EPL Team of the Year 2009 - Right Back

Mr. Guappa

Missed the vote for this but delighted O'Shea won it, can't believe it was so close TBH. He was not eyecatching every week but solid at all times, and popped up with a few goals too.

I'm not being biased as I don't think he is a truly great RB, but in 2009 I think he was the best in the EPL.

Of the other main contenders:
Johnson: great going forward but cannot defend.
Sagna: too inconsistent
Bosingwa: didnt keep up his early Chelsea form in '09

Johner

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

Missed the vote for this but delighted O'Shea won it, can't believe it was so close TBH. He was not eyecatching every week but solid at all times, and popped up with a few goals too.

I'm not being biased as I don't think he is a truly great RB, but in 2009 I think he was the best in the EPL.

Of the other main contenders:
Johnson: great going forward but cannot defend.
Sagna: too inconsistent
Bosingwa: didnt keep up his early Chelsea form in '09

Johnson's defending has improved.
Sagna is a model of consistency.
Bosingwa was injured for most of 09 so what are you talking about?

Mr. Guappa

Johner wrote: »

Johnson's defending has improved.
Sagna is a model of consistency.
Bosingwa was injured for most of 09 so what are you talking about?

Bosingwa missed 4 league games in the 08-09 season and has played 8 times this term, I would not call that "injured for most of 09"

Glen Johnson is not related to a defender. Last season Liverpool conceded 27 goals in 38 games, this season they have conceded 25 in 18 games. I'm not saying he is the sole cause but his "defending" certainly has not helped.

Similarly I think Sagna is great going forward but liable to fall asleep from time to time.

I guess I just prefer my full backs to be able to defend first and foremost and be a decent outlet going forward (Gary Neville in his prime being the perfect example)

Johner

Bosingwa hasn't been fully fit to judge him for 09. He hasn't had a run of games for a long period of time apart from the first first few months of 09 and the start of this season.Fair enough though he wasn't great at the start of 09. He has had a problem with his knee for the last few months. He wont be fully fit for another month unfortunately.

If you ask most Liverpool fans if they are happy with Johnson's contribution they will say yes, he is easily becoming the best RB in the league, again he had a brilliant last season with Pompey which half was 09.

Sagna was great last season and has been good this season. He was awful against Chelsea though but is usually very reliable and consistent.

Would you rather O'Shea at RB for United than a fully fit Bosingwa,Sagna or Johnson?

SlickRic

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

Glen Johnson is not related to a defender. Last season Liverpool conceded 27 goals in 38 games, this season they have conceded 25 in 18 games. I'm not saying he is the sole cause but his "defending" certainly has not helped.

this myth again.

he's been Liverpool's best defender this year, bar the last two games where he's made bad errors, costing us 2 of those goals.

our inability to defend set pieces is why we've let in so many goals this season...nothing to do with Johnson whatsoever.

as has been said, JOS was never the best RB in 2009, even though he was good. it was quite clearly Sagna. just because JOS was part of a great unit does not automatically mean he was the best RB in the league this calendar year.

flahavaj

Gowan Johnno, the pride of Waterford and a deserved accolade. Fine young man as well, to boot.

jank

I am sorry but O.shea being the best right back in the PL for 2009 makes this thread a joke, especially when "fans" lobby votes to get their own across the line. Horse $hit!!:mad:

jank

Park Ji Sung wrote: »

No, since nobody else is capable of forming their own opinion.:rolleyes:

Well yes they are but because of retarded posts like this http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=63616972&postcount=8883 it makes the whole process a Joke!!

If you are so concerned about other peoples free opinion why lobby others to vote the way YOU want them to......

Kold

Can I withdraw my vote for Young and give it to Sagna?

Mr.Nice Guy

jank wrote: »

I am sorry but O.shea being the best right back in the PL for 2009 makes this thread a joke, especially when "fans" lobby votes to get their own across the line. Horse $hit!!:mad:

Part of a United defence that set new records, named by Sir Alex in his team for the CL Final well before the game, making the right-back spot his own despite competition from able competitors such as Brown, Neville and Rafael...I think he's more than deserving.

