Every PL club’s underrated and overrated player 21/22 part 1
Welcome back to my blog, and we will be looking (once again) at each club’s underrated player, as well as at each club’s overrated player. Do note underrated and overrated means that fans don’t give/give too much credit to a player respectively,and is not a measure of their true footballing quality.
Arsenal: Odegaard & Ben White
(Just to be clear, the first player mentioned is the underrated one and the second one is the overrated one)
Martin Odegaard is an underrated baller, mostly because he’s joined an Arsenal team who were in shambles. Recently, they’ve improved, and he has certainly played a key part. He just joined this summer, but already looks like the best midfielder at the club. His passing is immaculate, and he provides the team with fresh creativity Arsenal have often lacked.
Meanwhile, even though Ben White is a promising young English centre back, he’s been given too much credit by Arsenal fans. It may seem like I have an agenda against him, but the fact is that he isn’t a 50 million pound Center back. He’s quite weak in the air, and occasionally switches off when marking his man or defending a cross. His tackling and ball playing is certainly top class, but he still has much to improve on.
Aston Villa: Matty Cash & El Ghazi
This one was harder, with Villa fans being quite balanced in how they rate their players. However, one player who deserves more applause for his solid performances at right back is Matty Cash. RB has been a problem position for many English clubs in the past few years, and Cash has certainly alleviated Villa of this worry. He has put in good performance after good performance, and just scored his first PL goal. He is balanced in attack and defence, and will be a crucial part of Aston Villa and the Poland national team for years to come.
El Ghazi isn’t really a “bad” footballer, nor is he overly praised by Villa fans, but he just comes across as a footballer slightly above his level. Villa are a massive club, have no illusions, and he definitely can be replaced by more productive players like ASM or Trossard.
Brighton Hove & Albion: Solomon March & Neal Maupay
This one will hit a nerve for Brighton fans. March has been a personal favourite of mine, after he impressed against the Red Devils as a wing-back. Quick, marauding runs followed by a wicked cross defines his game, and he’s certainly up there with the likes of Alonso etc in terms of technical ability. however, his development has been limited by injuries, which is why he hasn’t been able to get a long run in the first 11 to prove his full worth. Also, his name is super cool too.
Sorry Brighton, but Maupay isn’t as good as you’d like us to believe. He isn’t a traditional nine, isn’t a poacher, isn’t a holder of the ball (like firmino), isn’t a pressing striker and certainly isn’t a false nine either, so I’m not really not sure what he does. He has footballing ability for sure, but doesn’t really contribute as much as his manager would like. He’s a good player on his day, but limits the team sometimes with his vague play.
Brentford: Kristoffer Ajer & Wissa
Ok, Brentford players have been quite good, so I don’t really have detailed reasoning for choosing either.
Ajer has been a rock at the back of the Brentford defence, and has surprisingly been the game-changing player Brentford thought he would be. I say “surprisingly” because usually Scottish premiership players struggle in the PL for a while, but Ajer has taken to English football like a duck to water. You know what, I’m even going to say he’s been a slightly better, centre back than the Brighton duo (Duffy and Dunk) this season, which is high praise given the standards the two maintain. To conclude, solid player who deserves more praise from basically everyone.
Wissa was the only player I could think of who hasn’t done as well as he would have liked to in the PL. Brentford fans have hyped him after his electrifying performance against Liverpool, but honestly other than that he’s been quite obsolete in the team. It will take some time for him to integrate completely into Frank’s system, and I doubt that he won’t come good, but for now he’s too overhyped by the Bees fans.
Burnley:Nathan Collins & Jay Rodriguez
Burnley have 2 distinct types of players: Too good for the team and Championship quality. Well, these two are the perfect example of each type.
Nathan Collins being graded as “Underrated” is a bit debatable given he was linked to Manchester United, but he certainly has been under-appreciated by his manager. Playing only 2 games so far, with Sean Dyche preferring Ben Mee over the talented youngster, the former Stoke centre back has certainly performed at a top level in his limited chances despite the jump from Championship football to Premier League football. Against Manchester City, he was assured and calm, playing great passes and maintaining defensive discipline like a pro. He’s strong in the air, good on the ball, and is a defensive rock as well. Overall, a player who deserves better.
Jay Rodriguez… is just past it. I’m sorry. He’s no longer Premier League quality, though he would do a job for someone like Cardiff or Stoke City. He certainly isn’t over-loved by fans, but he still remains at the club for some reason. He isn’t prolific, and doesn’t fit the traditional 9 role he’s supposedly playing. To conclude, out of his depth at Burnley and in the PL.
