Leeds can be solely fucked with out their most improved participant and there are not any prizes for guessing Manchester United’s.
We’ve additionally picked our greatest slumps.
Arsenal – Granit Xhaka
Folks say footballers are of their prime once they’re round 28. It’s the purpose the place they’ve probably the most expertise whereas their bodily situation continues to be someplace close to its peak. However few get to twenty-eight and reinvent themselves as Xhaka has executed, to such an extent that he performs like a very totally different footballer. Mikel Arteta has labored wonders with him, and but should decide to improve him.
Aston Villa – Leon Bailey
Bailey watched primarily from the sidelines in his debut season, as Steven Gerrard continued with an admittedly unusual system which noticed Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins run round up entrance with no service. Gerrard finally gave in and used his £30m winger, however Bailey waited for Unai Emery to repay Gerrard’s belief, scoring and aiding within the Spaniard’s first recreation in cost. The Jamaican has began eight of Emery’s 9 top-flight video games as Villa boss.
Brentford – Mathias Jensen
After I consider Brentford, I consider a participant that appears like Mathias Jensen. I’m not essentially picturing Jensen, it’s extra a mixture of him, Mads Roerslev and Christian Norgaard, however we in all probability shouldn’t be lumping the Danes in collectively. Anyway, Norgaard stays prime of the Brentford Dane charts, however Jensen has closed the hole this season.
Brighton – Solly March
5 of the highest six Brighton gamers final season in keeping with the WhoScored rankings are now not on the membership, which is extraordinary given they’re now even higher and that additionally offers loads of room for enchancment. March now tops these rankings having began each Premier League recreation for Brighton this time period, already beating his variety of appearances final season, with 4 objectives and 4 assists to his identify.
Chelsea – Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa is comfortably second within the post-shot anticipated objectives minus objectives allowed (PSxG+/-) stakes, which is basically how seemingly the goalkeeper is to save lots of the shot with the variety of objectives they really concede subtracted. Alisson’s on +8.1, Kepa’s on +6.8, with Bernd Leno a distant subsequent finest on +3.3. Final season Kepa scored +1.2, in 2020-21 he obtained +1.2, and he completed 2019-20 with a very unbelievable -11.3.
Crystal Palace – Michael Olise
One second of brilliance shouldn’t safe a participant’s place on this checklist, and Olise was additionally good final season, however with out different apparent candidates his free-kick towards Manchester United is sufficient to earn him a spot. He didn’t rating a aim nearly as good as that final season.
Everton – Jordan Pickford
Slim pickings at Everton however Pickford seems to have mellowed this season, which is not any unhealthy factor. His PSxG+/- has gone from -2.3 to +0.5.
Leeds – Rodrigo
Leeds would have been solely f***ed with out him this season. He’s scored in each recreation Leeds have gained, and other than the Chelsea recreation, wherein he scored and assisted within the 3-0 win, Leeds wouldn’t have gained any of these video games with out his objectives. He additionally scored in two of Leeds’ three rating attracts. Leeds would have 4 factors this season if Rodrigo hadn’t performed.
Leicester – James Maddison
Maddison was in all probability additionally Leicester’s finest participant final season, however has taken his recreation up a stage this time period, which is not any imply feat contemplating the numerous dip in kind for the remainder of the staff.
Liverpool – Roberto Firmino
Few would have predicted Firmino to be Liverpool’s prime scorer within the Premier League. In reality you’ll in all probability have made him least seemingly of their 5 forwards (now six with Cody Gakpo) to prime the scoring charts. Seven objectives in 13 appearances earlier than his damage is nearly as good a goalscoring run as he’s skilled in his Liverpool profession.
Manchester Metropolis – Riyad Mahrez
There may be positively some recency bias at play right here, with Mahrez scored 5 and aiding three in his final six. And his place on this checklist has completely nothing to do with a reasonably outlandish pre-season prediction.
Manchester United – Marcus Rashford
In January final yr, whereas working as a pundit, Steve McClaren stated “someone wants to present Rashford the instruments to come back out of the unhealthy instances as a result of he doesn’t know tips on how to and stays in it.” Maybe we must be lauding McClaren, now again teaching at United, for serving to Rashford to beat his demons.
Newcastle – Miguel Almiron
He’s not scored in January, so if Jack Grealish may get p*ssed up and mock him once more we’re certain the Newcastle followers can be grateful.
Southampton – James Ward-Prowse
He’s probably not improved, however has claimed his spot by being the one Southampton participant who hasn’t obtained worse.
Tottenham – Rodrigo Bentancur
The Uruguayan has been glorious since arriving at Spurs in January final yr however has added objectives to his recreation this time period.
West Ham – Lukasz Fabianski
In keeping with the WhoScored rankings, each West Ham participant is worse this season than final. Lukasz Fabianksi is just barely worse.
Wolves – Daniel Podence
Having been out and in of the Wolves staff within the final two seasons, rotated with their abundance of different skilful however unthreatening wingers/inside forwards, Podence is now near a stalwart having began 16 of their 20 video games, top-scoring with 5 of their 12 Premier League objectives.