Premier League: Most Outstanding Players and The Premier League Team of The Year
The Premier League 2020/21 season has come and gone and it is time to reflect on the players performances, and set aside personnels, for their individual brilliance.
Manchester City are Premier League Champions in 2020/21 season. Photo Credits: Twitter/Premier LeagueIn the light of this, OltSports correspondent, Afolabi Kehinde Hassan takes a look into the players' performances in numbers, and has come to a conclusion on the following;
Most underrated: Tomas Soucek
Having impressed in his loan spell with The Hammers in the second half of the 2019/20 season, the Czech Republic international was signed on a permanent contact ahead of the new season and West Ham United will forever bless the decision made for the 26 year old.
Tomas Soucek played every minute of West Ham United's 38 Premier League games in the just concluded campaign, except just a minute, away at Fulham, when referee Mike Dean wrongly gave him a marching order, but the suspension was lifted on appeal.
He was a steel in David Moyes' side on their way to a six place finish in the Premier League while also adding 10 goals from defensive midfield. He also proved a clinical finisher, missing only one big chance, and his goals were vital for West Ham.
However, most have not been drawn to the brilliance of this man, maybe because he is a West Ham player. However, he did get then to a place, where he will be noticed, European competition, after West Ham secured a top six finish for the first time, since the 1998/99 season.
Most improved: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
The 23 year old English Right Back is renowned for his defensive qualities, which is highlighted by his one on one defending and tackling prowess. He is almost perfect when defending, but not the same can be said in the opposite end of the pitch.
When Manchester United splashed a whopping £45m rising to £50m on Wan-Bissaka, many doubts were casted on if he will be a good signing for a top team, as he was lacked attacking instinct, a flaw that will always be questioned even of a defender, in the modern day football.
This flaw was there to see in his debut season with United, when his goal contributions for the club was four assists, in 46 games. This season however, Wan-Bissaka was able to score his first two career goals, while also adding six more assists in all competitions.
Moreso, he has also improved in his defending and is more precise and a bit less rash than he was in his first season, when he earned nine bookings in 35 league games, he was only cautioned three times in the league this season.
Even if he hasn't make his bow with the Three Lions, Wan-Bissaka is a strong competitor for a place in Gareth Southgate's Euro squad. Even if he is overlooked in the end, Wan-Bissaka still remains the most improved Premier League player, in the concluded season.
Best Young Player: Phil Foden
Pep Guardiola trusted then, a 19 year old player to fill in for David Silva when Manchester City could have signed an established player, to replace their departed maestro. And in his first full season with the first team, Phil Foden has proven to be more than a worthy replacement.
He is one of the most important players in the squad this season, fighting his way to displacing most of the first team regulars, and himself becoming a regular starter in a star studded City team.
14 goal contributions for the 20 year old in 17 league starts is a classy return from the boy wonder, and he was very important in their run to the UEFA Champions League final, where they will play Chelsea this weekend.
Phil Foden is our Premier League Young Player of The Year, and he has been miles clear of any close challenger.
Best Signing: Ruben Dias
The Portuguese brought stability and solidness to a leaky City defense, and they were able to keep 19 clean sheets in his 32 league appearances.
Arguably the best defender in the league since his arrival in England, and has also been rewarded with the Premier League Football Writers'Association Player of The Year. Ruben Dias, without a doubt, is the best signing in the league this past season.
Best Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez
15 clean sheets for the Aston Villa goalkeeper in what was his first full season as a regular goalkeeper.
The Argentine spent 10 seasons with Arsenal and made his breakthrough just in the 2019/20 season due to an injury to Bernd Leno. However, he moved out of the club last summer, as the Gunners won't guarantee him as first choice goalkeeper, and didn't he made them regret that decision ?
Playing for Aston Villa, his 15 clean sheets is third best in the league only behind Ederson Moraes and Edourad Mendy. Also, his total of 142 saves came third, bettered by only Sam Johnstone and Aaron Ramsdale, 166 and 147 respectively.
His brilliance between the sticks saw Villa finish 11th in the league, when they were just able to avoid relegation in the season before. Emiliano Martinez is our Premier League Best Goalkeeper of The Year.
Best Player: Harry Kane
It is only fair that Harry Kane sees this as a time to leave Spurs after another season ends, without a trophy.
One of only the three players to reach double figures for goal and assist in the league, the Tottenham Hotspur striker win both the top scorer and the best playmaker awards, becoming the first player to do so, since Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.
Even though Tottenham's season was a disaster, they won't want to think what could have transpired without Harry Kane in the team. He might as well have played his last game for the North Londoners.
Best XI of the Season in a 4-4-2 formation;
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Right Back: Vladimir Coufal (West Ham United)
Right Center Back: Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Left Center Back: Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Left Back: Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
Defensive Midfielder: Tomas Soucek (West Ham United)
Central Midfielder: Ilkay Guendogan (Manchester City)
Central Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Attacking Midfielder: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Forward: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Forward: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Afolabi Kehinde Hassan
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