Chelsea: Timo Werner & Christian Pulisic
This one will raise a few eyebrows for sure, but hear me out. Timo Werner has been utterly trolled by rival and even Chelsea fans for so long, just because he can’t keep up his scoring rate at Chelsea. Honestly, who would? The Premier League is a completely different animal to the Bundesliga, and it will take some time for a young player to adapt. Yes, he was a goal machine at Leipzig, but Leipzig and Chelsea are two, very different clubs. He has been quite valuable to the teams in terms of creating chances, and has definitely been more prolific than a number of strikers. Yes, he should improve if he wants to stay at Chelsea, but we fans mustn’t forget that he has been quite decent so far too.
Meanwhile, Pulisic has been overhyped at Chelsea mainly due to his flair. The American is top-class, no doubt, but what has he done? He has contributed with the odd goal here and there, and isn’t playing enough to truly become a star player at Stamford Bridge. He has had his moments, but other than that, he hasn’t really done better than the likes of Kai Havertz or Timo Werner, two players who have received much more criticism than him.
Crystal Palace: Milivojevic and Jordan Ayew
This selection was easier to make, since Crystal Palace have plenty of players to choose from. In the end I chose midfielder Milivojevic and Ayew as my Underrated and overrated players respectively.
Milivojevic has been a permanent fixture in the heart of Crystal Palace’s midfield for a long time now, and deservedly so. It’s a surprise that other teams haven’t swooped in for the tidy defensive midfielder. He’s sort of like Crystal Palace’s Jordan Henderson, a leader of men who does a tidy job in midfield. He’s a solid midfielder on his day, and deserves more recognition from all football fans for what he does for the Eagles.
Ayew, meanwhile, has been a bit overhyped by Palace fans after his decent 19/20 campaign. Other than that season, he has been below par in terms of performances, and should do much better when it comes to creating chances and scoring goals.
Everton: Doucoure and Yerry Mina
Doucoure has been consistently solid in the middle of the park for the Toffees since signing from watford after their relegation in 2020. He’s popped up with some crucial goals, is quite the solid defensive midfielder with his crunching tackles, and has a exquisite passing range. However, he has been under appreciated by fans due to bigger names like Allan hogging the spotlight for their performances too. Overall, an all-rounded player who deserves better.
Yerry Mina, meanwhile, has been at Everton for too long. He doesn’t really suit the Premier League, and would do better in Serie A or Ligue 1. He’s been blocking Mason Holgate’s path to the first team 11, which is quite unfortunate given Holgate’s immense talent. However, quite surprisingly, he is quite popular with the Everton fans, or rather is not looked down upon by them. To conclude, quality player, just not meant for Everton.
Leeds United: Klich and Patrick Bamford
Again, this one will certainly raise a few eyebrows. I hope, for my own safety, that none of you readers are Leeds fans.
Klich is yet another midfielder who is criminally underrated by fans. The deep lying playmaker may not have the most impressive stats, but he certainly pulls the strings in midfield along with Kalvin Phillips. The two take turns to make bombarding runs forward, which keeps the defence safe in case of a counter-attack, while allowing the one moving forward to create a goal. Kilch plays the role to perfection, and deserves credit for his quality.
Look, this may seem a tad harsh, but Bamford is overrated. He’s a good player, no doubt, but he has his flaws. 17 goals in 38 PL games is a good debut season, but his injury issues have popped up again, and whenever he sustains an injury he usually doesn’t come roaring back. Even before his injury, he was lacklustre and started to show the downsides of his style of play as a traditional no.9 . I’ll admit, he’s a decent striker, but not as good as Leeds fans may want you to believe.
Leicester: Kasper Schmeichel and Ademola Lookman
Schmeichel has been underrated for so long now, mainly because he has been overshadowed by his dad Peter “the Flying Dane” Schmeichel. However, I can assure you Kasper is almost as good as his dad, if not as good, in terms of pure goalkeeping ability. His career path may not be as majestic, but who can forget that fairytale PL win? Moreover, he has been consistently pulling out save after save for the Foxes for a whole decade now, and doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon. Need I say more?
Meanwhile, even though Lookman is just a loan player, I’m still so triggered by him. What is it in him that makes PL clubs want to loan him season after season, just for him to be as useful as a breadstick. He has talent, but just can’t perform as consistently as the PL requires. I guarantee you, he’d do well for Marseille or Sevilla, rather than Fulham or Leicester.
So, that’s it for this article. Who are some players you feel are underrated/overrated among these clubs? Look out for part 2 of this series coming out SOON, and till then, au revoir.