People going on about Sagna - he's been well below the standards he set in previous years.

As for Johnson, yeah he'd be great if he could do the defensive aspect of the game. Even Hansen knocked his form on MOTD on Saturday.

As flahavaj said, well done Johnno. :cool:

L'prof

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Part of a United defence that set new records, named by Sir Alex in his team for the CL Final well before the game, making the right-back spot his own despite competition from able competitors such as Brown, Neville and Rafael...I think he's more than deserving.

People going on about Sagna - he's been well below the standards he set in previous years.

As for Johnson, yeah he'd be great if he could do the defensive aspect of the game. Even Hansen knocked his form on MOTD on Saturday.

As flahavaj said, well done Johnno. :cool:

A below par Sagna is better than John O'Shea. Like I said earlier, O'Shea would be a solid addition to any squad, just would never make any team of the season as there are much better players around!

mayordenis

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Part of a United defence that set new records, named by Sir Alex in his team for the CL Final well before the game, making the right-back spot his own despite competition from able competitors such as Brown, Neville and Rafael...I think he's more than deserving.

People going on about Sagna - he's been well below the standards he set in previous years.

As for Johnson, yeah he'd be great if he could do the defensive aspect of the game. Even Hansen knocked his form on MOTD on Saturday.

As flahavaj said, well done Johnno. :cool:

Even Hansen? That bastion of highbrow Journalism? lol at you

Anyway did he really have very much competition from Brown and Neville, who were injured.
and Rafael who is incredibly fast and direct, and that's it, that's all there is with him, nothing else, 0% defence.

This whole thread and idea of making a team is fully ****ed over by people voting based on the team they support, especially when someone like O shea, who is reasonably dependable but so very limited is the front runner for right back of the year.

Pro. F

jank wrote: »

Well yes they are but because of retarded posts like this http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=63616972&postcount=8883 it makes the whole process a Joke!!

If you are so concerned about other peoples free opinion why lobby others to vote the way YOU want them to......

I just don't get fanboys. Do ye like looking like childish football retards or what is it?

JOS best RB in the league?! Help me Jebus

Also, well done on ruining the fun of this thing for everybody else with your pointless pissing contest. Ye have basically just proved that there are more retards who support United on this forum than any other team.

Liam O

mayordenis wrote: »

Even Hansen? That bastion of highbrow Journalism? lol at you

Anyway did he really have very much competition from Brown and Neville, who were injured.
and Rafael who is incredibly fast and direct, and that's it, that's all there is with him, nothing else, 0% defence.

This whole thread and idea of making a team is fully ****ed over by people voting based on the team they support, especially when someone like O shea, who is reasonably dependable but so very limited is the front runner for right back of the year.

there are as many Liverpool fans if not more on boards. Why didn't Johnson win? There have been no standout RBs in the PL for a while now, O'Shea was the best of a bad bunch this year.

EDIT: Pro F, where does it say best RB in the league? as far as I can read it's just 2009 we are voting on. Maybe check before you start calling people retards...

Mr.Nice Guy

jasonorr wrote: »

A below par Sagna is better than John O'Shea. Like I said earlier, O'Shea would be a solid addition to any squad, just would never make any team of the season as there are much better players around!

Sorry but I disagree wholeheartedly here. O'Shea has been one of United's better players in 2009. Wes Brown made the team of the season the year he was first choice right-back. Would you say he was better than O'Shea has been in 2009? For me there is little between the two there. I couldn't make that claim personally and I was a big fan of Brown that season.

mayordenis wrote:

Even Hansen? That bastion of highbrow Journalism? lol at you

Anyway did he really have very much competition from Brown and Neville, who were injured.
and Rafael who is incredibly fast and direct, and that's it, that's all there is with him, nothing else, 0% defence.

