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PFA Player of the Year Award: Tottenham's Gareth Bale heads open battle
The race is on for honours and while the Premier League title race remains a four-team battle, the quest to be named the best player in the country has even more contenders.
By John Ley 10:30AM GMT 08 Feb 2011
Rarely has the identity of the next PFA Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year been so unsure, with little more than three months of the season remaining.
There are two awards, with the players voting for their Player of the Year and the Football Writers naming their Footballer of the Year – the oldest award of its type in the world.
A year ago there was only one real candidate for both awards and it came as little surprise that Wayne Rooney claimed the accolades from both his peers and the men who write about him.
In addition, the Manchester United striker was the 2009-2010 PFA Fans Player of the Year, named the Barclays Player of the Season and was also, unsurprisingly, the PFA Premier League team of the year,
Rooney gained more than 80 per cent of the vote from the Writers’ making him the biggest walk-away winner in history.
Fast forward 12 months and the picture is hazy to say the least.
Tottenham’s mercurial Gareth Bale is the bookmakers’ favourite but no player stands out as an obvious winner.
Here Telegraph Sport considers the candidates, what they have done to deserve such an accolade – and what could prevent them from being named the best player on the best league in the world.
GARETH BALE (Tottenham)
Strengths: A burgeoning, mercurial talent whose performance against Inter Milan, at San Siro where he scored a hat-trick, and at home when he the world’s best right-back, Maicon, a quivering wreck.
Weaknesses: A back complaint is threatening to upset his season while he has been found out occasionally when forced inside.
ODDS (William Hill): 3-1
CARLOS TEVEZ (Manchester City)
Strengths: Tenacity, speed and ability to score goals, shown more than season than at any stage of his career. Celebrated his 27th birthday with a hat-trick – as you do.
Weaknesses: Can be perceived as petulant as shown in December when he put in a written transfer request.
ODDS: 5-1
SAMIR NASRI (Arsenal)
Another year in the Premier League has helped mature this mercurial Frenchman whose displays have won games for Arsenal.
Strengths: Ability to operate in several positions. Has honed his rawness with goals.
Weaknesses: Sometimes lacks the killer pass to unlock defences.
ODDS: 5-1
RAFAEL VAN DER VAART (Tottenham)
Strengths: The Dutchman has everything; the ability to score goals and make them and has been a revelation since his arrival in the Premier League.
Weaknesses: Has a tendency to get injured. His hamstring is a worry for Spurs.
ODDS: 6-1
DIMITAR BERBATOV (Manchester United)
Overlooked last season as Rooney earned rave reviews. But this season the Bulgarian, who has won his country’s award a record six times, has flourished with 20 goals in 28 appearances including a remarkable five against Blackburn.
Strengths: Goals. His perceptibility and eye for goal have kept United in poll position to win the Premier League.
Weaknesses: Has the ability to appear lazy, which has let him down in the past.
ODDS: 6-1
CESC FABREGAS (Arsenal)
Strengths: Maturing with each season; regarded as the perfect midfielder but still with an ability to score goals.
Weaknesses: Occasional petulance and injuries still dog the Spaniard.
ODDS: 12-1
NANI (Manchester United)
Strengths: The Portuguese has added great goals to his game and appears more mobile.
Weaknesses: Has a tendency to drift in and out of games and sometimes fails to have the influence he needs.
ODDS: 14-1
PAUL SCHOLES (Manchester United)
Strengths: Gets better with age. Has never won the awards and a career that is coming to the end deserves to be rewarded.
Weaknesses: Probably doesn’t play enough games and does attract a lot of yellow cards.
ODDS: 16-1
NEMANJA VIDIC (Manchester United)
Strengths: One of the most solid central defenders in the Premier League, very often the man who rescues United. And he can score goals as well.
Weaknesses: Not many this season, but tends to play better with Rio Ferdinand than the likes of Chris Smalling or John O’Shea.
ODDS: 16-1
CHARLIE ADAM (Blackpool)
Strengths: Has developed into the all-round midfielder. Smart, quick and intelligent; attributes that attracted Liverpool and Spurs in the January window.
Weaknesses: Needs more consistency and to improve his pace.
ODDS: 20-1
DIDIER DROGBA (Chelsea)
Strengths: Power and ability to score great goals. At times has rediscovered his form of last season.
Weaknesses: Can be inconsistent and give the impression he’s not that bothered. The arrival of Fernando Torres could make – or break – the striker.
ODDS: 20-1
ANDY CARROLL (Liverpool)
Strengths: Possible the best English-born header of the ball. After an impressive season in returning Newcastle to the Premier League, he has continued to score and earned a £35m move to Liverpool.
Weaknesses: Off the field, Carroll has attracted unwanted coverage and has an unwanted disciplinary past.
