Wally with a Brolly

Here at Wally we've decided to set out our teams of 2012. These are strictly limited to the Premier League. Here's my view on that team, with Chaka Demus and Westy's teams to come. Expect surprises, nonsense and some actual logic...sometimes.

The rules are simple: a straight throwback 4-4-2 in which you can pick ANY player who played in the Premier League during the year 2012. Yes it means, technically, any player from Jeff Cameron, Cameron Jerome, Jerome Thomas, Thomas Vermaelen to...wait, who's first name is Vermaelen?

Let's be honest, making a team of the year is no easy thing. Mostly because, at Wally, we're not basing it on a season. We're basing it on the calendar year. This throws up many dilemmas like "Will Michu make the team" or "can I justify putting Michael Owen as my main striker?". Okay, that second question was absolute B.S. Except in Michael Owen's own mind.

This is also a problem when you're faced with long injury lay-offs or dramatic loss of form. I mean, were he fit, I think we can pretty much agree that Nemanja Vidic would have a great case for making the team. Except he's barely played.

Joleon Lescott is also a good example. After all, he was imperial in helping Man City winning the title, partnering Vincent Kompany effectively to make that pairing the toughest in the Premier League. He was also arguably one of England's best players at Euro 2012, often looking like the main leader Hodgson's team needed at the back. And yet, here comes the 2012-2013 season and Mancini's sudden bromance with Nastasic (who admittedly looks very good) and Joleon is seemingly on his way out. Incredible Jeff!

The best thing as well about choosing your team for the year is the opportunity for serious bias. Wayne Rooney's had a good year? I couldn't care less, he's not making my team.

So now, with further ado, here's my team for 2012.

GOALKEEPER

Tim Krul

Great hair, and always good to hear a Dutch Geordie.

You know how you realise that a goalkeeper is actually very good? When he makes players in front of him look better than they actually are. Which is why I've chosen Tim Krul. Of course, with that argument, I could have picked Ali Al-Habsi. I mean, the guy has Figueroa, Caldwell and Alcaraz in front of him. Yikes.

But I thought it should go to Krul. Newcastle should never have finished as high as they did last season. Yes Cabaye, Tiote, Ba and Cisse were incredible. Danny Simpson is also decent but the rest of the back four? Wow.

I'm not even talking about Mike Williamson. At least he has no pretension of even being a decent player. But the fact Coloccini has been talked about as an incredible defender pisses me off. The man is a bad defender, otherwise why do I always see him fail to mark his man (in an admirable manner) whenever Newcastle concede? I swear to you, the guy is often at fault but, because he throws himself in front of a striker, he gets a pass.

Wait, wasn't I meant to congratulate Tim Krul? I've got three words for you to describe Tim: efficient, solid and underrated. And I'm still waiting for a pundit to shout out "that was cruel for Krul!". Seriously, when are we going to get that? Get on it G dot Nev!

RIGHT-BACK

Pablo Zabaleta

Quien es Micah Richards?

"Why doesn't Micah Richards start? He's a beast of a man!" used to be a common statement around the Etihad. Of course, this was mostly due to three facts:
1. Micah Richards IS a beast
2. Micah Richards is English
3. Micah Richards doesn't know the offside rule, but he's always going to throw himself in front of tackles, and that's what English fans enjoy seeing from their defenders.

Funnily enough, we don't really hear such comments anymore. This is due mostly to Pablo Zabaleta's fantastic form on the right hand side of Man City's defence. Composed on the ball, fast and able to mark his opponents tightly, and with a sound knowledge of what a 'defensive line' is, Zabaleta was an unsung hero of Man City's title conquest. What has also helped him stake his place in this team is the complete dearth of any remotely above average right backs. Only Glen Johnson comes to mind but his season wasn't as impressive as Pablo, but not by much. Otherwise, were you really expecting me to put Rafael in? I'd rather put Billy Jones.

But congratulations to Pablo. It's not his fault simply 'being solid' deserves an award now that the art of defending died in the Premier League. But this is no knock on Zabaleta; I'd take him in my team any day, and I think Roberto Mancini thinks the same.

