The top 20 best players of the 2012/13 Premier League season.
20. Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
This has undoubtedly been Theo Walcott’s best season for Arsenal, with 14 goals and 10 assists in the league to help fire the Gunners to fourth place. He was really the in-form player in the country at the start of the season, with a number of man of the match displays against Tottenham and Newcastle earning him a new contract with the club.
19. Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Along with Frank Lampard, Southampton striker Rickie Lambert is the joint top English goal scorer in the Premier League this season with 15 goals. However, the 31-year-old’s fine displays seem unlikely to earn himself an England call up, which is harsh considering his all-round impressive ability in the Saints’ passing and attack-minded game. Not bad at all considering it’s his first ever season in the top flight.
18. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
It’s hardly been a vintage season from Wayne Rooney, but the 27-year-old is still up there with the best players in the country, showing his quality to provide 12 goals and 10 assists for Manchester United. However, his time at Old Trafford may be up after the England star submitted a transfer request. United’s loss will be someone else’s gain, and the rush of clubs queuing up to sign him shows how valuable a player he can still be if used properly.
17. Romelu Lukaku (West Brom)
The Belgian striker has really impressed on loan at West Brom from Chelsea this season, scoring 17 league goals for the Baggies as they enjoyed an eighth place finish. The 20-year-old is certainly one of the best young players in the league, and deserves a chance at Stamford Bridge next season, though another spell on loan seems most likely. He bid farewell to the Hawthorns with a fantastic hat trick against Manchester United on the final day of the season.
16. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Despite his advancing years, Frank Lampard has shown his quality this season, particularly in the latter half of the campaign, scoring some crucial goals to take him to the top of the club’s all-time scoring charts and earn himself a much-deserved new contract. The 34-year-old has scored 15 times for the Blues and will still be around for at least one more year, which is bad news for the rest of the teams in the Premier League.
15. Simon Mignolet (Sunderland)
Despite Sunderland’s poor season, Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has been a real stand-out performer for the Black Cats and arguably the best ‘keeper in the Premier League this season. His eye-catching saves have caught the attention of the likes of Arsenal and Napoli, who are both keen to sign new goalkeepers this summer. He has helped keep Sunderland from dropping down to the Championship, but his strong displays will surely mean he leaves the club for bigger things in the transfer window.
14. Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
One of many talented Belgians in the Premier League at the moment, Eden Hazard was an exciting arrival to Chelsea last summer when he joined for £27million from French side Lille. The 22-year-old settled immediately, getting off to a flier with one goal and five assists in Chelsea’s opening three games. He has finished the season with 9 goals and 11 assists in the league, and was a deserved nominee for PFA Player of the Year, and he certainly looks like he could be a future winner of the award, as well as of plenty of silverware with the Blues.
13. Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)
Four goals and three assists is a great return from Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen, who has established himself as one of the best defenders in the country in only his first season with the club since joining from Ajax in the summer. The 26-year-old has slotted into English football perfectly and looks like being a key player for Spurs for years to come.
12. Leighton Baines (Everton)
Baines has been one of the best defenders in the country for many years now, breathing down the neck of Ashley Cole for his place in the England team, and this may be his best season to date. The attacking left-back has been a stand-out performer for Everton, causing all kinds of problems for opposition teams with his marauding forward runs, long range shots and deliveries from crosses and set pieces. The 28-year-old may even have earned himself a summer move to Manchester United, as manager David Moyes will be understandably keen to take one of his best players from Everton with him when he takes over at Old Trafford.
11. Rafael Da Silva (Manchester United)
Another defender who has had an excellent season and is deserving of some recognition is Manchester United right-back Rafael Da Silva. The 22-year-old struggled with inconsistency in his earlier years with the club but is now developing into a great talent. The Brazilian is now more reliable in defence, and providing more end product upfront as well, contributing 3 goals and 3 assists this season. Two of his goals were absolute stunners as well, one against Liverpool at Anfield, and one at Queens Park Rangers. Rafael can consider himself unlucky not to be a PFA Player of the Year candidate this season.
10. Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
The Manchester United midfielder was a surprise name for some among the PFA Player of the Year candidates, but the midfield metronome played a crucial part in United’s title win this season with his solid but unspectacular role in Sir Alex Ferguson’s midfield. The 31-year-old could now find himself back in the England team as he has shown himself to be an important player in one of the best teams in Europe. His passing ability is envied by many of his English colleagues, and he sticks to his job well, allowing other players to shine.
