With the PFA Premier League team of the year announced today, there was little shock that title hopefuls Chelsea and Tottenham dominated the side. Indeed, with four players apiece, there are just three representatives from outside of the capital, so it got us thinking whether a London XI would indeed come out on top against the best of the rest.
Make your judgment from the highest rated teams in that respect…
LONDON XI
GK: Petr Cech - Having been forced into the second most saves (84) of any London based keeper - behind Heurelho Gomes - while this certainly hasn’t been Cech’s strongest season he’s been kept busy. By comparison Hugo Lloris has produced 23 saves fewer with the greater protection the Spurs back four as provided.
DF: Danny Rose, Jan Vertonghen, Laurent Koscielny, Kyle Walker - It’s no shock three Spurs defenders make the XI, boasting the best defensive record in the league (22 conceded), with Vertonghen pipping Alderweireled to the line-up. However, Koscielny’s presence ahead of the Belgian and the entire Chelsea defence will spark debate. Nevertheless, the Frenchman’s effect on this Arsenal side is not up for questioning, with 17.5% of the total goals Arsenal have conceded this season coming in just the three games Koscielny has missed.
MF: Eden Hazard, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Wilfried Zaha - N’Golo Kante is the most notable omission here, with Spurs duo Alli and Eriksen taking the central spots in the side having had a direct hand in 40 league goals combined this season. Eden Hazard is a given on the left, boasting the best rating in the league, while Zaha deserves his place on the opposite flank after a real coming of age campaign, having registered 9 assists this season - managing just one in all of last season.
FW: Alexis Sanchez, Harry Kane - The top two scorers in London take the top two spots in the side, with Kane notching his 20th of the season at the weekend and Alexis just one shy on 19.
Average Team Rating: 7.42
BEST OF THE REST
GK: Jordan Pickford - Having produced the most saves per game in the Premier League this season (4.7), Pickford’s place in this side is certainly warranted. He beats PFA team of the season incumbent De Gea having not only produced 50 more stops but achieved a greater save success rate to boot.
DF: James Milner, Virgil van Dijk, Nicolas Otamendi, Antonio Valencia - When Liverpool approached the campaign with Milner as first choice left-back there was concern but he’s been among the club’s most consistent performers despite playing out of position. Antonio Valencia has been equally assured on the right to make that spot his own at United, while Van Dijk and Otamendi both rank among the top 5 centre-backs in the league for both aerial duels won and interceptions.
MF: Philippe Coutinho, Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Sadio Mane - It’s an all red midfield, with Coutinho and Mane on the flanks representing Liverpool, and Pogba and Herrera flying the United flag in the middle. The world record signing has faced a lot of harsh criticism this season despite leading the team for passes, key passes and dribbles, while Herrera has arguably been just as impressive as Kante without getting half the recognition.
FW: Romelu Lukaku, Roberto Firmino - There’s no surprise Lukaku leads the line in this Merseyside attack, netting a league-high 24 goals this season, while Firmino partners the Belgian, getting the nod over Ibrahimovic in the process. His tallies of 11 goals and 6 assists may seem modest but the Brazilian is the perfect forward in Klopp’s pressing system, averaging 1.6 tackles per game from the front.
Average Team Rating: 7.45
