PFA players of the year nominations

[The Erectile Banana]

Whatever about the individual merits of the nominated it is ridiculous that one club has provided five of the six nominees. Given that they have what are claimed to be five of the best six players in the league you would expect them to be romping to the league ten to fifteen points ahead of their nearest challengers, which they clearly are not.

It would be very amusing if Gerrard slipped in and won it with everyone concentrating on the Manc lovefest.

[Craig_H]

Whatever about the individual merits of the nominated it is ridiculous that one club has provided five of the six nominees. Given that they have what are claimed to be five of the best six players in the league you would expect them to be romping to the league ten to fifteen points ahead of their nearest challengers, which they clearly are not.

It would be very amusing if Gerrard slipped in and won it with everyone concentrating on the Manc lovefest.

Well Gerrard will win it, because every manc player HAS to vote for him and others who will vote for a manc player will see their votes split.

[Scratch]

Say what you will but the little **** is still 2nd top scorer in the league and one of the best matchwinners out there.

A lot of his goals tho come from free kick and penalty kicks tho, its his overall contribution and workrate that i think has been lacking this season.

[red g]

Steven Gerrard 11/8
Nemanja Vidic 11/8
Ryan giggs 4
Cristiano Ronaldo 12
Edwin van de Sar 33

[Joe King]

Steven Gerrard 11/8
Nemanja Vidic 11/8
Ryan giggs 4
Cristiano Ronaldo 12
Edwin van de Sar 33

Clearly no one likes Ferdinand. He is a right **** along with Jean Terry.

[red g]

Clearly no one likes Ferdinand. He is a right **** along with Jean Terry.

he probably has merced to many of them

[Warren]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/apr/14/pfa-player-of-the-year-nominees

Opponents wrong to pay usual deference to Manchester UnitedFor United to have five of the six Player of the Year nominees is ludicrous, particularly when the player of the year is not on the shortlist
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Frank Lampard is just one of many conspicuous absentees from the PFA player of the year shortlist. Photograph: Rebecca Naden/AP

A by-product of Sir Alex Ferguson's success at Manchester United has been the defeatism that it has bred in other clubs. With frequency that must delight the Scot, opponents arrive at Old Trafford already convinced they cannot win. The submissiveness of rivals has allowed United to eke out victories even when playing far below their potential, which has been for much of the season. If those wins are proof that many Premier League players have been hypnotised by over a decade of Mancunian dominance, today's nominations for the PFA Player of the Year provide yet more evidence.

It is ludicrous that five of the six names on the shortlist belong to United players. United could claim with some justification to have more good players than any other squad in the league but it is misguided to extrapolate from that, or even from their position at the top of the league, that each of those players have been playing consistently well. The plethora of good players means the team can carry individuals who are out of form.

That Ryan Giggs is included despite only completing seven games is bizarre. Edwin van der Sar presumably owes his place to the historic clean sheet sequence that was attributed to him even though he had fewer than two saves to make per match. Fulham's Mark Schwarzer, a keeper who has been genuinely busy and helped marshal the most improved defence in the league, must be amused.

Nemanja Vidic has been mostly excellent this season, an old school defender who lives by the simple but effective creed 'they shall not pass'. He is fortunate that the voting for this award closed just before 14 March, the day on which Fernando Torres gave him a bullying from which he has yet to recover and Liverpool inspired other teams to attack United with conviction. Indeed, it could be argued that the fact Vidic was sent off in both matches against United's closest challengers should preclude him from the award.

Rio Ferdinand has been more fallible than in previous campaigns – his place, like Van der Sar's, could have gone to a Fulham player: Brede Hangeland has been a synonym for consistent excellence, which surely must be the primary criterion for selection. Phil Jagielka could stake an equally strong claim. Jamie Carragher too. Jose Bosingwa started the season brilliantly but his decline means the most exciting defender going forward has been Glen Johnson.

Cristiano Ronaldo's goal tally is again impressive, albeit augmented by penalties, but he too has performed only intermittently. Adding a further twist to the confused glorification of United is the fact that their most consistently outstanding player has been ignored. Go figure, Michael Carrick.

The one non-United player on the list does, at least, merit his place. Steven Gerrard has been a regular stalwart for his team and tormentor of opponents. Tim Cahill, or indeed any member of Everton's midfield, has thrived in a variety of roles, while Kevin Davies seems to get even better at the one that has long been his at Bolton. Yet even those performances have been surpassed by those of the season's most reliable force. It seems that just as United's individuals have been artificially enhanced by the collective lustre of the club, the drab displays by Chelsea have obscured the brilliance of Frank Lampard.

