Premiership Greatest XI
This is a very difficult thing to do and it is all about opinions after all. Some of the choices will be universally approved while some would be mocked or even condemned.
My choice would be Peter Schmeichel over David Seaman for goal keppers.
I have gone for a 3-man defense for my first team because I could not leave out some players in the more advanced positions and had also because I do not think that there has been an outstanding right back who really stands out from the rest to warrant being in my first team.
The 3 defenders I have chosen for my first team are Tony Adams who has been Arsenal's best defender and captain in the last 30 years.
He did not have the natural ability, athleticism or speed of many of the defenders on the list but he had leadership and organizational abilities which are just as crucial for a defense.
Marcel Desailly of Chelsea who had everything you want in a defender; strength, speed and leadership.
The final defender I have picked is Jaap Stam of Manchester United who like the other 2, had all the qualities you want in a defender.
Midfielders
I am not going to make a list here because I have cheated and put some players that are essentially forwards but I chosen to class them as defenders as there was no way I was going to leave any of them out for the other.
I have picked 2 genuine central midfielders who would have to be the ball winners because the other 3 are not likely to defend at all.
They are perhaps the best 2 in their respective positions and would be in most people's list as the very best player to have played in the premiership and they are Roy Keane of Manchester United and Patrick Vieira of Arsenal.
They were not just very competitive and combative but they were also very good players on the ball as well. They were totally inspirational to their teams and led their teams to many victories.
The 3 other "midfielders" are the best players to have played for their respective clubs, in terms of technical ability and they are Eric Cantona of Manchester United who was the inspiration for their winning the premiership for the first time in 25 years when they won it in 1992/93 season.
He has arguably being the main catalyst for their triumphs thereafter. Dennis Bergkamp was just technically perfect, and as far as I am concerned the best player to have won an Arsenal shirt. Gianfranco Zola was another genius with the football and was rightly voted Chelsea's best ever player.
Strikers
This is always going to be the most position to pick just 2 outstanding candidates out of 50 excellent choices but I have gone managed to pick 2 of the very best.
They are as different as chalk and cheese, but they had scoring goals as their common attribute. The first player I have picked is arguably the most exciting player to have played in the premiership and most would agree that it has been a privileged for the premiership to have had Thierry Henry grace it with absolute brilliance.
He is not just a goal scorer but he created lots and lots of chances for his teammates and scored so many contenders for best goal ever in the premiership. His partner is quite simply the best striker in premiership history as his goals will attest to.
Alan Shearer was just a goal scoring phenomenon who also had more to his game than scoring goals. He is still the leading scorer in the premiership history and it will take a great effort for his record to be broken. He is the only player to have scored a century of goals for 2 different clubs in the Premiership.
by dennis Neri
