the PFA selection. In goal, Pompey's agile, ageless David James has been terrific. Chelsea's Petr Cech is the more reliable keeper, the best in the land, but has been injured.

 

Joe Hart has impressed with Manchester City, and patently deserves a test for England soon, but James deserves the No 1 slot.

 

The inclusion of the mobile, disciplined Bacara Sagna is understandable, partly because there are so few decent right-backs around. His Arsenal team-mate, Gael Clichy, received the left-back slot, although there is little to choose between him and United's Patrice Evra.

 

The champions are well-represented at centre-half, with the Rio Ferdinand-Nemanja Vidic combination earning the nod. Richard Dunne has excelled for City, particularly in the first half of the season, although Terry's leadership at Chelsea, and Ricardo Carvalho's tackling, may be noted when the 2007-08 season is chronicled.

 

The flanks are deservedly occupied by Ronaldo and Ashley Young. Ronaldo has been sensational, adding intelligence, teamwork and variety of goals to his instinctive talent.

 

Young has matured superbly under the inspirational Martin O'Neill and John Robertson, who knows how to coax the best from the left.

 

In central midfield, Fabregas enjoyed a magnificent seven months, including an awesome display at AC Milan, but sadly ran out of steam.

 

Gerrard has shone in Europe, although this has not been the Liverpool captain's best season. Ballack and Michael Essien have delivered more consistently in recent weeks.

 

Gerrard, though, has dovetailed well with Torres. Liverpool's likeable Spaniard partners Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor in the PFA all-star attack.

 

Drogba, like the rest of the Chelsea dressing room, will want to prove that his name should be up in Park Lane lights.

 

PFA Premier team of the season

 

James (Portsmouth)

Sagna (Arsenal), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Vidic (Manchester United), Clichy (Arsenal)

Ronaldo (Manchester United), Gerrard (Liverpool), Fabregas (Arsenal), Young (Aston Villa)

Adebayor (Arsenal), Torres (Liverpool)

[Rimbeux]

Most of Chelsea's big players, the three he mentioned specifically, missed significant parts of the early and mid season, as has Lampard, as has Cech, the two that should be considered unfortunate are Cole and Essien who have been their season long campaigners. Odd angle from Winter that, looking at the last month of football all aghast, Chelsea have showed the benefit of an exceptionally strong squad.

[Benitez]

Fabregas?