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Goal.com's Premier League Team of the Season so far: Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney & David Silva star in attack
With the English top-flight now close to its midway mark, Goal.com selects the best XI from the opening half of this season's competition
25 Dec 2011 08:46:00
By Chris Myson
Getty Images
| Premier League Team Of The Season So Far: 2011-12 Table/Results |
| GOALKEEPER |
Tim Krul
Newcastle United
| Tim Krul has been one of the surprise packages of the season and a key reason for Newcastle’s impressive start to the campaign. The Dutch goalkeeper came into the year not even knowing whether he would be his club’s No.1 but has gone on to be the Premier League’s best performer between the sticks and be labelled in some quarters as the next Edwin van der Sar. For the shot stopper, who represents a reliable last line of defence with tremendous reflexes and authority despite his young age, a ticket to Euro 2012 now almost certainly awaits. An ever-present in the league, Krul started the season on fire like the rest of his team-mates, but while the club’s fortunes have taken a turn for the worse, he has stayed strong, as shown in the recent loss to Chelsea, where he starred despite a heavy home defeat. |
| DEFENDERS |
 Micah Richards Manchester City |
 Ledley King Tottenham |
 Thomas Vermaelen Arsenal |
 Jose Enrique Liverpool |
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In a team of big-money superstars at Manchester City, Micah Richards - a player who has come through the ranks - is still making his presence felt. The 23-year-old has missed just two games in his side’s charge to the top of the table and is arguably having his best ever season after an inconsistent couple of years. Combining his physical strength in defence with rampages down the right to support the side in an attacking sense, it appears Richards is finally starting to fulfil his potential. It must only be a matter of time until he returns to the England squad. Amazingly, Tottenham have only been behind in 15 minutes of football this season in the 800 plus that Ledley King has been on the pitch. Such a statistic cannot be a coincidence and if you look at Spurs’ three defeats this season – the two heavy early losses to the Manchester clubs and the recent loss to Stoke – one man is notable in his absence. King’s classy presence in central defence has helped Tottenham to rise up the table and he is undoubtedly one of the best defenders in world football when fully fit. While a certain Dutch forward is making all the headlines for his exploits in an Arsenal shirt, Thomas Vermaelen has been just as instrumental in the Gunners turning their season around. The Belgium stopper missed almost the whole of last season but has come back as good as ever, commanding but calm, aggressive but controlled and on top of his game once again. Kenny Dalglish has picked Jose Enrique in every league game so far this season and that is unsurprising. One of the bargain buys of the season following his £5 million move from Newcastle in the summer, Enrique has been consistently impressive – solid in defence and deceptively quick. The Spaniard must be pushing hard for an international call-up in an area of the pitch where the world champions are not at their strongest. |
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| HOLDING MIDFIELDERS |
 Scott Parker Tottenham |
 Lucas Liverpool |
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| If Enrique has been a bargain purchase, the same has to be said about Scott Parker, who plays as one of the more defensive-minded midfielders in our 4-2-3-1 formation. The West Ham icon arrived on August 31 for a similarly low fee and has produced some outstanding performances as Tottenham have charged up the table, acting as the perfect foil to the likes of Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart. At the age of 31, Parker finally seems to have established himself as an England regular and looks set to play a key role at Euro 2012. One of the most improved players in the Premier League has to be Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva. Having been seen as a figure of fun by many on his arrival in England, the Brazilian has been gradually improving and this year emerged as a key man for the Reds, providing some bite, energy and real quality in the middle of the park. A season ending injury – which means he will likely miss out on any end-of-season recognition - was a huge blow to the player and club, who will hope he can return even stronger than before. |
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| ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS |
 Sergio Aguero Manchester City |
 Wayne Rooney Manchester United |
 David Silva Manchester City |
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There was significant excitement amongst Premier League fans when Sergio Aguero arrived at Manchester City from Atletico Madrid and ever since his sparkling debut from the substitutes’ bench on the opening matchday of the season against Swansea, the Argentine has lived up to the hype. Aguero already has 13 league goals to his name, which included a hat-trick against Wigan, and is acting as a creative force for the likes of Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko as well as finding the net himself for the table-toppers. While there have been times this season where Wayne Rooney has not been at his vintage best, the Manchester United star still has 13 Premier League goals in just 16 games. The England man started the campaign on fire, netting a hat-trick in the astonishing 8-2 win against Arsenal before getting another treble against Bolton. In recent games against Wolves, QPR and Fulham, Rooney has returned to that early-season goalscoring form and defenders from opposing sides over the festive fixtures will not be relishing their tasks. Arguably the player of the season so far, David Silva has shown immense quality throughout the campaign. As well as a starring role in Manchester City’s 6-1 humiliation of rivals United at Old Trafford, the Spaniard has hardly ever turned in an ineffectual performance. While he has scored priceless goals, such as popping up with the winner against Arsenal last weekend, it is the playmaking ability of Silva which is wowing fans across the country, with his dribbling and passing of a quality better than anyone else in the division can currently offer. |
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 Name Name |
 Name Name |
 Name Name |
| STRIKER |
 Robin van Persie Arsenal |
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| Arsenal captain Robin van Persie had been on fire in the first half of 2011 and he has continued in that rich vein of form so far this season. A lethal finisher, the striker already had 16 goals in 17 appearances and tops the Premier League’s scoring charts. On occasions, his influential performances have single-handedly dragged Arsenal through their troubled times into a position where they now look like a good bet to remain in the top four. A hat-trick in the 5-3 win over rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge has been one of many highlights. If he can stay fully fit until the end of the campaign, both he and the Gunners could be celebrating accolades this summer. |
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