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Following on from Part One of the Premier League IPL style auction, this part includes players 20 to 11 in the countdown. This list is based on which players would be most valuable if the Premier players were re-assigned in an IPL auction format.
For further rules of the format see here.
20) Nani: It might seem surprising for some to see Nani in the top 20, but his attacking threat would make him a highly desirable property. He is capable of goals and assists and has a direct style. Last season was his best at United and it seemed as if he was starting to step in to Ronaldo’s shoes. He is capable of playing wide midfield or as a wide forward because he has now added a little bit of defensive capability to his play. He’s gone off the boil a little bit this season, primarily because of injury, and because of the number of options Ferguson has available.
19) Thibaut Courtois: Is it too soon for Courtois to be ranked in the top 20? I would say he is absolutely ready. At the age of 20, Courtois is by a long way the best young goalkeeping prospect in the world. He has been absolutely outstanding on loan at Atletico Madrid where he has broken the club record for minutes played without conceding a goal, a run that stretched out over 800 minutes. In this format, Courtois would be great value by being an integral part of the first team for a long time.
18) Jack Wilshere: By next year, he could well have forced his way in to the Top 10; but for now, this feels right. Wilshere needs to show that he can stay fit over a long period and play at his usual high level for a consistent spell and then he will be ranked higher. Wilshere plays like a young Paul Gascoigne, all action, good passing, strong in the tackle, and good running with the ball. The creative aspects of his game are improving all the time and he can only get better.
17) Jonny Evans: This season, Evans has stepped forward to become Man United’s first choice central defender. Their record of clean sheets when he plays is significantly better than when he misses out it is. He is now a complete package at the back, able to get involved in physical or aerial battles as he always has been. But now, he is starting to become ever more capable on the ball and more comfortable moving forward into midfield.
16) Edin Dzeko: Dzeko is a very dangerous physical presence. He’s big and strong and able to hold the ball up. He is a dangerous finisher and has a particularly useful knack of scoring crucial late goals and is one of the best super-subs in the EPL. He has shown that he has the capability to be a starter and is the kind of striker who is best when just left in the first team to ride through good and bad patches. Capable of 20+ goals a season.
Edin Dzeko
15) Romelu Lukaku: Lukaku is a remarkable physical specimen along with being a potent finisher. He is only 19, but already has 46 professional goals under his belt. He is tall, strong, powerful and quick and has great spring and agility. You couldn’t build a better striker physically. He is a calm and composed finisher when he needs to be; but when he puts his foot through it, his ball striking is as good as you will see. A little raw at times but so much potential.
14) Jan Vertonghen: Vertonghen arrived this summer and has been the best centre back in the league this season. He is incredibly consistent and there is never a bead of sweat on his brow. This is because his football intelligence is unparalleled amongst the top defenders in the league. He has a knack of being in the right place in the right time and has the composure to make tackles in the box cleanly. He is a footballing defender who loves the ball at feet and stepping forwards in to midfield. A real centrepiece player.
13) Vincent Kompany: There isn’t much to split the two Belgians but Kompany’s selflessness and leadership skills take him slightly ahead of Vertonghen. If Lukaku is a machine-built striker, Kompany is a machine-built defender. Big, strong and powerful, he gets himself in the way of the ball so often that it’s almost taken for granted. A complete defender in every way.
12) Leighton Baines: Baines is the highest-ranked defender on this list because his overall value is so high. His crossing, set piece delivery and penalty taking mean that he is capable of double figure assists and 6 or 7 goals a season from the left back position. This year, he is increasingly finding himself in the penalty box in open play and has to be accounted for at all times. You can’t let him glide forward unnoticed or he will cause chaos. Has the rare ability to take over a game from left back.
Leighton Baines
11) Demba Ba: For a Chelsea striker, Ba’s contributions are somewhat under the radar. At West Ham and Newcastle, he scored goals with relentless efficiency and he has scored important ones at Chelsea since his move. His minutes-per-goal ratio is as good as any striker in the league over the last 3 years and has shown that he can score even without a high quality supporting cast, which is ideal for this format.
You can read Part 1 of the series here: Most valuable players in an IPL-style auction of EPL players: Part One
