Opinion on the awarding of the EPL player and team of the year award

The result of the EPL annual end of season is shown below:

PFA Player and Young Player of the Year 2007 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

PFA Premier League Team of the Year 2007 - Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra (all Man Utd); Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo (all Man Utd) & Steven Gerrard (Liverpool); Didier Drogba (Chelsea) & Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham)

With regard to these awards I have a few opinions. Firstly, I wonder why is this award given before the end of the season since these awards are supposed to encapsulate the best overall consistent performance for the season.

Secondly, from my understanding these voting are carried out in the month of January by the PFA Representative. If that is the case, how accurate would the assessment be at that time if you are talking about the whole season. You would only be voting for the players which have been performing well up to that stage of the season. A more accurate gauge would be if the voting exercise were carried out in April or May instead and the award ceremony in late May or June.

With regard to the player of the year and the young player of the year, I guess that there is not much of a complaint as Ronaldo has been by far the most exciting player to watch this season. He has shown maturity in his player and there are more end products following his fanciful trickery. He also seem to have gain an upper body strength which was not apparent when he first arrived in Manu.

With regard to the team of the year, I felt that there are too many players from the same team and if you noticed all the players are from the big teams of England.

For the centre back position, I think that Jamie Carragher would have been more appropriate than Rio. Jamie has been a pillar at the back for Liverpool for the last two seasons. He may not be as skillful but his reading of the game and his commitment is plain for all to see.

For the left back position, I feel that Matthew Taylor would have been a more worthy contender as he has been quite solid at the back and when he go forward to attack, no defence should leave him unmarked as he has one of the most lethal left foot in the league. His goals inadvertently are spectacular in nature.

For the goal keeper position, I feel that there are a few other keeper that could have been in that position. Players for example Shay Given and Tim Howard would have been potential players if there were in the bigger clubs.

For midfield, the only one I disagree with would be the addition of Gerrard. He has not been that outstanding in the middle of the part as he has been played out right for some parts of the season. I felt that Fabregas is more deserving a place in the centre of midfield as he has at times carried Arsenal in the absence of Henry this season.

Anyway that is about slightly more than a month left in the season. It will be a nail-biting end of the season for the title. So far it has been one great ride and long may it continue!!