21st December

So it's nearly Christmas, and we have six days before the Premier League returns. Given that this is the longest stretch without English football we're going to get over this period, I thought that now would be a good time to write some articles about how the season is progressing. So I want to do a summary of the top six's chances, as well as the relegation battle and a look at how Liverpool's players are performing, but today, I wanted to do a team of the season so far.

Team of the Season (So Far)

Formation: 3-4-3 (or more accurately the 3-2-2-3 that Pep utilises)

I chose this formation partly because it allows me to pick all of the best players that I think have been in the league this season, but also partly because I don't think any full-backs have been phenomenal. In terms of attacking/defensive balance, picking three central defenders and two defensive midfielders allows me to add balance to the team whilst still front loading it with five very attacking players. 

Goalkeeper: Tom Heaton

There were a lot of really good candidates in this category this season, but for me Heaton is the standout in a Burnley team that really gave him far too much to do this season. He produced some truly excellent performances, such as the 0-0 draw at Old Trafford and even when Burnley were trounced, for example when they lost 3-1 to Southampton, he was often still arguably the best player on the pitch. 

Honourable mention: Hugo Lloris who has been absolutely incredible for Spurs. He'd probably win this category but his best saves have been in the Champions League so Heaton just about takes it. 

Central Defence: David Luiz

A lot of people, myself included, scoffed when Chelsea spent a lot of money getting David Luiz back, given that he's never been a world class central defender. But Luiz has been excellent at the heart of a Chelsea defence that has been the Premier League's best, and it would be remiss not to include him here. 

Honourable mention: Cesar Azpilicueta is not a natural CB but has slotted brilliantly into Chelsea's back three and has been absolutely integral to their defence this season. A whisker away from pipping Luiz. 

Central Defence: Virgil Van Dijk

Van Dijk has been terrific this season, and you'd be very hard pushed to find a better central defender in the Premier League overall, let alone this season. The fact that only Chelsea and Spurs have conceded less than Saints, despite their keeper being generally not that competent says it all about how good Van Dijk and his partner Fonte have been. 

Honourable mention: Jan Vertonghen has been without his regular partner Toby Alderweireld for much of the season but has done very well given the circumstances and Spurs' terrific defensive record lies as much on his shoulders as anyone's. But he's the beneficiary of a very defensive system and as an individual hasn't been quite as impressive as those on here. 

Central Defence: Laurent Koscielny

A possibly controversial choice but I'm a huge fan of Koscielny and Arsenal simply don't look the same team without him. The rock of an overall good defence, I've rarely seen Koscielny put a single foot wrong this season, and one of the few central defenders to effectively marshal Diego Costa. 

Honourable mention: Shkodran Mustafi has been a fantastic partner for Koscielny this season, and barring his injury, Arsenal might well be significantly closer to the top than they currently are. Nevertheless, Koscielny is the senior partner and the better performer. 

Right Wing: Sadio Mane

My first Liverpool pick and one that I'm willing to concede slight bias on, but Mane has been brilliant this season. Liverpool's top scorer with eight goals and four assists, and almost all of those goals crucial. He brings so much to the table in terms of dribbling, pace, creativity and clinical finishing and has been consistently brilliant this season. 

Honourable mention: Theo Walcott has scored as many goals as Hazard and Mane for Arsenal and has become an integral part of their season. But overall, his performance levels for the Gunners haven't quite been on a level to match the other two. 

Central Midfield: Jordan Henderson

This pick will be controversial but to me Henderson was one of the first names on the team-sheet. More passes than anyone, over 70% of those forward, more tackles than anyone except Gueye, more key passes than any defensive midfielder in the league. Henderson isn't even naturally a defensive midfielder but he's nevertheless been bossing that area of the pitch and has been Liverpool's most consistent player.

Honourable mention: Paul Pogba plays a very different style of central midfielder to Henderson, but it would be wrong not to mention him as he's been very very good for United, creative, dangerous and powerful. But for me the defensive side of his game needs work and there are too many world class CAMs for me to play him further forwards.

Central Midfield: Fernandinho

Okay this one I know I'm going to get flack for, but in terms of passing, energy, dynamism and control of a midfield, almost nobody gives more to the cause, and has the same level of impact as Fernandinho. He's been such a critical figure in City's team, and has had to do the work of two or three men at times. The way that City's midfield has often been balanced this season means that Fernandinho has had to counterbalance both Silva and KDB and they'd have imploded without him.

Honourable mention: N'golo Kante has been a big part of Chelsea's success this season but he's not been their most important player and has really benefited from a system where he's not having to do as much work as he did at Leicester, with Matic also excellent in a similar role. 

Left Wing: Eden Hazard

Probably the easiest pick I made. The only question was where to put him in the team. Hazard has worked well as one of the two behind Costa this season but his natural pace, devastating control and finishing mean that he works well out wide too, where he's been at his best at times for Chelsea both this season and in the past. Maybe the player of the season so far. 

Honourable mention: Nobody was even close to Hazard in this position but Raheem Sterling has had an excellent season so far at City and really contributed for the team, which is good to see and with five goals and three assists he's providing some end product. 

Attacking Midfield: Alexis Sanchez

Another very easy pick and another contender for player of the season so far. He's played up front but he's equally comfortable playing anywhere near or across the front and simply put he's been single-handedly forcing Arsenal forwards, with a staggering 12 goals and 6 assists in 16 starts. Sensational. 

Honourable mention: Kevin De Bruyne has been hit and miss for City this season at times, but when he's been hot, he's been really hot, with over three key passes per game providing a return of 9 assists, a league high. But only two goals. 

Attacking Midfield: Phillipe Coutinho

I couldn't not pick Phil, he's been mind-bogglingly good. Liverpool's best player by a mile, as he turned in a man of the match performance six games in a row before the international break. Five goals and five assists in effectively eleven games is a brilliant return but his overall game play has been superb and Liverpool have not looked the same without him, whatever the stats will tell you. 

Honourable mention: Adam Lallana has six goals and six assists for Liverpool this season and has been integral to the way that we play when he plays, but nevertheless I don't think he brings quite as much to the table as Coutinho does. He's turned in one man of the match performance this season, which for me shows that although he's been great, he can't quite change a game like Phil can. 

Striker: Diego Costa

Was it ever going to be anyone else? The Premier League's top scorer has been at his belligerent best this season, bullying defenders, scoring goals for fun and rarely needing many chances to do so. Costa has been almost the perfect striker this season and he's been so crucial to Chelsea's title challenge that it's almost unthinkable that he picks up a serious injury. 

Honourable mention: Sergio Aguero has ten goals in eleven games this season which is the best record in the league. He's still the league's best striker and has been when he's played, but two stupid red cards, one of them retrospective, have prevented him reaching his potential this season so far.

Manager: Antonio Conte

Obviously. Took the core of a really good team and fashioned it back into serious title favourites. Found a system that got the most out of all of his players, played to Chelsea's strengths and covered all of their weaknesses, and was able to implement it swiftly and efficiently.

Honourable mention: Jurgen Klopp has put very very few feet wrong so far for me this season. From converting Henderson to a DM, to putting Milner at left back, and utilising a hyper-aggressive 4-3-3 formation that looked too attacking and midfield based to work, Klopp has been a revelation at Liverpool this season. 

So that's my team. Obviously some of these picks will be more controversial than others but obviously this is just my opinion so others out there will obviously disagree. Tomorrow: the title race.

The Hard and Fast Section

• England's humiliation complete. 4-0. Total shambles. 
• Vardy's ban appeal fails. Good. 
• Northampton Saints avoid double sanction. 
• Massa to return to Williams. Bottas to Mercedes.