Opinion: La Liga 2010/2011 team of the season

Temptation nearly got the better of me when thinking up a team of the season, and that very tempation was to pick a team based completely on players outside of Barcelona and Real Madrid – let’s be honest, it would be too easy picking 4 players from each. After being inspired by two excellent pieces, first Michael Cox aka Zonal Marking and then Adam Digby though, I took it upon myself to implement the ‘one player, per one club’ rule (NB: not every team has a player included). Here is the outcome…

XI

GK Diego López (Villarreal)

Selecting a single player from Villarreal was as equally difficult as doing the same for Barcelona, as there have been several outstanding performers – but given his unsung goalkeeping heroics it felt right to select López for the position of goalkeeper. With the loss of imperious defender Diego Godin it was more imperative that someone took charge at the back for Villarreal. As well as pulling off the spectacular acrobatics, Lopez is a genuinely good shot stopper and positionally adept goalkeeper.

DL Nacho Monreal (Osasuna)

His darting runs have been a huge feature of Osasuna’s play, as rather than aim angled long passes, Monreal offers another outlet down the left who can squeeze the life out opposition full backs attempts to get forward, as he cuts inside and out with solid delivery each time. His ability in defence has improved considerably too over the years, offering a rugged no nonsense approach but also having the intelligence and speed to get himself out of tricky situations.

DC Iván Ramis (Real Mallorca)

No berating of officials, no sly tackling and not a hint of arrogance, the Spanish defender is a player every manager dreams of; never dropping below a 7/10 rating or giving less than 100%. His positional play and reading of the game is first class, and while he’s not the quickest or most talented on the ball, his levels of anticipation and tackling can’t be derided.

DF Albert Botía (Sporting Gijón )

La Masia’s lost boy found a home in El Molinon, a home where he tackled and took no prisoners but showed no signs of forgetting a paramount lesson learned in Barcelona; be comfortable on the ball. Sporting’s turn of form had much to do with a shift in midfield, but also Botia’s new found confidence instilled by Manuel Preciado came to the fore. His sound positional sense is a healthy attribute to have, and despite his tender years has looked like a veteran at times.

DR Andoni Iraola (Athletic Bilbao)

Putting another Athletic Bilbao player in ahead of Fernando Llorente? Am I crazy? Perhaps…I even put aside my man-crush for the bouffant haired striker to select Iraola. Positionally he’s been solid, and has shown excellent positional play going forward and defending; he rarely over commits and despite providing a good attacking outlet on the right flank has never neglected his primary defensive duties. His recent call-up to the Spanish squad only emphasizes his stock in the country at the moment.

CM Gabi (Real Zaragoza)

A Real Zaragoza player in the La Liga team of the season? Don’t worry; there is a method to my madness. When your team is wading through a sea of shit every week, you need someone to take the lead and part that sea – Gabi is exactly that someone. The Real Zaragoza captain has been the type of leader every team need. Composed on the ball, decisive in the tackle and determined when leading an attack he never shirks a duty and rarely makes a mistake – after all his teammates have made up for that several times over. Think Scott Parker’s heroics for West Ham, except in Spain…

CM Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla)

Signed for €1.8m from Schalke, much ado to his expiring contract, Rakitić has brought a subtle calm and purpose to the Andalucían side. Gregorio Manzano deployed Rakitić in a deep lying central midfield role, forming the base of attacks and giving him license to break forward when possible. He’s weighed in with 6 goals and 2 assists since joining in January, with a few of them being sparkling free-kicks. Sevilla wee becoming a stale outfit prior to Rakitić’s arrival, and with him in the side there has been a rejuvenation of sorts with a creative dynamic in the central areas.

CM Mesut Özil (Real Madrid)

The German who had left even English fans open-mouthed at the World Cup held in South Africa, has gone from being a light breeze to a full force wind in his debut season in Spain. Blessed with an abundance of style he works between the lines like few others can, moving freely all across the attacking third jinking from left to right, right to left and arrowing through central areas. His work off the ball and on it compliments each other wonderfully. The darting runs too, are embodied by an elegance and intelligence which only the most cavalier of performers harnesses. On the ball meanwhile the passing has been first class be it picking the ball up in deeper areas and carrying it several yards, or delivering a killer pass be it with towering dynamism or fragrant subtlety – 18 assists in the league tells the whole story.

LW Juan Mata (Valencia)

A summer of change for Valencia and in Juan Mata they had a new star, a new poster boy for the sun-drenched city. In previous years Mata had been something of an enigma, watching him hug the left touchline and fade out of games was a disservice to the former Real Madrid cantanero. This season there has been a rebirth though as he’s been an ever-present in Unai Emery’s heavily rotated side, drifting in from wide areas, showing more determination to get in the penalty areas and linking beautifully with those white shirts around him – all while displaying a previously absent strong mentality.

CF Felipe Caicedo (Levante)

Levante’s Ecuadorean powerhouse who became the focal point of the un-fancied Valencian outfit. Caicedo has played deep, played high and covered just about every inch of grass when playing wide. Levante’s counter-attacking sucker punches were delivered by Caicedo, who along with robustness has moulded together skill, speed and brains too – above all though a clinical touch. 13 goals, with one every 136 minutes isn’t a bad ratio at all.

RW Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Far more eloquent and distinguished writers than me have enthused about Lionel Messi in a better way than I ever could, so I’ll keep this simple. The season has been a record breaking one for the Argentinean, but at one point this season the sublime became normal and that is what sets him apart from everyone else. He’s every inch the solo star in his tormenting runs, but he’s every inch the team player too. Those shifts in stance and speed from deep midfield have been a joy to watch, as the cogs in Barcelona’s works rotate all around him in the form of Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro and Villa. Strong, graceful, supremely intelligent and an insatiable eye for goal. I’m envious of those who saw Cruyff and Di Stefano in their prime, now…we all have Messi.

Substitutes

GK Diego Alves (Almería)

He’s fought the good fight for a desperate Almería side, and along with Pablo Piatti is much of the reason the Andalucían side didn’t go down sooner. A move to Valencia is the worst kept secret in Spain; Alves will get the stage he deserves to perform on.

DC Diego Colotto (Deportivo La Coruña)

When you’re team is primarily setup to stop the opposition, then you best make sure you have the tools to do the job – that’s exactly where Diego Colotto comes in for Deportivo La Coruña. An endless plethora of headed clearances, tough tackling and a leader at the back – the Argentinean has been a rock in Riazor.

CM Xabi Prieto (Real Sociedad)

Coming up with promoted Real Sociedad might’ve took adapting for many, but certainly not Xabi Prieto. Technique and grace in abundance, he’s weighed on an unhealthy percentage of passes too – 19% is the highest proportion for any player in the league this year. He’s only trails the likes of Özil, Messi and co. in direct assists too.

AM José Antonio Reyes (Atlético Madrid)

Reyes has shown everything this season that Arsenal fans wanted him to many years ago; he’s become a mature professional who at times this season has lead this Atlético side. Deployed out of position on the right wing, the ex-Seville man hasn’t gave fullbacks a moments peace with smart running, plenty of tricks and most of all – end product.

CF Daniel Osvaldo (Espanyol)

Spearheading Espanyol’s attack has been a difficult job at times, but Osvaldo has done it extremely adeptly. 12 goals this campaign, and a goalscoring ratio as good as anyone outside of Ronaldo and Messi the ex-Fiorentina man has mixed up power and physicality with guile and intelligence. Missing a fairly sized proportion of the season through injury, robbed us of seeing more of that trademark ‘Machine gun’ celebration.