My Premier League Team of the Decade

With the 2010s coming to a close, everyone’s been discussing who’ve been the stand out players of the decade. Since this has been the first decade where I’ve been able to follow the Premier League from start to finish, let’s look at which players have stood out among the competition, players who will be remembered for years to come. There is a few names I’ve not included here which a majority of people will disagree with. This team is a combination of players who have left a lasting impression on me. Some of them might not be the best players we’ve seen during this decade, but these are the guys I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching during the last ten years.

David De Gea

Starting with by far the most obvious pick, David De Gea has not only been the best goalkeeper during the last decade but arguably in league history. It’s well-documented by now that the Spaniard had a tough first couple of years in England, struggling to adapt to a more physical league, but Ferguson knew he would need to adjust. De Gea did start a lot of games under United’s legendary manager, 29 in his first season and 28 in his second. But if De Gea did have a couple of bad to mediocre performances, Ferguson would take him out of the side to ensure his confidence wouldn’t plummet entirely. This was the best decision, with De Gea going on to start over 34 games in all of his campaigns since the Scotsman’s retirement from management.

During a time where United have been inconsistent or underwhelming to put it lightly, De Gea remained a constant, always making those game-changing saves and made a pretty weak defensive unit look like the best in the division. His best season was by far the 17/18 season, more specifically, away at the Emirates. De Gea had the best goalkeeping performance in Premier League history. He made 14 saves against the Gunners, and they weren’t just simple stops. Some of the saves he was making were groundbreaking. The best among his many saves in this game was his fantastic double save. Lacazette was gifted a chance in the penalty area, which De Gea magnificently stops, only for the ball to fall to his future teammate Alexis Sanchez. De Gea had seconds to react, and from 6-yards out, he managed to save the Chilean’s shot with his leg. It was a save that not only saved United’s defence, which was awful on the day, but perfectly summarised United in the past 6 years. De Gea has been the sole reason for the Red Devils having one of the best defences in the league.

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Some would see a couple of factors that hold De Gea back from being the best goalkeeper of the decade. His first couple of years in England weren’t great and his form has fallen from the best in the world to pretty average since 2018. He’s never been great on the ball compared to the likes of Ederson and Allison. Yet, there were four years of elite production that I’ve never seen a goalkeeper replicate. 

Kyle Walker

The full-back areas have been difficult to choose, not for a vast amount of choices, but the lack of them. With not many names to choose from, Kyle Walker is easily the most obvious choice to fill the right-back position. Walker was an up-and-coming player during his early years, but up until 2015, he failed to live up to his potential. He was still starting a lot of games for Spurs, but was somewhat inconsistent and defensively still had massive holes in his game. It was the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, like for many of the Tottenham players, changed the course of his career. During his three years under the Argentine, Walker turned into the best right-back in the league, giving his side plenty of width while having the speed to make those recovery tackles if possession was lost. He was never a massive goalscoring threat like Marcos Alonso nor a great creator like Alexander-Arnold, but Walker remained solid. He was a constant outlet for Tottenham and seemed to live up to that promise he showed early on. 

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Walker’s move to Manchester changed his game. Guardiola already had, at the time, Benjamin Mendy has a very attacking full-back, so Walker was to take to a more reserved role in the team. He stopped pushing forward as far as he did under Pochettino and AVB, yet still remained heavily involved in build-up play, completing over 70 passes per game last season. Even with more talented players around him, The England right-back has been a critical member for both Pochettino and now Pep Guardiola. Ricardo Pereira and Trent Alexander-Arnold might be more talented, but Walker is an excellent player to have for any manager and has stood out during the 2010s.

David Luiz

Maybe putting David Luiz in this team might be rather daft, but when I think of players who have defined the 2010’s, David Luiz is one of the first names to come to mind. The Brazilian has had moments of stupidity at times, with his brand of defending leaving his teammates rather exposed at times, but what David Luiz has always excelled at is distribution. People like to look at Rio Ferdinand as the first defender in England to honestly look comfortable and composed on the ball. Ferdinand did revolutionise the position here, but David Luiz took the next step and became the best defender in terms of ability on the ball. The issue that many managers have found with Luiz is if you don’t play him in a particular system, he might be your worst defender, but in the right one, he is your best defender.

Luiz has played under a lot of Chelsea managers, 7 in fact. He arrived in January 2011, going onto play 11 games under Ancelotti. David Luiz was loved at Chelsea. His aggression, positivity and the way he has always worn his heart on his sleeve has made him very easy to like. He was genuinely great under Villas-Boas and Di Matteo, but it was Mourinho’s arrival that almost forced Luiz into departing Chelsea. Luiz has many qualities, but defending in a deep block, similar to how Mourinho likes to deploy, isn’t playing him to his strengths. He broke the record for the most expensive defender, moving to Paris for £50 million. At PSG, David Luiz was fantastic and did his usual long balls and runs out the back to help progress the ball. Laurent Blanc usually played possession-based football, with a high-line. This was perfect for Luiz.

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After two successful seasons in Paris, David Luiz returned to Chelsea, coincidentally, the season after Mourinho departed. Many neutrals laughed at this deadline-day signing. Why bring back a player you sold two years ago, who is now 30 years old? It was a weird move at the time, but a lot had changed since that first stint. Antonio Conte was now Chelsea manager, a coach who plays a deep block similar to Mourinho. It usually included a libero, a defender who focuses on sweeping up after the other defenders and using their passing ability to help move the ball further up the field, think Beckenbauer or Leonardo Bonucci. Luiz fitted this mould perfectly and had his best season during his long club career. Luiz was genuinely fantastic under Conte, gaining a place in the team of the season and finally winning a title at Stamford Bridge. Luiz eventually earned the credit he had deserved for years, showing that when placed in the right system, no one in England was better than him. After falling out with Conte, Luiz returned to being a first-team regular under Sarri, another manager who saw Luiz as the great defender he is. His excellent reading of the ball and world-class distribution meant that he fitted seamlessly into Sarri’s possession-heavy system. 

The criticisms which have faced Luiz for years have always been the mistakes and lack of concentration, which are reasonable. He will occasionally give away needless penalties and make the wrong decision when facing teams with pacey forwards. Under a certain amount of pressure, Luiz can crumble, and still does. Now playing for Arsenal, Luiz needlessly pulled Mohamed Salah’s shirt in the box and gifted Liverpool a penalty. It was a moment that many have come to expect from Luiz. Whenever he makes mistakes, he tries his hardest to make up for them, only to make the situation worse. Luiz, at his worst, can be a problem, especially during substantial stints without possession, but at his best, is one of the best defenders the league has ever seen. Maybe putting him over Vincent Kompany might be slightly baffling, but no defender has defined the evolution of centre backs more than Sideshow Bob himself. 

Toby Alderweireld 

Since his arrival in England, Alderweireld has been apart of some the best defences of the past 5 years. Firstly on loan under Ronald Koeman at Southampton, where he helped form the second-best defence in the league. Many, including me, saw Jose Fonte as the stand out player out of the pair, but it was, in fact, Alderweireld, who was the key man. He then earned a move to Tottenham, which not only showed his qualities but turned Tottenham from a mess into arguably the best team in the league for two years. They went from having the worst defence out of the top six to having the best in Alderweireld’s first season. The former Ajax defender offered so much more than any defender Tottenham had in the past. He was the best ball-playing defender in the league, not only comfortable in possession but even helping move the ball into the final third, earning 2 assists in 15/16, both to Dele Alli with long balls right into the England international’s feet. The way he could receive the ball and send this calmness across the ground was something rare to see. In 17/18, he had an injury-plagued season, where he only managed 13 starts, but since then, has continued to be a mainstay in Spurs’ defence.

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Alderweireld might not be a physical monster like Virgil Van Dijk or have the goal threat of John Terry. Still, the Belgian was at one point comfortably the best defender in the league and was the reason for Tottenham’s consistently high performances between 2015 and 2018. It’s instead a shame he hasn’t been able to win a trophy in England, but on quality and consistency alone, no one deserves to be here more than Alderweireld. 

Cesar Azpilicueta

Another example of a position where choices are limited. However, even if there was a fantastic left-back to choose, Azpilicueta is fully deserving of a place as one of the best players of the decade. The Spaniard has been Mr Consistent since arriving in England, moving from right-back, to left-back under Mourinho, centre-back under Conte and now back to right-back. He’s never suffered from a single injury since playing in London and has been loved by every manager who he’s played under. In the summer of 2014, Mourinho brought in Brazilian left-back Felipe Luiz from Atletico Madrid, with Ashley Cole departing and Ivanovic covering at right-back, it was presumed that Azpilicueta would play as a back-up. But he kept his place in the side, and keeping arguably one of the best left-backs in the previous year, on the bench. 

Defensively, Azpilicueta is one of the best full-backs the league has ever seen. He has consistently put up massive tackle and interception numbers, has always been difficult for opposition wingers to beat and reads the game so well. It’s a testament to his defensive qualities that he fitted in rather flawlessly in Antonio Conte’s back three, alongside David Luiz and Gary Cahill. Azpilicueta was primarily winning the ball back and pushing up in build-up play. The Spaniard was putting in less than a foul per game during that title-winning campaign under Conte and played every game of that spectacular season. 

Azpilicueta’s speciality is defending, and he’s really good at it, but that isn’t to diminish his qualities on the ball. The former Marseille defender has racked up 29 assists during his Chelsea career, with his long balls over the top to Alvaro Morata during the 2017/18 season a highlight of his career, assisting the Spanish forward 6 times that season. He was making those difficult balls into the final third that you usually expect David Luiz to play, but Azpiliciueta once again showed just how good and versatile he is. 

