TEAM OF THE SEASON - VINCENT KOMPANY

The first of the defenders.   


Vincent Kompany was an oasis of certainty in the rotation mad world of Roberto Mancini. Kompany was the 2nd highest scoring defender with 145 points behind Evra who scored 159 and the only person you could rely on with any certainty come team announcement time on match day in the side that had the best clean sheet record of 17 behind Man Utd's 20 but conceded the least amount of goals. His certainty was made more valuable by Mancini tending to rotate defenders (especially the fullbacks) in the easier home games making Clichy and Richards particularly frustrating options.  


Kompanys basic stats were:


Points 145 (second only behind Evra on 159 from 37 games) 
31 games
2773 minutes
 3 goals (4th equal among defenders)
2 assists
12 bonus points (only beaten by Vermaelen with 14)
ownership 22.2%
Points per game 4.6 (1st equal with Vermaelen again)


The stats alone show why he is my top rated defender.  He undoubtedly doesn't have Vermaelens goal threat but as part of the best defence in the league you always thought there was a clean sheet coming as well as an outside prospect of a goal and a bonus point which were pretty rare for defenders in the barclays site.  At the start of the season he was also £6.0m vs Vermaelens £7.0m


Kompanys price started as a bargain £6.0m due to a poor return as a midfielder the year before. For a title chasing team with certainty of playing time this was a bargain. He peaked at the end of the year at 7.0m but still remained good value.


Next years tricky.  He will be up there as probably the most expensive defender with Vidic, Vermaelen and terry but without the proven goal threat of the first two.  Again he still maybe good value depending on his rotation prospects.  Its hard to see City making such a hash of the cup competitions next year, especially the champions league and this may lead to more enforced rotation.  One things for sure there's no other option at the moment in the City team that wont lead to repeated disappointment at lineup time on match day and that may in itself make him an essential pick in what will again be the leagues best defence.