Goalkeeper: David James (Portsmouth)
After being marred with the harshest of criticism from pundits for his errors in the past, both at the club and international level, Portsmouth shot-stopper David James has taken it upon himself to take his game to an entirely different level after producing a career year at Fratton Park this season.
And it's no coincidence that James' recent run of good form has come along with unprecedented success for Harry Redknapp's men. Combining a strong 8th place showing in the Premier League table and a FA Cup victory to show for their efforts, James' leadership qualities and calming presence at the heart of the Pompey defence has instilled confidence throughout a squad that now has their sights set on Europe.
James' shot stopping ability and remarkable reflexes are one of the many reasons why he was only player outside of the 'Big Four' to be nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award. While amassing a total of 232 saves in 41 appearances for the club, James also managed to break the Portsmouth club record for clean sheets in a season with 21 clean sheets, including both league play and the FA Cup.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper will look to build on undoubtedly his best season to date as he hopes to cement his place in Fabio Capello's long-term plans as England's number one with the 2010 World Cup Qualification Rounds getting ready to take place in the not-so-distant future.
Honorable Mentions:
In a year where Manchester United and Chelsea conceded the fewest goals, with 22 and 26 respectively, Edwin Van Der Sar (Manchester United) and Petr Cech (Chelsea) deserve their share of credit for what was an outstanding season for both world-class goalkeepers.
And while their performances were always consistent at the highest level, both Van der Sar and Cech benefited from playing in behind arguably the best back-lines that the world has to offer. That's also not mentioning the fact that both keepers have had injury struggles of their own to deal with as they both were out for several games with their respective injuries or rotation policies.
Pepe Reina (Liverpool) also turned in a fantastic season for a trophy-less Reds squad that has undergone one of their most turbulent season to date. Even while Liverpool were struggling in the league, Reina remained poised and consistent as he ultimately saved his club from losing any more points in the Premier League.
The same can also be said for two American goalkeepers, Brad Friedel (Blackburn) and Tim Howard (Everton).
Even as the North American soccer market continues to grow, Howard and Friedel provide their fellow countryman with the hope of making it big with their consistently consistent performances in the Premier League. Reliable as ever, both Howard and Friedel possess uncanny reflexes and the ability to make quality saves whenever called upon.
Right Back: Bacary Sagna (Arsenal)
Aside from his outrageously hideous haircut, there's not a whole lot of negative things to say about Arsene Wenger's bargain buy of the season: Bacary Sagna. Arriving from Auxerre for a modest £6.1 million, Sagna is just another gem in a long list of fantastic signings from the French manager.
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