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There isn’t a massive fault in his game or in his credentials to play in this team. No one has been more consistent and loved by multiple managers in the same way as Cesar Azpilicueta. An absolute shoo-in for everyone’s side of the decades. 

Fernandinho

Maybe not putting Ngolo Kante in this team might be baffling, but hear me out here. Fernandinho has not only played in this league longer than the Frenchman but has been even better. The Brazilian arrived in this league at the age of 28. Usually, this is seen as the age where players begin losing their physical edge and start to become easier to expose, think Steven Gerrard or Toni Kroos, who after the age of 28, began to show weaknesses defensively. Fernandinho was a short term fix in a sense. His arrival and the sheer amount of defensive work he did during City’s 13/14 title triumph (6 tackles and interceptions), which not only helped add some protection to the defence but covered for Yaya Toure, allowing him to have that great 20 goal season. Fernandinho had an arduous task ahead of him. Pellegrini teams are famously a lot of fun to watch and gets the best out of his attacking talents, but it can leave the defence extremely vulnerable if the personnel isn’t at the same level as the attack. Fernandinho was one of the reasons why City were actually good defensively that season. 

He continued his consistently high standards on the pitch in Pellegrini’s final couple of seasons, even if the team was weaker as each year passes. However, it was the arrival of Pep Guardiola that indeed showed Fernandinho as the best defensive midfielder of the decade. Even at the age of 31, Fernandinho was vital for City’s end of decade dominance. He was the sole midfielder in a three-man midfield containing David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. While Pep and De Bruyne are credited for creating the ‘free eight’ role on the pitch, it wouldn’t be possible without having Fernandinho behind him, allowing the Belgian to push forward and create. Fernandinho has been doing everything you can ask from a midfielder. He puts in a lot of defensive work, reads the game well, and can play those penetrating balls through midfield, can dribble, can score and knows when to partake in the dirtier side of the game.

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His quality can be best be shown with just how bad City were in the 18/19 season without him. While Gundogan isn’t a bad player, he doesn’t do nearly enough defensively to allow the other midfielders to push forward. Fernandinho missed most of the December fixtures, which resulted in defeats to Leicester and Crystal Palace. Even finding a replacement for Fernandinho proved difficult. The Champions finally settled on Rodri, after being linked to Jorginho, Fred and Aouar. City’s midfield so far this season has looked weaker without Fernandinho. Rodri is excellent but doesn’t possess the same speed, intelligence and ability to stop attacks before they materialise. People will always look at Aguero, Kompany and Silva as the players who have been the driving force for City’s success. While that is true, most of it under Guardiola has been down to Fernandinho being so well-rounded, so perfect for the whole that his coach requires. 

Santi Cazorla

I love Santi Cazorla, a lot actually. It’s hard to really put in words how fantastic he was to watch during his peak years in England. Cazorla arrived at a very frustrating time for Arsenal fans. It was another summer where they sold their two best players from the previous season, Robin Van Persie and Alex Song, to bigger clubs. It left Arsenal with a massive problem, goals and creativity. Giroud and Podolski arrived to fix the goal problem, while Cazorla arrived to supply their new forwards. The Spaniard arrived in a league where two Spanish playmakers dominated in style and production. David Silva and Juan Mata were their teams’ most important players, consistently linking midfield and attack so fluently. While they were at their best as a number 10, they could even play as a wide player, move freely into the centre and cause all sorts of problems for their opponents. Cazorla arrived into the league much later than his national teammates, being 27 while Mata and Silva were 23 and 24 respectively, but that added experience gave the additional quality. Cazorla was a two-footed, intelligent, exciting, while still possessing a burst of speed that let him play on the left.and could dribble through the smallest of gaps. His tight control of the ball was unmatched in the league. 

Cazorla’s first season for Arsenal is arguably the best creative season during this whole decade. I still believe that if Arsenal managed to sign Cazorla and keep Van Persie, they would have been league champions in 12/13. Arsenal were excellent that season, with Walcott, Arteta, Mertesacker, Koscielny and Sagna have their best seasons at the Emirates. If it weren’t for Manchester United desperate to commemorate their manager in the right way and Arsenal’s usual patchy results (I’d imagine they’d be different with Van Persie in the side), the Gunners would have ended their long trophy drought. Cazorla played in every Premier League game in 12/13, playing centrally or on the left, and dominated Arsenal’s stats. The former Malaga midfielder was second for most shots in Arsenal’s squad, first for chance creation, second for dribbles completed, second for passes completed and was even putting in over 4 tackles and interceptions. He ended the season with 12 goals and 11 assists. His best season for Arsenal was the season where he was at his most important. He was responsible for doing nearly everything in attack and ball progression while having to do his fair share of defensive work. The fact he did so and more, shows just the level of player Cazorla was at Arsenal.

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Cazorla’s versatility was arguably his biggest strength, but in the arrival of Mesut Ozil, a flaw. Wenger saw how Cazorla didn’t need to play centrally to be effective, so bringing in Real Madrid’s best creator and moving Cazorla over to the left did make sense. Ozil, and later Sanchez, did start to be looked at as Arsenal’s best players, from their vast reputations at previous clubs, but Santi Cazorla remained as crucial as ever. The reason why you play Cazorla and Ozil together is that it means you can’t stop the creativity. You couldn’t merely mark Ozil out of the game, because Cazorla would then take centre stage. It’s what made them so good for Cazorla’s first couple of years at the club, even with Giroud being very frustrating. It’s arguably what Arsenal’s most significant problem in recent years. The lack of creativity in the side means they are so easy to silence under Emery. Without having a variety of creators, it makes it so easy to stop you from dominating games and creating chances. 

Cazorla’s final couple of full seasons at the Emirates showed just how important he was for Wenger. Even with Ozil, Sanchez, Ox and Walcott preferred in the forward areas, Wenger had to have in the team somehow, so chose to play him in a double pivot alongside Francis Coquelin. Cazorla was once again fantastic, and it made so easy for him to receive the ball, evade pressure effortlessly and continue to play defence-breaking balls into the final third. 

However, his long-term ankle injury in October 2016 ruled him for nearly 2 years, leaving Arsenal and Cazorla with no choice but to part ways. His departure coincided with Arsenal losing their competitive edge, and they suddenly fell off a cliff. Ozil became easier to mark out of games since there wasn’t anyone else to carry that creative burden, and Arsenal generally went from a great team to a bad yet fun team under Wenger. Cazorla might not have the same longevity or titles as other players, but he has genuinely been one of the best players the league has ever seen.

David Silva

The next three players here have all been involved in the best team of the decade, but let’s start with David Silva. Like Walker, Silva has been in the league from the start and has been remarkably consistent. His first season in England was famously not great. While 11 goal contributions and toping the team for key passes with 2.1 is still substantial, it still showed that Silva, and Manchester City, weren’t yet ready to win their first title. The physical side of the league did seem to have an effect, but Silva did eventually got to his best. The former Valencia midfielder had an absolutely sensational campaign in City’s first title win. Silva went from 11 goal contributions in his first season to 21 in his second. This is where Silva established himself as the best creator in the league, linking up so well with the other forwards and always finding space in the final third to exploit. Like Cazorla, Silva was regularly played as a wide playmaker, with an emphasis on coming inside and looking for holes to exploit between the defence and the midfield. He could evade pressure so smoothly and was vital for creativity and ball progression.

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It was actually under Pep where he cemented himself as all time great. During Manchester City’s centurion season, Silva had his best season for the club. While De Bruyne did take the headlines for some of his fantastic assists and performances, Silva’s role had transformed. He was now alongside De Bruyne as a ‘free 8,’ and excelled in this fast, possession football that needed players like Silva, so technically gifted and intelligent to help drive the ball and create chances for the other forwards. During this super season, Pep’s wingers would stretch the defence, Cruyff-style, and give space for Silva and De Bruyne to exploit. Silva was so good when getting the ball in the 18-yard box, to quickly play a pass into one of his teammates in the box when their opponents had no time to adjust to the speed in City’s attacks. You couldn’t stop him from wiggling through defenders and play those simple, yet so effective balls into the feet of his teammates.

I’ve been in more depth with other players here, because in some cases, primarily Cazorla and Luiz, I’ve felt I have needed to justify their selections, but Silva will be in everyone’s team of the decades. He’s consistently performed every season and played a big part in all of City’s title winning seasons. From the leading creator, linking midfield to defence during his peak years, to using his invaluable experience and ability on the ball to find pockets in the opposition’s box, Silva has been a joy to watch during the last 9 years. 

Raheem Sterling 

Sterling might be a hard player to justify including, considering how he didn’t start playing regularly until 2012, in which he was very much a raw talent, being a great dribbler but still needing time to mature. Sterling was great alongside Suarez and Sturridge in one of the few seasons where Liverpool were close to winning the title. His follow-up season was a struggle, yet not as bad as many like to remember, considering he was only 20 and still getting into double figures for goal contributions. We look back and see that £44 million paid for Sterling and think it was a good deal, but at the time, people were not happy. The idea of spending so much money on a young player who was still unproven in a sense was crazy. What made it slightly worse was the arrival of Kevin De Bruyne, who at around £10 million more, Manchester City were getting arguably the best player in the Bundesliga in the previous season. He was at an age where he was ready to produce now. Sterling defined the money clubs were willing to spend on the next hot English talent.