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Vincent Kompany

A quiet force of nature.

He was the first name on my list. Classy both on and off the pitch, no ego in a team devoured by arrogant players, and the tendency to turn up for the big games. Not only is Vincent Kompany an exemplary captain, but he has been the Premier League's best defender for the last 18 months. Admittedly it's not that difficult when you consider how tactically and defensively inept the Premier League as a whole is. But the soft-spoken Kompany clearly was an inspirational player during Man City's run to the title. It became quite evident that Mancini relied a lot on him and he was repaid with superb performances.

Steven Caulker

Bit of a surprise, but there aren't too many solid defenders in the Premier League anymore. That's not meant as a knock to the promising Caulker.

The second centre back was a more difficult choice, mostly due to the fact that absolutely no-one shone in that position throughout the year. I was thinking of adding Lescott until he was dropped by Mancini for Nastasic. Shame really as he was very good and formed a superb partnership with Kompany. I also thought about Jonas Olsson; he's not flashy but he's been very good for West Brom and has really helped them become an established Premier League club. Stoke have a good defence and I guess Shawcross and Huth deserve credit but they're a boring side and I hate the two previously-mentioned players because they're scum. So I wasn't going to reward Stoke by putting one of their players in. Phil Jagielka and/or Sylvain Distin were also nominated, mostly because they're absolute beasts and I'm a big fan of what Everton are doing. But their 2012-2013 season has seen them conceding too many goals for them to have a serious claim.

So I've settled on Steven Caulker. After all he had a very impressive period on loan at Swansea, where he made Angel Rangel and Neil Taylor look Premier League material. Since his return to Tottenham he has easily established himself as a first choice centre back, soon to be joined by Younes Kaboul in a dynamic, fast and powerful partnership.

Caulker has got all the tools to become a top defender: he's relatively quick, he's built like a tank and reads the game really well. Only 21, he has already shown significant Premier League quality and has become an integral part of a top of the table team. Impressive stuff from a very young and already consistent performer.
 
LEFT-BACK

Leighton Baines

I hope you don't mind travelling anymore, because you're probably not staying at Everton for long Leighton.

That one was pretty easy. Sure Ashley Cole still has it, but he's still an idiot/arrogant b*****d/Chelsea player/friend of Terry. All these disqualify him automatically. All joking and bias aside, 2012 was Leighton Baines's year. He was constantly Everton's most dangerous wide player and added defensive steel to his repertoire. His crossing ability, penalty-taking composure and all-around play improved to such levels that he is now a serious contender for the No.3 shirt for England. The likeable ex-Wigan player has now become such an accomplished left-back that the previously impervious Cole is looking over his shoulder. A superb year for the Everton wing-back and an undisputed (in my view) selection in my team of 2012.

RIGHT MIDFIELDER

Nathan Dyer

Underrated. And clever. Oh, and where's Scott Sinclair?

What, you thought I was going to put Antonio Valencia? The right-wing positio suffers from the same problem as the right-back spot: there aren't too many decent specialists anymore. And, to be fair, the Ecuadorian winger from Man Utd would have had a good claim, except that he's been vulnerable to Sir Alex's tactical tweaks, especially during the 2012-2013 season. One player who's been constantly good for his club has been Nathan Dyer. After struggling to actually make it as a starter in the Championship, Nathan found a match made in heaven when he joined Swansea in 2009. As the less heralded part of the Sinclair-Dyer duo, he nevertheless notched an impressive 5 goals during the 2011-2012 season and has already scored two since August. Blessed with terrific pace and a footballing brain which other wingers would love to have (I'm looking at you Theo Walcott), Dyer has been an integral part of Swansea's rise. A consistent player who keeps on getting better. I believe he deserves more attention and that he's been the best right-winger of 2012. A thoroughly likeable player due to the way he combines wing play with clever spacing for the marauding Angel Rangel. A cleverer and more complete winger than people give him credit for.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Yaya Touré

Simply the beast.

