Across all leagues, there’s always one player in a team who puts in so much effort, only for it to go unnoticed. Like at Real Madrid it’s anyone who isn’t Cristiano Ronaldo. Each team in the Premier League’s top four is no different. Here are Chelsea, Arsenal, City and United unsung heroes of the season.
For the newly-crowned champions it has to be Cesar Azpilicueta. With such a consistent defence, it is easy to overlook just how good they are. And Azpilicueta was somewhat overlooked in regards to the Team of the Year. Gary Neville has spoken very highly of Cesar, saying he is “as near to perfect as possible when it comes to defending; he’s immaculate.” Azpilicueta has been consistently good all season; and definitely one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
At Manchester City, Joe Hart has made a few mistakes this season, and seemingly gone down in estimation, despite all the good he has also done. In terms of goalkeeping, he has not received enough credit for some outstanding saves. It’s harder for him to get a look in with the likes of David De Gea – who has earned points for his team when they have struggled, especially without a solid back line in front of him. He has also been outdone by Thibaut Courtois, who has had a dream debut season in the Premier League and of course Fraser Forster, who has plenty of clean sheets to his name this season. But Hart does step up when his side need it most. Despite getting knocked out of the Champions League, in their final game, against Barcelona, Hart was magnificent – but that doesn’t catch a readers attention in the same way. Putting in the performance he did against a side of that calibre shows how good he truly is.
One Arsenal player who could do with some more credit in Arsenal is Santi Cazorla. His work rate is incredible and although rumours have circulated that he could be on his way out, Arsenal would be losing such a good player. But with the season Alexis Sanchez has had, and how he has stole the headlines, Cazorla’s efforts have not been as praised as highly as they should have been. While the media try to promote the talents of the likes of Philippe Coutinho, they are massively overlooking one of the best midfielders in the league.
Manchester United’s Michael Carrick has made his whole side tick. His experience has been crucial for Manchester United; something that is only being picked up now as he is not currently playing. Their win rate with Carrick is significantly better this season: they win 72% of their games when he is involved, and win only 37% of their games when he is not. He may not have that many goals to his name for the season, but it is the work he does behind those goals that truly matters. Singing his praises when he isn’t there is not the same, and it becoming clear that he is vital to their successes.
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