Like 3 other players on this list, Pep Guardiola arrived and changed Sterling from a promising winger to one of the best wingers in Europe. Pep took out the weakest parts of his game, being his shot location and directness. One of Sterling’s problems was how wasteful he could be when in good positions. They improved during his first season in Manchester, but this was down to some dominant Manchester City performances, but what changed under Pep was where his shots were coming from. Sterling began looking for space in the penalty area, with all of his goals coming from inside the box. In the 17/18 season, down to improvements in his own game and a much better Manchester City team, Sterling looked unstoppable. He contributed to 29 goals in City’s first title win under Guardiola and stood out with some vital goals against Southampton, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Everton and Huddersfield. He was one of the reasons why City even managed to win the league and get to a historic amount of points. He was primarily played on the right, with his objective to stay wide in a very Dutch way, to stretch the opposition back four and allow his teammates to find space in behind. Sterling’s dribbling did help him stand out. The problem before Pep’s arrival was the way he was dribbling was slowing down attacks, choosing to take multiple touches on the ball. Pep made the slight yet significant change of telling him to take a single touch and move the ball. It keeps opponents in an uncomfortable position, with Sterling’s speed making it harder to predict his next move. 

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Sterling remained insanely consistent in City’s follow up campaign, scoring 17 and assisting 10. His goals were still being taken in very good areas, even with Kevin De Bruyne missing for most of the season. Pep also began playing him on the left, his preferred position due to the winger being right-footed. Pep clearly sees Sterling as a vital member of his team, with Sane dropping to the bench and the likes of Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez, two naturally right-sided players, playing to get the best out England’s exciting attacker. 

Maybe including a player who has only had 3 genuinely great seasons in the Premier League is a bit extreme, especially choosing him over Hazard. But Sterling is one of the best wingers on the planet, and his goalscoring, creativity, dribbling are all fantastic. His skill set is more varied than Hazard’s and has been sensational in the best team of the decade. 

Sergio Aguero 

Another Manchester City player who must be included in this team. I don’t think it’s controversial to say that Sergio Aguero is the best South American to ever play in the Premier League. His level of consistency since 2011 is absolutely outstanding. Only once did he manage to score less than 15 goals in a season, scoring bundles of goals and winning games for every manager he has played under. 

Aguero arrived during Manchester City’s early spending spree, joining in the same summer as Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy and joining other big-money signings like Yaya Toure, David Silva and Joleon Lescott. Aguero had some fierce competition in terms of players in the pecking order. Edin Dzeko was another expensive arrival and offered a lot in terms of build-up play and in the air. Carlos Tevez didn’t reach the point of being virtually hated by all sets of fans in Manchester and was still considered one of the most lethal forwards in the league. Mario Balotelli was another player who, while controversial, was still useful, and at this point, promising. Aguero arrived to add that element of speed and coolness in front of goal, while still being very comfortable on the ball and could offer a lot in terms of build-up play, even with a weaker frame to Dzeko. The Argentine famously had one of the best debuts in Premier League history, coming off the bench in a 4-0 win over QPR. In only half an hour of football, Aguero managed to score his first goal, create two more for his teammates and score the final goal. He also scored THAT winning goal against QPR on the last game of the season, with his intuitive and powerful finish winning Manchester City their first Premier League title. 

His best season to me was the 14/15 season, where he won the golden boot with 26 goals (yet didn’t make the team of the year). Aguero was in absolutely monsterous form. He scored all 4 goals in a 4-1 win over Pochettino’s Tottenham, reaching the 10 goal mark by the beginning of November, and actually reached 100 goals for Man City in a 4-2 derby defeat to Manchester United. It took him only three and a half years to reach a goal tally for a club that some strikers never reach. Aguero’s numbers in that season were ridiculous, ending 14/15 with 0.93 non-penalty expected goals contributions per 90. There is only one season where he bettered that, in Pep’s centurion season, playing in a team with a much better supporting cast. I have fond memories of Aguero over the years, with the one that stands out is a particular goal he scored. I still can’t remember what side this goal was against, but all I can remember is when Aguero struck the ball, and you can see the net being close to breaking. 

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His time under Pep did initially start on bad terms. The Argentine marksman bafflingly didn’t seem to fit Guardiola’s blueprint for his ideal striker, with there being a huge question mark over his build-up play. Aguero has always been a consistent chance creator, but as he has gotten older, his primary focus has always been on goalscoring. There were even rumours in January 2017 than Pep would consider selling Aguero, with Jesus being preferred in terms of his ability to drop deep and drag defenders with him. However, Jesus picked up a severe knee injury not long after his arrival, meaning Pep had to turn back to Aguero, an opportunity the Argentine took and proved his manager wrong. From March onwards, he scored 13 goals in all competitions, including 2 huge goals in a spectacular Champions League tie against Monaco. Pep was wrong to doubt Aguero, but the striker proved himself to be the undroppable player he has proven to be for every manager. 

Aguero has been the perfect forward since arriving in England. A consistent, creative scorer who always turns up for big games. Newcastle are his favourite opponent to play, but Chelsea and Tottenham are right behind them, with Aguero in double figures against both London clubs. Like Silva, he has been heavily involved in all of Manchester City’s success in the past decade. Premier League fans still tend to place Henry and Shearer ahead of Aguero, but it is just so difficult to argue against Aguero being at their level. A Premier League legend for sure. 

Sadio Mane

Maybe including Sterling is reasonable, but Mane might be a stretch too far, but hear me out. Mane arrived during Southampton’s best time of the decade, helping them achieve back to back top half finishes. Coincidentally, as soon as he departed, Southampton went from a fun team into the tedious slog they are today. Mane has never failed to score less than 10 goals in every season he has played in English football. The former Salzburg winger had a solid start to the Premier League. In the 14/15 season, he broke the record for fastest hat-trick in Premier League history, scoring 3 goals in only 2 minutes 56 seconds. This hat-trick perfectly showcased what Mane was all about. He was quick, direct, strong and had a lethal strike on him. He was a defender’s worst nightmare.

His £35 million move to Liverpool did raise a lot of eyebrows. While he did show a lot of talent at Southampton, the problem was his consistency and attitude. Koeman publicly called him out during the 15/16 season because of Mane’s lack of focus and concentration. It was clear that with Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Liverpool all interested, Mane wanted to join a bigger club. His form in that final season was also a problem. While his numbers did always remain positive, he would go through long periods with the Saints without scoring. Famously before his brace in a 3-2 win over Liverpool, Mane went four months without scoring. His xG per 90 throughout his career has remained at around a goal every other 3 games, a good return for a winger. What a lot of people don’t realise is players usually stop acting out once they get their dream moves, and Mane’s case, that remains true. He was the first big signing made by Jurgen Klopp to add a pace and goals from the wide areas. Mane has arguably been Klopp’s best signing at Liverpool, for kicking everything into motion and being the starting point for their future success. Bringing Mane in first made a lot of sense. His versatility and ability to press made him an ideal player to have while the majority of players adjust to a demanding style of football. In Mane’s first game, he scored the 4th goal in a spectacular 4-3 away win against Arsenal, hitting the top corner of the net with his weaker foot. His first reaction was to run to his manager, showing how this was the perfect match, for a player who’s acted out before, and a manager with love for players in Mane’s mould.

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His second season saw Mane take a big leap forward. While his xG and his goal contributions did stay mostly the same, he was still consistently producing even with Mohamed Salah having an absolutely sensational season. Mane still had moments of pure magic, which included 10 goals in the Champions League and a goal in the final. In a final which saw Salah go off injured, they needed their other attackers to truly turn up, and Mane definitely brought his a-game. Mane was comfortably Liverpool’s best player, causing Carvahal all kinds of problems with his pace and trickery. 

Last season saw Mane score as many goals as his Egyptian teammate, finishing the season with a personal-high 22 goals. He did massively overperform, but with Salah being tightly marked through many of Liverpool’s matches, teams forgot about the threat that the Senegalese forward can bring. 

Salah could have easily appeared on this list, but it seems unfair to choose a player who has only been playing regularly in the league since 2017. Mane’s numbers have remained consistently high throughout his time in the Premier League, but it took a move to one of the best Premier League teams of all time to allow him to play at his level. 

Honourable mentions 

With the XI finally complete, there are plenty of other players who deserve praise. In goal, there were some other options to consider. Hugo Lloris would probably be my honourable mention, but De Gea has comfortably been the best goalkeeper, and Lloris has gotten noticeably worse in recent years. Lukasz Fabianski was fantastic at Swansea, and we saw Polish shot-stopper have a David De Gea season in 18/19, being the sole reason why West Ham didn’t have the worst defence in the league. Joe Hart even deserves mention for being an excellent goalkeeper during City’s early success but didn’t possess the same consistency for such a long period as David Silva and Aguero.

In defence, there were quite a few choices to select. John Terry was a player who, while past his best during the decade, was still an ever present in Chelsea’s team. However, I can’t include thanks in part to me not liking him as a human being and the former England captain only having 3-4 years where he didn’t look like the ageing player he was. Jan Vertonghen was another to consider, but Alderweireld was just better and transformed Tottenham’s defence on his arrival. Vincent Kompany is obviously the player that should be included, and for 3 years he was fantastic, but injuries began to impact him and lead to a player who struggled for consistent game time for 3 years. He did have an excellent final season at the Etihad. Still, David Luiz at his best was the best defender during the whole decade, and Alderweireld was partly responsible for Tottenham actually becoming good. The Arsenal pair of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker could easily start here, but both had massive injury problems, and Arsenal weren’t excellent defensively during this decade. Full-back, as mentioned, wasn’t stacked with option. Pablo Zabaleta is the only player who was genuinely in contention for a place, with the left-back position producing some weak options over the 2010s. 

