2007/2008 Premier League Team Of The Year: The Midfield

Central Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) and Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)

It’s hard to believe, but it was only seven months ago when Gareth Barry finally shot to the scene as an England player with a role to play at the international level. With over 350 appearances under his belt, the Aston Villa captain’s performances this season at Villa Park have earned him the nod—ahead of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Michael Essien, and Javier Mascherano, just to name a few.

Although it’s almost become something of a rarity for a player to possess a strong left foot in the central midfield, Barry is amongst one of the few players that is capable of doing so. His ability to spray the ball left and right across the pitch has all sorts of pundits falling head over heels with his quality as a footballer.

With nine goals and 10 assists to his name in league play this season, his quality in the holding midfield role has won the admiration from Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, as he looks to close in on a deal for Barry, much to Martin O’Neill’s chagrin.

Despite his young age of 21, Cesc Fabregas heads into the upcoming Euro 2008 Championships as one of the greatest players that the footballing world has to offer. Along with his partnership with Mathieu Flamini in the heart of the Arsenal midfield, Fabregas has officially developed into the product that Arsene Wenger had always envisioned him to be.

As well as scoring 13 goals in all competitions, he was also on the end of delivering 20 assists, a stat that reflects his quality as a playmaker.

Pace, vision, youth, leadership, and uncanny tackling ability: Cesc Fabregas is the entire package when it comes to being the ideal central midfielder.

Honorable Mentions:

Teammates Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) have also put in an excellent season while in Liverpool colors with their darting runs and solid tackling abilities.

Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien (Chelsea) had their moments of magic while bringing the Blues’ back to surprising glory in both the Premier League and the Champions League. Ballack, in particular, has bounced back from a previously disappointing season in the Premier League, and figures to be a key player in Chelsea’s long-term future.

Despite Mathieu Flamini’s (Arsenal) decision to bolt to Milan, the Frenchman officially emerged as a player capable of playing a world-class level with his strong challenges and calming presence in front of the Arsenal backline. His departure will mean that Wenger could be looking at another potential target to fill the void left by Flamini.

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