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One of the reasons why the English Premier League enjoys so much popularity around the world is due to the positivity found in football. There is less inclination towards a conservative approach, unless of course the difference between the two teams is immense.
Even so, counter-attacking tactics are used with all of their viciousness and most clubs in the Premier League rarely play for a draw. On display is some entertaining football where teams string passes at a handsome pace and transition from back to front with greater urgency.
The Premier League has some exceptional progressive passers
Although everyone plays their part in the offensive build-up, there are some players who are especially tasked by their managers to drive the team forward. Each team has a progressive passer who plays most of his passes vertically, with minimal knocking around sideways.
Today, we take a look at these individuals who have become the focal point and helped their teams move towards the opposition penalty box. Here is the ranking of the five most progressive passers in the Premier League this season.
#5 Pierre-Emile Højberg
After Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, Pierre-Emile Hojberg is the most important member of the Tottenham Hotspur squad. Since his arrival, his significance has only increased in the side and is now definitely the first name on the team sheet.
Playing in the middle of the park, the 26-year-old provides great shielding to the backline. No player has made more interceptions (31) in the Spurs squad in the Premier League than Hojberg. He has also made 46 tackles in his 20 appearances.
The Danish midfielder, with his vocal presence, is always seen organizing the team and because of his awareness of the system, is their most progressive passer. He has provided 119 such passes and with the likes of Son and Kane to aim at, his contributions often bear fruit.
Hojberg has also scored two goals in the Premier League this season and has one assist. In many ways, he is the 'captain without the armband'.
#4 Andrew Robertson
Among the few complete full-backs in Europe, Liverpool's Andrew Robertson has been a modern-day bargain given the €9 million he cost back in 2017. Now in his fifth year at the club, he is one of Jurgen Klopp's most reliable players. The left-back is defensively astute and with his directness in the final-third, has been crucial to the team's attacking game.
The Reds are known for playing a high-line and rely on their offside trap quite often. This benefits adventurous full-backs like Robertson to bomb forward and play vertical passes with freedom. This gets well reflected in the statistics as well, with the Scot having recorded 124 progressive passes.
Since joining the Anfield outfit, Robertson has often recorded double figures in the Premier League for assists and is on course for another successful season. He has provided eight assists in the English top-flight thus far in 18 appearances.
The Scotland international is undoubtedly one of the best left-backs in the world currently and is absolutely adored by Liverpool fans. The 27-year old has proven himself to be a tough competitor and is not afraid to push and shove is opponents to get a mental advantage.
#3 Bruno Fernandes
In the two years that he has been in the Premier League, Bruno Fernandes has often seen himself get compared to Kevin De Bruyne and that is a fair parameter of his success. The Portuguese has single-handedly impacted Manchester United in a way no other player has impacted another club in the Premier League.
Many fans of English football have called him the greatest signing of the Old Trafford club after Sir Alex Ferguson's departure and though some may differ, he is surely up there with the best.
Football is very much a game of numbers and his numbers say it all. Fernandes has scored 48 goals and provided 37 assists in 112 appearances for the Red Devils.
His consistency has been quite unbelievable as the player has only missed two games in the Premier League since his arrival. This season, due to Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival, he is the Red Devils' second most important player but is having a great season nonetheless.
Without him, the team's attacking prowess would really struggle because the Portuguese is the major force that drives them up the pitch. His 137 progressive passes are proof of the same. Fernandes has found the back of the net eight times and provided five assists in 24 appearances.
Under Ralf Rangnick, the attacking midfielder has not looked like his best version and the fans would the German find a way to get the best out of him.
#2 Joao Cancelo
What a revelation Joao Cancelo has been at Manchester City for the past year and a half. With Pep Guardiola's guidance, he has transformed himself into a different beast. Although he is a right-back, due to Kyle Walker's presence, he plays at left-back. However, Cancelo has nailed that role and never looks like he is playing out of position.
He roams around the pitch for fun, almost suddenly occupies a midfielder's role, joins in the final-third, cuts inside, and everything just seems to work. The Portuguese has been a vital cog in facilitating Man City's free-flowing attack in the Premier League.
He has made the second most progressive passes (177) in the English top-flight and has also provided five assists. The 27-year old made the PFA Team of the Year last season and is well on his way to securing his place again.
With the ball at his feet, Cancelo is extremely confident, spots and executes some of the most challenging passes and has shaped himself into Guardiola's ideal fullback.
#1 Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been the leader of the progressive passing community in the Premier League thus far and that too by a healthy margin. The right-back, who is known for his great passing range and creativity, has helped his team's attack flourish by providing 211 progressive passes.
The 23-year old is often criticized for the defensive part of his game but more than makes up for it with his attacking play. He has enjoyed a successful campaign with the Reds and has achieved an assist tally of 16 in all competitions. Ten of those have come in the Premier League. In fact, he has gotten better over the course of the last year in his defensive attributes.
Klopp has allowed him the freedom to move upwards, even central to the pitch, to allow him to influence the game. With his vision, Alexander-Arnold is able to generate clever passes and his partnership with Mo Salah on the right-flank is benefitting both of them equally.