There were plenty of midfielders to choose from. James Milner was so close to being put in midfield. He was an unsung hero during his five-year spell in Manchester. He went on to being a fantastic utility player for Klopp, filling in at left-back for a season, then moving back in midfield and being their best player in that position. Kante and Fabregas also could have easily been in this XI, but Fernandinho was simply better than Kante and Fabregas did have some fantastic seasons. Yet, Silva and Cazorla were must picks for Spanish midfielders. I’ve also heard people consider Kevin De Bruyne for this, but he’s missed as many games as he’s played while being in Manchester. He had two seasons of elite production, but two more that consisted of injuries. Yaya Toure is in a similar boat to De Bruyne, but the difference being that Toure arrived in this league a bit too late for his skillset. Ozil was close to being put in this team, but thanks to Emery wasting the two final years of the decade, it’s hard to put him here. 

Up front was arguably the area where a lot of good players had be cut thanks to Aguero being the clear choice. Robin Van Persie, Luis Suarez, Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku were all considered, but it’s impossible to choose anyone over Aguero. Hazard was arguably the weirdest player to leave out, but his goal tallies have been massively swayed from penalties, and his 15/16 season was so bad, that it ruined his reputation for me

 

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My Premier League Fantasy Football 19/20 – September

As promised, let’s look at just how well my fantasy team performed over August, and looking at how my team is shaping up after the international break. I’ll be going through each game week, and bringing up any time I’ve added new players and why.

Game Week 1 – Big Clubs Performing 

My team didn’t change from before the season into game week 1. It can best be described by Liverpool and Man City players doing what they do best and scoring goals. I earned 112 points that week, with a majority going to the big players. I smartly, yet predictably, put Sterling as captain in their 5-0 win over West Ham, a game where he scored a hat-trick. My strategy of prioritising defence over midfield worked wonders, with 4 of my players keeping clean sheets. It would have been a better start, had West Ham not been playing Manchester City. Having 3 West Ham players in my team wasn’t my smartest move, especially with Diop, but teams always get demolished by the champions. The points they drop could be ignored in the grand scheme of things. It was a strong week, with a lot of my players just getting those goals and clean sheets I’m desperately searching for.

Game Week 2 – Harrowing Hammers

My stupidity in putting 3 West Ham players came back to bite me, when Felipe Anderson and Haller both didn’t play against Brighton. I only got 52 points that week, and while putting Sterling as captain worked out once again, a lot of the players I was relying on just didn’t perform. Liverpool won, but Salah didn’t score and Van Dijk failed to keep a clean sheet. That was the story of a lot of my defenders, bar Digne, who was excellent once again in Everton’s 1-0 victory over Watford.

With Haller not playing, I put in Pukki after his hat-trick against Newcastle. He was cheaper and Norwich were looking great in the final third. I would inevitably regret this decision in the future, but for now a change was needed, just to give my team slightly more variety.

Game Week 3 – A Slight Improvement

I decided to make an obvious change and bring in Lewis Dunk, with West Ham being quite bad defensively, something I just seemed to forget. While my defence did nothing and midfield contributed slightly, it was in the forward department where everything just seemed to click. Pukki scored twice and assisted for Norwich in their game against Chelsea, which I slightly predicted and put him as captain for it. Salah and Sterling returned to scoring, which mostly contributed to much improved total of 77 points.

Game Week 4 – Everything Against Me

If Game Week 2 was bad, Game Week 4 was even worse. This can basically be summed up as nothing going my way. Salah did score, but Pukki and Sterling didn’t. The midfield failed do anything, while the defence did better, with 2 clean sheets and a great performance from Digne. The problem was Lampard decided to drop Christensen the week I decided to bring him in, making the whole transfer rather pointless. A low total of 46 meant changes were needed, even if the low amount can be blamed on bad luck more than poor selection.

September

Thankfully for me, the international break allowed all Fantasy Football players to have an overhaul, meaning they could make up to five tranfers that aren’t counted towards the 40 limit of transfers you can make in a season. I took full advantage of this and decided to change some of the weaker parts of the team and aim for short term success, adding players who have been in good form.

Starting in defence, I, like many other players, brought in Leicester defender Soyuncu. he costed a measily £6.2 million and seemed to be the first choice alongside Jonny Evans. Leicester have been great so far this season and adding a defender makes sense, especiallty for the price. Vestergaard was brought in for Coady. Southampton have looked good defensively so far this season and the Danish defender is one of the first names on Hassenhuttl’s teamsheet. While I am fully expecting a couple zero-pointers from him, he is decent value for money, considering he costed just over £7 million.

Midfield was another area in desperate need for surgery. I still think Maddison will chip in with a decent amount of points, but it was Anderson and Gros who needed to be changed. James was brought in just to have a player from Manchester United. I do not expect him to remain in my team for the whole month, but he is in good form and hopefully will continue scoring goals. Buendia was added just to accomodate the forward line, and Norwich are likely to remain a decent attacking side.

Last but not least, is the inclusion of Aubameyang. The only reason I didn’t include him sooner was because I thought it wouldn’t be possible. Through adding some cheap, in-form players, I managed to do it, and I can’t see those three forwards changing, unless one of them picks up an injury. I would say my team is an improvement over the one primarily used in August. However, I’ve already made mistakes and that is likely to continue as the weeks go by, whilst I frantically and foolishly try and change any player I can in an attempt to gain an upper hand. Let’s hope the international break has changed my fortunes.

The Best Team in Europe? – UEFA Champions League Preview 19/20 – Group C

Arguably one of the least competitive groups in the competition. It’s undeniable who will top the group, but that second place is still very much up for grabs.

Atalanta 

After missing out from a playoff defeat back in 2017, Italy’s new hipster club are finally making their first appearance in the Champions League, and they fully deserve it. Atalanta have been one of the best sides in Italy for the past 3 years, credited for their attacking football and the value they’ve managed to uncover from a wide variety of talent. Back in the 2016/17 season, they were also famed for the young players they were producing. The likes of Franck Kessie, Roberto Gagliardini, Andrea Conti and Bryan Cristante all flourishing at the club. Atalanta seemed like the breeding ground for both Italy and Europe’s next generation of footballers, with the 4 players mentioned now playing for Italy’s more established big clubs. 

What last season did show was not only how Atalanta should now be considered one of Italy’s most dangerous sides, but just how they are doing that. Instead of focusing on young talent, their primary focus seems to be getting the best out of players who were written off by other clubs. This ability at finding value in the market made their 3rd place finish, with the best attack in the Serie A, even more impressive. Their front three revolves around Duvan Zapata, Papu Gomez and Josep Illicic. The trio are all over 28 and were brought in for a combined £22.05 million, some of the best value for money you’ll see. Gomez and Illicic play as inverted playmakers, given free roles to create for Zapata, as well as score themselves. While Gomez adds that unpredictability and skill to forward line, Zapata was by far their best performer last season. I can’t stress enough just how good his teammates were at creating chances for the Colombian, but Zapata’s knack for shooting in generally good positions turned those chances into goals. A majority of his goals were coming from inside the six-yard area, whether from set-pieces or from open play. These players can cause any side in Europe a lot of problems, and I fully expect them to bring their A-game to the rest of the teams in their group. 

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There is more to Atalanta than just their attack. In fact, their midfield has remained a force even with the departures of Kessie and Cristante. Remo Freuler and Martin De Roon combined to form a midfield pairing focused on winning the ball but remain adept at progressing it to their gifted attackers. De Roon’s massive defensive output does deserve praise, but Freuler is comfortably the best out of the pair. The Swiss midfield combines massive defensive actions of 4.4 tackles and interceptions alongside over 9 deep progressions, placing him in the top 10 in Serie A for progressions from deep. The pair cover the wide areas of the pitch so effectively that it has enabled their wing-backs to push up and give Atalanta width. 

While I can expect Dinamo and Shakhtar to have a shot at escaping this group, La Dea is by far the favourites to finish 2nd. A great coach in Gasperini, the best attack in Italy, a solid midfield and marauding wing-backs, they could indeed turn the heads of many casual fans.

Dinamo Zagreb

The Croatian side has garnered a reputation for producing some of their country’s best talent. Luka Modric, Matteo Kovacic, Mario Mandzukic, Dejan Lovren, Marcelo Brozovic and Marko Rog all played and eventually departed to join some of Europe’s elite. Dinamo Zagreb’s production line earns more plaudits than the actual team, but the team do deserve some praise. Their performances in the Europa League last season were excellent, topping Group D and going undefeated in a group containing Fenerbahce and Anderlecht. A Round of 16 departure to Benfica is respectable enough, considering they managed to take the Liga NOS champions into extra-time. They brought the same impressive form to their qualification, easing past Rosenborg, Saburtalo and Ferencvaros. They’ve earned their place here and were always going to struggle to get out of the group based on Dinamo being in a low pot. 

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Dinamo has a chance to get to the round of 16, but it rests on the form of Dani Olmo. The 21-year-old is a player who I have a lot of respect for, possessing the courage to leave La Masia at 16 and move to Croatia. It’s not a path you see Spanish players take, but joining Dinamo Zagreb must be a decision he doesn’t regret. It allowed him to start playing first-team football at a young age, enabling him to develop as a more refined player than you see from other players at his age. Olmo has primarily played as a winger but has recently moved inside, which is the best move for his future. He is calm under pressure and can dribble in wide areas. Playing him in a wider position does make sense when Olmo wasn’t fully developed as a man but has grown and increased in muscle, making him even more challenging to dispossess. Last season in the Europa League group stages, Olmo completed 19 dribbles, more than any other player in the competition. He isn’t just the best player in Croatia but is at the level where he could start for an established Champions League club. The young midfielder has a varied skill set, being an excellent dribbler while also being one of the most prominent distributors in the Dinamo side, with no other outfield player completing more than his 33 passes per game in the Europa League. He is everything for Dinamo in the attack, and his form could decide their outcome in this year’s competition. 