This whole thread and idea of making a team is fully ****ed over by people voting based on the team they support, especially when someone like O shea, who is reasonably dependable but so very limited is the front runner for right back of the year

Well I don't mind Hansen but obviously you do. Yes I think he did have a fair bit of competititon. Rafael for example did well and was a contender for young player of the year, and Brown would have come in if O'Shea wasn't up to standard.

I agree with you voting for those you support ruins the concept but I don't believe most have done so. I don't see why O'Shea is so readily dismissed though I do feel there are very few quality right-backs around, not just in the Premiership but in world football.

I don't think O'Shea is comparable to an Evra as a full-back, but looking at the right-back contenders I genuinely feel he is the best of this list.

L'prof

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Sorry but I disagree wholeheartedly here. O'Shea has been one of United's better players in 2009. Wes Brown made the team of the season the year he was first choice right-back. Would you say he was better than O'Shea has been in 2009? For me there is little between the two there. I couldn't make that claim personally and I was a big fan of Brown that season.

I'd definitely have a fully fit Brown ahead of O'Shea.

Liam O

jasonorr wrote: »

I'd definitely have a fully fit Brown ahead of O'Shea.

why if you don't mind me asking?

L'prof

Brown has injury troubles, so it's all hypothetical but, he's very solid and has generally impressed me when I've seen him play. With O'Shea, he can play in various positions but, I just don't feel he's as solid in any of them.

Liam O

jasonorr wrote: »

Brown has injury troubles, so it's all hypothetical but, he's very solid and has generally impressed me when I've seen him play. With O'Shea, he can play in various positions but, I just don't feel he's as solid in any of them.

he has only played in RB this year though and has really grown into it. He played great at LB when he first broke through and is now playing very well at RB.

Pro. F

Liam O wrote: »

EDIT: Pro F, where does it say best RB in the league? as far as I can read it's just 2009 we are voting on. Maybe check before you start calling people retards...

best rb in 2009 yes. best rb in the EPL in 2009 yes, that's what we voted on. I just didn't use the full title.

I don't mind people voting JOS as the best rb for 2009 in the EPL if that's what they actually believe - although it is VERY wrong imo, at least it generates debate. But this pole has been fùcked by United fanboys actively canvasing for votes for ''their'' players in the mega thread. It's like something 10-year-old children would do. I think you might agree with me Liamo that trying to vote in to the team as many United players as they can is pretty retarded.

It's not that big a deal I suppose, but it's annoying and it makes the whole thing pointless.

Mr.Nice Guy

jasonorr wrote:

I'd definitely have a fully fit Brown ahead of O'Shea.

As I said before I was a big fan of Brown when he had the right-back slot but I've been very impressed with O'Shea there in the role. I feel there's very little between the two's performances when both are fit.

I think it's a reflection on how well John has performed that in the summer, when United fans were discussing areas that needed to be improved, from what I can recall very, very few cited the right-back spot due to the fact it was felt we were well covered there.

He's not as flashy as others in the league but he can tackle well and his link-up play going forward is seriously underrated. He can also chip in with vital goals in important games.

In my view he's a bit like Fletcher in the sense that both have come in for flak from United fans in previous seasons yet both have gone on to become valuable assets to the team.

Pro. F

Liam O wrote: »

he has only played in RB this year though and has really grown into it. He played great at LB when he first broke through and is now playing very well at RB.

But he's not playing very well at right back. Aside from offering very little going forward, more importantly he is prone to mistakes when defending. He just makes bad choices too often. Darren Bent's goal and Bellamy's goal (the long range one) were both directly his fault. And those are just the high profile mistakes, he often makes bad decisions. He is in no way a solid defender. Sagna is easilly more dependable at the back, he's just unfortunate that he has a poor pair of CBs inside. And then there's obviously the attacking qualities that are worlds apart.

jank

Pro. F wrote: »

I just don't get fanboys. Do ye like looking like childish football retards or what is it?

