It comes as no surprise to us that the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Diego Costa and Philippe Coutinho grab the headlines for their performances week after week. However, the team game that football is, it is more than just individual performers or moments of greatness that determine the fortunes of teams, and despite their performances, certain players are not afforded the spotlight they deserve.
Sometimes the reason for the same could be the positions they play in or the superior performances of their teammates.
In this segment, we bring to you 7 players, who we believe continue to be underappreciated despite the value they bring to the pitch.
#1 Georginio Wijnaldum
The Netherlands international moved to Anfield after impressing with Newcastle United during their tough last season. However, many Liverpool fans were not convinced of his abilities and dubbed him yet another overpriced and a panic buy by the club.
Fast forward to today and Wijnaldum has established himself as one of the pivotal members of this Jurgen Klopp side. A very calm player, the Dutchman’s performances often go unnoticed on most occasions and his importance is only realised once he is not on the pitch.
The midfielder has put in balanced performance in the heart of the club’s midfield, winning tackles, making interceptions and clearances, while also ensuring that he does his fair share of attacking duties by creating opportunities for his teammates and finding the back of the net on a couple of occasions. His only issue remains his inability to convert chances that come his way, and if that is sorted, the player will have achieved his potential at the club.
#2 Cheikhou Kouyate
The current Senegalese captain, Kouyate might not receive the same amount of praise as the likes of Dimitri Payet or Michel Antonio, but he is one player who continues to impress for the Hammers despite their horrible season thus far.
Kouyate has been at the heart of the West Ham midfield and his industrious performances as the defensive midfielder of the unit has proved to be vital for the Hammers in the current season. Tidy going into tackles, with the ball at his feet, but it is his aerial prowess where he helps his side the most. His ability to make frequent interceptions (48 interceptions in 18 appearances) adds to his credentials as one of the most effective defensive midfielders in the league.
Like every player, he too has certain deficiencies that need fine tuning, the biggest of them being his decision making.
#3 Ander Herrera
Such has been the spotlight on French international Paul Pogba, that most football fans have overlooked the resolute yet efficient performances of Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera for Manchester United. He has impressed us the most from the current Red Devils’ midfield and he deserves a lot more praise for his work at the heart of the United midfield.
The midfielder has showcased the ability to break up play in regular frequency, mixing it up in terms of tackles, interceptions, headers won and harmless fouls to disrupt the rhythm of the opposition. He has averaged a successful tackle every 35 minutes, a successful interception every 25 minutes and has also proven to be a positionally sound player who does not afford the opposition a lot of time and space on the ball.
To add to that, he has played some wonderful through balls from the heart of his side’s midfield and is also currently one of the leading creative forces at the club (23 chances created thus far), making him one of the most balanced midfielders in the League.
#4 Marcos Alonso
Under Antonio Conte, Chelsea have established themselves as one of the most complete sides in the current season after putting behind an indifferent start to the season. One aspect of their game that has been the catalyst in their successful run is Conte going back to his preferred 3-4-3 formation.
Of course, a mere change in formation does not ensure success. The right players are needed for every position and like his counterpart on the right flank, Victor Moses, Marcos Alonso has been a consistent performer for the Blues and is now beginning to attract the attention of fans and pundits.
The essential ingredient while playing as a wing-back is the ability of a player to balance his defensive and offensive contributions and the Spaniard has done that without grabbing the spotlight, except for the last game against Leicester, where he scored a brace.
He has been efficient in tackles and aerial duels and does not hesitate to go the extra mile to break up the opposition with intelligent interceptions. To add to that, he is Chelsea’s 6th highest creative force in the League in the current season, having created 17 chances in 16 appearances.
#5 Nathan Redmond
After being dubbed as one of the brightest young English prospects, Nathan Redmond is finally coming to the forefront with his current employers Southampton. The winger has showcased his ability to beat the man with the right mix of trickery, pace on the ball and movement off the ball, and is constantly proving to be a threat to the opposition by getting into vital areas on the pitch.
In the current season, Redmond has proven to be a vital part of the Saints’ attack and has created goalscoring opportunities at a regular frequency. He has created 33 chances in 1656 minutes, which translates into a goal scoring opportunity created every 51 minutes. To add to his credentials, the player has also improved his overall game performance and has put in industrious performances in the middle of the park to help his side’s defence.
Perhaps, the biggest chink in his armour is his inability to convert a higher percentage of chances that come his way (he has converted a poor 8% of his chances). If the Saints are to replicate their performance of last season, he will need to find the back of the net at a better frequency.
#6 Ben Gibson
While his attacking colleagues might be grabbing the headlines for the wrong reasons, in recent times, it is Middlesbrough’s central defender Ben Gibson who continues to garner the positive spotlight owing to his performances at the heart of the Boro defence.
Gibson has been the most important factor in Middlesbrough having a better defensive record than 15 Premier League teams at this stage of the season, having conceded only 22 times.
He is unafraid to put his body on the line for the cause of his side and is positionally sound. While he does not go into tackles as often as some of the other central defenders in the league, his forte as a central defender is his ability to make frequent and often, effective clearances. In the season so far, he has effected a whopping 124 clearances, which is an indication of his ability to read the game and help his side’s defence.
Gibson is equally effective in the air as well as on the ground. At 24 years of age, the defender is definitely enjoying his best season as a professional and should he continue with his glorious performances, we can envisage an England call-up soon.
#7 Michael Keane
After numerous short stints with the likes of Leicester City, Derby County, and Blackburn Rovers, the former Manchester United defender has finally found the right home at Burnley. Burnley currently have the 3rd best home record this season, only behind the London heavyweights Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and a large part of the credit for the same should go to Keane for his performances.
The player has showcased immense defensive ability as well as aerial prowess to establish himself as the first choice centre-back at Turf Moor. He has won an incredible 62 aerial duels in 21 appearances, which roughly translates into 3 successful aerial duels every 90 minutes. To add to that, Keane has also made a whopping 154 clearances thus far to help his side frustrate the opposition.
The player, who recently turned 24, has showcased an ability to lead a defence effectively and is definitely one of the brightest lights emerging out of Turf Moor in a season where they continue to surprise teams, especially visiting teams.