Manchester City 

Manchester City is placed in a group where their chances of losing or near the land of impossibility. It’s hard to argue against Pep’s side is the best in Europe. They boast the best forward line, some of the best creators and one of the best goalkeepers. Not only that, but they are managed by one of the best managers the game has ever seen. Many like to lambast Guardiola for the money spent on fixing this side, but you can’t argue just how much better a lot of these players have become since moving to the Etihad. De Bruyne is now one of the top 5 players in Europe, Bernardo Silva is far more than just a good winger, and Sterling has been completely transformed. This Manchester City side is the best the Premier League has ever seen and is likely to retain the title once again. 

Man City already had the best team in Europe but went about improving the only weak areas they possessed, by bringing in Angelino and Rodri to cover Zinchenko and Fernandinho respectively. Angelino is unlikely to start often in the league, but gives that needed depth for next to nothing, after Fabian Delph departed the club. Rodri was the addition that the champions required since 2017. City lack proper central midfielders. David Silva, Bernardo and De Bruyne play there, but they’re more like free-roaming 8’s. Gundogan and Fernandinho are all they had, so signing a successor to their Brazilian powerhouse was the most crucial signing in recent history, and they have nailed it with the Rodri’s arrival. While the Spaniard isn’t nearly as quick as Fernandinho, he has a vast range in passing and puts in a lot of defensive actions. At the moment, he isn’t as good as Fernandinho, based on the fact that the Brazilian can do everything in midfield. However, he is now 34. Pep has consistently evolved his defensive midfielders. Busquets was a fantastic passer and reader of the game, and one of the main reasons Barca have been so good in attack for over a decade. Arturo Vidal was different, being more of a box to box, aggressive ball-winner to help against sides like Dortmund under Tuchel. Fernandinho is similar to Vidal but could read the game on a higher level than the Chilean, sensing danger and stopping attacks through a well-timed tackle or a tactical foul. It’ll be interesting to see how Rodri grows into the role, but it’s hard to deny that Pep’s side is somehow even better than last season. 

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Depth at centre-half is a slight issue, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Walker or Fernandinho fill in there until Laporte’s return, but City should ease through this group. This isn’t to say the teams in group C are weak, but City is that far ahead of the competition. It’ll be interesting to see how they fare against the elite clubs when the knock out stages arrive, but for now, this shouldn’t be much of a challenge for City.

Shakhtar Donetsk

Shakhtar, similar to Atalanta and Dinamo, have garnered reputable status as one of the best feeder clubs of Brazilian talent. Fred, Willian, Fernandinho, Douglas Costa and Alex Teixeira are a handful of players who flourished in Ukraine, eventually moving on to star-studded leagues. Yet, Shakhtar’s reputation in Europe is pretty respectable, even with some glaring off the field problems, primarily down to tensions between Ukraine and Russia. They’ve been a mainstay in the Champions League since their first inclusion back in 2001, and have even gotten as far as the quarter-finals in 2011, losing to Pep’s Barcelona. They also managed to win the UEFA Cup back in 2009 and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2016. They have European pedigree and mostly kept their side from last season together, alongside some improvements. Yevhen Konoplyanka arrives after having a torrid end to his time at Schalke and could add some creativity and pace from the wide areas, with Taison and Marlos both 31. 

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The Ukrainian side does have a chance of getting out of this group. They have started the season in perfect form under new coach Luis Castro, winning all 6 games. They are against a Dinamo side who are heavily reliant on a single player and an Atalanta team who have never played in the Champions League before. Shakhtar has performed well under more stringent circumstances, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see them finish above their competition. That said, I do think they will finish in the Europa League spot. Their best players are now another year older, and I’m unsure how long they can keep performing in Europe. They’ll perform well, but it won’t be enough against two sides, who in Atalanta and Manchester City, have a more talented group of players and better coaches.

My Premier League Fantasy Football 19/20: August

Fantasy football is a game I take extremely seriously, so I thought it would be fun to show people how I set up my team throughout the season. This team is something I will attempt to update every month, to show my progress and how my team is consistently changing, and it will. I use the Sky Sports Fantasy Football app, in case it is different on other services.

My Team:

Defence

Let’s start from back to front. Ederson has been my first choice since he arrived in the league and has failed to give me a reason to change. Pep is a known enemy of fantasy football players because of his habit to change his line up so often. Ederson is one of the few players Pep will never drop. While Ederson might not make the same amount of saves as Fabianski or one of the bottom club keepers, but makes a high number of passes and is apart of one of the best.

Van Dijk is a must inclusion. While he is the most expensive defender, I’ve come to realise how vital clean sheets and passes have become for gaining points, so having a player who is apart of the best defence in the league is the way to go. Van Dijk also has a habit of scoring for Liverpool, which combining that with the number of clean sheets he will keep, make him one of the players who are likely never to leave my team this season.

Coady and Diop are here for similar reasons. Both stood out for their sides last season, and I expect that to continue. Wolves are very organised and play a pragmatic system that enables their defenders to keep those precious clean sheets. Willy Boly’s price has increased substantially from last season, so bringing in his teammate for less was the sensible thing to do. I try to avoid having more than one defender from the same team. It could be useful in certain games, but wouldn’t work if the said team had an off-day.

Last but not least is Lucas Digne. He is the only full-back in the side, and his inclusion is primarily down to wanting at least one creative defender at the back. Digne was the creative hub for Everton last season, and while there are question marks over his defensive ability, he contributes so much for Everton in the final third that he is worth having in here. Wan-Bissaka was another full-back I was considering, but I feel his tackles numbers will drop and doesn’t contribute as much as Digne in the final third.

Midfield 

The centre of the park has always been the area I’ve struggled with regarding who to choose. You can either go down two roads in midfield; either go for players who will contribute in the final third, risking the occasional game where they won’t get more than 2 points, or go for a midfielder who will consistently get over 5 points but won’t get those goals and assists. What has made it even worse is the change of positions that Sky will do every season. While it makes sense to keep the game balanced, it can be frustrating when players who were guaranteed to start in the middle are now strikers.

After going through my pet peeves, let’s look at why I selected my midfielders, starting with Maddison. Last season, Maddison was the bargain I put straight into my team, knowing how well he would perform for Leicester. His price has increased from £7.5m to £8.6m, but he is still fantastic value for one of the best creators in the league. I’ve already discussed this before, but Leicester could do very well, and Maddison’s form is down to that expected success.

The next on the list is a player who is a must for all teams. After a fantastic debut season, this could be the season where Felipe Anderson takes that to another level. His goals did dry up near the end of the season, but with the improvements West Ham have made in attack with Fornals and Haller, that shouldn’t happen again. Anderson is the level of player that people think Wilfred Zaha is. The Brazilian is a fantastic dribbler, a great creator and has the coolness in the box to score plenty of goals. Last season, he even earned points from putting in 2.5 tackles per game. I expect that to drop with Fornals’ arrival, but it is an added benefit for an already complete skillset.

Last but not least is John McGinn. While many might prefer Grealish, McGinn, in terms of points, should do better depending on how well they follow up from their promotion campaign, with McGinn contributing to 16 goals, compared to Grealish’s 13. It’s unlikely to see the pair contribute to that many goals in a better league, but McGinn also did more defensive work than any other Villa player last season. That will likely increase with Villa not being able to attack teams similarly as they did in the Championship. Out of all my midfielders, McGinn is the most likely to change, but we’ll see how he does for the first few games.

Attack

Now to the most exciting part of the team. Attack is by far the area where it is most simple to judge how effective players are. I’ve chosen two players who I expect to get close to that 20 goal mark and another who should do well for the money. Let’s start with Salah. While I have my issues with him regarding his awful diving, it’s hard to deny just how good he is for Liverpool. His blistering pace and clinical finishing have made him one of the leagues best forwards, while also being able to create for his side. He began to be isolated by opposition full-backs, lowering his goal total, but it did mean Mane was able to reach double figures in goals for the first time in his career. What makes him such a threat is his left foot. It might be strange, but you rarely see right-wingers become the primary goal threat in the side. It’s why Messi, Robben and now Salah have been able to score so many goals. While expensive, he will make up for it in the points he will bring to my team.

Moving on to Sterling, who is another expected to score plenty of goals from out wide. Much to my dismay, he is now a striker. It makes sense considering he is far from a midfielder anymore, but it’s still a shame. It hasn’t stopped me from keeping him in my team for the third year, and we all know why. Sterling is one of the best attackers in Europe. His directness and intelligence have made him one of the most dangerous players to face on the pitch. He is a hardworking forward who can do just what Salah can while offering more versatility in attack. Sterling has always been excellent at finding space in the box, but his finishing has improved dramatically. Last season, he overperformed expected goals for the first time, showing how he has been able to score those more difficult chances. Salah does have the advantage of taking penalties, but Sterling will still stay close to the Egyptian forward.

Last but certainly not least is Sebastien Haller. While I love what he is offered a forward, using his colossal size to win the ball high up the pitch and feed his teammates, this choice is primarily down to price. Haller costs £8.2m, less than Pukki and Tosun and Ashley Barnes. It makes sense to add one of the best signings of the window, and while I’m not expecting him to score as many as Salah or Sterling, he should start a majority of West Ham’s games and contribute goals and assists for his side.

The areas I will eventually address is the lack of Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal players. It’s always good to have a player from each of the top 6 sides. While I might drop points when they play each other, they are still expected to dominate against the weaker teams, giving a perfect chance for goals and most importantly, clean sheets.

This team is by no means final. My goal is to give a monthly update, to show you all how I’m progressing and hopefully show which players are worth adding to your teams. The next update should be during the international break, so stay tuned!

