The Most Underrated Players in the Premiership

Everybody knows the stars of the Premier League: Ronaldo, Gerrard, Terry, Lampard, Fabregas...The list just drips with class. But behind every star player is a player who puts the team first, every time. A player who is priceless to the manager and does just enough to avoid media praise and just enough to be one of the first names on the team sheet every time.

But who are these masked men? Who are the true heroes of our Premiership age? Let's take a look at some of the current crop.

Arsenal

It's hard to find such a player at Arsenal. Wenger has brought a superb squad of players together. All are technically gifted and are usually superb footballers. But the player I'd choose as Arsenal's most underrated is Gael Clichy.

The French international has cemented himself as probably the best left back in the league over the last few seasons. And it showed how much faith Wenger had in the youngster when he let Ashley Cole move to Chelsea.

Clichy is superb going forward and is an excellent defender. He is always one of the first names on the team sheet and is a great team player, doing the stuff his contemporaries—van Persie, Adebayor, and Fabregas—often feel is beneath them

Aston Villa

Martin Laursen is one of the best centre halves in the Premiership. And since he signed for Villa in 2004, he has been the model of consistency. He was made Captain this summer by Martin O'Neill after Gareth Barry's protracted on/off move to Liverpool.

He is blessed with organisational skills and has been instrumental in Villa's rise under O'Neill. A superb marker and leader on the pitch, Laursen is invaluable to Villa and is often overshadowed in the news by players such as Barry and Agbonlahor. He's a rock at the heart of Villa.

Blackburn Rovers

Since Tugay signed for Blackburn from Rangers in 2001, he has been synonymous with all that has been good at the club. In recent seasons, as age has caught up on the Turkish international, his influence on the pitch has seen a reduction, as his body starts to feel its age. A supreme passer of the ball and a throwback to days of old when a midfielder was expected to tackle, pass, and be able to score.

And although Tugay's forays onto the pitch have been limited of late, he is still an important member of the setup at Ewood. Off the field, he is the elder statesman of the club, the place to go to for advice. On the field, he is an example to all. He is in superb condition for a player of his age and is willing to play anywhere for the team.

Bolton Wanderers

Kevin Davies is the dirtiest player in the league. It's official. He has given away more fouls than anyone else in the league. And this is just a sample of Davies never-say-die approach to the game.

A big, hulking centre-forward who fights to the last, Davies is the first name on Gary Megson's team sheet every week. But to describe Davies as a battering ram is to do him a disservice. In an age where we celebrate players like Ronaldo, Davies is a throw back to the '70s and '80s, where effort often overcame skill.

Since making Bolton his home in 2003, Davies has played 180 times and scored 40 goals. Not a great return, but he is invaluable to the Bolton team effort.

Chelsea

Chelsea have an incredible squad—one of the best in world football. They have superb players in every position and boast the biggest collection of top-class players in any team. Finding an underrated player in the Chelsea squad is hard, but not as hard as you think.

Jon Obi Mikel is that player. Since signing from Norwegian side Lyn in 2006, the 21-year-old has always been part of Chelsea's plan of world domination. Chelsea signed him from under United's noses, as they searched for Roy Keane's heir. And they came close to signing him, too.

Obi Mikel eventually chose Chelsea and over the last three seasons has shown an incredible level of maturity, as he waited his chance to become a Chelsea regular. Now, at the tender age of 21, the world looks like his oyster.

Blessed with speed, strength, stamina, superb technical ability, a fantastic range of passing, and a maturity beyond his years, Mikel looks like he could be one of the best midfielders ever to play in England.

Unlike most modern midfielders, Obi Mikel has the ability to dictate the ebb and flow of matches from central midfield and is one of the most underrated players in Britain, if not the Chelsea team. Most Chelsea players actually rate him as the best player at the club, and with recommendations like that, he can't be that bad.

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