Image courtesy of the BBC
As the end of the season nears, the time has come for all concerned to elect their player of the year, and there are three outstanding candidates in the Premier League.
Robin Van Persie has fired Manchester United to the title. With the sheer amount of winning goals he’s scored, he’s been the difference between United and their fierce rivals Manchester City. I could never really imagine Van Persie playing for United. Watching him play at Arsenal for all those years, even now it’s hard to grasp that he made the move to one of the Gunners’ greatest Premier League rivals.
It certainly says a lot about how things have changed. In his prime, Thierry Henry would have never moved to United to win titles, and there would have been no reason to. So it really illustrates how Arsenal have dropped down in the last few years.
Van Persie, who’s scored 20 Premier League goals this term, has lost his form in the last couple of weeks. But, he has since returned to the goal-scoring charts at the weekend, scoring a penalty in the 2-0 victory at Stoke. Could this minor lapse be costly in his race for the player of the year?
Gareth Bale has really stepped up when Tottenham have needed him to this season. He’s becoming more and more like Cristiano Ronaldo, and has found himself in a potential race for the league’s top goal-scorer. While this achievement is probably beyond him this season, he’s provided invaluable services Tottenham since his rapid rise to fame in 2010.
Like Van Persie and Luis Suarez, many believe Bale has carried his side this term, and it wouldn’t be bizarrely incorrect if someone were to say so. Bale has scored countless winning goals and braces to edge his team through difficult times.
His pace and technique is becoming frightening. When he has space in the opponents’ half, he’s so very dangerous. The strength which he uses and the Ronaldo-esque free-kicks have caused problems for teams from all over the world this season.
Scoring 17 goals, this has been Bale’s most prolific season to date, and who knows how much more prolific he could be in the years to come. It’s very important Tottenham retain him, as losing a player like Bale creates a gap which his club do not have the resources to fill. In fact, hardly any clubs have the resources to attract a player to replace Bale.
Luis Suarez is very much the villain of the Premier League. With handballs, frequently becoming irate with officials and having spats with other players, he’s become a target for the media. There’s one thing you can’t take away from Suarez, however — he’s an unbelievable player.
Liverpool, probably more than Manchester United and Tottenham this season, have really relied on their star man. He creates, scores and has more audacity than anyone else in the Premier League.
You can’t put any finish past him. He can finish no matter how tight the angle or how little space he occupies. But will his bad-boy reputation cost the Premier League’s leading goalscorer the awards?
Other star players this season include Juan Mata, Michu, Michael Carrick and Santi Carzola, who have all contributed massively to their teams. Despite all the other stars in the Premier League, it looks to be a three-horse race.
The PFA Awards are fast approaching, which is one of the most widely-anticipated Premier League presentations. Who, out of the league’s three top scorers, will pick up the award? I think Suarez deserves it, but whether he actually wins is another matter.
