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The Premier League consists of some of the biggest clubs in world football that employ the services of truly world-class footballers. These stars are leaders in their positions when it comes to setting performance benchmarks. While attacking football may be more attractive for fans, the Premier League has no shortage of remarkable defenders either.
The role of defenders has evolved with the changes brought about by the modern game. Gone are the days when Premier League defenders only had to bother with the defensive side of their game. With modern managers like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, it has become important for Premier League defenders to contribute to their side's build-up.
But who are the best ball-carrying defenders in the Premier League?
Several defenders of the Premier League are excellent carriers of the ball. They're good with the ball at their feet, have an adventurous streak and, most importantly, are gifted passers. Of course, there are some determinants of a successful ball-carrier, but the most important ones are carries/90 and progressive distance/90 along with the total distance carried.
#5 Joel Matip
One would have expected to see Virgil Van Dijk or Trent Alexander-Arnold as representatives of the Premier League club from Merseyside. However, Joel Matip does better statistically than some of his more esteemed colleagues when it comes to being an expert ball-carrier in the Premier League. The Cameroonian has been a wonderful signing since Liverpool snapped him up as a free agent in 2016.
Matip has 52.1 carries/90, and his total distance/90 is 330.4m. Despite his position, the Premier League centre-back has covered 223.6 progressive distance/90, with the total carried distance being 4625m.
#4 Thiago Silva
When Thiago Silva joined Premier League outfit Chelsea in 2020, some questioned the rationale for the move. Silva was 36 and was joining what is considered by many to be the most intense league in the world.
However, he has proved that age is just a number as he is one of the most important players of Chelsea at the back. Under Thomas Tuchel, Silva has quickly become the leader of the Blues' defense, and his commanding presence adds a lot of stability to keep things tight at the back.
Silva excels at the offensive end, and his ability to bring the ball out from the back is an important part of Tuchel's tactics. Among all the defenders in the Premier League, Silva is ranked fourth as a ball-carrier. He averages 60.1 carries/90, with progressive distance/90 of 227.9m. Silva has covered 4890m as carries with 356.9m of total distance/90.
#3 Ruben Dias
Since joining the Premier League in 2020 from Benfica, Ruben Dias has completely transformed the Manchester City backline. Dias has been a stellar signing and he has proven his abilities over the past one and a half seasons he has spent in Manchester.
The defender has the calmness and ability to jump into tackles at the right moment to help marshal the defense, which Manchester City have missed since the retirement of Vincent Kompany.
Aside from being a defensive rock, Dias also exhibits good ability on the ball. His ball-playing and ball-carrying skills are extremely important in the system of a manager like Pep Guardiola. Statistically, Dias has a total carry distance of 5797m, with 369.2m total distance/90. He also has a progressive distance/90 coverage of 236.2m with a completion rate of 63.8 carries/90.
#2 Aymeric Laporte
Ruben Dias' Manchester City team-mate joins the list in the form of Spanish centre-back Aymeric Laporte. Laporte has always been a defender with strong control of the ball and is traditionally known for his ability to help in his side's build-up play. As a result, Laporte is a trusted member of the Manchester City lineup under Pep Guardiola. But poor form and inconsistent defensive displays were major reasons Laporte lost his spot last season.
Laporte is still a name Guardiola relies upon from time to time. Laporte still excels in the creative side of the game and is among the top Premier League defenders when it comes to the ability to carry the ball. Laporte has covered 5701m of distance as carries, with 70.7 carries/90. Laporte has a total distance/90 coverage of 435.2 with progressive distance/90 coverage of 306.6m.
#1 Joao Cancelo
The top 3 defensive ball-carriers in the Premier League all belong to Manchester City, with left-back Joao Cancelo grabbing the top spot. The left-back role has traditionally been a worry for Pep Guardiola, forcing him to try several options in the position.
However, it finally looks like the weakness has been covered by Cancelo, who started his career as a right-back. Cancelo has been one of Manchester City's best players in the current season. He is defensively solid and offensively brilliant when moving forward with the ball.
Cancelo's ball-carrying abilities are easily observable based on the number of carries he performs per game and the progressive distance he covers, aside from his remarkable assist count. Cancelo engages in an incredible 76 carries/90 with a total distance/90 coverage of 347.2m. Additionally, he has a total carried distance of 5868m and progressive distance/90 coverage of 187.2m.