Chelsea's midfielder has carried his team for most of the season; when all around him were floundering he continued to flourish and if his club remain in contention for honours on three fronts it is largely thanks to him. He has conjured moments of magic – such as his sumptuous lobbed goal at Hull – but mostly his unyielding contributions have been unsung. That he has never been voted PFA Player of the Year is an anomaly; that he has not been nominated for it this year is proof that some strange madness is afoot. Mind you, perhaps the most glaring proof is the inclusion on the Young Player of the Year shortlist of Rafael. You know, the guy who's played six full matches all season. Marouane Fellaini and Ryan Shawcross would be much more worthy nominees, though, in fairness, and unlike the senior award, the junior award should unquestionably go to Manchester. Stephen Ireland is a shoo-in.

Team of the season (3-5-2): Schwarzer; Hangeland, Jagielka, Vidic; G Johnson, Lampard, Gerrard, Ireland, Figueroa; Torres, Davies.

[McDermotX]

Well Gerrard will win it, because every manc player HAS to vote for him and others who will vote for a manc player will see their votes split.

Always thought the voting had already been done, and what we're seeing here is the top 6 players compiled through the voting process back in Jan/Feb..
While its true that you can't vote for your own team-mate, I always assumed that there aren't any more voting processes to be held so the PFA winner (or rather the player with the most votes) is already known, and 2nd, and 3rd etc etc..
Only thing that changes the outcome is the usual popularity contest..

[Craig_H]

Always thought the voting had already been done, and what we're seeing here is the top 6 players compiled through the voting process back in Jan/Feb..
While its true that you can't vote for your own team-mate, I always assumed that there aren't any more voting processes to be held so the PFA winner (or rather the player with the most votes) is already known, and 2nd, and 3rd etc etc..
Only thing that changes the outcome is the usual popularity contest..

You might be right.

[PTP]

from the fiver

A LIST NOT EVEN A MOTHER COULD LOVE

The Fiver, we'll be honest, isn't the most contemporary of characters.
We still have a pen pal - and not only because Weird Uncle Fiver is currently doing a stretch in a computer-free house of correction - we still ask for Opal Fruits and a Marathon at the tuck shop and we still think myspace is the reward you get for wearing especially baggy undercrackers. But even we don't really understand why the PFA Player of the Year awards are decided using a system that makes Mike Newell's views on women seem modish and enlightened.

The nominees for the awards were announced today, even though the votes were cast over a month ago. Voting for a player of the year at the start of March is about as relevant as judging a film at the end of act two (what's the point of that little fella with the limp in Usual Suspects anyway?). The story hasn't been told. Can't they just tweet them in on the final evening of the season or something? Me fink dat da Stevie G did da goal and is da good player. Give 'im da ward.

The consequence of such an antiquated process is a list so laughable that it's not even funny. There is no sign of the season's outstanding players - Fwank, Stephen Ireland, Brede Hangeland, Kevin Davies, Darren Fletcher, Xabi Alonso, Robin van Persie, Andrea Dossena, Gary Neville - and instead the usual suspects predominate:
hideous flat-track bullies like Him and Mbe, a pair of default picks
- yes, picks - who would still make the list if they were out all season with knack.

Anyway, here we celebrate the best bits from the six nominees for the PFA player of the year August 2008-February 2009 award:

Rio Ferdinand Guest-edited OSM, chatted with Iain Dowie, did his back a few times, performed like a wino with electric pants in the 1-1 draw at Everton. As for this ( http://guardian.chtah.com/a/tBJ5LCvAY30QpAe9jDF$mYHsG2J/fvr23 ) ...

$tevie Mbe Scored one whole league goal against sides in the top half during the voting period. Used to wipe Michael Essien's bottom. Spent some time in a cold cell. Appeared in court in a nice suit.

Ryan Giggs Had his fourth-worst season, after 1994-95, 2002-03 and 2007-08. Ran past a few traffic cones in win over Chelsea.

Him Substituted himself against Aston Villa. Escaped red cards for kicking Scott Brown, Michael Dawson, Ian Wilkinson, David Dunn.
Scored two away goals in the league all season. At West Brom.

Nemanja Vidic Fair enough, he was great during the voting period, but it looks slightly silly now that he's nursing the new porta that Fernando Torres tore him a month ago, doesn't it.

Edwin van der Sar Piece of meat with eyes who has never fully recovered from having his hooter blootered by Robbie Keane two years ago. Whiled away 1311 minutes between November and March by trying to make out 21 men in the middle distance.

Young player of the year nominees Gabriel Agbonlahor, Rafael da Silva, Jonny Evans, Ashley Young and the winner is Stephen Ireland.

[Joe King]

Stephen Ireland has come about heaps, hasn't he? Deserved winner of Young player IMO.

[red g]

Stephen Ireland has come about heaps, hasn't he? Deserved winner of Young player IMO.

cracking player and consistently good all season

[Leyton388]

****

[Nicey]

absolutely disgusted with this ..Vidic sure I can see it .. but Ferdinand ??? give me a kit kat .. Ronaldo .. for ****s sake hes been kak this season .. Giggs perhaps .. VDS sweet jesus ..

[lucas]

Am I right in saying that players can't vote for other players from their own club?

If so, does that mean that all the Utd players will have to vote for Gerrard?