Best Premier League team of the decade

This season’s Premier League managers took part in a survey run by Barclays and the league management association to help celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Barclays Premier League. They had to pick their best eleven from the Premier League over the past decade, the outstanding Premier League team of the decade and the most exciting season of the decade. The results are fascinating.

Managers

Before we come to the eleven players the managers selected let’s take a look at the other two decisions.

The most exciting season was the 2007-08 season. Manchester United won the title that year by just two points from Chelsea, with Arsenal a further two points behind in third. At the other end of the table Reading, Birmingham and Derby fell into the Championship. Wigan, Sunderland and Bolton only escaped by a point or two and Fulham survived on goal difference after a remarkable run-in and victory on the fnal day.

I don’t think there would be too many arguments about that first decision.

Best

The second decision was to pick the best team of the decade. The managers went for that Manchester United team of 2007-08. That seems a little more contentious as they were chosen ahead of the famous Arsenal ‘invinvcibles’ of 2003-04. I’m sure there are other teams that you may feel would have been a better choice.

Now we come to the really contentious decisions around who the managers selected as the best eleven players.

They went for the following:

Edwin van der Sar got the goalkeeper position with 53% of the vote. Petr Cech was second with 33%.

At right back is Gary Neville, who picked up 60% of the vote. Only two left backs were nominated and Ashley Cole with 73% easily held off the challenge of Patrice Evra with 27%.

The centre backs were John Terry with 40% and Nemanja Vidic with 27%. Rio Ferdinand was a close third with 20%.

On the right of midfield Cristiano Ronaldo beat the challenge of David Beckham (67% to 27%), whilst the left hand side was easily taken by Ryan Giggs with 87% of the vote.

In the middle of midfield Steve Gerrard and Paul Scoles, with 33% and 23% respectively took the places ahead of Roy Keane, Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard.

When it came to the strikers the two selected both picked up 23% of the vote. They finished ahead of Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney and Dennis Bergkamp (no mention of Fernando Torres). The two picked were Alan Shearer and Didier Drogba.

Selection

So there we have the selection of the Premier League managers:

Edwin van der Sar

Gary Neville, John Terry, Nemanja Vidic, Ashley Cole

Cristiano Ronaldo, Steve Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs

Alan Shearer, Didier Drogba

That’s six from Manchester United, three from Chelsea, one from Liverpool and one from Newcastle.

Surprised

I have to say that I don’t fall out too much with the selections although I am surprised that there is no place for Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Dennis Bergkamp or Thierry Henry.

These sort of things are always controversial so I’d love to hear your opinions.