Premier League Players: Positions & Boots
One of the most frequently asked questions we get here at SoccerBible is Which are the best football boots for my position? Brands are continuously telling us lightweight boots are for wingers, accuracy boots are for strikers and control boots are for central midfielders, but what do the professionals think?
OK, we know a handful of the top players are endorsed by brands, but the majority of professionals make their own choice when it comes to boots. We're not saying you should be wearing a specific boot if you play in a certain position but to help give you an insight to what might be the best boot for your game, we've assessed every Premier League club's 2012/13 official squad list and distinguished the most popular boots players in each position are wearing.
If you're a 'keeper who has sorted out your gloves for the season but need a bit of a steer regarding your footwear it's worth nothing that the adidas Predator is the most popular boot choice of Premier League 'keepers, closely followed by the Nike Tiempo Legend and T90 Laser IV. The T90's accuracy and the Predator's power enhance a goalkeeper's performance when distributing the ball from goal kicks and free kicks.
Goalkeepers in the Premier League wear a total of 14 different silo's ranging from Joe Hart in Umbro Geometras, to Liverpool's Reina in Joma and Southampton's Kelvin Davis wearing Nike Air Zoom T90 IV Supremacy boots.
SoccerBible shout out to Robert Green. The QPR shot-stopper is keeping it old school in a pair of classic Pantofola d'Oro Lazzarini boots. 
Centre backs appear to prefer the stability and comfort of a leather football boot rather than the technologies of a more modern silo. With that in mind it's unsurprising that the Nike Tiempo Legend is the most popular choice with 21 players wearing the heritage boot. What is surprising is that not one Premier League centre back is wearing adidas' heritage boot, the adiPure.
Only 4 Premier League central defenders have started the season wearing speed boots with Daniel Agger and Emerson Boyce wearing the f50 and William Gallas and Winston Reid in the Vapor VIII.
SoccerBible shout out to Stoke City's Matthew Upson who continues to wear the famous adidas World Cups.
When you think of the new Nike CTR360 Maestri III you tend to associate it with playmakers such as Andres Iniesta and Rafael Van der Vaart, but Nike's latest control boot appears to be a hit with the Premier League's full backs, a total of 15 players including Glen Johnson, Micah Richards Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen have laced up in the new CTR ahead of the 2012/13 campaign.
Just behind the CTR is the Nike Tiempo Legend IV, predominantly a heritage boot but surprisingly it's 3 of the Premier League's quickest attacking full backs that have opted for the Legend over a speed boot with Ashley Cole, Branislav Ivanovic and Patrice Evra all donning the swoosh. For full backs looking for a lighter option it's the adidas f50 that comes out on top with 13 players wearing the adizero ahead of just 5 wearing Nike's Vapor VIII.
SoccerBible shout out to Swansea City's brilliantly named Angel Rangel wearing Mizuno Morelia Neo football boots.
Two boots lead the way when it comes to middle of the field with Nike's CTR360 and the adidas Predator the clear favourites with the Premier League's central midfielders. The CTR boasts 29 players including Rafael Van der Vaart, Yohan Cabaye and Gylfi Sigurdsson whereas the distinguished Predator boasts Samir Nasri, Tom Cleverley and Steven Gerrard amongst it's ranks.
Nike and adidas have incorporated technologies into their respective control boots that meet the demands of the modern day playmaker and the success of these changes is clear to see by the sheer numbers of professionals pulling the strings in the CTR and Predator.
SoccerBible shout out to West Ham United's Kevin Nolan for scoring on the opening day of the season in a pair of Puma King SL boots.
With wide midfielders it's all about speed and at the top of the game small margins can be the difference between winning and losing a game. It's no surprise to see football's leading lightweight boots dominating the charts when it comes to the choice of Premier League wingers. The blistering pace of Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon and Eden Hazard all wear the Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII with Gareth Bale, David Silva and Shinji Kagawa the most noticeable of the 33 Premier League wingers wearing adidas f50 adizero.
Once again the CTR360 Maestri III is amongst the most popular choices as Nike's premium control boot continues to be a hit with players all over the park.
SoccerBible shout out to the ever-young Ryan Giggs. The Manchester United legend is the only Reebok player left in the Premier League.
When it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net Premier League strikers are torn between four boots. Nike and adidas top the charts once again as their iconic speed boots are given the seal of approval by the league's goalscorers. 17 players have kicked off the season leading the line in the Vapor VIII. Lukas Podolski and Luis Suarez are amongst 16 forwards wearing the adidas f50.
The Nike T90 Laser IV edges out the adidas Predator for the third most popular strikers boot in the Premier League. Both silos will be in the thick of the goals at Old Trafford this season with Rooney and Welbeck wearing the T90 and new signing Robin van Persie firing at goal in his Preds.
SoccerBible shout out to Fulham's Bobby Zamora, the only Premier League striker wearing Under Armour Hydrastrike Pro II boots.
