Four Southampton players feature in Premier League worst rated XI

 

There is finally light at the end of the tunnel. The last international break of the year always seems to drag, but league action returns this week and, what's more, we're done with international football until March. With that in mind, now is as good a time as any to run through WhoScored's worst rated Premier League team of the season so far. 

 

In association with the football stockmarket, Football INDEX, these are players who have made five or more Premier League starts this season that you should perhaps avoid adding to your portfolio... 

 

Goalkeeper: Angus Gunn (Southampton) - 6.19 rating 

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The first of four Southampton players in the worst rated Premier League XI this season, Angus Gunn has returned a WhoScored rating of just 6.19 this term. The Saints shotstopper has kept just two clean sheets and has a worse save success rate (54.5%) than any other goalkeeper. Gunn has also conceded more goals (25) than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League. To compound his misery, he recently lost his number one spot at St. Mary's to Alex McCarthy. 

 

Right-back: Kiko Femenia (Watford) - 6.23 rating 

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Just one defeat in their last five, Watford's form has begun to improve of late and they won their first Premier League match of the season before the international break with a 2-0 win at Norwich. Of the six defeats the Hornets have fallen to, Kiko Femenia started four. They were conceding three goals per game with the Spaniard featuring from the off, while that has dropped to 0.83 when he does not and his disappointing performances has seen Femenia return a WhoScored rating of just 6.23. 

 

Centre-back: Conor Coady (Wolves) - 6.42 rating 

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Conor Coady's inclusion in this XI isn't necessarily due to his WhoScored rating (6.42) but rather because there is only one centre-back with a lower rating. Given Wolves win an average of 20.4 aerial duels per game and Coady averages just 1.3 aerial duels won per game, the 26-year-old isn't as 'busy' as his centre-back teammates Willy Boly and Ryan Bennett, both when fit, and this impacts his rating. 

 

Centre-back: Maya Yoshida (Southampton) - 6.12 rating 

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Like Femenia, Southampton's performances are negatively impacted when Maya Yoshida starts. Saints may have the same record with Yoshida as they do without the Japanese centre-back - one win, onw draw and four defeats - but the south coast side ships more goals per game with Yoshida (3) than without him starting (1.83) that it has seen him return a lowly WhoScored rating of 6.12. 

 

Left-back: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) - 6.11 rating 

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The lowest rated player in this XI is Saints left-back Ryan Bertrand. Like Yoshida, Bertrand has started just six league games, the most recent of which was the 9-0 defeat at the hands of Leicester. However, the left-back only lasted 12 minutes of the heavy loss owing to his early dismissal and has put up poor averages of just 0.9 tackles and one interception per game, which has seen him return a WhoScored rating of just 6.11. 

 

Right midfield: Miguel Almiron (Newcastle) - 6.35 rating 

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Of those yet to score a Premier League goal this season, Miguel Almiron has had more shots (21) than any other player. The Paraguayan is yet to really live up to his potential following his big money arrival from Atlanta United and his struggles under Steve Bruce for Newcastle this season has seen him yield a WhoScored rating of only 6.35. 

 

Central midfield: Mark Noble (West Ham) - 6.38 rating 

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The first of two West Ham players to feature in this XI, Hammers skipper Mark Noble has returned a WhoScored rating of just 6.38 this season. The 32-year-old has developed a statistically calculated WhoScored weakness of 'tackling' and having been dribbled past more times (11) than he has made tackles (10), that's contributed to his inclusion in this side. 

 

Four Southampton players feature in Premier League worst rated XI

 

Central midfield: Morgan Schneiderlin (Everton) - 6.16 rating

Football INDEX Buy Price - £0.23

 

How the mighty have fallen. Morgan Schneiderlin's stock has plummeted since his big money move to Manchester United in 2015, so much so that he made just seventh league start of the season in the 2-1 win over Southampton. Incidentally, that was just the first time the Frenchman has been part of a winning starting XI for Everton in the Premier League this term and as he averages the fifth most fouls per game (1.9) it's seen Schneiderlin land a WhoScored rating of 6.16.

 

Left midfield: Pablo Fornals (West Ham) - 6.21 rating

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Supporters were understandably excited about the capture of Pablo Fornals over the summer, and the Spaniard will yet come good, but having underwhelmed in east London so far this term; the midfielder has returned a WhoScored rating of 6.21 for West Ham. The 23-year-old's rating is impacted by his six substitute appearances, yet even from the off, Fornals' best rated performance was a 6.62 in the Hammers' 2-0 win over Manchester United.

 

Striker: Callum Robinson (Sheffield United) - 6.29 rating

Football INDEX Buy Price - £0.65

 

Sheffield United invested heavily in attack over the summer, securing the services of Oliver McBurnie, Lys Mousset and Callum Robinson in their bid to stave off relegation. Of the trio, Mousset is the success story, with the latter stuttering despite starting eight of 12 league matches, in which he has scored just one Premier League goal and boasts a poor conversion rate of 8.3%. It's seen the 24-year-old gain a WhoScored rating of 6.29.

 

Striker: Che Adams (Southampton) - 6.27 rating

Football INDEX Buy Price - £0.73

 

Another striker struggling following a move from the Championship to the Premier League, Che Adams arrived at Southampton with a blossoming reputation, but has thus far failed to live up to expectations. Indeed, Adams is yet to score a Premier League goal this season and has recently lost his place in the Southampton starting XI having garnered a WhoScored rating of 6.27.

Four Southampton players feature in Premier League worst rated XI