As the Premier League season comes to an end, it's time to have a look forward to the award season and my team of the season. Leicester and Spurs have surprised everybody and both maintained their strongest title challenges in premier league history.
David De Gea - It is hard to look past Schmeichel and Lloris for best goalkeeper of the year but De Gea has once again showed his qualities with Manchester United in their disappointing campaign. Time after time, United have relied on his quality to get out of trouble with world class saves and man of the match performances being the main positives from another poor season. Rumours continue to circulate surrounding his future but his consistency and quality are turning him into arguably the best goalkeeper in world football.
Kyle Walker - His season didn't start as well as he would have hoped with a 1-0 away loss at Old Trafford and being credited for an own goal but he has become a key member of a solid Spurs defence that went fourteen league games without defeat in the first three months of the season. With only a handful of losses in the league all season and with a top two finish all but guaranteed, Walker and Spurs have had a season to remember.
Wes Morgan - Captain of the best Leicester side in the club's history, he has been a solid defender and capable leader in their search for the title. The defensive partnership between Huth and Morgan has been brilliant and has inspired Leicester to the most clean sheets in the league and five consecutively through March and into April. He is likely and deservedly going to lift the premier league trophy in May and it will be the icing on what has been the best season of his career.
Toby Alderweireld - After a fantastic season with Southampton last year, Spurs swooped in and signed him for just over eleven million and what a bargain buy he has turned out to be. He has turned into the best centre back in the league and has been one of the first names on the Spurs team sheet every week. Helping Spurs to a comfortable top four finish and taking them very close to the first title since 1961, he is somebody Spurs need to keep hold of if they want to push on next season.
Aaron Cresswell - He has continued showing his quality after an impressive debut season in the premier league last season and he is the best left back in the league. Even though Spurs' Rose and Leicester's Fuchs would get most of the praise, I believe that West Ham's search for a Champions League place has been down to the form of a few key players and Cresswell is easily one of those players. He has managed to stay under the radar but he should be considered as one of the best left sided defenders in the county and should even be considered for the European Championships in the summer.
Dimitri Payet - West Ham's best player of the season without a shadow of a doubt. His performances have helped them push for a top four place and he is West Ham's leading goal scorer so far. With all of his qualities, he has given them an extra threat going forward as he's been scoring and assisting with ease and the biggest threat coming from the free kicks as he is gaining the reputation as a real set piece specialist.
Dele Alli - The twenty year old has had a dream debut season in the premier league. He is already considered to be one of the best attacking midfielders in the league and is a key part of the Spurs and even the England team. With Spurs having their best season in the premier league era, Alli is one of the main names in Pochettino's young English crop of players and stands a good chance of being voted Spurs' player of the season.
N'Golo Kanté - He has been one of the most surprising talents this season as he was mostly unknown to English fans but he has gone on to be the most effective defensive midfielder and can walk into any team in the premier league. Hard working and good on the ball, his partnership with Drinkwater has given Leicester an incredibly efficient midfield. People thought it was going to be hard to find somebody who could match Cambiasso's form from last year but not only has Kanté played better than the Argentine, he has been influential in their march to the title.
Riyad Mahrez - Another Leicester player in my team but he has been one of the best. He has given them an extra threat going forward and really impressed during the early stages of the season. Crucial goals have won Leicester a lot of points and the Algerian has been linked with moves to almost every top European team. As the highest scoring midfielder in the league this season, he has played in most of Leicester's games this season, he will be very hard to replace if he does end up leaving.
Jamie Vardy - My player of the season. He has been Leicester's best player and has been at the forefront of their title push. He managed to break Ruud Van Nistleroy's record for most consecutive games to score in. Vardy scored in eleven consecutive premier league games between the 19th August and the 28th November 2015. If he continues his amazing form into next season, Leicester should be a real threat again in the league and even in the champions league.
Harry Kane - Spurs' leading goal scorer and talisman has picked up where he left off last year and is showing his critics that he is good enough and is even being linked with moves to the likes of Real Madrid and is likely to be the top goal scorer in the league this year. The first time an Englishman has been top goal scorer since Kevin Phillips in 2000. If he keeps improving at the rate he is, he will be easily one of the best strikers in world football.
There are some players who have had great seasons but just don't quite deserve a place in my team of the year. The likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Danny Simpson, Danny Rose, Danny Drinkwater, Mesut Özil, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku have all had a good year and almost got in the team.
