Most Valuable XI In The Premier League: Featuring Manchester United And Tottenham Stars

Most Valuable XI In The Premier League

The English Premier League has always been an exciting place to watch football. Every year it throws up certain players who perform so well that they are bought for record prices. The like of Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric amongst others is a testimony to the fact as to how pivotal these players have been following their departure from the EPL. This season too it has thrown up players whose impressive performance day in day out is sure to have eyeballs attracted towards them once the summer transfer opens.

Here is Premier League’s “Most Valuable Playing XI”, rated both in terms of age as well as the potential bids that they might attract.

FORMATION: 4-1-4-1

Goal Keeper And Defence

David De Gea

Many would opine that this season Jack Butland has been the goalkeeper to watch out for. Whilst that is true, it goes without saying that the performance put in by David De Gea of Manchester United, over the past few years has been nothing less than spectacular. In fact, so much so that he seemed on his way to Real Madrid, if not for THAT “Fax-Machine” moment.
Having played in 25 matches wherein he has kept a clean sheet in 10 matches along with an average save of 2.44, it is therefore no surprise that he is widely tipped to replace the ageing Iker Casillas in Spain national team.

 

LEFT BACK:

Luke Shaw

Even though he is out injured for the major part of the season, he is arguably the brightest left back option that EPL has to offer.  Young, agile, creative with great crossing ability. That’s what Luke Shaw offers you. It’s a shame that injuries have barred his progress. He played just 5 matches this season and had 100% shot accuracy and 86% average pass accuracy. When he takes the runs on the left, he terrorises the flanks. If it was not for the challenge of Hector Moreno Challenge, he would have definitely been the young player to look out for in this season.

 

CENTRE BACKS:

John Stones

It’s not every day that one finds a 21yr old defender being highly persuaded by the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea & Barcelona. But Barnsley-born Stones has ticked all the boxes that makes him a hot prospect in the upcoming transfer season. An astute defender who attracts players and then completely marks them off the ball, his progress this season has been marred by injuries and although he is yet to return to his destructive mode that he was on in last season he has made a good name for himself. At such a young age, he has shown qualities that are expected from a club captain.

Chris Smalling

The only shining prospect in an otherwise fragile United back 4, Chris Smalling’s impressive performances has brought joy to United faithful. He has started 26 matches so far with an average pass accuracy of 82% and has won 53% of the average duels. Even though the team lost, his performance against West Bromwich Albion was particularly of high impact. He went from being a liability last season to being the best defender in the league in the first half of the season. At 26 he is still expected to reach his prime and once he does that it’s going to be a pleasure to watch him.

 

RIGHT BACK:

Hector Bellerin

Catalan by birth, he has been a youth product of Arsenal ala Cesc Fabregas mode. At 20 years of age he has an average pass accuracy of 85% which going by his age can be considered as a mature performer. His major standout performance would be the 3-0 home win against Manchester United wherein his runs down on the right that caused the first major problem for United, and while putting two defenders to mark him United left gaps in the centre and there in stepped the likes of Ozil and Sanchez that demolished United in a matter of minutes.

 

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CENTRAL DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER:

Eric Dier

A versatile defensive player, who has come up through the youth ranks at Sporting CP, Dier has been deployed as a defensive midfielder, a centre-half and as a right back. However since the start of the 2015–16 season, he was been utilised as a defensive midfielder by Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino and that is where his impact has been the maximum. His absence was sorely felt as Spurs crashed to a 0-3 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg, Round of 16 of Europa League. With age being on his side, Eric Dier is sure to be one of the most impactful players in this position in times to come.

 

MIDFIELD

Dele Alli

Ever since signing from MK Dons, Dele Alli has just gone from strength to strength. Making 27 appearances so far, he has an Avg pass accuracy of 76% and created 38 chances whilst also scoring important goals that has helped Tottenham Hotspur be as high as second in the standings and keeping pace with leaders Leicester City. Along with Eric Dier, he is one of the vital cogs in the line-up of Spurs and his absence too was felt as they lost to Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park. Going forward it is of paramount importance that he stays fit and keeps performing if the North London team harbours any thought of lifting the Premier League.

Mesut Ozil

One man that has been pulling the strings for Arsenal and has helped them be in the Top 3 of the league table, on current form Mesut Ozil is one name that can easily walk into any playing XI in the world. Currently on top of the assists standing with 18 assists to his name, he is just 3 assists away from breaking the all-time record of most assists in a single season, set by former Gunner and an Arsenal legend, a certain Thierry Henry. At 27 years of age, he is a very highly regarded player with Real again looking to lure him back though it seems unlikely that he shall make the switch.

Christian Eriksen

In this season’s English Premier League, Eriksen has scored five goals and has created 88 chances. He also has eight assists to his name. Eriksen has completed 1040 passes this season with a pass accuracy of 81%, of which 73% were forward passes. Last season he scored ten goals and created 83 chances. In the 2013/14 season, he scored 7 goals and created 68 chances and had a pass accuracy of 82%. There was a reason Alex Ferguson wanted him when he was in charge.

Riyad Mahrez

With 15 goals and 11 assists, Mahrez has been directly involved in 50% of the goals scored by the Foxes this season that has seen them become firm favourites to lift the cup, come this May. All these goals have come at an entirely indiscriminate spree, with goals scored or made against Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Southampton, Tottenham and West Ham and a decisive creative hand in victories against the champions of the last two seasons. Bought for a paltry £400,000, Mahrez has seen his stocks rise by leaps and bounds as his performances as the most creative Premier League player this season has made him a genuine contender for the PFA Player of the Year award.

 

FORWARD:

Harry Kane

In a space of six months, Kane graduated from Spurs reserve to the most lethal striker in the Premier League, whilst winning the PFA Young Player of the Year: 2014–15 and also featuring in the PFA Team of the Year: 2014–15. Whilst there have been many English forwards who never made it big despite having some serious talent, Kane has been even fantastic this season through a phenomenal desire to improve upon his past season performance. His biggest asset in Tottenham’s attack is arguably the movements he makes and the way he reads space in between defenders. He never stands still and is always looking to pull a player out of position to create space for himself or one of his teammates that has seen him being third on the goal scoring chart just a couple of goals shy from Leicester’s Jamie Vardy. Even though Vardy has more goals more than Kane, it’s the age factor that gets the former into this team.