{"id":588,"date":"2018-03-30T16:13:25","date_gmt":"2018-03-30T14:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/?p=588"},"modified":"2018-03-29T16:20:41","modified_gmt":"2018-03-29T14:20:41","slug":"588","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/?p=588","title":{"rendered":"From Ederson to Firmino: Premier League team of the season so far"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"drop-cap\"><span class=\"drop-cap__inner\">H<\/span><\/span>ard to believe but the\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/premierleague\" data-link-name=\"auto-linked-tag\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Premier League<\/a>\u00a0season is almost over. Where has the time gone? Feels like only yesterday Jos\u00e9 Mourinho was happy.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, with the home stretch in sight, I\u2019ve picked a Premier League XI of the season so far. My choices are sure to cause shock, horror and outrage but before the frothing commences let me make something clear: the team below are not made up of the 11 best players in their respective positions. Some are but others are players who have performed notably above expectation \u2013 individually or within a partnership\/unit \u2013 and therefore are worthy of recognition. This also means there is a whacking great omission, one bordering on a national scandal, but I don\u2019t care \u2013 I stand by my choices.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link element-rich-link--upgraded\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-1 | 1\">\n<div class=\"rich-link tone-feature--item rich-link--pillar-sport\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__container\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more-text\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Goalkeeper: Ederson (Manchester City)<\/h2>\n<p>David de Gea has kept the most clean sheets. David de Gea has made the most eye-catching saves. David de Gea is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, if not the world. But David de Gea doesn\u2019t make this team because, across town, a 24-year-old Brazilian has made an incredible impact. Not much was known about Ederson when he\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2017\/jun\/01\/manchester-city-sign-ederson-benfica\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">arrived at Manchester City in June<\/a>\u00a0but he has gone on to impress with his shot stopping, decision making and unreal distribution. And anyone who says it is easy being City\u2019s goalkeeper, I have two words for you: Claudio Bravo.<\/p>\n<h2>Right back: Kyle Walker (Manchester City)<\/h2>\n<p>There\u2019s no escaping it:\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2017\/jul\/14\/kyle-walker-signs-manchester-city-world-record-deal-defender\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">\u00a353m is a jaw-dropping amount to pay<\/a>\u00a0for a full-back. Equally, there\u2019s no doubt Walker has proven to be a worthwhile acquisition for City, providing the width and penetration Pep Guardiola demands from his wide defenders, as well as being better defensively than his critics suggest. He is England\u2019s best right-back and probably the Premier League\u2019s too.<\/p>\n<h2>Centre back: James Tarkowski (Burnley)<\/h2>\n<p>Patience is a virtue and, in some cases, the way you\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2018\/mar\/20\/james-tarkowski-ready-for-england-burnley\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">break into the England squad<\/a>a few months before the World Cup. This time last year no one would have predicted Tarkowski would be in Gareth Southgate\u2019s plans this close to the finals but that is where the 25-year-old finds himself having bided his time at Burnley and, following Michael Keane\u2019s move to Everton, taken his chance, impressing with his distribution and defensive capabilities. Yes, Tarkowski performed nervously for England in midweek, and\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2018\/mar\/27\/england-italy-international-friendly-match-report\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">gave away the penalty that led to Italy\u2019s equaliser<\/a>, but it was his debut and at club level he has been consistently excellent. His inclusion in this team should also be viewed within the context of the person he is deployed alongside \u2026<\/p>\n<h2>Centre-back: Ben Mee (Burnley)<\/h2>\n<p>Only three players have made more clearances this season than Mee and, at\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/burnley\" data-link-name=\"auto-linked-tag\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Burnley<\/a>, only one player has completed more minutes. The 28-year-old has been a model of consistent excellence and, alongside Tarkowski, the bedrock of a side who have conceded a measly 26 goals in 30 games. As a centre-back partnership, Tarkowski and Mee are hard to beat and the latter\u2019s presence also provides the giggling joy of hearing commentators say things like: \u201cGreat header by Mee.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Left-back: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)<\/h2>\n<p>Any Liverpool supporter who says they weren\u2019t underwhelmed by the club\u2019s\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2017\/jul\/14\/lazio-liverpool-lucas-leiva-transfer\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">\u00a38m purchase of Robertson from Hull City<\/a>\u00a0in July is a liar. Fast forward eight months and most of them are singing his praises as well as his name. Robertson has been a revelation since stepping in for the injured Alberto Moreno in December, catching the eye with his crossing ability as well as with his work rate and defensive skills. The 24-year-old has been one of the bargains of the season and ended Liverpool\u2019s decades-long problems at left-back.