EPL: Premier League 2011/12 Worst XI

Normally this is the time of year that we celebrate the best or most successful of the calendar year and season.

This article is the opposite, and here to highlight some of the worst players in arguably the best league in the world.

We all know Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and David Silva, who we all adore watching week in and week out for the high quality they bring.

But as much as we love to watch these stars there are others who we constantly feel are just being carried along for the ride and have no place on your favourite team, or even in the division.

This piece highlights the worst perpetrators who are picking up a massive wage packet each week without bringing much of anything to the table, and just hiding behind the team's or teammates' successes.

The only rule will be that I can only choose one player from one team in order to avoid just selecting a combination of promoted teams.

Goalkeeper: Paddy Kenny, Queens Park Rangers

Paddy Kenny played almost every game of the 2006/07 season with relegated Sheffield United and is now the No. 1 with a quite frankly awful QPR side.

The common factor involved is manager Neil Warnock, who is loyal to the player.

The 33-year-old is not the most agile of 'keepers and his reaction time for a shot stopper is miserable.

Right-Back: Tony Hibbert, Everton

Tony Hibbert is a loyal servant for Everton FC, that is true, but wouldn't anybody be if they were (quite frankly) awful and highly fortunate to be playing in the Premier League? Let alone for 11 years?

Hibbert is a right-back void of pace and is not particularly strong.

Being 5'9", he's not especially tall and therefore no good in the air either.

Centre-Back: Emerson Boyce, Wigan

Wigan's Emerson Boyce is, to be blunt, a liability.

The 32-year-old is a seasoned Premier Leaguer with the Latics for six seasons, and one more with Crystal Palace.

Boyce has played right-back most often, but has played at centre-back plenty of times to justify his selection here.

His reading of the game is especially poor and he is prone to gaffs when asked to deal with players who enjoy taking on the opposition one-on-one.

Centre-Back: Titus Bramble, Sunderland

Titus Bramble, what is there left to say?

On his day, to be fair, he is capable of having a great game.

If a Championship centre-back was afforded as many opportunities as this man has been then I would be sure the majority could match Bramble's contributions over his career in the EPL.

Having featured over 200 times in the Premier League, to make so many mistakes time and again, fail to learn from them, and yet still be handed a regular place for his team, is completely unheard of!

Left-Back: Paul Robinson, Bolton

Paul Robinson is an atrocious defender.

He has been repeatedly exposed in a leaky Bolton defence and the only attribute he has is experience (and that is solely due to age).

Guilty of making some poor tackles and being a liability for his penchant for yellow cards, any right winger in the league looking for some confidence would relish facing this man.

Centre Midfield: Jay Spearing, Liverpool

Jay Spearing, why does he play for Liverpool?

The answer is simple, he is a born and bred scouser.

Coming through the Liverpool youth setup has allowed him to become a Premier League footballer.

Since Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard, Liverpool have been desperate to promote more youth to their first team, meaning plenty of chances for the youth players who up until now have not been cutting the mustard.

Spearing has done very little to justify a place on the side and with Lucas Leiva injured, he is supposed to be first choice in the midfield.

A frightening prospect for Liverpool fans is if it is on any medium-term basis, should the club not buy a replacement for Lucas in January.

Spearing is liability with his awful tackling, and not just that he is capable of picking up yellow and red cards.

He often charges around leaving his side exposed by lunging in to win unplayable balls.

Defensive Midfielder: Dickson Etuhu, Fulham

Dickson Etuhu is a clumsy footballer who is masquerading as a defensive midfielder simply because of his huge frame and strength.

But the Nigerian is slow and often forced into making fouls to stop the opposition from running in on goal.

Etuhu's touch is notorious too, so much so that Fulham fans have said his second touch is almost always a tackle.

Centre Midfield: Karl Henry, Wolves

Karl Henry is infuriating, solely because he is at a club that rewards his contribution.

This contribution, for me, does not deserve to be in the Premier League.

Henry is aggressive and puts his teammate's health in danger with his constant excessive force in tackles.

His ability on the ball is non-existent and the result of all this is the Wolves' captaincy.

If he was not being managed by Mick McCarthy who practices prehistoric football, or a hometown boy, he would not be in the league.

Right Wing: Wayne Routledge, Swansea

Wayne Routledge is a player who is persistently given opportunities in England's premier division, yet never delivers.

Routledge has never scored a Premier League goal in 105 games, and his end product is inconsistent in terms of a cross or a completed dribble.

The player has amassed almost £10 million in transfer fees in his career, but one has to wonder why he keeps getting chances at the top level.

Left Wing: Gabriel Obertan, Newcastle United

Gabriel Obertan is something of an enigma.

Sir Alex Ferguson signed him from Bordeaux for around £3 million with rumour rife that he had basically stolen one of France's top prospects for a knockdown price.

Two-and-a-half years later it seems patently obvious that Obertan is nothing more than average.

He possesses decent pace but very little else.

The mere fact he attempts a range of tricks to beat opponents only holds up play and allows the defender to set himself with the free time.

He has failed to produce goals in 29 appearances thus far, despite being handed a more advanced role by both Ferguson and now Alan Pardew than most midfielders in a standard 4-4-2 formation.

His work rate is non-existent and frankly his timidness means any full-back relishes an easy day's work when matched versus Obertan.

Striker: Emile Heskey, Aston Villa

Emile Heskey has been consistently poor his entire EPL career.

Sure he has moments where he puts on a performance, but I would expect nothing less from any other average player who has 501 Premier League appearances.

Heskey has returned 16 goals in his last five seasons despite featuring 126 times, meaning he averages a goal every eight games.

His touch is dreadful, and he is horrendously out of shape, yet keeps getting games for established teams in the league.

Follow me on Twitter @jackalexandros and @FRcalcioJack.