With Christmas burning a hole in your bank balance and the festive fixtures set to come thick and fast from Boxing Day onward, we’re now just two games away from the exact middle point of the 2016/17 Premier League campaign.
It’s been a mesmerising season in the English top flight thus far, with a raft of star-studded managers orchestrating unpredictable on-pitch duels full of drama, controversy and high-octane attacking football.
Earlier this week, punditry demi-gods Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher gave their verdicts on the campaign thus far, picking their Teams of the Season on Monday Night Football.
Well, now it’s FootballFanCast’s turn to have our say on the last four months of Premier League action, but we’re taking a more scientific approach by drafting in the help of stat enthusiasts Whoscored – who create average ratings for each Premier League player based upon the number of actions (e.g. tackles, interceptions, key passes) they perform per game.
So without further ado, here’s a look at what would happen if statistics chose the Team of the Season…
Goalkeeper
A goalkeeper whose superb efforts have gone largely unnoticed this season, Lee Grant (7.08) was signed on loan from Derby County during the summer as extra cover for the injured Jack Butland, but following some underwhelming performances from Shay Given, he now finds himself first choice at Stoke City – and in this statistical XI.
That’s in no small part due to the 33-year-old glovesman recording 33 saves in twelve Premier League appearances and notching up five clean sheets in the process – a rich vein of form that has propelled the Potters up the Premier League table after a poor start to the campaign. Something tells us Mark Hughes will be keen to sign Grant permanently in January.
Defence
A back four few would have picked at the start of the season, simply because two of its members are thriving in new positions this term – James Milner (7.3) and Cesar Azpilicueta (7.62).
Indeed, whilst the former England international has transformed himself from an industrious midfielder into an all-action left-back, versatile full-back Azpilicueta has moved inside to help form Chelsea’s virtually impenetrable three-man backline, which has conceded just two goals in their last eleven league games.
Kyle Walker’s (7.45) inclusion is somewhat less surprising; the right-back has played well for a few seasons now and is enjoying another strong campaign as Spurs’ marauding No.2; but Nicolas Otamendi (7.55) may raise some eyebrows, considering Man City have kept just three clean sheets this term.
Midfield
A midfield forged from two combinations, Sadio Mane (7.71) and Philippe Coutinho (8.05) have been nothing short of electric down the wings for Liverpool this season, while Ander Herrera (7.49) and Paul Pogba (7.7) have formed an equally impressive partnership at the heart of Manchester United’s midfield.
The Senegalese and Brazilian internationals have played a hand in 22 Premier League goals this term, and their attacking triplet with Roberto Firmino has seen the Reds score the most goals of any side in the division – a staggering 41.
Meanwhile, although Paul Pogba drew criticism upon his return to Old Trafford, the Frenchman’s influence has grown with every game. Ander Herrera has been the perfect support act, linking play whilst providing energy and tenacity off the ball.
Attack
Perhaps the least surprising department of this XI, Diego Costa (7.77) and Alexis Sanchez (7.89) have been head and shoulders above the rest of the Premier League so far this season, notching up 25 goals and eleven assists between them.
Antonio Conte appears to have brought some much-needed composure to Costa’s feisty game, with those unsavoury mano-e-mano fisticuffs a thing of the past, whilst the switch to a central striking role has seemingly brought Sanchez’s game to an even higher level.
The duo are on fire at the moment and will both be in with a shout for the PFA Player of the Year award come the end of the campaign.
