Ten players who don’t always get the credit they deserve.
10. Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)
After being bumped up by Paul Lambert to first choice goalkeeper for Aston Villa this season ahead of Shay Given, Brad Guzan has shown himself to be a reliable and consistent performer, making many crucial saves that helped his side survive relegation from the Premier League. The American’s work often went unnoticed due to the superb form upfront of striker Christian Benteke, but his work at the other end played a big part as well. The 28-year-old is now a summer transfer target for West Ham.
9. Michael Dawson (Tottenham)
Despite his excellent and loyal service to Tottenham since 2004, Andre Villas-Boas didn’t see Michael Dawson as part of his plans at the start of this season, and came close to selling him to Queens Park Rangers. In the end he stayed and proved his manager wrong, becoming a key player in the team’s defence, as well as club captain. With his consistently solid displays in the Premier League for so many years now, it’s hard to understand why Dawson only has four England caps.
8. Kevin Nolan (West Ham)
Even as he moves into his 30s, Kevin Nolan shows no signs of slowing down as one of the best goal-scoring midfielders in the country. The former Bolton and Newcastle man reached double figures from midfield for the sixth time in his career this season, playing a key role in the Hammers’ impressive tenth place finish in the Premier League following their promotion from the Championship.
7. Steven Pienaar (Everton)
The South African attacker has had another great season for Everton after sealing a return to the club from Tottenham, where he was inexplicably not given a chance to impress. And even after being one of the Toffees’ best players again, much of the attention has fallen on his team mates Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, who are both being mentioned as targets for David Moyes when he moves to Manchester United. Pienaar could certainly do a job for a bigger club too, but remains criminally under-rated in the Premier League.
6. Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
Michael Carrick got some much-deserved recognition with a PFA Player of the Year nomination this season, though the reaction of surprise to the Manchester United being listed among the candidates shows how much opinion he divides. There’s no doubting that he’s a crucial part of this United team though, having been first choice at the club since arriving in 2006, and keeping the play moving with his neat passing, doing a simple job well and allowing others to shine. He’s not the most glamerous player, but he must be doing something right if he’s been part of one of the best teams in the country for the last seven years.
5. Lukas Podolski (Arsenal)
It would be a big task replacing Robin van Persie at Arsenal, but Lukas Podolski has certainly done well considering it’s his first season in a new league, and the first time in his career he’s had to play in Europe in midweek as well. Although he looked slightly tired towards the end of the campaign, the German has quietly gone about his business, weighing in with a highly impressive 16 goals and 10 assists, proving an important part of Arsenal’s new-look attack.
4. Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Along with Frank Lampard, Rickie Lambert finished as the top English goal scorer in the Premier League this season with 15, making the step up to Premier League football for the first time in his career brilliantly. The 31-year-old is unfortunate not to be in the England team after showing a vast array of skills upfront in Southampton’s highly technical and attacking passing game. He would no doubt impress even more in a bigger side, and earn the recognition he deserves.
3. Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)
Kieran Gibbs looks like developing into a top talent after finally completing a season without any major injury worries. The 23-year-old has been one of the club’s most highly rated youngsters for a long time, but has failed to get a regular run in the team until now. So far capped only twice for England, it will surely not be long before he attracts more attention from Roy Hodgson if he carries on as he has this season, improving both defensively and in attack, where he has got forward to score 1 goal and provide 5 assists. Even some Arsenal fans are still unsure about him, but he has done well to keep his place even with the signing of Spanish left-bacm Nacho Monreal from Malaga in January.
2. Jonny Evans (Manchester United)
Jonny Evans has slowly grown in stature over the last few years at Manchester United, finding himself in the first team more and more often with the continued injury problems of Nemanja Vidic. Still, few have noted that this product of United’s youth academy has done well to make Vidic’s absence barely noticed, and is starting to make himself first choice next to Rio Ferdinand in the team’s defence. Like Darren Fletcher, he is becoming a key part of the team whilst remaining relatively low-key alongside the star names at Old Trafford.
1. Chico Flores (Swansea)
Despite Arsenal and Liverpool coming in for Ashley Williams, it is his defensive partner Chico Flores who is statistically one of the best centre-backs in the league this season. The 26-year-old was another excellent signing on the cheap by Michael Laudrup, who also showed his eye for unearthing talents with his purchase of Michu. The Spaniard reads the game excellently, and made the most interceptions of any defender in the league this season, making you wonder why the big clubs aren’t in for him instead of Williams.