By Laurie Fitzgerald

On Sunday night, the Professional Football Association revealed the recipients of their numerous annual awards as the Premier League season draws ever nearer to its conclusion.

Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie received the PFA Player of the Year after his 27 league goals have helped keep the Gunners on course for a Champions League spot.

Tottenham full-back Kyle Walker was awarded the PFY Young Player of the Year following his impressive displays at for Harry Redknapp’s side.

Also announced was the PFA team of the year, where the best players in their respective positions are recognised for their efforts throughout the campaign.

As always, this has drawn plenty of debate from football lovers as to those that deserve to be in the XI, and those that have been unfairly ignored for their performances over the past nine months.    

Joe Hart was recognised as the goalkeeper of choice after the England stopper has helped Manchester City remain on course for their first ever Premier League title.

While Hart has constantly impressed, the likes of Newcastle’s Tim Krul and Swansea’s Michel Vorm can feel hard done by after some superb performances between the sticks.

It’s hard to argue with the centre-back pairing of Vincent Kompany and Fabricio Coloccini; City’s Belgian rock has become the best defender in the league, while Coloccini – like most Toon players under Pardew – has been a model of consistency throughout.

Although the likes of Martin Skrtel, Laurent Koscielny and Younes Kaboul have made great strides this year, Kompany and Coloccini have been the stand-out centre-halves.

Walker earns the right-back slot following his young player award, while Leighton Baines has continued to impress for Everton and is in the team at left-back.

The midfield probably draws the greatest scrutiny, with some players in the team that had outstanding first parts to the campaign only to have struggled in recent months.

Yaya Toure is the driving force of the City side and deserves to be in the team, but the rest of the midfield could be scrutinised.

David Silva was undoubtedly the player of the season up until Christmas, but the Spaniard’s creative spark has gone missing and coincided with Roberto Mancini’s side losing their grip in the title battle with fellow neighbours United.

Scott Parker and Gareth Bale have been excellent, but they like the rest of the Spurs side have struggled to maintain the level of performance that made them title candidates at the beginning of the year.

Players like Newcastle duo Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye, Fulham’s Clint Dempsey and Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia deserve recognition for their season’s in the centre or on the wings respectively.

Others may also mention Valencia’s team-mate Paul Scholes, who has been instrumental in United’s ominous march to the summit, but it’s difficult to justify selection for a player who has only played half a campaign, as good as the 37 year-old has been.

Up front the top two strikers have earnt their place with top scorer Van Persie alongside Wayne Rooney, whose 26 goals this season have underlined once again just how important he will be to England’s Euro 2012 chances, despite missing the opening two matches of the tournament.

Sergio Aguero can probably consider himself the most unfortunate not to make the XI, as the Argentine’s pulsating displays in his first year in England have helped strengthen City’s credentials.

Yakubu, Demba Ba, Emmanuel Adebayor and Grant Holt have all had seasons to remember but it’s difficult stating that these players deserve to be ahead of Van Persie and Rooney.

All in all it seems a pretty fair selection of players, but the midfield is certainly an area that can provide widespread debate in a team based on the consistency of an entire season.

So what do you think? Is it a fair team of the year? Or are there players that have been unfairly left out? Are there any players from your team or another that deserves a mention? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

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