The Netherlands vs England – UEFA Nations League Semi-Final Preview

While there was plenty to discuss regarding the clash between Switzerland and Portugal, it is this fixture that is by far the most exciting. Both teams here escaped groups that were seen as a challenge. It’s a surprise for them to even be here, yet they fully deserve it.

Let’s start with The Netherlands. It can be difficult to argue just how important the Dutch have been for football. Their innovations during the early 70s with Total Football, a brand of football which changed how the game was played. Rinus Michels, the manager of Ajax during this revolutionary period, wanted the pitch as small as possible when the opposition had the ball, and to make the pitch as big as possible when his side had the ball. It’s a system that encouraged pressing and movement. Players were coached to cover multiple roles throughout the team. It was an evolution from the famous Hungary side that humiliated England in 1953. It was how football was meant to be played and the achievement of a club with a plan.

Their history on the international front has been fascinating. In 1986, Michels came back to manage the national team, leading them to win their first international tournament, Euro 88. While they had some success during the 90s, reaching the semi-finals at Euro 96, they failed to stay the dominant side they were in the previous decade. Their golden generation, which included many from that famous Ajax side who lifted the Champions League in 1997, failed to win anything on the international front.

The 2010s have been a forgettable decade to the say the least for the Dutch. While they reached the World Cup final in South Africa, they sacrificed 40 years of a Total Football style in favour of kicking Spain, a side who were the embodiment of what Cruyff and Michels taught so long ago. After failing to qualify for the last 3 international tournaments, the Dutch seemed lost. But like the success of the national team in the past, you can always look to Ajax for a boost. With generational talents in Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs De Ligt, it has given them the boost they’ve needed. A solid base to build the rest of the team around, and to find success in the future.

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I’m not Koeman’s biggest fan, but the impact he has made on his national team is hard to argue. He’s built a team that has balance throughout the squad. The experienced and young, the technically gifted and hard-working. But what persists throughout the side is what the Dutch are known for, players who can fill multiple roles. Daily Blind, Memphis Depay, Frenkie De Jong, Quincy Promes. These are players have played in different positions throughout their career. They’ve added fluidity to the side, making them unpredictable in the final third. Koeman has added more unfavoured players to the squad, with Martin De Roon being the most notable. The Atalanta midfielder, while offering zero in the final third, is great defensively and allows the more expressive players to push forward. Koeman has been gifted with by far the most talented players since the end of their golden generation, but he deserves credit for making this group of players function as a team.

The Netherlands were placed in a very tough group, facing the former World Cup winners Germany and current holders France. Both of their opponents have arguably some of the best talents in the world to choose from. While their first game ended in defeat, losing 2-1 to the World Champions, it was their next game against Germany back in the Johan Cruyff Arena that showed they were ready to compete. They humiliated the Germans with an emphatic 3-0 victory. It was the game in which Koeman brought in De Roon, which made a huge difference. He put in 6 tackles and interceptions in this game, giving them a defensive presence in midfield. It allowed Frenkie to play a less restrictive role, constantly looking to get on the ball and keep possession from a dangerous German side. The Netherlands then went on to beat France and showed a lot of fight to come back and earn a valuable point against Germany. It sealed their place in the semi-finals, the most deserving result for a national team which has finally shown the quality they have always been known for.

While Van Dijk, De Ligt, De Jong and Wijnaldum are all going to play a role in this game, Depay is by far the Dutch’s most important player. After his poor stint in England, he moved to Lyon to revive his career and return to the form he showed for PSV. In a Lyon side which includes Fekir, Aouar, Ndombele and Dembele, Depay has emerged as their most important player. He thrives in a role where importance is placed upon him and was the sole reason why Lyon remained competitive at the beginning of the season. His goal contributions were near non-existent after the new year, but his numbers remained high. He leads the line effectively for Koeman. His flexibility as a striker makes him very difficult to deal with. He has the pace the reach those long balls usually played into the channels by the centre-backs, the strength to hold the ball for his teammates and the confidence to take on an entire team on his own. He adds that star quality to a forward line which has lacked it since the retirement of Van Persie. His impact will be hard for England to suppress.

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Let’s move onto their opponents. After their defeat to Iceland in 2016, it highlighted a consistent problem that had been failing England for a long time, being their focus on players over the system. One reason why England won the World Cup back in 1966 was because of the balance in that side. Charlton and Ball were able to produce in the attacking end because they had Manchester United’s defensive midfielder Nobby Stiles protecting the back four. It has been a simple concept of building a team that England have seemingly forgotten how to do since that triumph. The constant debate regarding Lampard and Gerrard in midfield, forcing Scholes out wide and persisting with a 4-4-2 when the system was far outdated, with managers choosing an extra midfielder to help keep possession. England had star power, but managers who seemed too afraid to make the right decisions, that were best for the team. You simply cannot play Gerrard and Lampard together without a defensive midfielder (it made Carrick’s consistent absence baffling)

They made these same mistakes at Euro 2016. While Hodgson has been an important coach in his earlier years, introducing pressing in Sweden, he seemed to succumb to the same pressure as managers in the past have. He played a strange midfield including Alli, Rooney and Dier. An odd choice considering Alli had never played in that position before. His choice to play Sturridge as a winger was even more baffling, a player who has never been a dribbler or creator throughout his career. Hodgson resigned after their embarrassing defeat to Iceland, an end to an era which produced the same mistakes as previous managers.

Southgate’s appointment was an uninspiring choice, to say the least. It seemed like the safest choice for England to make. A coach who failed to take a talented group of players out of the group stages in the European Under-21s Championships, relegation with Middlesborough and lacked any charisma that made the former England international fail to stand out.

England were placed in a safe qualification group, while they never truly stood out, it did give Southgate time to experiment. Nobody knew how the Three Lions were going to line up in Russia until their friendly against Costa Rica. It was the first time England started with a back three and the first time England looked to have a plan. It gave them enough numbers in defence while allowing their attacking players to flourish.

While they never played the same attractive football we saw from Belgium and France, they were efficient and were playing to their strengths. Southgate made a lot of smart decisions to get the best out of the players in his possession. He played a back three containing Maguire, Stones and Walker. All three possess strength and athleticism, allowing them to cover a lot of ground. Walker and Maguire would consistently push up to help give options to the midfielders, and most importantly to make sure that Trippier and Young could push up without the same space they leave at club level. Southgate ensured his side took advantage of set pieces. While simple, set pieces are a chance to score, and with his side still not fully accustomed to the system, they were good opportunities to get a goal. They reached the semi-finals, but some of their weaknesses were exposed. They lacked pace in the side, which meant England lacked bite and couldn’t trouble a Croatia side which contained a lot of older players.

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However, in hindsight, it was a short term solution for the purpose of showing the country what this side can do. They inspired their fans for the first time in 20 years, to give hope for a team that was still growing. Many players who featured heavily in Russia would not remain as key figures for Euro 2020. They needed to evolve and turn into a side which could play a more attractive style of football. Trippier, Young, Lingard and Walker would all not be started with such frequency.

The Nations League was the first time we could see what Southgate had changed since their success in Russia. He changed from a defensive 3-5-2 to a more standard 4-3-3, which enabled his side to attack with more unpredictability down the wide areas. A lot of players benefited from this change. Sterling was placed in a role where he could play to his strengths instead of playing as a second striker. Marcus Rashford was given a more important role in the setup, instead of merely being Kane’s backup. They impressed in their win over Spain and fought hard to come back against Croatia. The future seems clear from Southgate and is looking more positive.

There are still concerns, however. I mentioned how some of the players who featured in the world cup will begin to be faced out, but Southgate hasn’t done that yet. Trippier and Walker are still included in the setup. It’s frustrating when Alexander-Arnold and Wan-Bissaka have been fantastic, but aren’t being given a chance in the XI. While Declan Rice was given a chance, there are so many talented young players who could have a future in the setup. Abraham, Maddison, Mount and Barnes all deserve a chance for their country.

Sterling has been by far England’s best player since the World Cup. He has reached a point where he should be in the conversation for one of the best players in Europe. He’s a great dribbler, intelligent and a solid creator. While he was always promising, it was the arrival of Pep Guardiola that changed Sterling. He took away that overthinking. When he would receive the ball, Sterling would usually take a few touches before making his next move. Pep took that out of his game and made him so much more direct. Sterling is now far less predictable. With Kane still recovering from another injury, England will put their faith in Sterling to help score the goals.

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If The Netherlands wish to progress to the final, they have to win the battle in midfield. England only possesses a couple of players I would consider real central midfielders, being Delph, Henderson and Rice (Dier is better as a centre back). Koeman has one of the top 3 young central midfielders around in De Jong. The now Barcelona midfielder is so versatile in how he can be played. He’s very reminiscent to Luka Modric, in how he is a great creator while being one of the best players at transitioning the ball into the final third. His best performance was in Ajax’s 1-1 draw against Juventus. Allegri attempted to place Bentancur on him to limit his effectiveness. De Jong just kept dropping between the centre backs and dragging Bentancur into places he did not want to go. The Dutchman is an intelligent player and can avoid pressure easily. England tried to stop Spain from building play by aggressively pressing Busquets. While effective on an ageing midfielder, this will not work on De Jong. The Netherlands need to get their maestro on the ball as much as possible if they wish to beat a tough England side.

If England wishes to come out victorious, they have to focus on the wide areas. The Dutch usually start Dumfries and Blind as their fullbacks. It’s an area where England can exploit. They have a lot of pace in the team, with Sterling, Rashford and Sancho offering a threat against their defenders. Blind has never been quick throughout his career and Dumfries has been exposed for being positionally poor. He is great as an attacking outlet, but space can be found behind him. It’s why Sterling could be so important. Not many fullbacks in Europe have been able to deal with the winger. He is the key to unlocking the backline.

