Everpool FC: The Merseyside All Star XI of 2007

By: Daryl | December 28th, 2007

Everpool FC

David Prentice of the Liverpool Echo has picked his now traditional end of year Merseyside XI, forming the strongest team possible from Liverpool and Everton players based on their form throughout the year. With both teams having - for the most part - a respectable 2007, this is an interesting little exercise.

In the end Prentice has gone for six Reds and five Toffeemen. See for yourself in the above image, or take a look below where it’s in nice simple text. Lining up 4-5-1:

Goalkeeper: Pepe Reina
Right back: Alvaro Arbeloa
Centre back: Jamie Carragher
Centre back: Joseph Yobo
Left back: Joleon Lescott
Right mid: Jermaine Pennant
Centre mid: Steven Gerrard (captain)
Centre mid: Lee Carsley
Left mid: Mikel Arteta
Attacking mid: Tim Cahill
Centre Forward: Fernando Torres

Difficult to argue with that goalkeeper and back four. Tim Howard had a good year, but Reina has probably been a little more consistent and saved a few penalties too. Joleon Lescott may have looked out of position playing left back for England, but he was selected to play there on the strength of his impressive Everton form in the same position.

Steven Gerrard, Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill pick themselves in midfield, though I’d argue Arteta deserves to play more centrally instead of being poked out onto the left wing as he’s possibly been the best of the three. Lee Carsley seems an odd choice, especially given Javier Mascherano’s form this season, but the bit of grit the bald man brings to midfield should balance out the fanciness of the other players. Jermaine Pennant I’m still not convinced about. He’ll ocassionally do something impressive, but not with any regularity. If we’re trying to keep a balance between red and blue them maybe we could have Leon Osman on the right wing and Javier Mascerano in central midfield?

Up front, there can be only one. Andrew Johnson, Peter Crouch, Yakubu and even Dirk Kuyt have had their moments, but Fernando Torres looks literally a class above and is now producing goals regularly. I can’t see any of the other Merseyside strikers scoring Torres’ goal against Marseille.

The bigger question is: What does this eleven say about the strength of Merseyside football? Would a North London XI be superior, or a Manchester XI?