Individual Snubs Will Be Nullified By Reds' Success

The Football Association has nominated their choices for the PFA's Player of the Year, which neither of Manchester United's statistical leaders made their short-list.

United Duo Have Been Ignored By The Ignorant

Over the course of the 2010/11 season, both Dimitar Berbatov and Nani have enjoyed their best year at Old Trafford, and even though they are one of the main reasons that United are successful, both have been overlooked by the favoritism of the PFA executives.

Berbatov has finally realized his goal scoring potential and leads the top flight in English football with 21 goals scored, two ahead of his closest rival, and Nani has registered the most assists, 17, however, their individual exclusions will be nullified if United achieves their team objectives.

Arsenal's Samir Nasri, Blackpool's Charlie Adam, Manchester City's Carlos Tevez, Tottenham's Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart, and West Ham's Scott Parker joins United's only honoree, Nemanja Vidic, on the list of seven players for the PFA Player of the Year.

There is no question that Vidic has been the rock that has stabilized United's shaky season, but without goals being created and finished off, the Reds would be struggling for European status for next season rather than being 10 points ahead of Arsenal in the league standings.

However, none of the players on this special list even come close to equaling Berbatov's goal record or Nani's assist total this season, and, at the moment, United hold a commanding advantage at the top of table, which confound popular belief about individual awards.

Baffling
The first contradicting element of this season's award is that the critics, who should be unbiased, usually consider the production, normally goals and assists, to select the short-list, which is certainly not the case this season.

The second negating factor that is usually taken in to consideration is the position of each club, and how influential the player has been, because this is not the most valuable player, but the best player.

Sir Alex Ferguson has instilled a mentality at Old Trafford that team always comes before individual success, and each of these player's contribution maybe discounted by these simpletons, but there is no question that the supporters realize what they have truly meant to United's season.

To a certain extent, both players have struggled to cope with the pressure leading up to this season, but over the last season and a half, Berbatov and Nani have resurrected everyone's belief in them with mature contributions.

Before this season, Berbatov had only totaled 21 in 64 matches, but this season he has equaled that total in 36 fewer games.

Berbatov is the Reds leading scorer by a country mile, 10 goals to be exact, because his nearest competitor in the Premier League is Javier Hernandez, who, with Nani, is in contention for the PFA Young Player of the Year.

Nani, himself, is just two off of Chicharito's pace with nine goals this season, but it is his creativity that has provided the biggest lift for United this season.

His 17 assists are just the passes that directly resulted in goals for the Reds, but, like against Fulham, he had passes that he will not be created with an assist for that did the same thing.

Competition
Two of these players, Adam and Parker, could very well be leaving their respective clubs following this season if they are relegated to the npower Championship next season.

Adam and Parker are two very good central midfielders and have been instrumental to their respective clubs even having a chance of Premier League survival this season, but has their contributions been more important than Nani's or Berbatov's to United?

Very similar to what Hull City did two seasons ago, Adam guided the Seasiders to a very good start to the season, but since the turn of the year and with him wanting to join a bigger club, Blackpool have plummeted towards the relegation zone, which they were the odds-on favorite to be back in the Championship.

On the other hand, Parker's club, West Ham, has been involved in the relegation dog-fight since the beginning of the season, and the Hammers have lost their last two games, which could means that they will be in the hat for the drop as well.

Like Nani has done, Gareth Bale has emerged to become one of the most exciting players in the English top flight for Tottenham, but since he plays in London he is more recognized. To date, Bale has scored two less goals than Nani, and has provided 16 fewer assists, which ranks him tied for sixth at Spurs, but yet he is more vital to his club's success, right?!

His teammate, van der Vaart, is enjoying a very good first season in the Premier League, and leads Spurs with 10 goals, but that would barely rank him tied for third on United's goal scoring list alone. A lot of credit is being given for Bale and van der Vaart has to be down to Spurs' success in Europe this season, because, domestically, their wide-open style of play has them three points off the UEFA Champions League places and scoring 26 fewer goals than United has as a team.

Nasri, who plays for the other North London club, Arsenal is on the list, and, like Bale, he is most known for his creativity. However, that supposed creativity, too, has only generated one assist in 24 matches this season, and Nasri is only the Gunners' second leading goal scorer with nine goals.

It kills to see United supporters to see Carlos Tevez on this short-list, but he is the only player, besides Vidic, that really deserves to be on it. Without the former United fan-favorite at the City of Manchester Stadium, the Blues would be fighting for their status in the relegation places, because he has scored 19 vital goals for them this season.

Whether one supports Manchester United or not, there is no denying that either Dimitar Berbatov or Nani are undeserving of not being at least considered for the PFA's Player of the Year.