Midfielder – Steven Gerrard

The form of the midfielders can make or break a team. Midfielders have to be a bunch of versatile footballers who have the ability to shield the defenders when the opponents have the ball, and score goals and assist the strikers when in possession.

Here’s my attempt of compiling the best midfield players of the game:

• Steven Gerrard: Stevie G, as he is fondly called, is known as the most industrial midfielder in the English Premier League. Liverpudlians can always count on their captain to save the day whenever they are in trouble. Armed with a capacity to turn games around single-handedly, Gerrard is the face of Liverpool FC. His insatiable desire to score goals for his club was best seen last season when his striking partnership with Fernando Torres resulted in a combined 54 goals.

• Frank Lampard: ‘What’s Chelsea without Frank Lampard?’ cried Steve McLaren! The king of Stamford Bridge, Lamps is considered one of the best Chelsea players of all times, and not without reason. He has scored 106 goals in 323 games for his club, and is at no. 9 at the all time highest scorers list in the League.  Lampard flourished under the guidance of manager Jose Mourinho, under whose reign he became an indispensable player for the mighty Blues.

• Cesc Fabregas: Though Arsenal haven’t won many trophies in the recent years, but young captain Francesc Fabregas’s rise to the top has been phenomenal! A product of the Barcelona youth ranks, Fabregas, still only 23, is the most sought after midfielder in the Premier League today. He won the Players’ Player of the Year award in 2008, after losing out at the same award a year before to Cristiano Ronaldo. With age on his side, we can expect miracles from this dynamic, inspirational player.

• Michael Essien: Skillful Ghanaian Michael Essien is the powerhouse at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield. His talent can be gauged best by the stunning goal he scored against Arsenal during the 2006-2007 season. He works like a machine, can send those balls flying into the goal and also tracks back to help the defenders with their duties with his indefatigable demeanour. Former manager Jose Mourinho praised the man by saying that he’s the only player at Chelsea who can play at any position on the field!

• Darren Fletcher: The 26 year old versatile player, who can assist both the defenders and the strikers, has slowly made a name for himself in the Premier League with versatile performances in the recent seasons. Though he struggled to break into the first team initially, he is now a regular in the Manchester United first team.

Honourable Mentions:

• Nani, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
• Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)
• James Milner and Gareth Barry (Manchester City)
• Florent Malouda and John Obi Mikel (Chelsea)
• Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)

Tags: Cesc Fabregas, Darren Fletcher, English Premier League, EPL, Football, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Midfielders, Premier League, Steven Gerrard