My Premier League Team Of The Season So Far

by Chris

Welcome to the eleventh piece and second edition of the day of the Sporting Lowdown advent calendar! This will be continued until the 24th December so any requests for my opinion will most likely be included in the 24 and in the future.

The Premier League so far has given us thrills to the nth degree. The runaway train of Manchester City, the clinical and destructive Man Utd, the resilience of Arsenal, the form of newly promoted sides Huddersfield and Brighton, and the managerial changes. These have all concocted what has been one of the most exciting to watch seasons in recent years.

Here are the 11 players I would say combine to make the Team of the Season so far, but not all are ones that are expected, as I try to combine statistics with importance of the moment. These are the players that have had the biggest impact for me.

Formation : 3-5-2

GK - David DE GEA - Manchester United

Age: 27

Apps: 16

Clean Sheets: 9

Although De Gea couldn't prevent a Manchester Derby defeat on Sunday, the Spaniard has saved United valuable points this season in big games like against Arsenal. I said in my United-City combined XI piece how much this guy frustrates a non-United supporter, and the sooner he moves to Madrid the better! Is he the best 'keeper on the planet? For me, yes. The fact that he has adapted to whatever situation United have been in in the past few years is reason enough for me, coupled with the recent injury to Manuel Neuer. It is for me definite that United would not be where they are now without David de Gea.

RWB - Antonio VALENCIA - Manchester United

Age: 32

Apps: 16

Goals: 2

Believe me I dislike putting consecutive Manchester United players in, what can I say, but it takes real unbiased viewing to admit your worst enemies' have two of the best players in their positions, hut it is true of this season. The Ecuador captain is truly one of the Premier League's best rebound stories, from being a fringe winger who was ageing and not really valued at Man United, he has become one of the leagues most consistent and exciting full backs to watch. His goal started what was a fabulous defensive performance at the Emirates, and offensively he has more passes than any other player in the Premier League for Manchester United so he's obviously doing something right in the Mourinho style.

CB -  Christopher SCHINDLER - Huddersfield

Age: 27

Apps: 15

Clearances: 117

The German has been simply immense at the back for the Terriers so far this season, making the most tackles for a central defender in the league and the third most clearances. Schindler scored the winning penalty in Huddersfield's victory over Reading in the Playoff final, and he has shown that element of composure in the league so far this season alongside Mathias Jorgensen. This is one of the more shocking picks as I am not going necessarily for the best players, but the ones who've made the greatest impact for their team and Huddersfield would be a lot worse off without the ex-1860 Munchen man.

CB - Nicolas OTAMENDI - Manchester City

Age: 29

Apps: 15

Goals: 4

Argentine centre back Otamendi has completed the second most passes of anybody in the Premier League this season, only behind teammate Fernandinho. Otamendi has also contributed 4 vital goals for City, including a crucial acrobatic effort to win the derby on Sunday. He's been solid all season long, although in previous seasons he's shown elements of inconsistency which Guardiola, so far this season, has seemed to have eliminated. A different style of defender to Schindler, more one of pace and guile rather power and strength, these two would work well together if they ever did play together I think.

CB - Nacho MONREAL - Arsenal

Age: 31

Apps: 16

Touches: 1,384

Monreal has impressed in his newfound central role this season and has become integral to Wenger's plans. Although his ectomorph-like frame doesn't assist in a powerful Premier League, the ex-Malaga man has completed more touches and passes than any other apart from the man above, Otamendi, in a season of inconsistency so far for Arsenal. He's been ever present and was a stalwart in marking the likes of Kane, Son and Alli in the north-London derby. Big players perform in big games, and the Spaniard certainly has, with perhaps the exception of the defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

LWB - Sead KOLASINAC - Arsenal

Age: 24

Apps: 15

Goals: 1

The Bosnian has settled in to Premier League life spectacularly. His explosiveness is hardly replicated at all throughout world football, with pace combined with brute force coupling excellently, and this must be one of the best bargains in recent years. He has contributed going forward and back too, having the 5th most touches for any full/wing back in the league so far this season, and making a 72% tackle success rate, the highest for Arsenal's defenders.

CM - Kevin DE BRUYNE - Manchester City

Age: 26

Apps: 16

Goals: 4

Kevin De Bruyne is now, as I said in the City/United blog, truly establishing himself in the world's elite. Scoring 4 and assisting 8 so far this season, as well as the most touches in the Premier League, De Bruyne is one of the front runners for player of the year and if he continues his form, one has to wonder where he could end up with City or with another of Europe's super-clubs. and has the potential to become one of Europe's best players of all time if he continues this curve.

CM -  FERNANDINHO - Manchester City

Age: 32

Apps: 16

Goals: 2

Fernandinho was one of City's lower profile signings, by Manuel Pellegrini in 2013, but the Brazilian has proved he has been worth every penny of the £25m City splashed on him. Completing more passes and touches than any other player so far this season, the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder is integral to Pep Guardiola's successes so far this season and for seasons in the recent future too.

RW - Mohamed SALAH - Liverpool

Age: 25

Apps: 16

Goals: 13

The League's top scorer, with Neymar and Mbappe costing nearly £400m combined, Mo Salah's somewhat tame sub-£40m fee seems like the bargain of the decade so far. Aiding Liverpool with goals against Everton, Chelsea, Burnley, and others have made him Liverpool's front runner for the league's POTY. If he had finished with 13 league goals this season it would've been a highly satisfactory season, but he's smashed that and we're only in November. If he scores against West Brom on Wednesday, he will be the third fastest to 20 goals for the club in the club's 125 year history, quite a feat in this era also. I expect Salah to score a minimum of 20 league goals this season, which is a minimum 7 in the next 22, so he has the capacity to go a lot further that that. He also has recently been named African Player of the Year ahead of teammate Sadio Mane, so congratulations Mo!

LW - Raheem STERLING - Manchester City

Age: 23

Apps: 14

Goals: 9

Raheem Sterling isn't my favourite player in the world, but there is no denying his improvement this season. 9 goals in 14 at a GPM rate of 0.64, Sterling has certainly made his mark of authority by scoring the same amount as Aguero so far this season. He has also guaranteed his spot on the plane for the World Cup injury preventing. He has picked his peak seasons correctly, with the 13/14 and 17/18 being World Cup years. He again could easily pass 20 goals this season if he continues his great form and be a real force this season as City prepare to coast the title, even though it is far from over.

ST - Harry KANE - Tottenham Hotspur

Age: 24

Apps: 15

Goals: 12

One season wonder, they said. Two season wonder, they said. Three seasons? It's getting a bit consistent now. Harry Kane is, in my opinion, the best striker in the Premier League right now. He possesses qualities which aren't new, he isn't unique, but he just does the job of scoring goals with immaculate aplomb. 10 more goals will see him hit 100 in the Premier League, at the age of 24! This kid is special, and has the capacity to possibly surpass Alan Shearer as the League's top scorer if he maintains this quality, if he stays in the League, which is no guarantee as he is still rising meteorically. I would be very surprised if he stayed at Spurs if they failed to win silverware in the next 3 years. But he is, I think, on the same level as the world's elite, such as Lewandowski, Higuaín and Suarez.

I hope you enjoyed this second of three today! This one has taken a lot of research and effort so if you could share it with your friends and family to get the views up for it that would be amazing! Much love!

Chris :)