team of the season… so far

Despite all that, last season was one of the more interesting and enjoyable I have covered in my broadcasting career, and I am delighted to say this campaign has been even better.

I have been fortunate enough to witness some superb games, some excellent football and some breathtaking goals. There has been the emergence of some of the best young talent we have produced in years, and on a purely personal level, the Dons have been a joy to watch at times.

All of which makes this traditional ‘Team of the Season (so far)’ column one of the hardest I have had to do in the years I have been contributing to the programme.

Picking the goalkeeper was one of the easier tasks mind you, with our very own JAMIE LANGFIELD clearly the best and most consistent in the Premiership over the past five months. Having recorded more clean-sheets than any of his rivals and having matured into a reassuring last line of defence, the big man is currently enjoying the best phase of his career.

MIKAEL LUSTIG is my right-back having cemented his place in the Celtic rearguard and become one of the automatic picks in Neil Lennon’s side, while the left-back is the highly impressive ANDY ROBERTSON who was grown in stature in his few months at this level, defends solidly, and counter-attacks in devastating fashion. The central defenders took a bit of deciding upon, but in the end I went for the experience of RUSSELL ANDERSON – outstanding when I have seen him during the campaign – and the youthful energy of JOHN SOUTTAR, one of the many young stars at Tannadice.

The rest of the side was a nightmare, so plentiful were the options.

I have gone for two sitting midfielders in RYAN JACK, who seems to improve every time I see him, and STUART ARMSTRONG, who might be better suited to a role further up the park, but was not going to get in there such was the competition.

Beyond that pair, the trio of NIALL McGINN, RYAN GAULD and KRIS COMMONS. McGinn has again been sensational this season, once again tops our goal-scoring list, and has contributed so much to the team; Gauld is just a joy to watch and a genuine hope for the future if he maintains his staggering early progress; while Commons is the class act in a Celtic team which has been ruthless in the defence of its title.

From the various striking options on offer, I have selected St Johnstone’s STEVIE MAY, a player who impressed when I first saw him a number of years back and who has improved beyond all recognition following loan spells at Alloa and Hamilton.

Such was the competition for places, I could easily have listed an alternate XI, all of whom would have been worthy of selection, and it is going to be fascinating to watch on as the second half of the campaign unfolds, and how the following team might have to be altered by May 2014.

Langfield

Lustig Anderson Souttar Robertson

Jack Armstrong

McGinn Gauld Commons

May

May

May