I posted earlier on Twitter about having created a best XI of players I've seen in a first hand capacity. I've decided to kill time by creating a best XI of players I've seen live, without including Celtic players. It is here.
GK - Oliver Kahn
DEF - Bixente Lizerazu
DEF - Nemanja Vidic
DEF - Paolo Maldini
DEF - Cafu
MID - Ronaldinho
MID - Xavi
MID - Kaka
MID - Lionel Messi
FWD - Samuel Eto'o
FWD - Henrik Larsson (I'm allowed to pick him because he scored against us)
I'll admit, Lizerazu is only there by virtue of me not really giving a flying f*ck about defenders. Honourable mentions must go to Andres Iniesta, Pavel Nedved and Alessandro Del Piero, and maybe Cristiano Ronaldo too. Scholes and Giggs were basically too old by the time I'd seen them, but Giggs wouldn't get in anyway. Scholes maybe in his prime would be there before Xavi. Kahn is there because Buffon didn't play at Parkhead, only in the away game (WHICH WE WERE CHEATED IN) so I technically haven't seen him live.
You'll note that I've seen Deco on many occasions and he's nowhere to be seen. Just sayin'. There's also a considerable concentration of players from the same teams. It just happened that way.
Friday, 29 April 2011
Friday, 8 April 2011
Why Beram Kayal gets my vote for Celtic's player of the year
As we near the business end of the season, inevitably thoughts are drawn to analysing the season as a whole. Of course, nothing is won yet, at the most important thing for Celtic between now and the end of the season is really to win, as many games as possible. It's basically that simple.
One man who will be key for us in the next few weeks, I feel, is Beram Kayal. He is arguably the biggest influence on the team, and I personally would go as far as to say he is irreplaceable. Sure, we have central midfielders, talented ones, in abundance - Brown, Ledley, Ki - however Kayal brings something different to the team. I would never insinuate that our other central midfielders do not possess his drive and will to win - in fact I think Scott Brown in particular would take exception to that, however in Kayal we have a midfielder with endless energy, fight and passion, who not only inspires his teammates in midfield, but all over the pitch.
His performance on Wednesday night against Hibernian in my view was typical of his performances throughout the season. Never shy to throw himself into a challenge, but equally adept at reading the game and cutting out the oppositions attacks before they had even begun. Most of our attacks on Wednesday night came from Kayal winning the ball in the centre of the field and spreading the play. He was, in my view, rightfully given the man of the match award by the match sponsors, despite other players, not least Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes, staking a decent claim.
In the period of time when Kayal was out injured, we didn't do too badly without him - ignoring the month of December if we can here folks - however, what he's brought to the team since he made his brilliant return to first team action in the New Year's derby has proven why he's so valuable. I like to think of him as a kind of combination between Scott Brown and Ki - the drive, determination and passion of Broony combined with the terrific passing ability of Ki. And make no mistake about it, Kayal is also a very technically gifted player. Anyone who can play a cross field ball onto the chest of a midget like James Forrest, as Kayal did a few times on Wednesday night, clearly has some ability in the passing department.
Now, many would state the case for Emilio Izaguirre for player of the year, and he is another who it is difficult to argue against. Gary Hooper, too - where would we be without his goals? These two would not be easily replaced. However, in Charlie Mulgrew, we would have a ready made replacement for Izaguirre, albeit a less talented one, and we have a few forward thinking players who could chip in with the kind of goals Hooper's absence would require. We would be a poorer team without the pair of them, but we'd cope. However, I really feel that despite our abundance of options in midfield, we don't really have anyone who can influence the game and his teammates as Beram Kayal, and for this reason he would be my player of the season.
One man who will be key for us in the next few weeks, I feel, is Beram Kayal. He is arguably the biggest influence on the team, and I personally would go as far as to say he is irreplaceable. Sure, we have central midfielders, talented ones, in abundance - Brown, Ledley, Ki - however Kayal brings something different to the team. I would never insinuate that our other central midfielders do not possess his drive and will to win - in fact I think Scott Brown in particular would take exception to that, however in Kayal we have a midfielder with endless energy, fight and passion, who not only inspires his teammates in midfield, but all over the pitch.
His performance on Wednesday night against Hibernian in my view was typical of his performances throughout the season. Never shy to throw himself into a challenge, but equally adept at reading the game and cutting out the oppositions attacks before they had even begun. Most of our attacks on Wednesday night came from Kayal winning the ball in the centre of the field and spreading the play. He was, in my view, rightfully given the man of the match award by the match sponsors, despite other players, not least Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes, staking a decent claim.
In the period of time when Kayal was out injured, we didn't do too badly without him - ignoring the month of December if we can here folks - however, what he's brought to the team since he made his brilliant return to first team action in the New Year's derby has proven why he's so valuable. I like to think of him as a kind of combination between Scott Brown and Ki - the drive, determination and passion of Broony combined with the terrific passing ability of Ki. And make no mistake about it, Kayal is also a very technically gifted player. Anyone who can play a cross field ball onto the chest of a midget like James Forrest, as Kayal did a few times on Wednesday night, clearly has some ability in the passing department.
Now, many would state the case for Emilio Izaguirre for player of the year, and he is another who it is difficult to argue against. Gary Hooper, too - where would we be without his goals? These two would not be easily replaced. However, in Charlie Mulgrew, we would have a ready made replacement for Izaguirre, albeit a less talented one, and we have a few forward thinking players who could chip in with the kind of goals Hooper's absence would require. We would be a poorer team without the pair of them, but we'd cope. However, I really feel that despite our abundance of options in midfield, we don't really have anyone who can influence the game and his teammates as Beram Kayal, and for this reason he would be my player of the season.
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