EPL survey of 20 managers

this season? Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

The Swansea manager, Brendan Rodgers, has won high praise in a survey of Premier League managers by being voted the most impressive so far this season by his peers. Rodgers, who won 47% of the vote, has guided the Premier League debutants to 11th in the league after 28 matches by encouraging expansive football at all times and shunning the safety-first approach usually favoured by newly-promoted sides.

Norwich City's manager, Paul Lambert, polled second with 40%. His side are just one place below Swansea in 12th, having entertained with a no-fear approach while making household names of players with little to no previous Premier League experience: Grant Holt, Steve Morrison, Anthony Pilkington, Wes Hoolahan.

The phrasing of the question – "which manager has most impressed you" – may explain why Sir Alex Ferguson did not poll, and perhaps hints at a lack of popularity among his fellow managers. The only other two managers to attract any votes were Roberto Mancini and Steve Kean, who both polled at 6%. Kean's ability to avoid a public meltdown despite being subjected to ferocious criticism from Blackburn's disgruntled fans (who see him as being synonymous with Venky's amateurish ownership) has not been ignored.

Premier League managers tipped Manchester City for the title ahead of Manchester United, Spurs as the most entertaining team and Newcastle's Demba Ba as the signing of the season. Phil Jones pipped Daniel Sturridge in a vote of who has been the best young player, while Robin van Persie was considered the best striker. Swansea's Leon Britton polled third in the vote for best Premier League midfielder, with only Manchester City's Yaya Touré and David Silva considered better.
Read the questions and answers and comment below the line

Which Premier League manager has impressed you the most this season?
1 Brendan Rodgers 47%, 2 Paul Lambert 40%, 3 Roberto Mancini 6%, 4 Steve Kean 6%

Who has been the signing of the season so far in the Premier League?
1 Demba Ba 56%, 2 Phil Jones 13%, 3 Scott Parker 13%, 4 Sebastian Larsson 6%, 5 Juan Mata 6%, 6 Craig Bellamy 6%

Which current Premier League players do you rate as the best in each position?

Goalkeeper 1 Joe Hart 69%, 2 Pepe Reina 13%, 3 Brad Friedel 6%, 4 Shay Given 6%, 5 Tim Krul 6%

Defender 1 Vincent Kompany 88%, 2 John Terry 6%, 3 Thomas Vermaelen 6%

Midfielder 1 David Silva 31%, 2 Yaya Touré 25%, 3 Leon Britton 13%, 4 Scott Parker 6%, 5 Gareth Bale 6%, 6 Moussa Dembélé 6%, 7 Ramires 6%, 8 Luka Modric 6%

Forward/striker 1 Robin van Persie 25%, 2 Sergio Agüero 19%, 3 Demba Ba 19%, 4 Luis Suárez 13%, 5 Wayne Rooney 13%, 6 David Silva 6%, 7 Gareth Bale 6%

Who has been the best young player in the Premier League this season?
1 Phil Jones 31%, 2 Daniel Sturridge 25%, 3 Kyle Walker 25%, 4 Oriel Romeu 6%, 5 Scott Sinclair 6%, 6 Chris Smalling 6%

Who will win the Premier League?
1 Manchester City 67%, 2 Manchester United 33%

Which team in the Premier League, other than your own, do you enjoy watching play the most?
1 Tottenham Hotspur 75% 2 Manchester United 13% 3 Arsenal 6% 4 Swansea 6%

Which player do you think has been most influential in the Premier Leagues's 20 years?
1 Ryan Giggs 50%, 2 Eric Cantona 13%, 3 Paul Scholes 13%, 4 Alan Shearer 13%, 5 Thierry Henry 6%, 6 Cristiano Ronaldo 6%

Other than your own ground, which stadium/fans create the best atmosphere?
1 Liverpool (Anfield) 50%, 2 Stoke City (Britannia Stadium), 3 Newcastle United (St James' Park) 4 Everton (Goodison Park) 7%, 5 Tottenham Hotspur (White Hart Lane) 7%

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/mar/14/brendan-rodgers-premier-league-managers-survey

mancini third most impressive manager? did he vote for himself?