While England will be a threat, I think the Dutch will be the side to progress. Their weaknesses aren’t nearly as obvious as England’s. The Three Lions are likely to play without Kane. He has been so important for his country, offering a great range of passing and a forward who can do nearly anything. While Rashford has improved a lot this season, he isn’t nearly as his good as his teammate. The Netherlands are in incredible form right now and seem unstoppable.

 

UEFA Champions League 18/19 Preview – Group F

While Group B and C are seen as the groups of death, this group comes incredibly close. 3 teams in this group are similar, yet so different and it will be interesting

Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim are a side that have been getting weaker by the season. But because of an extremely talented coach, have somehow stayed competitive. Even after losing some great players, like Gnabry, Uth, Sule, Rudy and Wagner. Hoffenheim play a brand of football that works to their strengths. They tend to not dominate games and use the little possession they have to quickly counter. Just by the way they play, it means they will able to challenge any team. But one of their issues (as mentioned before when discussing their game against Bayern Munich) is the way they set up leaves them weak on the flanks. Their full backs, usually Schulz and Kaderabek, go very far forward to press. The problem, as seen against Bayern, was the wingers were able to exploit the space that was left, which pulled the centre halves away and left them weak. When their press works, it works so well, but against teams which great wide players, it is difficult. They will do fine against Shaktar, but will struggle against the other sides. They also are suffering from a severe injury crisis. Two of their creators, Demibray and Amiri, are currently on the sidelines, as well as three of their central defenders. It will be difficult to get through with their current injury crisis, so I think they will finish bottom of the group.

Manchester City

The Premier League champions are probably facing and even tougher challenge than last season. They have to try and retain the title, while also trying to compete in the Champions League. City have started the season very well, with only a draw against newly promoted Wolves (a game that the referees ruined) stopping their perfect run. They haven’t been as good as they were last season however. They are seriously missing Kevin De Bruyne in some moments this season. His ability to pick out that killer pass has been seriously missed. While Gundogan is a good footballer, he is just not at the same level as De Bruyne. While City will still cruise through some of the easier games, it’s the games against teams who are similar to their level, like Paris or Barcelona, they will struggle to break them down. But one area they will never struggle in is their wide talent. Both Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane are coming off good games against Fulham. They are excellent wingers for a Pep side. Both are incredibly fast, great at stretching the play and always put in good shot numbers. They will both cause the opposition so much problems. City just have a great squad of players, and players all over the pitch to challenge for places. Pep has built a great team, and will definitely get out of the group.

Lyon

As seen from my Top 5 Talking Points From the Top 5 Leagues, Lyon have been quite frustrating so far. They have shown moments of their best, but then go on to lose games they should probably be winning. They just haven’t been putting teams away. Depay, Fekir and Dembele just haven’t been clinical enough in front of goal. They’ve been averaging around 20 shots a game, yet are only managing 1.6 goals per game. They’re dominating games so comfortably, yet just fail to punish teams. This is team is just so talented and young as well. Their midfield of Tousart, Aouar and Ndombele are some of the most promising midfielders in Europe. Ferland Mendy has started the season in excellent form. He’s already got a goal and assist, and while his defensive numbers are low, he counters that with excellent attacking output. It could be argued that their manager, Bruno Génésio, isn’t exactly the best. While I do not think they set up their defense in a great way, they attack so fluently and quick that he almost makes up for it. I just do not think Lyon are getting out of this group. With their league form so inconsistent, they should be focusing on that, but they still have the quality to get out of it.

Shaktar Donetsk

A regular in this competition in the modern game, the Ukrainian side are back again. While they have lost two good players in Fred and Bernard, they have brought in replacements in the same way they always do. They signed Maycon from Corinthians and Fernando from Palmeiras. Both are under 21 and are currently getting bedded into the squad slowly. Shaktar’s knowledge of the Brazilian league is already known to be deep. They have brought so many Brazilians, like Willian, Fernandinho, Texeira and Fred into the European spotlight. Even with both of those young coming through, they still have their experience. Taison and Marlos both offer flair and cause full backs plenty of problems. Another one of their new signings, Moraes, has hit the ground running. The Brazilian was signed on a free from rivals Dynamo Kyiv, and has already scored 7 in 8. It would make more sense to predict Lyon or Hoffenheim to finish second, but Shaktar Donetsk are in this competition all the time. They have the experience and the talent to beat all teams in this group. They even got out of a group containing Napoli and Man City last season, and even beat the Premier League champions. They will get out of this group, but I could most definitely be wrong.

Final Table

1. Manchester City

2. Shaktar Donetsk

3. Lyon

4. Hoffenheim

3 Players Who Attract Unwarranted Hate

With how popular social media has become over the last 4-5 years, and how pundits and other commentators will say whatever it will take to earn clicks and attention, it is fair to say some crazy things are said. Let’s go through three players who seem to be hated by certain people, when it isn’t entirely justified. There isn’t a ranking of any sorts here, because hate is something that shouldn’t exactly be ranked.

1. Paul Pogba

By far the player who seems to attract the most hate, Paul Pogba is a controversial player since his world record transfer. Whether it is Garth Crooks constantly complaining about his haircuts (which to this day is a stupid thing to criticise a player for), or the mainstream media saying he doesn’t do enough for the team in the bigger games. Everyone always wants to find a guy to blame, because it’s easier than finding a real problem. I do not know how many times I have to keep stressing how much of a special talent the Frenchman is. If United play well, it’s because of Paul Pogba. I have only seen him have a few bad games in a United shirt, being Spurs away, Chelsea in the final of the FA Cup, and in the league cup final. Other than that, I don’t think he has any particular bad games. In his first season for the club, Pogba was getting a lot of unnecessary stick, but it can be defended very easily. I remember on the last game of the season against Crystal Palace, where Paul scored and assisted. Ian Wright on Match of the Day said he wasn’t good enough because of his lack of goal contributions. But I think that’s too vague. I constantly complain about pundits not doing their research, and this is another example. Zlatan Ibrahimovic that season had a conversion rate of 12%. You expect your striker at the top level to get around a 25% conversion rate. While Zlatan did carry them in an attacking sense, he would still have his moments of failing to good chances away, and who picked him out during these missed chances? Paul Pogba. The now world cup winner was excellent in picking out his Swedish teammate, but Ibrahimovic failed to convert these chances. You cannot blame to the creator for his striker not putting the ball away, when he probably should. What’s important to remember about United is that they rely heavily on Paul Pogba. One of the main reasons he has been playing so deep is so he is able to get on the ball as much as possible, but doing that limits his ability going forward. Pogba is a player who is great when dropping wide, and also excels in front of goal. You want him further up the field to get the best out of him. Having him further back puts more emphasis on his defensive work, which isn’t great, and at times woeful. But that is not the strengths of the player. You want him playing a role where his defensive work, while not absent, is more limited. It also does seem that fans and pundits just do not like how he presents himself off the pitch. I can defend his ability and performances on the pitch, but what he does off the field is more or a matter of opinion. Many fans do not like all the haircuts, the dancing and the Instagram videos. My opinion on the social media side is the who really cares? If Pogba wants to enjoy life, let him. He shouldn’t be scrutinized on his personal life. When he performs, it is never mentioned, but when he has the occasional average performance, social media is the first thing that is blamed. I just will never understand why it is relevent. It could be the Manchester United fan in me, but I do feel the hate he gets is very unjust. Let’s hope he continues to silence his numerous critics.

2. Raheem Sterling

I briefly mentioned the hate he was receiving when discussing players that I wanted to see succeed in the summer, but I will try and elaborate. Up until last season, Sterling was always a very frustrating player, but was never a bad one. He is an excellent player in getting in goal scoring positions, but just failed to convert his chances. However that seemed to change last season. It was famously covered that Pep gave him one very useful tip in changing the way he played. Instead of stopping the ball when receiving it, take a heavy touch and try and beat the opponent with pace. It was so effective, because it just made him so much more unpredictable. Sterling was absolutely fabulous last season. In a record breaking season, he was one of their best players, ending the season with 18 goals and 11 assists. Those are real world class numbers for a wide player. However even after that incredible season, there is still doubt from other fans, especially England fans. Sterling still has that moment of missing chances, and that it was people remember. In the first game at the 2018 World Cup, he had two chances, that he failed to convert near the beginning of the game against Tunisia. Sterling was seen as one of the worst players for England. While I do not think he was great, he was playing a role that he is not used to. He had to play as creator, while also helping create space for Kane, while also trying to give width to the team. It was very difficult for the Manchester City winger, and he ended up sacrificing a lot of his game, for the sake of the team. That cannot be credited more. However his performances were not the main talking point about Sterling. Before the world cup even began, a certain tabloid tried to paint the winger in a negative fashion by highlighting the gun tattoo on his leg. This unnecessary attention towards an aspect of his life that isn’t related to football was wrong in so many ways. It seems like the media in every other country wants to support their team before a huge competition, but not in England. The media is desperate for clicks in any sense that they are willing to put the people against the players. But if you go through all of that certain tabloid’s posts about Sterling, it is more than just the tattoo. They have criticised him for buying his mother a house, going in regular plane travel, driving his car, and even shopping discount shops. While Pogba’s hate was mostly from fans and old fashioned pundits, Sterling’s hate is based mostly on nothing related to his career. If any players gets hate that is completely undeserved, it is Raheem Sterling.