JOS best RB in the league?! Help me Jebus

Also, well done on ruining the fun of this thing for everybody else with your pointless pissing contest. Ye have basically just proved that there are more retards who support United on this forum than any other team.

Agreed, whole concept ruined by the usual retardness displayed by some.

x PyRo

For the life of me, i just can't figure out how John O'Shea is topping this poll ?. Apart from the obvious Irish/Manchester United fan base claims but come on. He's not even Uniteds best right back let alone the whole English Premier League.

Pepe LeFrits

Rooney ?
Giggs Fletcher ? ?
Evra Vidic Ferdinand O'Shea
Given

Fuhrer

x PyRo wrote: »

For the life of me, i just can't figure out how John O'Shea is topping this poll ?. Apart from the obvious Irish/Manchester United fan base claims but come on. He's not even Uniteds best right back let alone the whole English Premier League.

Because its not about who is the best right back, its about who played the best at right back that year?

leninbenjamin

x PyRo wrote: »

He's not even Uniteds best right back let alone the whole English Premier League.

A lot of people seem to be forgetting this is for performance in 2009 only, and not a 'best player' poll (which Sagna wold win easily btw ).

2009 has been a pretty sh*te year for RB. That's why O'Shea is winning.

Boswinga getting injured and Ivanovic taking a long time to get accustomed to the position (although he's playing pretty well now).

Glen Johnson blows hot and cold. Absolutely fantastic one moment, but makes some horribly basic defending errors. He can (and I would say will) come good yet, but this season he's been quite poor.

Sagna's ability isn't in question, but 2008/2009 was a very bad season for him (largely due to the death of his brother). He was going through the motions and was regularly caught out defensively. He's looked much better this season but he was a big liability at times at the start of the year imo and people seem to be forgetting how awful he was at times last season.

And outside the top 4, you've no team who plays with the defensive consistency needed for this award. Luke Young maybe, but then again he's been covering at LB a lot.

So while I know a fair few will criticise JOS decision making at times (and not unjustifiably), he's the only RB I can remember watching this year who I can say was solid on every occasion I've seen him, and defensively he has been as consistent as any of the other major contenders imo. He gets the nod ahead of the others for me because of his contribution to United's League and European run.

And before any idiot levels United bias at me, I'm an Arsenal fan.

SlickRic

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

As for Johnson, yeah he'd be great if he could do the defensive aspect of the game. Even Hansen knocked his form on MOTD on Saturday.

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Glen Johnson blows hot and cold. Absolutely fantastic one moment, but makes some horribly basic defending errors. He can (and I would say will) come good yet, but this season he's been quite poor.

he's made poor errors in the last 2 games.

for the rest of the year he's been brilliant; playing so well for Portsmouth that he had Livepool and Chelsea in for him.

when fit, he's been Liverpool's best defender.

it's cliché at this stage to call his defending bad. he still has work to do, but i've been happy with him defensively. it's our set-piece defending that's been the problem.

JOS is limited. he was limited in 2009, and will always be limited. he's solid, that is it.

he was not the best RB in the league this year. Sagna is. he's been stronger, quicker, and for the most part has been as solid as O'Shea.

i'll say it again; we all know this deep down. but bias is going to destroy the concept of this whole thing.

eagle eye

When are the centre backs coming up. United will deffo win one spot if not both, as is the norm in this poll. Just basing it on what has happened over the first three polls its almost certain to be Vidic and Richard Dunne.:pac:

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

leninbenjamin

SlickRic wrote: »

he's made poor errors in the last 2 games.

for the rest of the year he's been brilliant; playing so well for Portsmouth that he had Livepool and Chelsea in for him.

when fit, he's been Liverpool's best defender.

it's cliché at this stage to call his defending bad. he still has work to do, but i've been happy with him defensively. it's our set-piece defending that's been the problem.

