The Premier League's Top Performers: Who has stood out the most so far this season?
With eight Premier League Gameweeks under our belt, there have been bags of talent on display up and down the country. In this article, we take a look at the top performers in each area of the pitch, from shot-stopping to goal-scoring.
Goalkeepers
To measure the quality of the goalkeepers so far this season, four different metrics were used: save percentage, cross stop percentage, goals conceded per 90, and goals prevented per 90 (goals conceded minus xGOT accumulated, averaged over 90 minutes). The Figures below show the top ten performers in each area of focus.
The Figures above show the top 10 performers for each of the metrics discussed earlier. Arsenal's David Raya tops two of the four metrics (cross stop percentage and fewest goals conceded per 90) having only conceded two goals in his time at Arsenal so far this season. Tottenham's new signing Guglielmo Vicario tops the save percentage chart, saving an impressive 82.9% of shots faced; Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone is second with 81.5%. West Ham United's Alphonse Areola has prevented the most goals per 90 so far this season (0.44), narrowly ahead of Wolves' José Sá (0.4). Only five goalkeepers with more than one 90 played this season failed to reach the top 10 in any of the above metrics: Luton's Thomas Kaminski, Manchester United's André Onana, Everton's Jordan Pickford, Burnley's James Trafford, and Brighton's Jason Steele. Meanwhile, only three 'keepers featured in the top 10 for each metric: Arsenal's David Raya, Chelsea's Robert Sánchez, and Tottenham's Guglielmo Vicario.
To determine the best performers so far this season, a points-based system was devised so that a goalkeeper's performances across the different metrics could be combined to give an overall score. This was done by attributing points to players according to how much of the total quantity (e.g. goals prevented per 90) resulted from their performance. For example, the number of goals prevented per 90 for each goalkeeper was added up and the points were awarded based on the percentage of the total amount that each goalkeeper was responsible for. These points were added up across each metric and weighted (e.g. making save percentage and goals prevented more heavily weighted than cross stop percentage), giving each goalkeeper a final score. The total points add to 10, so the Figure below shows the top five goalkeepers according to their share of the points.
According to this system, the Premier League's best goalkeepers so far this season have been David Raya, José Sá, Robert Sánchez, Guglielmo Vicario and Alphonse Areola. For the most part, the performances made by the goalkeepers are reflected in the Premier League table, with both Arsenal and Tottenham sat at the top of the table level on 20 points. West Ham sit in 7th after an impressive start to the season, Chelsea are 11th with the joint-second best defensive record in the league, and Wolves are 14th with Sá's excellent goalkeeping diminished by the side's frustrations in front of goal.
Central Defenders
To measure the quality of this season's central defenders, the following metrics were employed: tackles, blocks, clearances, and interceptions (as well as the corresponding per 90 statistics). The Figures below show the top 20 performers in each case.
The Figures above show the top 20 performers for tackles, blocks, clearances and interceptions from a central defensive position. Luton Town's Amari'i Bell has so far made more tackles than any other central defender so far this season with 22, two ahead of second place Christian Romero and three ahead of third place Jordan Beyer. No central defender has made more blocks so far this season than Sheffield United's Anel Ahmedhodžić with 17. Three players are tied in second place with 16 blocks to their name: West Ham United's Nayef Aguerd, Wolves' Craig Dawson, and Everton's James Tarkowski. Ethan Pinnock of Brentford tops the charts for both clearances (59) and interceptions (15) so far this season, beating the likes of Joachim Andersen, Kurt Zouma and Virgil van Dijk.
The central defender with by far the most defensive actions completed this season is Brentford's Ethan Pinnock with a total of 100 combined tackles, blocks, clearances and interceptions. There were only five players that appeared in the top 20 for each of the above metrics: Sheffield United's Anel Ahmedhodžić, Nottingham Forest's Willy Boly, Brentford's Ethan Pinnock, Tottenham's Christian Romero, and Bournemouth's Illia Zabarnyi. Notably, Romero is the only one of these five playing for a team currently in the top half of the table, showing just how much defending Tottenham have had to do already this season. Only three teams fail to register a player in the top 20 for any of the metrics, those being Brighton, Manchester United and Newcastle. This is likely as a result of the large shares of possession that the clubs have had so far this season (with the clubs having the fifth, sixth and seventh highest average possession stats respectively). These teams have been disappointing from a defensive standpoint this season, particularly when compared to the four teams with greater shares of possession this season (Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal).
