EPL 23/24 TEAM OF THE SEASON
So after reading through my game log you can see that I watched a lot of games this season. 144 in the Prem and many more in both domestic and European cups. I estimate that I watched each team play at least 10 times (accounting for watching more of certain teams after dividing 144 by 10). This is more than enough to have a good scouting report on each player. This figure also doesn’t include the cup games I saw teams play in.
For me I look at a few factors when weighing up players for team of the season; how well they have played, how many minutes they played and how well the team they play for has done both with and without them in the team. How well they have played is subjective but I’ve put some key stats that sum up what I like about each player. Minutes played shows that they were fit and trusted by their manager and how well the team does with vs without them is the best way to show impact. An example could be Haaland vs Alvarez from the 22/23 season. City didn't really miss a beat versus how they have performed without Rodri this season.
Another argument that irks me is X player playing for a low team would do even better if placed in blank team (usually Manchester City). Tactics and situation come in to play of course but this transplanting of good players from bad teams in to good teams and trying to say they will do better is just wrong. The NBA for example knows this and has long had the debate of empty calorie stats that people put up on bad teams. For me if a player scores 20 goals on a title winning team that is worth more than a player scoring 20 for a relegation candidate. Not perhaps in terms of points but in terms of my valuation of players. There are plenty of strikers that Sheffield United would take, there are none City would replace Haaland with.
Similar to the NBA, I have a minimum minutes cutoff of 66% or 25 full 90s. Even playing in Europe and being part of Pep’s rotation brigade I think this number is very achievable. The player could also have an injury and still make the team if they deserve too. All minutes played have been posted underneath each player as well as some other key stats if I didn’t mention it in their paragraph.
