10. Alex Song (Arsenal)
Not so long ago, many Gooners wondered what Arsene Wenger saw in the young Cameroonian midfielder. But after a string of impressive performances in the second half of this season, Song has leapfrogged Denilson and Abou Diaby in the contest to be Cesc Fabregas' midfield partner. I'm not sure he'll ever be as good as the likes of Michael Essien, but at 21, there's certainly a lot more room for improvement.
9. Clint Dempsey (Fulham)
We all know Deuce has the talent to play at the highest level - the 2006 World Cup proved that. But he's a confidence player, and until the arrival of Roy Hodgson at Craven Cottage, Dempsey appeared to lack confidence and self-belief. Not now. Thanks to the backing of Hodgson, who was unsure about the American at first but has since realised how good he is, Deuce has come into his own this season, and has been one of Fulham's best players.
8. Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Spurs)
If you'd have asked me this time last year if Benny would still be at Spurs, I'd have said "No way." After some dodgy performances in 07/08 (the hangover from a knee injury picked up in December '06), it seemed that A-E's Tottenham days were numbered. But, to my surprise, he has been one of Spurs' best players this season - all Yids have noticed a massive improvement in a player they had written off. Harry Redknapp said of him: "I think he has been injured before but I have been very impressed with him this season as he has been in great form. He has looked an outstanding left-back." Indeed he has.
7. Steven Pienaar (Everton)
I'll leave it Phil Neville to sing the praises of little Steven: "... He is a top, top player. One of the best I've played with since I've been at Everton. He has been our best player [this season] by an absolute mile. He's an infectious player and he gets on the ball and wants the ball." I couldn't put it better myself... actually, I could: At £2m, the dynamic Pienaar is one of ther best Prem bargains in recent years. Everton fans will be praying that none of the Big Four comes in for him this summer.
6. John Obi Mikel (Chelsea)
He's improved a hell of a lot since last season, and is beginning to fulfil his huge potential - training and playing alongside the likes of Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien is bound to improve your game. And he's still only 22, so it's scary to think how good he will be in five years' time.
5. Glen Johnson (Portsmouth)
With the confidence gained from a few good outings in an England shirt (Fabio Capello rates him, it's clear), Johnson has been the stand-out player in a decidedly lame Portsmouth defence. There is a new composure and maturity to his game. He has even appeared in midfield for Pompey, using his impressive athleticism to get forward and wallop in the odd wonder goal. Can Portsmouth keep him though? With Spurs, Liverpool and Aston Villa reportedly hovering with a summer bid, I doubt it.
4. Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
He's barely out his teens, but Walcott is making progress at about the rate I imagined Arsene Wenger had in mind when he signed the 17-year-old prodigy from Southampton. He has learned to harness his pace, and is slowly being taught how to come off his wing and cause serious damage down the middle of the pitch. He has a hell of a lot to learn, as his flawed performance against Chelsea on Sunday showed (lively down the wing, but with crap finishing), but compared with last season, when it seemed Wenger didn't trust him to play with the big boys, he has taken a significant stride forward - his hat-trick for England in Croatia confirmed this. The man is slowly emerging.
3. Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
The PFA Young Player of the Year had a brilliant, dashing first half of the season, followed by an inevitable dip in form (it's been the same story for Gabriel Agbonlahor, who is not as talented as Young) - but that's more a consequence of Villa's relatively small squad than any fault of Young, who is still only 23 and has several more years' worth of improvement in him.
2. Darren Fletcher (Man Utd)
Of course, it's currently fashionable in pubs and offices up and down the land to say, "That Darren Fletcher, he's underrated isn't he?!" He won't be underrated from now on though - everyone is aboard the "We love Fletch!" bandwagon. The tranformation from fans' figure of fun to admired cult hero is complete for the Scotsman, who is hardly recognisable from the clumsy, victimised Fletcher of 2007/08. Fergie has helped to mould his compatriot into a top-class central midfielder - a superior Nicky Butt, if you like. Shame he won't get to play in the CL final.
1. Stephen Ireland (Man City)
All hail the man who should have won the PFA Young Player in the Year award this season. Ireland has been immense in 08/09, City's best player without doubt. Shame some of his more illustrious team-mates haven't always pulled their weight (yes Robinho, that's you), but Ireland has never stopped running. It's wrong to compare him to compatriot Roy Keane, as they are different types of player (Ireland is more inventive, Keane was more destructive), but it doesn't seem odd to mention them in the same breath. And you wouldn't have said that last season.
