EPL: Team of the Year So Far In 2010-11

Sunderland's scintillating 3-0 victory at champions Chelsea this afternoon brought Week 13 of the 2010-11 Premier League to a close in style. A surprise victory for Stoke City against Liverpool and an impressive performance by Aston Villa against Manchester United on Saturday meant that there was a trio of shock results this weekend. 

In truth, this weekend has been typical of this season; shock results and performances around every corner. With Bolton fifth and Sunderland climbing to sixth and Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool both languishing in the bottom half of the table, it really has become impossible to predict the unpredictable.

Even Chelsea and Manchester United, usually both so composed and experienced in escaping from adverse circumstances with positive results, have shown more frailties than expected. That there are just six points between fifth and 18th position show that teams are taking points from each other in an entertaining merry-go-round.

All of this suggests that fans have never had it better.

In the following slideshow, I choose the 11 best players in their respective positions based on their performances for their team, their Actim Index score and the number of clean sheets, goals and assists they have to their name.

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech

Clive Rose/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Goalkeeper Petr Cech of Chelsea in action during the UEFA Champions League Group F match between Chelsea and Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge on November 3, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Age: 28

Club: Chelsea

Appearances: 13

Clean Sheets: 8

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Team Position: 1st

Actim Index Rank: 12th

Right Back: Branislav Ivanovic

Scott Heavey/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 14: Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea reacts as Asamoah Gyan scores Sunderland's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on November 14, 2010 in London, England. (Phot

Age: 26

Club: Chelsea

Appearances: 11

Clean Sheets: 7

Goals: 1

Assists: 1

Team Position: 1st

Actim Index Rank: 43rd

Centre Back: Liam Ridgewell

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Liam Ridgewell of Birmingham City celebrates his first half goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Birmingham City and Blackpool at St Andrews on October 23, 2010 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Laurenc

Age: 26

Club: Birmingham City

Appearances: 13

Clean Sheets: 5

Goals: 3

Assists: 0

Team Position: 18th

Actim Index Rank: 23rd

Centre Back: John Terry

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: John Terry (R) and Petr Cech of Chelsea are unable to stop Fernando Torres of Liverpool scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield on November 7, 2010 in Li

Age: 29

Club: Chelsea

Appearances: 11

Clean Sheets: 7

Goals: 0

Assists: 1

Team Position: 1st

Actim Index Rank: 13th

Left Back: Ashley Cole

Clive Rose/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Ashley Cole of Chelsea in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on October 23, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Age: 29

Club: Chelsea

Appearances: 12

Clean Sheets: 8

Goals: 0

Assists: 3

Team Position: 1st

Actim Index Rank: 11th

Centre Midfielder: Kevin Nolan

Michael Regan/Getty Images

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Kevin Nolan of Newcastle celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 5-0 during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Sunderland at St James' Park on October 31, 2010 in Newcastle upon Ty

Age: 28

Club: Newcastle United

Appearances: 12

Clean Sheets: 3 

Goals: 7

Assists: 0

Team Position: 8th

Actim Index Rank: 3rd

Centre Midfield: Darren Fletcher

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

BURSA, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 02: Darren Fletcher of Manchester United celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Bursapor Kulubu and Manchester United at the Bursa Ataturk Stadium on November 2, 2010 in Bursa, Turkey. (P

Age: 26

Club: Manchester United

Appearances: 12

Clean Sheets: 5

Goals: 2

Assists: 3

Team Position: 3rd

Actim Index Rank: 8th

Centre Midfield: Alex Song

Clive Rose/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Alex Song of Arsenal holds off Luis Boa Morte of West Ham during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on October 30, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty I

Age: 23

Club: Arsenal

Appearances: 11

Clean Sheets: 3

Goals: 3

Assists: 1 

Team Position: 2nd

Actim Index Rank: 20th

Right Wing: Luis Nani

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Luis Nani of Manchester United celebrates as he scores their first goal during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Manchester United and Bursaspor Kulubu at Old Trafford on October 20, 2010 in Manchester, Eng

Age: 24

Club: Manchester United

Appearances: 12

Clean Sheets: 5

Goals: 4

Assists: 9

Team Position: 3rd

Actim Index Rank: 9th

Left Wing: Florent Malouda

Scott Heavey/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 14: Florent Malouda of Chelsea in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on November 14, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

Age: 30

Club: Chelsea

Appearances: 12

Clean Sheets: 7

Goals: 7

Assists: 0

Team Position: 1st

Actim Index Rank: 2nd

Forward: Andrew Carroll

Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 10: Andy Carroll of Newcastle wins the ball ahead of Christopher Samba of Blackburn during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers at St James' Park on November 10, 2010 in N

Age: 21

Club: Newcastle United

Appearances: 13

Clean Sheets: 4

Goals: 7

Assists: 4

Team Position: 8th

Actim Index Rank: 4th

Substitutes

Scott Heavey/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 14: Didier Drogba of Chelsea applauds during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on November 14, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

Matthew Gilks (Blackpool)

Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)

Leighton Baines (Everton)

Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)

Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham City)

Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)

Didier Drogba (Chelsea)