This seasons best Premiership eleven

[Gilly?]

Lucas.

 

[HarvSFC]

Lucas.

With Rickie Lambert playing off him.

 

[johnnytodd]

Harry Kane should be the first name on everyone's sheet

Aguero.......pfff

 

[G.B]

So that means he's been a better goalkeeper than De Gea this season? No, it doesn't, it means he's got a got a decent defense infront of him.

I'm always the first to argue against great shot stoppers facing numerous shots per game but De Gea really has been superb this season.

I didn't say that stat alone did, it simply adds more weight to his claim. So does the fact he has more clean sheets than De Gea. The most in the division actually... there's a pattern emerging here I reckon

"No, it doesn't, it means he's got a got a decent defense infront of him."

That's an interesting take on it buddy. Are you suggesting Southampton have a vastly superior group of defenders in comparison to Manchester Red? Do you consider the likes of Yoshida, Gardos and Targett to be top class defenders? Man Yoo have a bunch of more than decent defenders on their books, individually better players than Southampton I'd (successfully) argue. And far more depth than those pesky Saints. Perhaps De Given isn't anywhere near as good at organising and communicating with his team mates as Forster. Limited shot stoppers of the fluffy lads ilk tend to have that glaring deficiency to their game.

He has been very good this season, agreed. Arguably the best shot stopper in the league so far (not statistically of course, that'd be Lloris). Just not the best keeper.

 

[Skinner]

Southampton's defence as a whole has been superior to Man Utd's defence this season, yeah.

Would you say Forster has won his side more points than De Gea this season? Because I wouldnt.

 

[HarvSFC]

Forster hasn't been the best keeper in the league. We've just had the best defensive unit and by quite some distance, but not to take away from Forster as when he's been called upon he's generally been good and he has won us points this season.

As for Yoshida, Gardos and Targett. Yoshida has progressively got better as the season's gone on. Under Koeman's guidance he's become a decent level Premier League defender. Yoshida's also got the added bonus of being able to cover the full back positions which he's done a job at, not a world class job, but a job. Got the assist on Saturday playing LB didn't he. We all forget that Fonte was once considered not good enough for this level too. Gardos hasn't played too much but has generally looked solid and Targett has only played a full Premier League match against Chelsea this season where we drew 1-1, so it's a bit odd.

 

[G.B]

Southampton's defence as a whole has been superior to Man Utd's defence this season, yeah.

Would you say Forster has won his side more points than De Gea this season? Because I wouldnt.

The goalkeeper is part of the defence. Why have they been better as a unit? The organisation generally comes from the back afterall.

I still don't get your point tbh. "No, it doesn't, it means he's got a got a decent defense infront of him." What exactly do you mean by that, could you expend on it please? Any ideas why, with a poorer set of defenders, Southampton have been so superior to Man Yoo defensively? You seem to be suggesting Man Yoo have a shite group of defenders.

I'm not sure, it's literally impossible to say. Is a single top class save better than not having to make that save in the first place because you and/or your defence didn't fuck up to begin with? It's not something you can measure at all. Feel free to have a go though. I wouldn't mind seeing the figures you've obviously got in mind.

As a simple counter to that I'd say (I wouldn't actually say it for the reasons outlined above, but...) Shay Given "won us" more points than Buffon did for Juventus or Peter the Great did for Man Yoo. Both over the course of their career and on a seasonly basis. That doesn't mean Shay Given was a better goalkeeper than either of them though. Far from it.

 

[HarvSFC]

Any ideas why, with a poorer set of defenders, Southampton have been so superior to Man Yoo defensively? You seem to be suggesting Man Yoo have a shite group of defenders.

Clyne's better than Valencia. Smalling's better than Fonte. Alderweireld's better than Rojo. Bertrand's better than Shaw.

Not to mention that once Carrick is out of their team then our two DM's in Schneiderlin and Wanyama would walk into the Manchester United side.

 

[joethegill]

Lloris

Alderweireld - Terry - Ivanovic

Sanchez - Matic - Eriksen - Hazard

Aguero - Kane - Costa

 

[G.B]

Clyne's better than Valencia. Smalling's better than Fonte. Alderweireld's better than Rojo. Bertrand's better than Shaw.

Not to mention that once Carrick is out of their team then our two DM's in Schneiderlin and Wanyama would walk into the Manchester United side.

You forgot one. Forster is better than De Gea.

Evans is better than Fonte/Yoshida/Gardos, Jones is better than Fonte/Yoshida/Gardos, Ashley Young has been superb on the left.

The only constant in both defences are the goalkeepers.

 

[Skinner]

The goalkeeper is part of the defence. Why have they been better as a unit? The organisation generally comes from the back afterall.

I still don't get your point tbh. "No, it doesn't, it means he's got a got a decent defense infront of him." What exactly do you mean by that, could you expend on it please? Any ideas why, with a poorer set of defenders, Southampton have been so superior to Man Yoo defensively? You seem to be suggesting Man Yoo have a shite group of defenders.