We've had this argument before. I told you his positioning was bad, you defended him, then the next game he goes and gives away two goals to Arsenal because of awful defensive positioning His defensive ability is made to look better than it is because of the teams he was in, a struggling Portsmouth and a leaky Liverpool. As I said to you before he can be a fantastic defender, but he's a lot of work to do yet.

SlickRic

leninbenjamin wrote: »

then the next game he goes and gives away two goals to Arsenal because of awful defensive positioning

to be a bit pedantic, the first goal was due to bad control. he actually defended the damn cross well enough, but just walked it into his net.

the second goal was due to hesitancy on his part, and lightning reactions from arshavin.

neither had much to do with positioning.

leninbenjamin wrote: »

His defensive ability is made to look better than it is because of the teams he was in, a struggling Portsmouth and a leaky Liverpool. As I said to you before he can be a fantastic defender, but he's a lot of work to do yet.

clichés.

i didn't see Portsmouth enough to comment on everything they did, but he did enough to get a move.

At Liverpool, he doesn't look better because we're leaking goals. that's a bit of a weird statement to make. the problem has been set pieces and central defence. he's been very solid, regularly covering Carra's f*ck ups.

i'll agree with you on one thing though, he has work to do.

because of his offensive nature, he has to be perfection in defence or else he'll be criticised to high heaven. it's easy to criticise an attacking full back for being 'bad' defensively. so he does need to get better.

leninbenjamin

SlickRic wrote: »

to be a bit pedantic, the first goal was due to bad control. he actually defended the damn cross well enough, but just walked it into his net.

the second goal was due to hesitancy on his part, and lightning reactions from arshavin.

neither had much to do with positioning.

Had a watch of them again to be certain, and I still disagree.

You're right in some respects, the OG was bad control but the reason that happened was because he was in the wrong place in the first place. He'd let Walcott get distance on him and was rushing in to make up for it. He was the wrong side of the defender, he was too far away to make a proper interception and he seemed to assume Carra would spot the run of Walcott and which you simply should never ever ever do as a defender!

As for the second, you only have to look at how far he is from Arshavin to see his positioning is terrible. There's a good 3 yards between them when the cross comes into the box, he's completely asleep and doesn't even seem to realise Arshavin is there. Yes it was a great strike by Arshavin, but he shouldn't have had the time to do that in the box and it was only because Johnson gifted him so much room.

Those are textbook examples of what not to do as a defender tbh. I dare say you're looking at those goals from an attackers p.o.v. perhaps?

SlickRic wrote: »

clichés.

Yes, but at the same time it's true. It's much easier to look good in a weak defence than it is in a good one. Your errors dont stand out as much when those around you are doing the same.

SlickRic wrote: »

i didn't see Portsmouth enough to comment on everything they did, but he did enough to get a move.

He did enough, but at the same time there are very few other top class RBs around at the moment and this has upped his cause.

SlickRic wrote: »

the problem has been set pieces

And he's terrible when the ball is in the air.

SlickRic wrote: »

because of his offensive nature, he has to be perfection in defence or else he'll be criticised to high heaven. it's easy to criticise an attacking full back for being 'bad' defensively. so he does need to get better.

A defender is a defender at the end of the day. It's their job to get the defending right first, then they can go and add the attacking element to their game. You're right, it is very difficult to be good at both, but that's the mark of a good full back these days, knowing when it's safe to go and when it isn't.

Vokes

leninbenjamin wrote: »

And outside the top 4, you've no team who plays with the defensive consistency needed for this award. Luke Young maybe, but then again he's been covering at LB a lot.

Paintsil? He has been fantastic in '09 calendar year. Surely the best Prem RB because of both his own performances and the injuries / loss of form to the other typically better RBs that you have mentioned.

danlen

eagle eye wrote: »

When are the centre backs coming up. United will deffo win one spot if not both, as is the norm in this poll. Just basing it on what has happened over the first three polls its almost certain to be Vidic and Richard Dunne.:pac:

+1
its a shame really because the majority of people on this forum seem to have a very good judgement of players and teams but once this poll comes up people can't help but be biased. its human nature i suppose...