ODDS: 20-1
PFA Player of the Year Award: Tottenham's Gareth Bale heads open battle
The race is on for honours and while the Premier League title race remains a four-team battle, the quest to be named the best player in the country has even more contenders.
By John Ley 10:30AM GMT 08 Feb 2011
Rarely has the identity of the next PFA Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year been so unsure, with little more than three months of the season remaining.
There are two awards, with the players voting for their Player of the Year and the Football Writers naming their Footballer of the Year – the oldest award of its type in the world.
A year ago there was only one real candidate for both awards and it came as little surprise that Wayne Rooney claimed the accolades from both his peers and the men who write about him.
In addition, the Manchester United striker was the 2009-2010 PFA Fans Player of the Year, named the Barclays Player of the Season and was also, unsurprisingly, the PFA Premier League team of the year,
Rooney gained more than 80 per cent of the vote from the Writers’ making him the biggest walk-away winner in history.
Fast forward 12 months and the picture is hazy to say the least.
Tottenham’s mercurial Gareth Bale is the bookmakers’ favourite but no player stands out as an obvious winner.
Here Telegraph Sport considers the candidates, what they have done to deserve such an accolade – and what could prevent them from being named the best player on the best league in the world.
GARETH BALE (Tottenham)
Strengths: A burgeoning, mercurial talent whose performance against Inter Milan, at San Siro where he scored a hat-trick, and at home when he the world’s best right-back, Maicon, a quivering wreck.
Weaknesses: A back complaint is threatening to upset his season while he has been found out occasionally when forced inside.
ODDS (William Hill): 3-1
CARLOS TEVEZ (Manchester City)
Strengths: Tenacity, speed and ability to score goals, shown more than season than at any stage of his career. Celebrated his 27th birthday with a hat-trick – as you do.
Weaknesses: Can be perceived as petulant as shown in December when he put in a written transfer request.
ODDS: 5-1
SAMIR NASRI (Arsenal)
Another year in the Premier League has helped mature this mercurial Frenchman whose displays have won games for Arsenal.
Strengths: Ability to operate in several positions. Has honed his rawness with goals.
Weaknesses: Sometimes lacks the killer pass to unlock defences.
ODDS: 5-1
RAFAEL VAN DER VAART (Tottenham)
Strengths: The Dutchman has everything; the ability to score goals and make them and has been a revelation since his arrival in the Premier League.
Weaknesses: Has a tendency to get injured. His hamstring is a worry for Spurs.
ODDS: 6-1
DIMITAR BERBATOV (Manchester United)
Overlooked last season as Rooney earned rave reviews. But this season the Bulgarian, who has won his country’s award a record six times, has flourished with 20 goals in 28 appearances including a remarkable five against Blackburn.
Strengths: Goals. His perceptibility and eye for goal have kept United in poll position to win the Premier League.
Weaknesses: Has the ability to appear lazy, which has let him down in the past.
ODDS: 6-1
CESC FABREGAS (Arsenal)
Strengths: Maturing with each season; regarded as the perfect midfielder but still with an ability to score goals.
Weaknesses: Occasional petulance and injuries still dog the Spaniard.
ODDS: 12-1
NANI (Manchester United)
Strengths: The Portuguese has added great goals to his game and appears more mobile.
Weaknesses: Has a tendency to drift in and out of games and sometimes fails to have the influence he needs.
ODDS: 14-1
PAUL SCHOLES (Manchester United)
Strengths: Gets better with age. Has never won the awards and a career that is coming to the end deserves to be rewarded.
Weaknesses: Probably doesn’t play enough games and does attract a lot of yellow cards.
ODDS: 16-1
NEMANJA VIDIC (Manchester United)
Strengths: One of the most solid central defenders in the Premier League, very often the man who rescues United. And he can score goals as well.
Weaknesses: Not many this season, but tends to play better with Rio Ferdinand than the likes of Chris Smalling or John O’Shea.
ODDS: 16-1
CHARLIE ADAM (Blackpool)
Strengths: Has developed into the all-round midfielder. Smart, quick and intelligent; attributes that attracted Liverpool and Spurs in the January window.
Weaknesses: Needs more consistency and to improve his pace.
ODDS: 20-1
DIDIER DROGBA (Chelsea)
Strengths: Power and ability to score great goals. At times has rediscovered his form of last season.
Weaknesses: Can be inconsistent and give the impression he’s not that bothered. The arrival of Fernando Torres could make – or break – the striker.
ODDS: 20-1
ANDY CARROLL (Liverpool)
Strengths: Possible the best English-born header of the ball. After an impressive season in returning Newcastle to the Premier League, he has continued to score and earned a £35m move to Liverpool.
Weaknesses: Off the field, Carroll has attracted unwanted coverage and has an unwanted disciplinary past.
ODDS: 20-1
