PFA Team of the Year

[MadDogg]

I mean it’s understandable, Maguire doesn’t get anywhere near the credit he deserves, especially amongst some Utd fans.

Maguire finished the season very well, but he started the season poorly and was then nothing more than decent for a few more months after that.

If we were basing it purely on the second half of the season I'd agree he should probably be in the team, but over the course of the season I don't think so. In saying that, I'm not really sure who should be partnering Dias as I don't think there has been a real stand-out.

 

[elmo]

Should swop Son for Grealish

 

[Halftrack]

Sorry but don’t agree with that at all. Stones, Dias, Rudiger, Silva have all been comfortably better in my opinion.

Stones has 22 apps in the league, Rüdiger 19 and Silva 23. Harry's played 50% more than all of them, and has on average been just as good. That presence and consistency alone should have seen him get a spot ahead of any of them.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Sorry but don’t agree with that at all. Stones, Dias, Rudiger, Silva have all been comfortably better in my opinion.

Maguire has the best defensive stats of any CB in the league, how can you players that have clearly been inferior are comfortably better? I mean I understand why Dias would be put ahead of him this season but Stones played 22 league games, Rudiger played 19 games and Silva played 22, I don't understand how you can form the opinion that they are comfortably better when they have barely played in half of the league games.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Or I mean maybe he is slightly overrated by United fans. He was no doubt decent over the season. But PFA have decided he wasn’t in the 11 and honestly bar the keeper and possibly KDB that looks about right to me.

Do you honestly believe you could replace Harry Maguire in our team with any of those other centre backs? It’s not surprise that Rudiger and Silva only found absolutely top form after Tuchel came in and improved them tactically and build a defensive first system. Individually Maguire is the better player and would be immense in that Chelsea team.

 

[Noot]

Do you honestly believe you could replace Harry Maguire in our team with any of those other centre backs?

Yes.

 

[Halftrack]

Yes.

Unlikely.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Yes.

Not a chance. Considering stones isn’t a patch on him at international level, you’d think fans would know better. City fans should know even more considering you wanted him and frankly he would have been phenomenal for you.

 

[Cascarino]

I can understand someone putting Maguire in their PFA team, but I also don’t think it’s a particularly bad call. When I posted my team last month it was Stones and Dias (with an honourable mention to Maguire and a few others).

Stones didn’t play as many games, but he did play to a very high level and formed the best defensive partnership, City were excellent defensively and despite the idea that their defenders have less to do, City actually put massive amounts of responsibility and pressure on their central defenders.

Someone thinking Maguire should be in the team is a fine opinion, though the couple posters who have based it using defensive contribution statistics I feel are misguided.

 

[Aidan Azar]

I always valued this award the highest but not sure anymore. Bizarre.

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[el3mel]

KDB best player ?

Absolute farce of an award.

 

[El Zoido]

Bruno has been better than De Bruyne this season.

 

[TMDaines]

Played seven fewer games than Giggs did when he won it!

 

[Ludens the Red]

I always valued this award the highest but not sure anymore. Bizarre.

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Not surprised. This is a result of Gary neville and other pundits pretending De Bruyne had an amazing season. The end result is players and man United fans on redcafe thinking he actually did have an amazing season and voting him in the team of the year and subsequently best player.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Stones has 22 apps in the league, Rüdiger 19 and Silva 23. Harry's played 50% more than all of them, and has on average been just as good. That presence and consistency alone should have seen him get a spot ahead of any of them.

Maguire has the best defensive stats of any CB in the league, how can you players that have clearly been inferior are comfortably better? I mean I understand why Dias would be put ahead of him this season but Stones played 22 league games, Rudiger played 19 games and Silva played 22, I don't understand how you can form the opinion that they are comfortably better when they have barely played in half of the league games.

Do you honestly believe you could replace Harry Maguire in our team with any of those other centre backs? It’s not surprise that Rudiger and Silva only found absolutely top form after Tuchel came in and improved them tactically and build a defensive first system. Individually Maguire is the better player and would be immense in that Chelsea team.

Because appearance numbers don’t matter and it’s based on what people view as objectively better performances/ contribution to the team over the course of the season. No doubt Harry was important to us but in nowhere during the season did his “performances” get near some of the others.

He was barely better than the often criticised Lindelof and for a good part of the season being out performed by him.

