With the World Cup taking us virtually all the way in which to the top of 2022, now could be nearly as good a time as any to take inventory of the Premier League and assess the important thing figures throughout the 12 months. And what higher manner than to formulate a greatest XI of 2022?
Utilizing the Opta index – which grades gamers throughout a large pool of metrics – we’ve formulated a staff that makes use of information to assist the alternatives. With a plethora of additional insights from a database that incorporates each contact within the Premier League this 12 months, it is a useful resource that helps us to depend on rather more than reminiscence and particular person opinion.
There’s only one rule: The 11 chosen gamers should have appeared in each of the seasons which have made up 2022.
Sorry, Erling Haaland followers…
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Though 2022 won’t have gone to plan for Liverpool, their goalkeeper has remained close to the height of his powers. No stopper has recorded extra clear sheets than Alisson within the Premier League to this point this 12 months (15).
Certainly, utilizing Opta’s anticipated objectives (xG) information, Alisson has carried out higher than some other stopper when it comes to stopping objectives this 12 months. Primarily based on the standard of pictures on course he has confronted, the Brazilian has conceded 11 fewer objectives than anticipated (27 objectives conceded from 37.8 xG on course confronted).
Proper-back: Kieran Trippier
There have been few signings made in 2022 that may rival Kieran Trippier for fast influence. The Newcastle captain has been an integral a part of the staff’s rise all year long; one which they started in nineteenth place and resumed in December in third spot.
Trippier (2.4) is certainly one of solely three full backs to have averaged two or extra probabilities created per 90 within the Premier League this 12 months (min. 900 minutes performed), together with Trent Alexander-Arnold (2.3) and Andy Roberson (2.2).
Centre-back: Thiago Silva
Thirty-eight-year-old Thiago Silva is perhaps the oldest outfield participant to seem within the Premier League in 2022, however age has been no impediment to his efficiency in a Chelsea shirt. Certainly, Silva has performed extra league minutes than some other participant for the Blues this 12 months (2,531).
Throughout the Premier League, the Brazilian has recovered possession extra instances per 90 than some other centre-back in 2022 (7.2 recoveries per 90 – min. 1,500 minutes performed).
Centre-back: Gabriel Magalhaes
Gabriel Magalhaes is certainly one of solely two gamers, together with Bukayo Saka, to have began each Premier League sport for Arsenal in 2022. Certainly, the Brazilian defender has solely missed 62 minutes of motion within the league all 12 months.
As a fixture inside Mikel Arteta’s expansive Arsenal aspect, Gabriel has carried the ball additional than some other centre-back within the Premier League this 12 months (6,467m).
Left-back: Andy Robertson
Liverpool have received 73% of the league video games Andy Robertson has began this 12 months and solely conceded 0.7 objectives per sport. Within the video games he hasn’t began, Liverpool’s win share has dropped to 50% and so they’ve conceded 1.4 objectives per sport.
The Liverpool full-back has additionally made 10 assists within the Premier League this 12 months, which is each essentially the most of any defender within the competitors and essentially the most by any Liverpool participant.
Defensive midfielder: Rodri
Manchester Metropolis’s cross grasp has stayed true to type in 2022, persevering with in his function because the steadying hand of Pep Guardiola’s profitable machine. His exact distribution and calming affect on the staff now makes him one of many first names on the staff sheet for Guardiola.
Together with finishing essentially the most passes (2,677), Rodri has the bottom possession loss price of any midfielder within the Premier League this 12 months (min. 1000+ touches), dropping the ball with simply 9.7% of his whole touches.
Centre-midfielder: Declan Rice
West Ham captain Declan Rice has been one of the vital impactful midfielders on each side of the ball in 2022, excelling in his defensive duties and mixing them with thrusting runs in possession.
Rice has made extra progressive carries of 10+m (183) than some other participant within the Premier League in 2022, whereas he has additionally recovered possession essentially the most instances of any participant (302).
Centre-midfielder: Kevin de Bruyne
It has been enterprise as standard in 2022 for Kevin de Bruyne, as he continues to reign because the Premier League’s most influential midfielder.
The Belgian is the one participant to have created greater than 100 probabilities within the Premier League this 12 months (110), with a league-high 16 of these turning into assists. In actual fact, solely Harry Kane (35) has extra mixed objectives and assists within the league than De Bruyne (29) in 2022.
Proper-wing: James Maddison
Few gamers elevated their degree in view of the 2022 World Cup as a lot as James Maddison, along with his type finally occurring to earn him a deserved call-up. With 23 mixed objectives and assists in 30 league video games for Leicester Metropolis this 12 months, De Bruyne (29) has been the one midfielder with extra since January.
Maddison’s signature in 2022 has been his goalscoring from vary, along with his six strikes from exterior the field being essentially the most of any participant within the Premier League. Certainly, no person may higher his tally of direct free-kick objectives both (3).
Centre-forward: Harry Kane
The case for Harry Kane is a fairly easy one. The Tottenham striker has scored extra objectives (26), non-penalty objectives (21) and has essentially the most mixed objectives and assists (34) of any participant within the Premier League in 2022.
Moreover, Kane has been concerned within the second most sequences of play that produced a shot (229) or a aim (37) within the Premier League this 12 months (De Bruyne tops the listing with 234 sequences). The Englishman has mixed his work as main scorer with an all-round contribution to Spurs’ assault.
Left-wing: Son Heung-min
The one participant to attain extra Premier League objectives than Son Heung-min (18) within the Premier League this 12 months is his Spurs team-mate Kane (26), whereas all 18 of Son’s strikes got here with out assistance from penalties.
A peculiarity of the Korean’s goalscoring this 12 months has been that he has scored as many objectives along with his left foot (9) as he has along with his stronger proper (9). The final participant to internet as many as 9+ objectives with each ft in a calendar 12 months within the Premier League was Jamie Vardy in 2019.
Who makes your staff of 2022?
Who would make your XI made up of gamers who performed in 2022 – each within the present and former marketing campaign? Make your alternative under and share on social media.
Decide your XI from our listing and share with your mates.