9. Marouane Fellaini (Everton)
The commanding Belgian midfielder played a slightly more attacking role for Everton this season, and opened his campaign with a superb individual performance against Manchester United, scoring the winning goal and terrorizing their back line throughout. This would go on to set the tone for his season, which he finished with 11 goals and 5 assists – not bad for a converted defensive midfielder. The 25-year-old has certainly been a stand-out performer for the Toffees alongside Leighton Baines and is another player said to be on David Moyes’ wish list when he leaves the club to take over at Manchester United next season. Arsenal and Chelsea are also keen on him, and it would be no surprise to see a number of clubs looking to activate his minimum release fee clause of around £25million.
8. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
The 32-year-old has shown that he’s still got it this season, with some memorable performances for Liverpool. Gerrard has shone in Brendan Rodgers’ new setup at the club, contributing 9 goals and 9 assists and showing himself to still be the leader and inspiration for this team. His fantastic dipping half volley away at Manchester City is certainly a contender for goal of the season, as he has confirmed he remains one of the best players in the country.
7. Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
Behind big names like Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale in this season’s Premier League goalscoring charts is Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke. The young Belgian was virtually unheard of before this season, but now looks like one of the signings of the summer, slotting in seamlessly to Premier League life, scoring 19 goals and providing 4 assists. The strong and skillful forward has been a real handful for defences up and down the country and will no doubt earn a move to a bigger club this summer, as much as Villa will want to keep him. Still, they will surely make a very healthy profit on the £7million they spent to sign him from Genk, as he will now be worth around £20million or more as the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund pursue his signature.
6. Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)
An excellent debut season for the talented Spaniard signed by Arsenal from Malaga in the summer. The 28-year-old quickly established himself as the heart of the Arsenal team, showing great skill and creativity from a variety of attacking midfield positions. His 12 goals and 11 assists make him one of the stand-out performers this season, and have helped the Gunners to a crucial fourth place finish.
5. Juan Mata (Chelsea)
His first season was good, and his second was even better. Juan Mata is really showing himself to be one of the best players in the Premier League and perhaps the world with his incredible contribution of goals and assists from midfield. The 25-year-old lit up the league this season particularly in the early stages of the campaign when Chelsea looked like favourites for the title, and was another richly deserved Chelsea representative on the list of nominations for the PFA Player of the Year award. The former Valencia man finished with 12 goals and 12 assists in the league, and is a joy to watch week in, week out.
4. Michu (Swansea City)
An incredible piece of business by Swansea manager Michael Laudrup, Michu has been a revelation in the Premier League this season, scoring 18 goals and providing 2 assists after arriving from Rayo Vallecano for just £2million in the summer. The talented forward has scored a variety of goals for the Swans, including a famous double late on to seal a memorable win at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal. This bargain buy has now caught the attention of a number of bigger clubs and could move for a very healthy profit in this summer’s transfer window, after showing himself to be one of the most accomplished finishers in the country. A call up to the Spanish national team surely beckons as well for the 27-year-old.
3. Luis Suarez (Liverpool)
Second only to Robin van Persie in the scoring charts, Luis Suarez has had a fantastic season for Liverpool this year, and would surely have scored even more if not for his suspension meaning he missed the final few games of the campaign. Unfortunately for him, his controversial bite on Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic has taken some of the gloss off a memorable season for the talented Uruguayan, who has shown tremendous ability in not only the quantity, but the quality of his goals. One of the most entertaining attackers in the league, without a doubt, and hopefully one who can improve next season and put aside his behavioural problems. Juventus and Bayern Munich are now being linked with him, and the Reds will probably have to get used to increased interest in their star player.
2. Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
A few eyebrows were raised when Robin van Persie made the controversial move from Arsenal to rivals Manchester United, not least by many United fans who questioned his injury record and whether he may have been something of a one-season wonder last term. However, the Dutchman has proved a fantastic signing and has topped the Premier League’s goalscoring charts for the second season in a row with his new club. A hat trick of the highest quality sealed his side’s title triumph against Aston Villa, and he has shown himself to be one of the best goal scorers in the game, looking unstoppable from a variety of angles with his powerful and deadly left foot.
1. Gareth Bale (Tottenham)
What a year it’s been for Gareth Bale. The Welsh winger now often occupies a more central role in Andre Villas-Boas’ new-look side, and this has proved a masterstroke by the Portuguese manager. Bale has scored 21 goals and provided 4 assists in this new position, and looks better with every passing game as he makes fools out of opposition defenders with his pace and dribbling skills. The 23-year-old could have a goal of the season list all to himself, and ended the campaign with another long range stunner against Sunderland, though it cruelly did not secure Champions League qualification for Spurs. Real Madrid are said to be chasing him this summer, and could offer as much as £65million for the Premier League’s best player, as voted for by his peers and by the football writers.