IT'S been a season remarkable in that no team has stood out. Neither of the top two (Chelsea and United) have set the pulses racing or looked close to being invincible.
So instead of celebrating the achievements of the Big Four (that's Chelsea, United, Arsenal AND Spurs... Liverpool in seventh place should be the strongest reminder that the euphoria of Istanbul 2005 has faded), I’m picking my Best XI of the Season from the other 16 clubs.
Pepe Reina, Liverpool's goalkeeper. PHOTO: AFP
GOALKEEPER: Pepe Reina (Liverpool)
He obviously can't handle a beachball but thankfully for the Spaniard, the balls flying at him have been a more familiar size and colour since that visit to the Stadium of Light. Despite what has been a wretched campaign for the Reds (Europa League notwithstanding), Reina has been a reliable presence at the back with 15 clean sheets so far.
RIGHT BACK: Carlos Cuellar (Aston Villa)
Slim pickings in this department but the makeshift right back probably edges it over the likes of Merseyside duo Glen Johnson and Tony Hibbert for his consistency and strong defending. Powerful in the air, his arching header over Edwin van der Sar almost gave Villa a League double over the reigning champions.
CENTRE BACK: Roger Johnson (Birmingham)
One of the steals of the season at 5 million pounds (S$10.5 million), he has overshadowed the likes of England starters John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, despite having never played in the Premier League before. Has stood out manfully in a Blues side that went 12 games unbeaten and has comfortably avoided the relegation scrap.
CENTRE BACK: Richard Dunne (Aston Villa)
Those sheiks over at Manchester obviously know their football. In came Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott for sandbags of money while former City captain Dunne was shipped out. Both Toure and Lescott have yet to impress and struggled to replicate their form from previous seasons.
The Irishman however, has been a tower of strength in the Midlands and his refusal to celebrate his goal against his former club was both a class act and a reminder of some things that 40 million pounds can't buy you.
LEFT BACK: Leighton Baines (Everton)
Surely the best English left back after Ashley Cole, his seat on board the plane to South Africa should be guaranteed after a breakthrough season with the Toffees. An intelligent defender despite his lack of pace, his precise delivery from the left has been one of the main source of goals for Everton (he leads the team with nine assists this season).
RIGHT MIDFIELD: James Milner (Aston Villa)
The only question about his selection was where to play the all-action versatile midfielder. Comfortable on either foot and with enough energy to fuel Homer's Springfield should the nuclear power plant shut down, this has been the season where the nominee for PFA Young Player of the Year has come of age. He might even prove to be Fabio Capello's trump card in South Africa.
CENTRE MIDFIELD: Tim Cahill (Everton)
David Moyes probably goes to sleep every night with a poster of Cahill stuck on his wall. The Australian has been a dream signing for Moyes since he joined the club six years ago. He continues to shoulder much of the goalscoring responsibility with a cool head – nine of his ten League goals this season have come from his forehead. Plus, he has to get some kudos for that Rocky Balboa impression at the corner flag every time he scores.
Jamie O'Hara, Centre Midfield for Portsmith. PHOTO: AFP
CENTRE MIDFIELD: Jamie O'Hara (Portsmouth)
It has been one of the season’s sweetest ironies when Portsmouth beat Tottenham earlier this month for a place in the FA Cup final – in a game that O'Hara was ineligible to play due to the loan agreements between the two clubs. While O'Hara was unable to prevent the South Coast club from avoiding relegation, he has been their stand-out player with his energy and tenaciousness. Even if the season ends with disappointment next month at Wembley, it has been a year to remember for the 23-year-old.
LEFT MIDFIELD: Craig Bellamy (Manchester City)
Everyone has an opinion about the controversial Welshman who is unlikely to rank very high on most people's Christmas list (least of all John Terry). But when it comes to football, Bellamy cannot be ignored. Even at 30, he still possesses blistering pace and a knack for scoring goals. His efforts against United, Arsenal and Chelsea have carried City to victory and within touching distance of that coveted fourth spot.
STRIKER: Bobby Zamora (Fulham)
He has already embarrassed Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro in that stunning 4-1 win over Juventus. Able to hold the ball well and deceptively quick, Zamora has flourished and surged ahead in the pecking order of English strikers thanks to his ability to trouble defences in Europe following his performances in the Europa League.
It is this quality that has set him apart from his compatriots (both Darren Bent and Jermain Defore have scored more goals in the league). From rarely featuring in pub discussions of a "talented English forward", it is a measure of his progress that there is already talk about him earning his first senior cap for England in South Africa.
The silly Carlos Tevez, Manchester City striker, poster. PHOTO: INTERNET
STRIKER: Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)
Maybe what has irked United supporters more than that silly poster in the city centre of this street urchin from Buenos Aires welcoming visitors with his arms wide open has been the realisation that Tevez has moved on. And having watched him score goals at a frightening rate (28 in 37 games so far), it has been a successful transition with little hint of regret on Tevez's part.
Almost impossible to knock off the ball, the stout Argentinian has bullied his way past defenders while also creating space for his teammates to exploit (City's 17 wins this season so far is the most they have managed since 2002).
Perhaps the most damning suggestion for United fans would be that if Tevez has stayed in the Red half of Manchester, a fourth straight league title would have already been secured.
Do you agree with Jonathan? Leave your own personal Best XI below.