Best, worst, and surprise units in the Premier League
We continue our Premier League preview by looking at some of the best, worst, and most surprising units (defense, midfield, attack) in the league heading into the season. There isn’t a perfect website that has who each team is planning on starting at each position, because, well the season hasn’t even started yet. However, we have a general feel for the talent each team possesses in their defense, midfield, and attack. Enough of a feel to do a bit of a preseason breakdown. Let’s get started:
Top defense — Leicester City: Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan, Christian Fuchs, Robert Huth
The defending champs get the honor of top defense, and it is thanks in large part to their two behemoths, Morgan and Huth. Morgan stands a mere 6’ 1” 205 lbs. compared to the hulking 6’ 3” 194 lbs. Huth, but both men make it truly terrifying to come into the box against Leicester. Fuchs supplies the highest skill of this group, and Simpson is often the forgotten man, but is still a necessary cog in a defense that allowed just 36 goals last season.
Surprisingly, one name that jumps off the page as loaded with talent is Everton. Despite losing John Stones, and allowing 55 goals last season, they have a lot of talent. First and foremost, Leighton Baines is still as talented a fullback as one will find in the Premier League. But he’s far from alone on the back line. Everton also has veterans Phil Jagielka and Seamus Coleman, not to mention THE GOD Ashley Williams, who should honestly do more than enough in replacing Stones. Just can’t give top billing to a squad that allowed as many goals as they did in 2015–16. Replacing Roberto Martinez should see that number of goals go down, though.
Surprise — West Brom Albion: Jonny Evans, Jonas Olsson, Craig Dawson, and Gareth McAuley
Call this the Euro 2016 breakout defense, as Evans and McAuley both played pivotal roles over the summer, and looked impressive in the Northern Ireland European Championships. This unit had success last season, as well, as no team that finished outside the top six allowed fewer goals than West Brom, despite the club finishing 14th.
Biggest weakness — Manchester United: Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly
Of course, with Jose Mourinho in tow, Man U probably isn’t going to be leaking as many goals as it would appear on paper, but we haven’t yet seen what The Special One can do with this hodgepodge of a defense. Somewhat miraculously United tied for the fewest goals allowed in the Premier League last season, so this may be a bit harsh, but I just can’t talk myself into this unit actually be good just yet. Also, the rest of the Big Seven (Yes, Leicester has to be in that group as long as they are the defending champs) all have pretty solid backlines, so outside of choosing a Bournemouth or Burnley, who struggle all across the pitch, United makes the most sense.
Top midfield — Manchester City: David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Fernando, and Yaya Toure
Just look at that fivesome and try not to get a bit of the thickening. De Bruyne, Toure, and Silva are arguably three of the top ten midfielders in the world when they are on their game, and the “Fernan-s” would be the stars of nearly any other midfield. This midfield has scoring (De Bruyne), creativity (Silva), raw power (Toure), and Brazilians (The Fernan-s). You can’t ask for more than that. Really the only team that can challenge them is Chelsea if Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas bounce back to their 2014–15 form, while N’Golo Kante holds his 2015–16 form. But that’s a lot to ask.
Surprise — Hull City: Mohamed Diame, Robert Snodgrass, Jake Livermore, Tom Huddlestone, David Meyler, and Sone Aluko
This honor could have gone to Crystal Palace, as well (Andros Townsend, Yohan Cabaye, Yannick Bolasie among others), but let’s be honest, Hull City is wayyyyyy more surprising. Part of this rank is my admitted Spurs bias, seeing Livermore and Huddlestone, a pair of ex-Tottenham players, never hurts, but Diame, Snodgrass and Aluko are pure Premier League vets who know what they’re doing. Sadly, it might all go to waste in what is already a crazy season for Hull — Steve Bruce quitting at the eleventh hour gives credence to the Daily Mail headline that Hull is the least-prepared side in Premier League history — but if they have a chance it is with this midfield.
Biggest weakness — N/A
Go and look around the Premier League depth charts. I’ll wait. Notice something? There is a lot, and I mean A LOT, of midfield talent in the Premier League right now. Looking at the top teams. In addition to City and Chelsea, here are some of the names plying their trade in the midfield: Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Riyad Mahrez, Philippe Coutinho, Paul Effing Pogba, Dele Alli, and Christian Eriksen. OK, so how about the middle tier of teams? Ummm, there’s a lot of talent there, too: Dmitri Payet, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Xerdan Shaqiri, Ross Barkley, Jordon Ibe, LEE CATTERMOLE?! (OK, that Cattermole’s a joke.) I guess if pressed, the West Brom or Southampton midfields look like they could use a bit of an upgrade, but almost more because of the talent in the midfield around the rest of the league more than anything else. The Premier League is a league of midfielders right now.
Top attack — Manchester United: Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The attacking options in the Premier League are kind of the antithesis to the midfield. Looking across the league, there really aren’t many high-flying attacking units, it’s more singular players (Kun Aguero, Harry Kane) that make the entire attack go. That’s why I gave the edge to United, who sport two elder statesmen, but talented AF elder statesmen. Zlatan has already shown a bit of what he can do, scoring a beast of a goal in the Community Shield. Rooney has been in decline for a while, but if Zlatan can breathe some life into him, that’s a mighty potent 1–2.
Surprise — Middlesbrough: Gaston Ramirez and Alvaro Negredo
We’ll go further into Middlesbrough tomorrow in the predictions column, but it’s fair to say, I kind of like this attacking duo to do some things in 2016–17.
Biggest weakness — Arsenal: Olivier Giroud
And for the 423rd year running, Arsenal claims the attack as biggest weakness title. Congratulations, Gooners!