Using the same points system as for the goalkeepers, the Figure below shows the top 10 central defenders in the Premier League so far this season.
According to this system, the league's best central defenders so far this season have been Brentford's Ethan Pinnock; Nottingham Forest's Willy Boly; Tottenham's Christian Romero; Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk; Anel Ahmedhodžić and John Egan (both Sheffield United); Burnley's Jordan Beyer; Everton's James Tarkowski; and West Ham United's pair Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd. Only four of the top 10 players represent clubs in the top half of the table (Romero, van Dijk, Zouma and Aguerd), while four of the remaining six players represent clubs in the bottom five of the table (Ahmedhodžić, Egan, Beyer and Tarkowski).
Offensive Passers
To determine the best offensive passers (the players that have progressed the play through passing) so far this season, the following metrics were employed: progressive passes, penalty area passes, and key passes (as well as the corresponding per 90 statistics). The Figures below show the top 20 performers in each case.
The Figures above show the players that have provided the most progressive passes, penalty area passes, and key passes so far this season. While players from a wide range of positions are on display in these Figures, the most common positions taken up by these players are in the centre of midfield. For example, the top five progressive passes so far this season all play in a central midfield role (though James Maddison and Bruno Fernandes tend to sit higher up the field than Enzo Fernández, Yves Bissouma and Rodri). Enzo Fernández, Maddison and Bruno Fernandes have each completed by far the most progressive passes this season, roughly 20 more than Bissouma in fourth place. Maddison and Fernandes top the chart once again for penalty area passes (30 and 27 respectively), with Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski in third with 19. No player has made more key passes this season than Newcastle's Kieran Trippier (27) which, combined with his 57 progressive passes and 15 penalty area passes, makes him easily the most prolific full-back in an offensive sense so far this season.
James Maddison and Bruno Fernandes featured in the top three for each of the metrics, while the only other player to appear in the top 20 for each of the three metrics was Kieran Trippier. Of all the players featured in the top 20 for the respective metrics, eight represent teams that currently lie in the bottom half of the league table (Chelsea's Enzo Fernández and Raheem Sterling, Brentford's Christian Nørgaard and Mathias Jensen, Wolves' Pedro Neto, Luton Town's Alfie Doughty, Everton's Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White). Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most well-represented team in the Figures above is Manchester City with five players appearing (Rodri, Dias, Walker, Foden, and Álvarez), closely followed by Spurs with four (Maddison, Bissouma, Sarr, and Kulusevski).
Returning to the points system employed in previous sections, the Figure below shows the top 10 offensive passers in the Premier League so far this season.
According to this system, the league's best offensive passers so far this season have been Tottenham's James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski; Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes; Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier; Chelsea's Enzo Fernández; Brighton's pair Pascal Gross and Pervis Estupiñán; Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai; Arsenal's Martin Ødegaard; and Aston Villa's John McGinn. Fernández is the only player in this top 10 representing a team currently in the bottom half of the league table (though many predict Chelsea will continue to climb). Seven of the 10 tend to play in central midfield roles, while Trippier and Estupiñán are full-backs, and Kulusevski is a winger.
Offensive Carriers
To determine the best offensive carriers (the players that have progressed the play through dribbles) so far this season, the following metrics were employed: progressive carries, final third carries, and penalty area carries (as well as the corresponding per 90 statistics). The Figures below show the top 20 performers in each case.
The Figures above show the players that have provided the most progressive carries, final thrid carries and penalty area carries in the Premier League so far this season. Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski tops the charts for both progressive carries and penalty area carries (51 and 32 respectively) as well as contributing the joint-fourth highest number of final third carries (21). Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma and Wolves' Pedro Neto have the joint-most final third carries so far this season with 27 each (both of whom also appear in the top six for progressive and penalty area carries). Only five of the players in the Figures above generally play in a central midfield role (Yves Bissouma, Enzo Fernández, James Maddison, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Eberechi Eze), while the vast majority are wingers. Four of the players are full-backs (Chelsea's Malo Gusto, Tottenham's Destiny Udogie, West Ham United's Vladimír Coufal, and Manchester City's Kyle Walker), while Manchester City's Rúben Dias is the only central defender to feature in any of the top 20s.