3. Mesut Ozil

Another player I have defended multiple times in the pass. Mesut Ozil is by far my favourite attacking midfielder in Europe. No other playmaker in the top 5 leagues possess his incredible vision and technical ability on the ball. He is by far the best creator in the premier league. While De Bruyne, Hazard and Eriksen are all excellent creators, I think Ozil just edges them. Attacking midfielders are positions that are quite flexible. You have creators, like Ozil, who specialise in helping the attackers in the final third. Goal scorers, like Alli, who are more second strikers, and extra midfielders, like Banega, who are great at dropping into midfield to provide extra numbers. Ozil is the best creator. His creative numbers have been excellent throughout his career. His best season was the 2015/16 season, where he averaged a frankly unbeatable 4.2 key passes per 90. While that number has declined, it has still stayed over 3 since that season. Even at the world cup, where Germany underperformed, Ozil was still very good. Pundits like Martin Keown will say the usual he doesn’t work hard enough, but he still made 5.5 key passes in his two games. He does his job to the best of his ability. However Ozil is a player who has gathered hate from all over the country. A lot of Arsenal fans dislike how he fades in the “big games” (an argument I just don’t understand), and pundits, as previously mentioned, dislike him for his lack of defensive contribution. This has a lot to do with system. Ozil has so far been struggling this season, because of the more defensive approach of Unai Emery. It isn’t a strength of the ex German international. You can criticise him in the way of him not changing his game. But Ozil plays in a way that you have to build around him. Emery in my opinion has to get the best out of him in the same way that Wenger was able to. This summer has seen criticism in another form for Ozil. In the middle of May, Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan, were pictured alongside the Turkish President, a controversial figure in Germany. This resulted in numerous backlash from German fans, including racist and discriminatory insults towards the Arsenal playmaker. The backlash became so bad that it ended with Ozil retiring from the German national team. Ozil was a player in his prime years so retiring this early was a bit of a shock for everyone. Even this decision resulted in backlash however, with international team mate Toni Kroos branding his racist comments “nonsense.” It does seem ignorant from Kroos to deny that racist comments were made, with it being the main reason why Ozil made that decision. Originally this was going to be about 7 players, but the players mentioned receive hate on another level compared to other players I was going to discuss (Henderson being disliked and Morata not being what Chelsea fans wanted were going to be 2 of them). Going into length about these 3 players was needed, to show a more darker side of football, and to show the difficult circumstances that footballers can find themselves in.

5 Talking Points from England Vs Tunisia

I’ve said before that I genuinely believe this England team is a very good team, and while I am not an England fan myself, it was good to see all these talented players get some real credit. Let’s go through 5 talking points from last night’s game.

A rocket of a start

England began the game brilliantly. They pressed high up the pitch and and quickly moved the ball up the pitch. It was the way they were bound to play. With players like Lingard, Alli, and Sterling, you are given players who are great at finding space and at moving zones. The first 10 minutes were great signs. Lingard has a couple of chances which he probably should have stuck away, but it was different to what I have ever seen an England team do, have a plan. My issue with England over the past 16 years is they seem to not have any sort of tactic on how to approach the game. They seem to just rely on star players like Beckham and Gerrard, hence why they seem to jam them all in a team even though it didn’t work. This England team however has so much balance. The midfield highlights that pretty well. You have two solid defensive midfielders in Henderson and Dier, two good ball carriers in Lingard and Loftus-Cheek, an energetic midfielder in Delph and a good creator in Dele Alli. This midfield worked so well and it is mainly because of a certain Geordie.

Henderson – MOTM?

While Kane will get all of the headlines, and rightly so, Henderson does definitely deserve a lot of credit. Henderson is a player I have never loved, but I do understand why managers seem to like him. In this game he showed why. His passing was very impressive. Whether it was a simple ball to Alli or Lingard, or a long ball straight to the full back, he constantly kept things ticking. It was great to see him do so well. I’ve also mentioned how I don’t understand why Shelvey was even considered an option. Henderson had a much better pass accuracy and completed the most passes in the premier league last season. He has the quality and gives England a real shield for the defense. While I like Dier’s tenacity, Henderson definitely has been the right pick.

Solid Defense?

On paper, a 3 man back line of Maguire, Walker and Stones would be okay, and it was. The biggest positive with all three of these players is their ability on the ball. All definitely have confidence when in possession, and are able to carry the ball out effectively. This could be seen multiple times, with Walker slipping in a very good ball to Trippier in the first half, and John Stones always keeping that back four very calm. However there were moments that did show their inexperience. Kyle Walker had a moment of madness and elbowed the Tunisian forward, and Maguire misplaced a simple that could have lead to a goal. This back four contains a defender that has a never played at the top level, another who is still very young, and another who usually plays fullback. It will have its sketchy moments, but overall very positive.

Harry Kane

The new captain began his first world cup with a bang, and scored 2 goals that won his team the game. Before this tournament, Kane has been very decent for England. He managed to get only 5 goals in qualifying. This was a very low number when comparing to other top strikers, with Lewandowski banging 16, and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 15. Like England, he wasn’t too impressive. But tournaments can bring the best out of a player, and so far it has. While Kane’s involvement in the game was pretty limited, with most of ball going to the two central midfielders or the full back, he still managed to get in that right place at that right time to back both goals. We always want the modern striker to get involved in the game and keep the ball to assist teammates, but sometimes a pure goal scorer is what they need. If he keeps it up, he could be remembered just as fondly as Lineker or Shearer.

Positive changes

I was very impressed with Southgate’s changes in the game. He took of Sterling, who didn’t have the best of games, and brought on Rashford. The United winger had a great impact on the game and gave England so much energy and was willing to take on players with his speed and strength. The next change was Loftus-Cheek for Dele Alli, who got a slight injury in the game. He gave quite the direct replacement, offering an incredible dribbling ability, and because of his size, was so hard to get off the ball. Dier for Lingard was right at the end, but that was just to waste time. Overall I thought Southgate is making the right decisions regarding making changes to the game.

4 Players Who Will Hope To Have a Good World Cup

The World Cup is full of stories. Whether it is a team defining the odds, a player performing at a level never seen before in his career, or in this case, proving his doubters wrong. There are players going to this world cup who are currently being questioned by their fans and experts alike. Let’s look at some of these players.

Andre Silva

Andre Silva has had one crazy year. While his time in Milan has not been as well as he had hoped. However his form for Portugal has been brilliant. He scored 9 goals in qualifying, which is the 5th most in Europe, behind his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. Silva for Portugal has shown to be a real number 9, and ensures that the country has a ready made forward for when Ronaldo eventually finishes his career with the national team. So why does he hope to have a good world cup? He only scored 2 league goals for Milan, and he needs to show the world that he is in fact a great number 9. He was brilliant for Porto, and needs to rediscover that form. While his Serie A form was poor, his Europa League form was actually very good. He scored 6 in 8 games for the Red and Black. He took 2.1 shots per game in the Europa League, and 1.5 in Serie A. The most important thing to take from this is where he was shooting. He was taking 1.6 shots in the 6 yard box when playing the Europa League, and 1 in Italy. It’s clear that he suits playing against European opposition, instead of Italian opposition. It could also help explain why he has been so good in qualifying. If he continues his form into the World Cup, he may remind everyone why £30m was spent on him. It is clear, with the links to Wolves, that Silva does want out of Milan. They are currently in a huge mess and still recovering. If Silva performs, he will be going to another club, and not a newly promoted one.

Olivier Giroud

France’s squad is full of talented players, but the one most consider one of the least talented would be Olivier Giroud, yet he has recently equalled Zinedine Zidane’s scoring record. Didier Deschamps is probably the weakest component of the squad, and his reliance on Giroud could be another weakness. France have so much more talent. His trust in Giroud means Mbappe, Ben Yedder, Griezmann and Lacazette all do not get a chance to start as the number 9. It would make France flow much better in attack, and make them more of an attacking threat. This isn’t to discredit Giroud however. I think he has a very useful set of skills for a team, but to be starting for this team might be a bit too generous. He will hope to have a good world cup because of this trust in him. He has to excel to remind doubters, such as myself, that he is indeed the best option.

Jonas Hector

As mentioned when discussing Leroy Sane not being picked for the World Cup, I mentioned Joachim Low’s trust in certain players. Jonas Hector is the definition of this trust. He has been playing in a poor Koln team, which finished bottom of the Bundesliga. While he definitely wasn’t the worst player in the team, he still didn’t perform to the same levels as last season. One reason for this would be how often he has been moved around. Out of the 20 games he played, 8 of those were at left back. He will be starting for the defending champions in a position he has not even been playing half of his games for. Joachim Low has chosen to take Hector and Plattenhardt, and while I like both, Philipp Max should definitely be on the plane. He has been such a brilliant attacking threat and was in the top 10 in Europe for chances created. I am aware of Low’s loyalty, but taking a player who would add a great attacking threat. Hector needs to have a good world cup to prove that he was right to be selected, and he was right to be chosen over players who are a much better attacking threat.

Raheem Sterling

While the other players are usually favourites for their respective managers, Sterling is here for a more social reason. A certain mainstream newspaper wrote a hitpiece accusing Raheem Sterling of having an inappropriate gun tattoo. This began a huge wave of hate towards the winger, with personalities like Piers Morgan believing he should be dropped from the squad. I’m absolutely tired of this. This country has a problem and it doesn’t get addressed enough. Our media is so focused on getting clicks and getting attention, that it doesn’t even make the time of day to give players the support they need before a major tournament. Sterling has been a target for this certain paper for years now, with articles criticing him for shopping at discount stores, taking regular plane travel and driving a fancy car. He has done nothing wrong to deserve this. Many have said that all this hate is from the colour of his skin, but I would to believe that. I am not an England fan, but for this world cup I am an England fan for Raheem Sterling. I hope he smashes it in Russia and proves to that certain paper that criticism towards him is beyond ridiculous. I would love to hear an apology to all of his doubters.