So, NBC sports, with Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Danny Murphy picked their All Premier League starting XI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o7D3-X-6nc
Their squad.
Peter Schmeichel
Gary Neville - Rio Ferdinand - John Terry - Ashley Cole
Cristiano Ronald0 - Steven Gerrard - Frank Lampard - Ryan Giggs
Alan Shearer - Thierry Henry
It got me interested. Can you build an All Premier League XI that can beat that team? Players that they haven't chosen.
I came up with this. (I went 4-2-3-1)
David Seaman
Branislav Ivanovic - Tony Adams - Sol Campbell - Patrice Evra
Patrick Vieira - Nemanja Matic
David Beckham - Cesc Fabregas - Robert Pires
Luis Suarez
Can my team beat the NBC team? More importantly, who's on your team?
(c'mon, we have one day left on the transfer window, and then international break, this is something to do while we wait)
I'll give it a go.
Gotta have Scholes in there. Best CM to ever play in Premier League.
And Cech in goal. Cech was absolutely incredible at Chelsea before Hunt wrecked his head. Never fully recovered from that. Was still very good afterwards but he was absolutely incredible beforehand. Rivaled Buffon for best GK in the world.
GK - Petr Cech
CM - Paul Scholes
Agreed on Sol Campbell and Patrice Evra. Evra was right up there alongside Ashley Cole as the best LB in the world at their respective peaks.
DC - Sol Campbell
DL - Patrice Evra
I'll go with Vidic as Sol's partner in central defense.
And I want Keane in midfield.
DC - Nemanja Vidic
CM - Roy Keane
Agreed on Luis Suarez and I am gonna put Drogba alongside him. Two consummate team players who give everything they have and create goals both for themselves but also for others. They will help create good team-play in the final 3rd. Both put in a shift defensively too.
CF - Luis Suarez
CF - Didier Drogba
The RB position is a tough one. Not a lot of great choices there. I will go with Lauren here. Very good going forward and good defensively too. Played in midfield and was comfortable on the flank or coming inside. Good skills on the ball and good crosser.
Okay, now how to round out this team. I will go with a 4-3-1-2.
I was wondering about Patrick Vieira or whether to go with someone more attacking since I already have Roy Keane in the team ... but I gotta pick Vieira. The idea of Vieira and Keane together in midfield is mouthwatering.
And for the final pick, so many options as my playmaker. I am going to go with Dennis Bergkamp. Lethal passer in the final 3rd. Brilliant at finding runners. Can add in some goals. Great work-rate and a nasty side to him. I like a bit of a nastiness. He will help out in midfield with some defensive work.
Petr Cech
Lauren - Nemanja Vidic - Sol Campbell - Patrice Evra
Patrick Vieira - Paul Scholes - Roy Keane
Dennis Bergkamp
Luis Suarez - Didier Drogba
Toughest to leave out ...
Zola was the hardest one. I liked his mobility, dribbling and movement over the whole final 3rd over Bergkamp. Just so hard for the defense to pickup. But I went with Bergkamp for his physicality and superior creative passing.
Gareth Bale was real tempting too.
And I only just thought of Makelele. He was freakishly dominant at Chelsea but I didn't want a purely defensive midfield player. I wanted guys who could give more in attack.