Only 10 players feature in each of the top 20s, all of which appear in the top 10 for progressive carries. A total of 11 players from the Figures above represent sides in the bottom half of the table including Luton Town's Chiedozie Ogbene, Burnley's Luca Koleosho, and Wolves' pair Pedro Neto and Matheus Cunha. Once again, the most represented team in the Figures above is Manchester City with six players appearing (Doku, Walker, Dias, Álvarez, Foden, and Grealish). Only three teams fail to register a player in the top 20 of any of the three metrics: Bournemouth, Everton, and Sheffield United.
Returning to the points system employed in previous sections, the Figure below shows the top 10 offensive carriers in the Premier League so far this season.
According to this system, the league's best offensive carriers so far this season have been Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski; Chelsea's Raheem Sterling; Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma; Wolves' Pedro Neto; Manchester United's Marcus Rashford; Burnley's Luca Koleosho; Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon; Luton Town's Chiedozie Ogbene, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka; and Fulham's Willian. Each of the top 10 play as wingers for their respective teams, with five representing teams in the bottom half of the table (Sterling, Neto, Koleosho, Ogbene, and Willian). Dejan Kulusevski is the only player to appear in the top 10 for both offensive passes and offensive carries.
Shooting
To determine the best finishers so far this season, the following metrics were employed: total shots, total shots on target, non-penalty xG overperformance (goals scored minus xG accumulated), and average shot quality (non-penalty xGOT minus non-penalty xG). The Figures below show the top 20 performers in each case.
The Figures above show the players that have provided the most shots, the most shots on target, the greatest xG overperformance, and the greatest shot quality in the Premier League so far this season. No player has taken more shots so far this season than Manchester United's Marcus Rashford (31), with last season's top scorer Erling Haaland in second with 30. Haaland has had the most shots on target so far (15), followed by Tottenham's James Maddison in second (13). The greatest xG overperformance so far this season has been from Wolves' Hwang Hee-Chan, outscoring his xG by 3.8 goals. Another South Korean, Tottenham's Son Heung-Min, sits in second place for this metric having outscored his xG by 2.8 goals so far this season. The player with the greatest shot quality so far this season is Everton's Abdoulaye Doucouré who's shots, on average, improve the probability of scoring by 13.8% (when compared to the xG of the chance). Nottingham Forest defender Willy Boly sits in second (13.3%) while Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma is third (12.1%).
Rather unsurprisingly, the majority of the players with the most shots so far this season play for teams currently in the top half of the table. The only players in the top 20 for shots that are in the bottom half of the league are Yoanne Wissa, Carlton Morris, Dominic Solanke and Nicolas Jackson. In terms of shots on target, Doucouré and Jackson are the only players in the top 20 whose clubs sit in the bottom half of the table. The only players that appear in each of the top 20s above are Son Heung-Min and Crystal Palace's Odsonne Édouard, while the only team that failed to register a player in a any of the top 20s was Fulham, highlighting how much they've struggled in front of goal so far this season.
Returning to the points system employed in previous sections, the Figure below shows the top 10 finishers in the Premier League so far this season.
According to this system, the league's best finishers so far this season have been Wolves' Hwang Hee-Chan; Tottenham's Son Heung-Min and James Maddison; Brighton's Evan Ferguson; Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Julián Álvarez; Newcastle United's Callum Wilson; West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen; Crystal Palace's Odsonne Édouard; and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins. With nine of the top 10 playing as forwards for their respective teams so far this season, the only non-forward in the top 10 is James Maddison. Two of the remaining nine tend to play as wingers (Hwang and Bowen) while the rest are all central strikers. Hwang is the only player in the top 10 to represent a club in the bottom half of the table, showing how much Wolves have depended on him so far this season.
Conclusions
The players that appeared in the overall top 10 rankings the most were Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski (top 10 for offensive passes and offensive carries) and Tottenham's James Maddison (top 10 for offensive passes and finishing). The teams with the most players appearing in the top five or 10 for each of the areas measured were Tottenham with five players (Vicario, Romero, Kulusevski, Maddison, and Son) and, West Ham and Brighton joint-second with four players each (Areola, Zouma, Aguerd, and Bowen for West Ham; Gross, Pervis Estupiñán, Mitoma, and Ferguson for Brighton). The only team that failed to have a single player in the top five or 10 for any of the areas measured was Bournemouth, highlighting how poor they have started this season. The only side in the top half of the league with only one player appearing in the overall top five or 10s was Crystal Palace (just Odsonne Édouard) while Wolves and Chelsea were the sides in the bottom half of the league with the most players appearing in the overall top five or 10s (Sá, Neto, and Hwang for Wolves; Sánchez, Fernández, and Sterling for Chelsea).