Someone voted Ramires as the best midfielder?! LooOOOooL.

And... who is Leon Britton?

free_cat wrote:Someone voted Ramires as the best midfielder?! LooOOOooL.

And... who is Leon Britton?

Clearly you don't follow the league, hence your post is just meh.

Vorm didn't even make it into the top 5.

Reina ahead of Krul?

free_cat wrote:Someone voted Ramires as the best midfielder?! LooOOOooL.

And... who is Leon Britton?

A fairly impressive player from Swansea, pretty much Swanseas version of Xavi.

I use him in FM

Wojciech Szczesny is a top 5 GK in EPL.

Laurent Koscielny is the best CB in EPL, he has shown it all season.

Some interesting decisions there from the managers. Most I agree with, others I find a bit odd, such as:

Phil Jones as the second best signing of the season. I don't see how.

Thomas Vermaelen being voted as one of the league's best defenders where Koscielny has actually had a better season. It could be said that Koscielny has been more impressive than Terry this season, too. It's surprising that Fabricio Coloccini wasn't there, either.

Ramires with 6% of the vote for best midfielder, apparently more than the likes of Alex Song, Mikel Arteta, Junior Hoilett (since they're including wingers) and a few others.

Surprising that Danny Welbeck wasn't in the list of best young players, but Romeu and Sinclair were. Bit surprising that Oxlade-Chamberlain wasn't popular either.

If I were to make a team of the season I'd probably go with:

Obviously, I am a little biased, and it is going to show a bit in this post.

I don't see how Ramires was voted ahead of Gerrard or Lucas this season. I don't eve n see how he beat out Lampard, tbh. THe only possible reason is that he has been included more than any of the others mentioned.

I'm also I little disappointed that neither Skrtel nor Agger made the list for CBs. They have been the foundation of a defense that has been the second best in the league.

I also find it odd that Bale received votes for midfielder and striker/forward.

donttreadonred wrote:

I don't see how Ramires was voted ahead of Gerrard or Lucas this season. I don't eve n see how he beat out Lampard, tbh. THe only possible reason is that he has been included more than any of the others mentioned.

6% is one vote so you can guess who voted for ramires lol

same goes for the suspicious 6% for friedel and parker imho

Ok i hate the football we have played since Christmas but we are in 6th ffs how does Kean get infront of Pardew lol?

LOL @ Romeu btw and Given and Reina ahead of Krul LOL and no Vorm

Also nominating Phil Jones shows most of thier choices are not based on performances and purely on Hype and names.

Also carrying on from Jay's post my team of the season would be......

I would put a lot more weight onto the percentage that voted for someone than the rankings if I were you guys...

JT and Vermaelen ahead of Skrtel/Agger


basically proves, Scoring goals >>> Defending for a defender.

This thread is just a "my club player is better than every other club's player at that position" thread. Notice how pretty much everyone is talking about their own players? Somebody even brought up Coloccini.

Barrettinator wrote:This thread is just a "my club player is better than every other club's player at that position" thread. Notice how pretty much everyone is talking about their own players? Somebody even brought up Coloccini.

What's wrong with that? not like i brought up Danny Simpson is it

GoonerJay29 wrote:

If I were to make a team of the season I'd probably go with:

Hart

Richards --- Kompany --- Koscielny --- Enrique

Silva --- Yaya Toure --- Modric --- Bale

Rooney --- van Persie

I'd put Mata instead of Bale and Sagna instead of Richards with leon britton over modric

Spurs are the most enjoyable team from the managers perspective

the overrated midget was voted last in the midfielders

Ramires in the best midfielder discussion ahead of Arteta...seriously ffs?

It's the EPL, half of those managers would take Ramires over Xavi

i love vermaelen, but i dont think he's better than koscielny at all. even if he is, he certainly hasn't been better this season (i understand he's played some lb too)


boscielny will get his recognition soon though...

Ganso wrote:the overrated midget was voted last in the midfielders

Who?

Mr Nick09 wrote:It's the EPL, half of those managers would take Ramires over Xavi

they wont

Mr Nick09 wrote:It's the EPL, half of those managers would take Ramires over Xavi