Well, here we are. Eleven games into the new Premier League season and thinks are shaping up rather nicely. Despite the initial worry, we have a perfectly open title race, a team of Champions sinking like a ship, leaving a potential top four spot up for grabs, and a relegation scrap that could end up becoming very interesting.
But who has wowed individually? Who have been the players grabbing the headlines so far, and will it differ from those at the end of the season? So, without further ado, here is your Premier League Team of the Season – so far.
Goalkeeper – Jack Butland – Stoke City
You dread to think where Stoke City would be without Jack Butland. The 22-year-old has averaged over four saves per game and has made the most saves of any top flight keeper so far with 46 saves this season. He’s kept his side out of an awful lot of trouble and made the save to put them through in the League Cup against Chelsea.
He’s actually been so good that many are calling for him to trump Joe Hart as England number one – and though that may be a bit premature, there’s no doubt that, bar some small disaster, he’ll succeed Hart as England’s first choice goalkeeper one day. He’s just been phenomenal.
Right Back – Hector Bellerin – Arsenal
What a year or so it’s been for Hector Bellerin. Ever since breaking into the side against Borussia Dortmund last year, he’s just gone from strength to strength.
Though he managed to displace Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers from Arsenal’s right back position, it’s this season where the European Golden Boy Nominee has really shone. In fact, he seems to be a vital part of the Gunners side now, as the club have lost four out of the five games he’s missed this year.
In football today, right back isn’t one flowing with stars, but it looks like the position may just have a new star on the horizon, coming in the form of Hector Bellerin.
Centre Back – Virgil Van Dijk – Southampton
This signing is beginning to look more and more like a hell of a coup. Southampton were gutted when loanee Toby Alderweireld refused to join the club permanently over the summer, and decided to link up with Tottenham. His replacement, powerful Dutch centre half Virgil Van Dijk, has been absolutely excellent, and he only cost £13 million.
He’s helped the club to four clean sheets this season and has helped himself to a couple of goals, the Saints taking advantage of his height from set pieces well. More and more it looks like Van Dijk is destined for great things, and for all parties involved this has been a wonderful move.
Centre Back – Chris Smalling – Manchester United
I’m not sure many would’ve predicted this sort of season from Chris Smalling, which could almost be described as a coming of age year for him. The former Fulham man has really turned his career around, and is now beginning to look like the player Sir Alex always promised he’d be.
The centre half has gone from a real disappointment to a very solid, no nonsense defender who looks like he could be a future Manchester United captain in the making. His United defence have kept the most clean sheets in the league so far this season with seven, and despite the fact that his manager just can’t remember his name, he deserves a place in this eleven.
Left Back – Aleksandr Kolarov – Manchester City
Another one who’s having a season no one really expected, the left back position was one where many felt City were a bit average, but Kolarov has coming storming out the traps this season with a string of excellent performances that have seen City top the table.
Overall, City as a united have defended very, very well this season, and, as big clubs do, they have full backs that love to get very far forward. Kolarov is about as attacking a full back as you can get, with a lethally powerful left hook on him. But what seems to be different this year in his step up in quality in the defensive zone, where he seems to have far more of a desire to get back. Credit to him.
Right Midfielder – Riyad Mahrez – Leicester City
One of two Leicester players absolutely on fire at the moment. I can tell you from the moment I set eyes on him on a cold, Tuesday night Championship game in 2014, I knew Riyad Mahrez has a big future. The Algerian has managed to reignite the pace, flare, danger and most importantly confidence that I saw on that Tuesday night.
The Algerian is just a joy to watch and has been simply brilliant. He has everything you want in a winger, as described above, but as well as that, he seems to have to wonderful asset of having two magical feet. Some are blessed with feet that can smack in a goal, some are blessed with feet that can make a beautiful pass, but Mahrez seems to be lucky enough to have both. Long may this wonderful form continue, it’s been great.
Central Midfielder – Mesut Ozil – Arsenal
I’m sure many would agree with me when say that Mesut Ozil has let the Premier League down since joining Arsenal. Having been wowed by his fantastic play at Real Madrid, I think we all expected a little more. I hope this is the season that sets Mesut Ozil on fire, because what we’ve seen so far is that number 10 from Real Madrid who just seemed to have feet made for passing.
And we have seen the very, very best of Ozil this year. At moments, he’s been absolutely unplayable, and his form will be integral if Arsenal are serious about keeping up this title hunt.
I truly hope this is the rebirth of Ozil’s Premier League career, because this is the player we loved in Spain.
Central Midfielder – Dimitri Payet – West Ham United
Even more of a coup then Van Dijk!
When the West Ham board delivered Payet for £10 million, many were impressed that the Hammers were able to attract such a layer, without suspecting quite the danger, quite the playmaker, quite the goalscorer that he was.
And was he. Payet has been a revelation. Slaven Bilic seems to play him in a free role, allowing him to drift right across the front line, but just behind the striker. It’s worked so, so well. With five goals and three assists, the French international has been on fire.
Left Midfielder – Andre Ayew – Swansea City
In a world of heavy transfer fees, and a desperate struggle for goalscorers, it’s mind boggling to believe Swansea City were allowed to sign a player like Andre Ayew on a free transfer, and was almost a beacon of how far they’d come as a club, since that play off win against Reading, way back in 2011.
Ayew, like Swansea, seems to have fizzled out since his hot start to the season, perhaps underlining quite how important to the side he is. He’s still managed five goals and one assists, but hopefully he can pick up his form once more.
Striker – Odion Ighalo – Watford
Not the striker who the world country thought would fire Watford to safety this season, but Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo have linked up very well this season to put the Hornets in a very good position, eleven games in. With seven goals and two assists so far this year, he’s on track for a great debut season in the top flight. Anyone who watched the Nigerian striker in the Championship last season would’ve said there was a case to say he was better than Deeney, who scored 27 times. However, Ighalo only scored seven goals fewer than him and made almost half the appearances. Something to think about.
Striker – Jamie Vardy – Leicester City
Oh please, you didn’t think I was going to leave Jamie Vardy off this list? Who would’ve seen this coming? A man who scored FIVE Premier League goals in 26 starts last year already has 11 goals in 11 appearances and is hunting down a record to score goals in the most consecutive games in Premier League history.
Claudio Ranieri has utilized Vardy’s rapid pace, combine that with a finish that seems to have significantly improved since last season, and you’ve got a forward rising to the top of the Premier League top scorers. I think Vardy should be played down the middle by Roy Hodgson for England, I think it would be silly otherwise.
Source: DSG
