A 5-a-side team of the best 2018/19 summer signings so far

With the Premier League returning on Saturday, we’re looking at how the new signings have started the early part of the season and which players would make it into a 5-a-side team of the best summer signings so far.

After 12 weeks of the top flight, Manchester City and Liverpool set the pace at the top, Manchester United are dreadful and Fulham still haven’t realised what league they’re in.

With over 100 signings made by Premier League clubs this season, we’ve narrowed it down to the five best for our team, and a few substitutes.

 

Signings of the season so far 5-a-side team

We could only choose 5 players (obviously) for the team and we’ve gone with a diamond formation. There are a few substitutes included as well but also some players who just missed out but deserve a mention. First on that list is Wolves’ goalkeeper Rui Patricio. Only the top four have conceded fewer goals that Wolves this season and the experienced ‘keeper is largely to thank for that.

He has an impressive save percentage of 76% which is in the top five in the league and he has already made some saves that have undoubtedly saved Wolves points. The Raheem Sterling save early in the season springs to mind and Wolves remain one of just two teams to take points off of Manchester City this season.

There are other Wolves players who could have made the cut, wingbacks aren’t really a thing in 5-a-side but Jonny has been impressive and Joao Moutinho has racked up some impressive passing stats.

Elsewhere, we were spoilt for choice for goalkeepers, Fabianski has been impressive for West Ham and Ben Foster is continuing to prove himself as a solid Premier League goalkeeper at Watford.

Another West Ham player, Filipe Anderson, has recently come into the reckoning with a few impressive displays and new Everton left-back Lucas Digne has racked up some good stats in the chance creation area.

But now onto the main event – our signings of the season 5-a-side team….

 

Goalkeeper – Alisson Becker: Liverpool

This was a toss up between Alisson and Kepa of Chelsea, with Leno from Arsenal also considered. Alisson has kept the joint most clean sheets in the Premier League this season and has made a total of 25 saves, two more than his Chelsea counterpart. That works out as a total of 4.17 saves per goal compared to 2.56 for Kepa.

Alisson’s distribution was a big factor in Jurgen Klopp’s decision to take him to Anfield and apart from one mistake that created a goal earlier in the season and a couple he has got away with, the Brazilian has fitted in well to life in the Premier League. He looks set to fight it out with his fellow countryman Ederson for the Golden Glove award later in the season, and possibly even the Premier League title.

 

Defender – Willy Boly: Wolves

There wasn’t a massive amount of choice for a centre back in our 5-a-side team, with Diop of West Ham the other consideration. However, Boly gets the nod after helping Wolves to a good start to the season and an impressive defensive record. He has the best stats of any new central defender in the Premier League and has made an impressive 24 interceptions already this season, and 20 blocks. To put that into context, Chris Smalling has made just nine interceptions and Van Dijk 14.

Wolves’ impressive start to this season is largely thanks to their defenders and the aforementioned Rui Patricio in goal, but Frenchman Boly, who was on loan at Wolves from Porto last season, has been a rocl at the heart of their defence following his permanant transfer in the summer.

 

Midfielder – Jorginho: Chelsea

The pass-master just makes the cut into the team and fends off stiff competition from the likes of Lucas Torreira for the more defensive of the two midfielders in our team. Jorginho has made the most passes in the Premier League so far this season, 100 more than the next player. He’s made a total of 1,186 passes already, helping Chelsea to overtake Manchester City as the highest passing team in the league.

New Arsenal signing Lucas Torreira just missed the cut for this team but does have the defensive edge over Jorginho in the stats.

?? Jorginho top of the passing charts – 100 MORE than the next best
? Three of the Premier League’s top five passers come from Chelsea
? Maurizio Sarri’s side also top club stats for passes this season

? #CFC #PLhttps://t.co/vU6TaivTDB

— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) November 12, 2018

 

Midfielder – James Maddison: Leicester

After Riyad Mahrez left the King Power in the summer, there was much speculation about his replacement and it was Norwich man Maddison who got the nod. He started the season brilliantly and continues to dictate games from the Leicester midfield. He contributed towards seven goals in his first seven appearances for the Foxes to establish himself as a worthy replacement for Mahrez already.

Last season Maddison was worth 26 points to Norwich City and that justified the £20m fee Leicester paid for the midfielder. His creativity and spark from an attacking midfield position would contribute the work of Jorginho in our 5-a-side team of the best summer signings so far so he gets the nod.

 

Striker – Richarlison: Everton

When Richarlison completed his £42million move from Watford in the summer, there were more than a few eyebrows raised. Since the first game of the season Richalison has hit the ground running and now he is being deployed as a central striker, his form hasn’t dipped. He scored twice in the recent win against Brighton to take his tally to six Premier League goals this season.

The Brazilian has already bettered the goal tally he managed in the whole of last season for Watford and he’ll hope that the goals don’t dry up like they did last season when he failed to contribute a goal or assist from 12th December onwards.

He has a total xG of 3.4 before a ball was kicked this season and he already sits on six in the Premier League. It remains to be seen if Richarlison can be a force for the whole season, but one thing is for sure – his ability in front of goal concludes our 5-a-side team nicely.

 

Substitutes

On the bench we’re going with Chelsea’s Kepa as a replacement for Alisson and Torreira of Arsenal as our midfield cover, who will provide a more defensive attitude that Jorginho. Filipe Anderson also makes the bench and he could double up as a striker if required. The final sub is going to be Diop of West Ham, who has made some notible contributions since missing the first few games of the season.

 

The 5-a-side team in full

Are we wrong? Send us your thoughts on Twitter @thatsagoal.

 

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