 A major reason why Man City became so good and eventually won the title was Yaya Toure's incredible play. He took games by the scruff of the neck and dictated play, whether from a deep or advanced position. Combining impressive physical strength with undoubted ability on the ball, the better of the Toure brothers (not too difficult, I'll admit) was, with Kompany and Aguero, the main driving force in Man City's conquest of the Premier League title. And, even though he hasn't been as good in the 2012-2013 season, no other player has the ability to change the game as he does in the Premier League. If you doubt that, rewind back to when he scored the 2 winning goals in the important 2-0 win over Newcastle in the penultimate game of the 2011-2012 season. A beast of a man. Even more than Micah Richards. Yes, that's actually possible.

The atypical Chelsea player: a nice guy.

More than Drogba, Terry, Lampard or even Ramires (who was definitely a contender), Juan Manuel Mata was the reason they won the Champions' League. His flair, work ethic and creativity made him the team's most valuable asset in 2012. He was Chelsea's primary source of assists and even scored a few goals in the process. The start to his 2012-2013 season has been even more impressive and just edged him ahead of his compatriot David Silva, who has himself suffered from a slight dip in form as well as several niggling injuries.JMM's (can I write that?) form over 2012 was consistently good with no serious dip in for;. The fact Chelsea have been quite poor in the league isn't down to Mata; it might have had something to do with the absence of any defence or holding midfielders and a ceratin misfiring Spanish striker.

Perhaps more importantly, Mata has been the sole sympathetic figure in a despicable team. And, in a selection based partly on bias, his class on and off the pitch made him an instant winner. A worthy selection.


LEFT MIDFIELDER

Gareth Bale

Stop diving. That's the only criticism I can aim at Gareth Bale.

Funnily enough, I'm starting to really dislike Gareth Bale. His annoying 'love' celebration and diving antics (5 bookings for diving in the 2012-2013 season alone!) are turning him into a bit of a pariah. But, just like Suarez, his ability just can't be questioned. And he's that good that I'm willing to overlook his transgressions. What is there to add to justify his inclusion in my team? The Welshman seems to be able to do it all lately, from scoring important goals to creating numerous chances in a variety of ways. Along with Dembele (a personal favourite), he's the driving force behind Tottenham's decent 2012. An impressive player who's still growing and learning the ropes. Scary.

STRIKERS

Sergio Aguero

The best moment of the year

Kun's arrival displayed the kind of blind ignorance of anything beyond the Premier League from which many people and pundits suffer in the UK. Man City had just bought a 23-year-old Argentina international with close to a 2:1 goal ratio in La Liga. And people were surprised when he set the Premier League alight. Seriously, you didn't see this coming?

Aguero was incredible in 2012. Energetic, skilful, a hard worker, he epitomised the qualities which Man City needed to win the title. He formed a devastating strike partnership with his fellow (albeit unprofessional) Argentine Carlos Tevez. Always dangerous, always lively, always available to team-mates, Aguero 'adapted' to the Premier League with lightning speed. I also personally appreciate him for the absence of any diving antics in his game.

A classy striker with a killer goal instinct. Aguero has it all and deserves his place in the Team of 2012. I had thought of including Papemba Bassé (the mixture of Papiss Cissé and Demba Ba) but he doesn't really exist, although he would have had a hell of a 2012. For this reason, and the fact I severely dislike Wayne Rooney, I've gone for Diego Maradon'a son-in-law who named himself after his favourite Tekken character. Who said Aguero wasn't fun?

Robin van Persie

RvP: bit of a douche, but a great player nonetheless

I don't particularly like RvP. I find him cocky, falsely humble, and always willing to pick on players when things turn south (remember when he had a go and laugh at Tim Krul? Not really likeable). But what a player. Finally free from injuries, the Dutchman demonstrated all year long why he had been touted by Wenger as one to look for. Banging in goals left, right and centre with a surprisingly good right foot and a growing aerial presence, van Persie became the shining example of what a modern striker is. Blessed with outstanding intelligence for the position, he was undoubtedtly THE player of 2012 for me with Kompany. Nothing more to add really.