SPL Team of the year - part 2

And here's the rest of the team...

MIDFIELD: Scott Brown (Celtic), Bruno Aguiar (Hearts), Pedro Mendes (Rangers), Andrew Driver (Hearts)
Honourable mentions: Morgaro Gomis (Dundee United), Scott Robertson (Dundee United), James McCarthy (Hamilton), James McArthur (Hamilton), Andy Dorman (St. Mirren), Ian Black (Inverness), Stephen Hughes (Motherwell)

Scott Brown, for me, has to be the leading candidate for player of the year, simply because Pedro Mendes has dropped off a bit since January. I have, however, slotted Brown in on the right in order to accomodate Bruno Aguiar, who has made a stunning recovery from knee surgery and has run the Hearts midfield, offering a goal threat to boot. Clubmate Andy Driver gets in as well, as despite his habit of diving, he has been the outstanding winger of the campaign. Had Dundee United's Scott Robertson and Rangers' Kevin Thomson not been out injured for long periods, they would have been real candidates. But why on earth is Steve Davis up for player of the year? I can't remember him contributing anything notable at all this season.

STRIKERS: Kris Boyd (Rangers), Scott McDonald (Celtic)
Honourable mentions: Lee Miller (Aberdeen), Francisco Sandaza (Dundee United), Steve Lovell (Falkirk)

Some might say that, with a strike rate of 25 goals in 29 league games, that Kris Boyd should be player of the year; certainly the fact he wasn't even on the shortlist is a total joke. McDonald has scored fewer this season than Georgios Samaras, but Samaras does my head in because, for all his ability, he never seems to be on his game when Celtic need him to be. In contrast, McDonald's goals have been critical to Celtic's run of wins in 2009. No surprises that there is no Hearts forward in my list, but I defend the absence of Steven Fletcher, who hasn't lived up to expectations at Hibs this year - he's gone a bit stale and I think he needs a move.

A reminder of last year's team: McGregor, Hutton, Cuellar, Wilkie, Naylor, Robson, Hughes, Ferguson, McGeady, McDonald, Fletcher.

I note that, from my 07/08 vintage, only Wilkie and McDonald make my team two years running. Congrats, lads, I shall buy you each a beer if I ever meet you. Which I won't. And even if I did meet you I wouldn't tell you who I was, so I wouldn't buy you a beer anyway, to be honest.

Simples...

L.