With the recent sports writers award going to Scott Parker after being overlooked for the players’ player of the year award it highlighted the difference between being the best player in the country and the most valuable. No one can disagree that Scott Parker is irreplaceable to West Ham and the records back this up with West Ham’s win ratio plummeting alarmingly when Scott Parker doesn’t play, but does this make him the most valuable player in the premiership?

Until this year if any Liverpool fan saw a team sheet without Steven Gerrard on it they would instantly fear the worst, but is this still the case? Gerrard has been missing for much of Liverpool’s return to form under Dalglish and his absence has allowed the previously ridiculed Lucas and Jay Spearing to step forward and grab their opportunity. Does this mean Gerrard is a worse player than last year? Certainly not but he is no longer as valuable to the side.

Arguably the value of a player is directly linked to the quality of the replacement. Can anyone in a Man City shirt do what Carlos Tevez does? The simple answer is no; Mario Ballotelli for all his quality and skill will never match Tevez’s work rate. Some would argue that Charlie Adam may be the most valuable player in the premiership, a statement that would be hard to argue with if Blackpool perform the impossible and stay up, but it may surprise a few to know that David Vaughan has recently been voted Blackpool’s player of the year so maybe Adam isn’t as valuable as first thought.

My vote for the premiership’s most valuable player goes to a man who no one could describe as the best player in the premiership, not even himself, but Tiote at Newcastle does a job that no one else in his team does. By sitting in front of the back four he is disciplined and provides protection to the defence. He also allows Nolan to get forward and score as many goals as he does. For me he is the most valuable player in the premiership.

Feel free to disagree but make sure when you do to add your suggestions! Who is it that makes your team tick? Who is the one player that when the team is read out before kick-off and when you don’t hear his name instantly makes you fear the worst?