I'm not sure, it's literally impossible to say. Is a single top class save better than not having to make that save in the first place because you and/or your defence didn't fuck up to begin with? It's not something you can measure at all. Feel free to have a go though. I wouldn't mind seeing the figures you've obviously got in mind.

As a simple counter to that I'd say (I wouldn't actually say it for the reasons outlined above, but...) Shay Given "won us" more points than Buffon did for Juventus or Peter the Great did for Man Yoo. Both over the course of their career and on a seasonly basis. That doesn't mean Shay Given was a better goalkeeper than either of them though. Far from it.

So what we can take from this is that there isn't a good way to stastically measure a goalkeepers performance. Clean sheets and points won are both poor indicators.

 

[HarvSFC]

De Gea's the best keeper in the league. No doubt about it.

Evans and Jones have definitley cost Man Utd more goals individually than the three you've mentioned for us collectively this season. Young's been good, but Shaw's always going to be first choice.

 

[G.B]

So what we can take from this is that there isn't a good way to stastically measure a goalkeepers performance. Clean sheets and points won are both poor indicators.

Not at all. Statistics are statistics. They are factual and cannot be denied. 'Points won' by a goalkeeper however... quite the opposite. I'll have a look at the figures when you're ready though.

There is much doubt about it, Harv. That's why many of us haven't picked De Gea in our teams.

 

[Stevencc]

"PS I'm da best and that"

 

[AFCB_Mark]

I don't watch enough Premiership football to be knowledgeable enough to give a full 11. From what I do see, I've always liked Eriksen since before he signed for Spurs and I've been pleased to see him doing well there finally. If it wasn't for his goals, Spurs would be nowhere near the top 4.

Clyne seems to go from strength to strength and hopefully we'll see more of him for England.

Matic and Schneiderlin would be an awesome midfield engine room

Costa is just a beast up front, perfect for Premiership football.

So yeah, some team that includes them.

 

[Saintfernio94]

De Gea
Clyne
Fonte
Terry
Ivanovic

Cazorla
Matic
Eriksen
Sanchez

Kane
Costa

 

[Smally]

De Gea

Clyne
Alderweireld
Terry
Azpilicueta

Fabregas
Matic

Sanchez
Eriksen
Hazard

Costa

 

[Stevencc]

De Gea
Clyne Terry Fonte Azpilicueta
Matic Fabregas
Sanchez Eriksen Hazard
Costa​

 

[Mr Bauer]

Barkley on the bench. LOL

Has done absolutely nothing this season.

Barkley has to be one of the most overrated players ever currently. He could go on to become very good but at this particular juncture it's all just hot air.

 

[Mr Bauer]

If De Gea leaves us for Madrid in the summer I'd take Forster in a heartbeat. He's a tremendous goalkeeper. Whether or not that lends itself to him being in the team of the season I don't know but he is unquestionably up there.

 

[Whitechapel]

I still don't know how hazard gets in so many teams. He flatters to deceive and people lap up the flair, but ultimately he is still over-rated.

I'll just put it down to not much choice on the wing this season other than Sanchez.

 

[Mr Bauer]

According to Mourinho he could be the best player in the world very soon.

Yeah, I couldn't believe it either...

 

[Richard Cranium]

I don't watch much Premier League football but Cresswell, Kane, Erikson, Tadic and the Swansea player who's name I can't spell have all impressed me!

 

[Skinner]

Cresswell is a good shout, been very good for West Ham. Best LB in the league though? Nah, that's just something for hipsters to chuck in.

 

[Destruction]

I'm getting the name Yannick Bolasie.

 

[Skinner]

No chance

 

[HarvSFC]

I don't watch much Premier League football but Cresswell, Kane, Erikson, Tadic and the Swansea player who's name I can't spell have all impressed me!

Tadic hasn't been great for a few months now. Pretty much since the Sunderland game when he got four assists, bar the goal away at Man Utd. Elia and Mane have done a lot better on the wings.

 

[BlueBee]

I still don't know how hazard gets in so many teams. He flatters to deceive and people lap up the flair, but ultimately he is still over-rated.

I'll just put it down to not much choice on the wing this season other than Sanchez.

Why are you such a hater?

 

[Millersfan]

I still don't know how hazard gets in so many teams. He flatters to deceive and people lap up the flair, but ultimately he is still over-rated.

I'll just put it down to not much choice on the wing this season other than Sanchez.

Agreed. People saying he can become the best player in the world need to have a word with themselves. He's 24. At 24 Messi was scoring 50 a season and taking his team to Champs League finals. Ronaldo was scoring 40 a season from out wide and the same at a similar age. Hazard doesn't score anywhere near enough from open player to be a world class player.

My team anyway:

De Gea

Clyne
Fonte
Terry
Azpilicueta

Matic
Fabregas
Schneiderlin

Sanchez
Costa
Hazard

 

[Whitechapel]

Why are you such a hater?

I love Hazard. Great to watch. No hating over here!