 

[charlenefan]

Absolute joke that, Dias i could make peace with maybe even Gundogan or Foden but De Bruyne? He hasn't even been that good. Bruno's been shafted

 

[Cascarino]

KDB will be a controversial choice, but again I think it’s pretty fair (except maybe about the number of appearances).

He’s the greatest creative force in the league, works very hard and also carries the ball very well. I think he’s come to that point where he isn’t judged by normal standards, but rather those which he has set. He’s been the best player in this City side when fit. Gundogan scored plenty of goals and has had a great season, but doesn’t match up to the creativity and drive that KDB brings, Dias has had an excellent first season and I could understand him getting the nod, but it’s tricky to compare seasons for players in such positions.

Bruno had been brilliant, and so has Kane and I think both of them would have been justified. But I can understand why the players have voted for KDB. He’s been excellent despite the suggestions otherwise.

 

[Nero]

I am outraged and appalled.

 

[El-Manos]

I think he's a fantastic player but no way should he have received that award this year.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Shambolic decision.

handing out undeserved trophies to city players all around.

 

[always_hoping]

KDB was at best City 3rd best player. Awarding him with the player of year just highlights how dumb PL players are.

 

[Poch]

Should have been Kane, golden boot winner and most assists in an average team. KDB is an absolute farce.

 

[WeePat]

KDB will be a controversial choice, but again I think it’s pretty fair (except maybe about the number of appearances).

He’s the greatest creative force in the league, works very hard and also carries the ball very well. I think he’s come to that point where he isn’t judged by normal standards, but rather those which he has set. He’s been the best player in this City side when fit. Gundogan scored plenty of goals and has had a great season, but doesn’t match up to the creativity and drive that KDB brings, Dias has had an excellent first season and I could understand him getting the nod, but it’s tricky to compare seasons for players in such positions.

Bruno had been brilliant, and so has Kane and I think both of them would have been justified. But I can understand why the players have voted for KDB. He’s been excellent despite the suggestions otherwise.

He's a fantastic player. He'll go down as a PL great and a legend of our league, and maybe there is something to that theory of judging him against the standards he's set for himself in the past whilst everyone else gets judged on this season in isolation, but KDB hasn't really stood out to me at all this season. I kind of think Kane was robbed here.

 

[FatTails]

It should be Harry Kane and there is absolutely no debate tbh. Top goal scorer and top assists in an underperforming and defensive Spurs side.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Because appearance numbers don’t matter and it’s based on what people view as objectively better performances/ contribution to the team over the course of the season. No doubt Harry was important to us but in nowhere during the season did his “performances” get near some of the others.

He was barely better than the often criticised Lindelof and for a good part of the season being out performed by him.

The best stats of any CB in the league this season says otherwise. These stats are more trusted than your 'eye test'.

 

[GledTheRed]

I always valued this award the highest but not sure anymore. Bizarre.

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Is this some kind of piss take?

 

[Cascarino]

He's a fantastic player. He'll go down as a PL great and a legend of our league, and maybe there is something to that theory of judging him against the standards he's set for himself in the past whilst everyone else gets judged on this season in isolation, but KDB hasn't really stood out to me at all this season. I kind of think Kane was robbed here.

I think there is a strong argument for Kane, to get his numbers while playing in a poorly performing side (which often set up defensively) is a pretty incredible achievement. Thinking about it I probably would agree that he should have been the winner, you’re right about that.

I disagree with the comments here putting Gundogan above KDB though. He had a brilliant goal return, but he has nowhere near the influence that the Belgian does on the game, his passing really is extraordinary, and there were numerous games in the league this season that had someone with a different name produced, there would be incredible hype.

 

[el3mel]

I think there is a strong argument for Kane, to get his numbers while playing in a poorly performing side (which often set up defensively) is a pretty incredible achievement. Thinking about it I probably would agree that he should have been the winner, you’re right about that.

I disagree with the comments here putting Gundogan above KDB though. He had a brilliant goal return, but he has nowhere near the influence that the Belgian does on the game, his passing really is extraordinary, and there were numerous games in the league this season that had someone with a different name produced, there would be incredible hype.

KDB is a better player than Gundogan but for this season alone I believe Gundogan performed better. I don't think KDB was even City's best player this season.

 

[Cascarino]

KDB is a better player than Gundogan but for this season alone I believe Gundogan performed better. I don't think KDB was even City's best player this season.

I think that’s a common sentiment about this season and I can understand it. Gundogan was vital for a large part of the season and had a really impressive goal return (and general performances).