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"img-2\" class=\"element element-image img--landscape fig--narrow-caption fig--has-shares \" data-component=\"image\" data-media-id=\"586f567849fef02572b3b6f9e5565622070ab122\"><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img caption caption--img\"><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Defensive midfield: Abdoulaye Doucour\u00e9 (Watford)<\/h2>\n<p>If you haven\u2019t seen Doucour\u00e9 play in the flesh, you should. He\u2019s excellent. A marauding, hard-working and clever presence in central midfield who is the main reason Watford have avoided sliding into relegation trouble. Oh, and he is also their top scorer with seven goals. The Frenchman is the full package and, aged 25, young enough to get even better.\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/watford\" data-link-name=\"auto-linked-tag\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Watford<\/a>\u00a0supporters won\u2019t want to hear it but Doucour\u00e9 is unlikely to remain at Vicarage Road for much longer; sooner rather than later the big boys will come calling.<\/p>\n<h2>Centre midfield: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)<\/h2>\n<p>No player has provided more assists this season and when City wrap up the title it will be De Bruyne who, Guardiola aside, receives the most individual recognition for the success. Quite rightly too: the Belgian has been supreme, featuring in every one of City\u2019s 30 fixtures so far and, in practically every one, bamboozling the opposition with skill, strength and imagination. The 26-year-old is a Ballon d\u2019Or winner in the making.<\/p>\n<h2>Central midfield: David Silva (Manchester City)<\/h2>\n<p>Alongside De Bruyne, Silva has formed an irresistible inside-forward partnership that has regularly left defences flummoxed. One minute they\u2019re there, the next they\u2019re not; one minute they\u2019re passing the ball side to side, the next they\u2019re threading it into the heart of danger. Nobody had been able to tame the City duo and while De Bruyne has grabbed more headlines it is arguably Silva who has drawn more appreciation. Aged 32 and in his eight season at City, the Spaniard remains a gorgeous blend of composure and devastation. We\u2019ll miss him when he\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n<h2>Right-sided forward: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)<\/h2>\n<p>Never has\u00a0<a class=\"u-underline\" title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2017\/jun\/22\/liverpool-transfer-deal-mohamed-salah-roma\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">spending \u00a336.9m on a footballer<\/a>\u00a0looked such good business. Frankly it\u2019s peanuts when you consider what Salah has achieved at Anfield since arriving from Roma in June \u2013 28 goals and 10 assists in 30 games, with some of his best moments breathtaking. The goals against Everton and Manchester City at home, the volley at Stoke and, most recently, the four-goal demolition of Watford that Miguel Britos may never recover from. Salah is not just the signing of the season; he is the player of the season, too.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"img-3\" class=\"element element-image img--landscape fig--narrow-caption fig--has-shares \" data-component=\"image\" data-media-id=\"f159398d8bfba0f9adff725c207883a58707ac1b\"><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img caption caption--img\"><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Left-sided forward: Son Heung-min (Tottenham)<\/h2>\n<p>This selection came down to a straight fight between Leroy San\u00e9 and Son \u2013 and Son won because, quite simply, I love him. That smile, that chuckle, that positive style of play \u2013 it\u2019s all there and, having scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 29 appearances, the South Korean is arguably the most improved player in the Premier League. It say much that Son\u2019s place in Tottenham\u2019s starting lineup is pretty much nailed-on and in this tightest of battles for a top-four place, he could well end up making the difference.<\/p>\n<h2>Centre forward: Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)<\/h2>\n<p>Cue the fury, especially around Wembley Way. No Tottenham fans, I haven\u2019t forgotten about Harry Kane, and with 24 goals in 29 appearances he is an obvious candidate for the centre-forward role. But here\u2019s the thing; the best frontline in the Premier League this season has been Liverpool\u2019s \u2013 in term of goals, combination and spectacle \u2013 and fundamental to that has been Firmino. The Brazilian is redefining the No9 position with his combination of movement, work rate, link play, assists and goals, and he would be an undoubted asset to this side. He\u2019d also get the best out of Salah, and Son would enjoy playing alongside him, too.<\/p>\n<p>Source\u00a0https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2018\/mar\/29\/premier-league-team-of-the-season-ederson-firmino-manchester-city-burnley<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hard to believe but the\u00a0Premier League\u00a0season is almost over. Where has the time gone? Feels like only yesterday Jos\u00e9 Mourinho was happy. Anyway, with the home stretch in sight, I\u2019ve picked a Premier League XI of the season so far. My choices are sure to cause shock, horror and outrage but before the frothing commences [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/588"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=588"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/588\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":591,"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/588\/revisions\/591"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/britishdailynews.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}