By Richard Sydenham
Fast forward to May 2012. Who to pick for our Select XI for the season? Gaze into Firstpost.com’s Crystal Ball and see some interesting visions while ignoring the likely stars to impress a la Rooney, Cole, Lampard, Vidic, van Persie. Cech and Co.
Shay Given – After his first full season as a Manchester City substitute, precipitated by Joe Hart’s promotion as first choice at Eastlands, Given was subsequently sold to Aston Villa. Already, after one game at the weekend he was man of the match. Expect more of the same. His return to the Premiership limelight could also embarrass three teams with higher expectations than Villa.
Shay Given's return to the Premiership limelight could embarrass three teams with higher expectations than Aston Villa. Ian Walton/Getty Images
Arsenal have needed a top keeper since the exit of Jens Lehmann some time ago and have not strengthened in this department. Man United may yet rue putting all their faith in the 21-year-old David de Gea to replace retired veteran Edwin van der Sar.
Remember how many keepers they went through just to find van der Sar, who they bought at almost the same age as Goiven is now. And there’s Tottenham, who took Brad Friedel off Villa on a free transfer and gave him a two-year contract even though he is now 40, which Given will be at the end of his deal at Villa. Who do you think got the best business done there?
Kyle Walker – After five months at Villa on loan last season Spurs manager Harry Redknapp was able to see Walker as a genuine first team prospect for the 2011-12 season and a better, more permanent alternative to Scotsman Alan Hutton. That’s why he rebuffed Villa’s bid to make the move permanent. Walker was even drafted into the England squad by Fabio Capello so his rise could well be a rapid one during this campaign. He does, though, need to improve on the defensive side of his game and ensure he does not become a Glen Johnson-like rampaging right back minus the tackling and graft when not in possession of the ball.
Jose Enrique – Possibly Newcastle’s best player last season, he is now playing his football with a more ambitious, better team in Liverpool and this should harness and nurture Enrique’s talent further.
He should develop a team within a team with new £20 million left-sided midfield Stewart Downing and that force on the flank could be a tough challenge for most right-sided players during the campaign.
Gary Cahill – Although still a Bolton player, it would be surprising if he remained at the Reebok Stadium beyond the 31 August transfer deadline. Early signs with England and consistent seasons with Bolton reflect a quality defender but also someone who can add rare attacking flair for a defender as his curling 20-yard goal demonstrated at QPR on Saturday. His ability deserves Champions League football and I would expect Arsenal to give him that. If not it would be a huge mistake for the Gunners. One way or another, Cahill will again impress this season.
Chris Smalling – It seemed, when Sir Alex Ferguson paid Fulham £7 million for the rookie defender, that it was an investment for the future. However, his development has been rapid and with Rio Ferdinand’s increasing vulnerability to injuries it needs to be.
He has operated at right back and central defence but I expect Smalling to prosper more in the latter role, alongside Namanja Vidic initially and then Phil Jones.
Jack Wilshere – This midfield dynamo is no longer a hidden secret, for even Andre Villas-Boas described him as one of the best midfielders in Europe recently. That says a lot about Wilshere’s sudden rise.
With the exit of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and the likely departure of Samir Nasri also, the Gunners will be desperate for someone to take responsibility and provide drive to the whole team — don’t be surprised if that someone is Wilshere this season, even though he is still a teenager.
Charles N’Zogbia – He single-handedly retained Wigan’s Premiership status last season but no longer is he a big fish in a small pond. Sometimes that elevation in a player’s standing can unnerve and cause a negative regression. I don’t expect that to happen to this man. Now that he is a recent addition to the France squad, he will see Villa as the ideal stepping stone to an even greater stage ie World Cups and Champions Leagues, which is what his talent certainly deserves. Further, Villa’s loss of their two most creative sparks in Ashley Young and Stewart Downing will mean a significant reliance on N’Zogbia to produce; hence he will see much of the ball.
Luis Suarez – Tricky, goal-hungry, clever and magical. There have been several overseas stars (Litmanen, Garcia and Torres) threatening to write their names into Anfield folklore with some outstanding performances but more often than not their skill has been far too sporadic for Kopites to tolerate (or their commitment questionable in the latter name’s case).
The Uruguayan, though, looks like another Keegan, Dalglish or Beardsley, someone who will make great things happen for himself or the team. This could be his campaign, though I don’t think he has enough support for Liverpool to shoehorn their way into the top four.
Edin Dzeko – The £27 million signing from Wolfsburg last season was anonymous for the last five months of the season after his arrival. But that’s not unusual. Foreign stars often require at least six months to adjust to the pace and physicality of the Premier League.
Dzeko was just fortunate that he was not expected to produce results immediately like he would have been at a club such as Villa or Tottenham, where that kind of investment would have been the season’s budget.
But as part of Man City’s billion pound project, he has been allowed to slot in quietly and this season will show the real goal poacher and all-round supreme striker that he undoubtedly is. Sergio Aguero may have scored twice on his debut this season, but things will become tougher for him, than playing at home to a promoted club such as Swansea first up.
Josh McEachran – Chelsea is an ageing team with too many thirty-something’s like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, but in McEachran they have a talent bursting through the ranks and who manager AVB is set to give his head this season.
There is no Ballack or Deco to prevent his development in this side anymore. I would expect the youngster to have enough opportunities to showcase his ability that he could be the find of the season, as Wilshere was in the last campaign.
Ashley Young – This player’s ability is nothing new but the fact he has improved at Villa after his time at Watford, and then flowered more in the England team shows his burgeoning talent and temperament.
He was far too inconsistent at Villa but was allowed to get away with it. Fergie will demand a performance every game and few players do not deliver on what Fergie asks of them.
It could be the making of Young into a European star from Premier League starlet.
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