I disagree though, I think bar a couple wobbly performances when he’s been for KDB has been so incisive with his passing, in a manner that few other players can be. I think when he’s been present he’s been City’s most influential player, the ability to create so consistently is so rare, and he’s been fairly tidy with the ball while also creating chance after chance. I also love the way he can drive forward with the ball.

I can completely why understand why people would disagree with me though, and I know that stylistically much prefer performances in the KDB mould than someone like Gundogan, even though he’s been great and very vital, which is probably influencing my perception.

 

[Jeppers7]

I think there is a strong argument for Kane, to get his numbers while playing in a poorly performing side (which often set up defensively) is a pretty incredible achievement. Thinking about it I probably would agree that he should have been the winner, you’re right about that.

I disagree with the comments here putting Gundogan above KDB though. He had a brilliant goal return, but he has nowhere near the influence that the Belgian does on the game, his passing really is extraordinary, and there were numerous games in the league this season that had someone with a different name produced, there would be incredible hype.

Eh?...Everything KDB does is incredibly hyped. I remember the goal he scored at Chelsea where it came back off the post to him and Neville raved about his first touch. He’s a professional footballer...if I miscontrolled that on a Sunday morning I’d be very disappointed.

There’s no way he doesn’t get more than enough credit. Everything he does is given massive credit. He’s a great player....the media never stop telling us.

 

[Cascarino]

Eh?...Everything KDB does is incredibly hyped. I remember the goal he scored at Chelsea where it came back off the post to him and Neville raved about his first touch. He’s a professional footballer...if I miscontrolled that on a Sunday morning I’d be very disappointed.

There’s no way he doesn’t get more than enough credit. Everything he does is given massive credit. He’s a great player....the media never stop telling us.

I’m not talking in terms of the wider footballing community (I mean he did just win the PFA award, so clearly he’s getting some kudos ), but rather the reception he’s received this season on this forum and other footballing forums (including City ones). He’s had a lot of criticism on here that I don’t think is warranted, thinking someone else should have won the award is fair but he’s still had a brilliant season.

I remember that goal, and I agree that the touch was nothing special. I think Neville was just caught up in the context of the game itself, City had been in pretty average form and KDB put in an excellent performance to blow Chelsea away within the first 30 minutes.

There’s no argument from me that the media at large give a lot of credit to the Belgian.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Wasn't KDB injured and underwhelming for most of the season or am I imagining things?

 

[RonaldoVII]

Kane, Bruno, Salah, Dias all more deserving than KDB.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Wasn't KDB injured and underwhelming for most of the season or am I imagining things?

No you are right. He won the league though which is the most important thing to get awards.

 

[Irwin99]

He's an amazing player but I think in terms of overall worth to the team Dias was the right choice and he seemed the most influential.

Maybe defenders/goalkeepers don't get recognized enough in these awards. How Vidic didn't win it in 2009 was mental. Giggs and Gerrard were great that year but Vida was unreal bar that one game against Liverpool.

 

[tjb]

I always valued this award the highest but not sure anymore. Bizarre.

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Tbf he should have gotten it in 2018.
Kante should have gotten it in 2016
Hazard should have gotten it in 2017.

So it all balances out.

 

[Mr Smith]

Would drop out Son, drop in a holding midfielder Rice/Ndidi, and make it a midfield diamond. Other than that not much to pick apart.

 

[RedDevil@84]

No you are right. He won the league though which is the most important thing to get awards.

I don't think it is wrong for a City player to get it. I am just surprised that it is KDB.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Not everything is about just goals and assists. Grealish was probably the best player in the league for the first two thirds of the season until he got injured. Son started the season brilliantly for the first month or two, but for the rest of the season he was very similar to Rashford for us - constant poor and frustrating performances somewhat hidden by managing to sneak a goal or assist and the occasional good match. Obviously managing to get those stats up even when playing poorly is a great attribute in it's own right (both for Son and Rashford), but there's no way he should be getting into the Team of the Year ahead of Grealish who was just ridiculously good.

When we are talking about the amount of goals and assists Salah and Son put up, then yes, it is about goals and assists. Grealish was fantastic before injury and may have got in if he didn't get injured. But seeing as he did, then it has to be the front 3 that was picked

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Son is assisting and playing off Kane.

Grealish was a one man team for a really average villa, creating tonnes of chances spurned by the hapless Watkins and gang.
Plus missed 3months injured on top!

I watched ever Villa game until he was injured and he should have had 4-5 assists a game.

That is why he isnt in the team of the season