John O shea, RB of the year? :pac:

Did Boards.ie members vote in last years PFA awards too??

L'prof

Since canvassing is clearly allowed, why don't me make sure that no other United player gets in the team a la RATM

CR 7

I think the fairest way would be to only allow everyone make one pick, not have multiple votes allowed. Then the 2 most voted for get through. Everyone needs to stop taking this so seriously, it's not like this poll is deciding the FIFA Greatest Team of all Time Award.

eddiehead

The OP should just do one thread "EPL Team of the Year 2009 - Shay Given and some Manchester United players"

Kold

jank wrote: »

Well yes they are but because of retarded posts like this http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=63616972&postcount=8883 it makes the whole process a Joke!!

If you are so concerned about other peoples free opinion why lobby others to vote the way YOU want them to......

Park Ji Sung wrote: »

I think the fairest way would be to only allow everyone make one pick, not have multiple votes allowed. Then the 2 most voted for get through. Everyone needs to stop taking this so seriously, it's not like this poll is deciding the FIFA Greatest Team of all Time Award.

>implying we care what he thinks is the fairest way at this stage.

CR 7

jank wrote: »

Well yes they are but because of retarded posts like this http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=63616972&postcount=8883 it makes the whole process a Joke!!

If you are so concerned about other peoples free opinion why lobby others to vote the way YOU want them to......

:D:D

I'm famous.

Park Ji Sung

Park Ji Sung wrote: »

:D:D

I'm famous.

Canvessing for John O Shea.

Something to tell the grandkids.

leninbenjamin

Vokes wrote: »

Paintsil? He has been fantastic in '09 calendar year. Surely the best Prem RB because of both his own performances and the injuries / loss of form to the other typically better RBs that you have mentioned.

Didn't even think of him, shows how much of Fulham I've seen this year .

Pro. F

Vokes wrote: »

Paintsil? He has been fantastic in '09 calendar year. Surely the best Prem RB because of both his own performances and the injuries / loss of form to the other typically better RBs that you have mentioned.

Yup was going to mention him. He's been good every time i've seen him and the Fulham defence has been class in this calendar year. I'd still have Sagna as number one. Probably have Paintsil second and Johnson/JOS 3rd/4th personally.

Pro. F

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Didn't even think of him, shows how much of Fulham I've seen this year .

(warning: very off topic and wandering post)
They're well worth a watch in the Europa. They play fantastic football imho and always punch above their weight when you consider the players they have. Comparing Fulham's performances, in general, to Everton's busts the myth that Moyes is such a good manager imo. Fulham's european games are on Setanta often enough. You just have to hope Lou Macari isn't on the commentary!

jank

Park Ji Sung wrote: »

:D:D

I'm famous.

No your one of those fanboys who just happens to ruin most good things on this forum......

Sheepy99

The amount of people that voted on this poll that were united fans.

o'shea is to be generous, useless.

Eire-Dearg

John O Shea won this?

You've got to be kidding me.

Peyton Manning

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

John O Shea won this?

You've got to be kidding me.

Who exactly do you think is kidding you? The mathetmatics based formula that shows that John O'Shea actually got more votes than anyone else?

Yeah, its on a wind-up. It loves seeing the look on your face.

Mitch Connor

Sheepy99 wrote: »

The amount of people that voted on this poll that were united fans.

o'shea is to be generous, useless.

That just shows a complete lack of football knowledge to be honest. O'Shea is FAR from useless, he has been excellent for United and Ireland over the last season and a bit. His performances improved immensely last season; with consistent game time. He was great at RB for United, and great at CB for Ireland.

To say he is 'to be generous, useless' just shows you're basing your opinion on nothing more than either a dislike of him, or United, or both. Anyone who has watched him since the beginning of last season especially, and takes away bias, will recognise that he has been very very good. Whether they would say he has been the best RB is another matter - but there is, of course, a massive distance between being the best and being 'useless' as you put it.