Pundits - the final verdict

As it's a bit too painful to do a summation of our own season, I thought I'd focus on the 'experts' we see every week on our televisions screens instead.

MOTD - Has received a much-needed injection of life with the different pairings and guest appearances from players, managers and even celebrities (a cynical ploy to get more ratings if ever I saw one). Still has its issues, and I don't watch it as religiously as I used to, but it has at least been refreshed a bit this season from the tired, lazy, complacent old boys club it had become.

Shearer - great player, seriously bad pundit. Say it as you see it Alan needs to head back into management, fast. Master of the football cliche.

Dion Dublin - next!

Danny Murphy - always good value. Would like to see more of 'The Secret Footballer'. Must be him, surely?

Lineker - very assured, if a little pleased with himself at times. Seems to have cut down on the tired puns and concentrated more on asking pertinent questions, showing his strong knowledge of the game.

Keown - just terrible. Far too intense.

Garth Crooks - Ditto.

Mark Chapman - a very steady, affable pair of hands, 'Chappers' also benefits from the fact he's not Colin Murray.

Savage - teeth, hair, voice, personality - there are many reasons to find the Welshman irritating. Still tries to be the pantomime villain with his controversial statements and tedious banter. Tiresome.

Manish Bhasin - does a good job in a thankless role. Tucked away in the graveyard slot, conversing with Claridge & Leroy Rosenior. Brutal. Bit too safe and nice to do much else.

ITV football coverage - Much better than it was, but thanks to too many adverts and a still faintly amateur feel, can't really compete with Sky's slick operation.

Chiles - Urgh! Absolutely hopeless at leading ITV's footie coverage. Wants to be one of the lads, longs to be seen as cool, fails at both. Almost everything about him is annoying and try-hard.

Keane - Mr Very Angry. Still waiting for him to really lose his rag with Chiles at some point. Gives ITV's coverage an added edge.

Dixon - decent pundit who's grown into the role and is now less afraid to disagree with Roy.

Strachan - Always good value and is a shrewd football man.

Clarke Carlisle - clearly very intelligent, articulate and knowledgeable, but possesses a voice that makes you switch off. An improvement on the Beglinator, at least.

Matt Smith - should really be ITV's top dog by now, he's almost too unassuming for his own good. Also a spurs fan, I believe, so all-round top bloke. Looks like we'll be seeing more of him next year in the Europa League.

Townsend - horribly biased and has people scrambling for the mute button all across the country. Says it all.

Tyldesley - See above.

Gabriel Clarke - smug bloke, dreadful interview technique.

BT Sport - Not been bowled over by them, to be honest. Had their fair share of the big games, but I'd still choose to watch Sky over them. Their studio's big and naff and they seem to be trying too hard. Better than ESPN and Setanta, but that's not saying much.

Hargreaves - much better player than he is pundit.

Macca - opinionated and seems to know his stuff. take away the voice and he'd be one of the best.

Humphrey - always looking to cause a stir, he's competent enough at what he does but I still can't shake the image of growing up watching him present kids TV. Lacks gravitas.

Ginola - Spurs legend, so gets cut more slack than most.

David James - an odd, enigmatic figure. Intelligent bloke but not sure that transfers well on TV.

Michael Owen - co-commentary style that can be best described as the equivalent of having your teeth pulled - excruciatingly painful and seemingly never-ending. Let's be honest here, Owen is absolutely woeful as a pundit and has an unhealthy obsession with Rooney and Gerrard, whilst being unable to hide his bias for the teams he used to play for. Just awful.

Sky Sports - Still the best and slickest, in my view. Their coverage of the games can't really be faulted, although other aspects can still be improved.

Neville - best of the bunch for a second year. Takes his job seriously, knows his stuff, and has gained the begrudging respect of fans who used to hate him, which says it all.

Carra – a bit too eager to get his point across at times – his voice can grate, but he does seem to know his football.

Hoddle - needs a haircut, but Spurs through and through and always sticks up for us.

Souness - fearsome player, fearsome pundit. Never afraid to say exactly what he thinks, not worried about reputations. Would like to see him and keane in the same room one of these days.

Jamie 'hyperbole' Redknapp - not a top,top pundit. Self-important, prone to exaggeration, bias, in love with former teammates - he's too much.

Ed Chamberlain - Very steady and reliable. Doesn't really put a foot wrong.