The Times - UK (2020-07-27)

With 15 clean sheets for Burnley in
the Premier League, Nick Pope would
be the obvious choice. But Rui
Patrício shades it on consistency. The
Portugal international has played
56 games in all competitions for club
and country and I cannot recall
seeing him make a significant
mistake. He is excellent in terms of
distribution and has only two fewer
clean sheets than Pope.

Trent should have won player of the
year. He has assisted 13 goals, the
second-most in the Premier League.
There is not a right back remotely
close to him in the Premier League —
and he’s sure to get even better.

Performances not quite at the
impeccable level he set last season —
particularly since lockdown — but
still better than every centre back in
the division.

A natural defender who offers so
much with his left foot. His team won
only one of six games he missed with
injury. Would make big money if
United were willing to let him go.

TEAM OF THE SEASON

R Patricio

Wolves

T Alexander

-Arnold

Liverpool

A Robertson

Liverpool

J O’Connell

Sheffield

United

V van Dijk

Liverpool

K De Bruyne

Man City

W Ndidi

Leicester

J Henderson

Liverpool

S Mané

Liverpool

R Jiménez

Wolves

A Traoré

Wolves

4-3-3

Three Wolves

stars in Tony’s

team of season

Of Liverpool’s full backs, Robertson is

the better defender and has ended up

with only one fewer assist than

Alexander-Arnold. Relentless energy

as he shuttles up and down pitch. Like

Trent, he is peerless in his position.

A shining example of how to get the

very best from your ability. Does the

simple things well and has excellent

vision when it comes to passing into

the forward areas. Knows his role is to

keep the ball moving and to feed the

Liverpool forwards — a job he does

superbly.

His influence on the team,

particularly in the first half of the

season when Leicester were flirting

with second place, was similar to

N’Golo Kanté in Chelsea’s title-

winning side. He is the Premier

League’s best tackler, brilliant at

winning the ball.

I cannot think of another midfielder

in world football I’d rather have in my

team. Splits defence with exceptional

passing and does the dirty work well.

Toughest call, with Salah, Willian and

Mason Greenwood in the running.

Scored four goals, but has set up nine

and has been a game-changer.

Like Roberto Firmino in the way he is

such a team player — but he has

scored 18 goals compared with the

Brazilian’s nine. Jiménez is a relatively

senior at the age of 29. If he were a

couple of years younger there would

be a queue of clubs offering big

money to sign him.

Can scare the life out of defenders in

a split second but has become more

than just an unpredictable player. I

strongly considered Raheem Sterling

for this position but while he has

outscored Mané 19 to 17, he has

assisted only once to Mané’s seven.

My best XI

TONY

CASCARINO

GOALKEEPER

RUI PATRÍCIO

WOLVES

CENTRE BACK

JACK O’CONNELL

SHEFFIELD UNITED

RIGHT BACK

TRENT

ALEXANDER-ARNOLD

LIVERPOOL

CENTRE BACK

VIRGIL VAN DIJK

LIVERPOOL

LEFT BACK

ANDREW ROBERTSON

LIVERPOOL

CENTRE MIDFIELD

JORDAN HENDERSON

LIVERPOOL

CENTRE MIDFIELD

WILFRED NDIDI

LEICESTER CITY

CENTRE MIDFIELD

KEVIN DE BRUYNE

MANCHESTER CITY

RIGHT WING

ADAMA TRAORÉ

WOLVES

CENTRE FORWARD

RAÚL JIMÉNEZ

WOLVES

LEFT WING

SADIO MANÉ

LIVERPOOL

12 2GG Monday July 27 2020 | the times

thegame

e times

Winter’s

Season

Wo n d e r s

Chief Football Writer picks

the best player at each club

Pierre-Emerick

Aubameyang

Always brings

goals and

hope, very

popular for

his immense

contribution on the

field and positive

personality. Stan

Kroenke has to find

funds to keep him.

Nods to Bukayo

Saka, Bernd Leno and

Kieran Tierney.

Instant hit.

Only half a

season but

brought

assists, goals and

swagger. Just edges

out Marcus Rashford.

Nods to Mason

Greenwood, Anthony

Martial, Luke Shaw

and Aaron Wan-

Bissaka.

Bruno

Fernandes

So many

saves, so

much

leadership.

Hope he stays.

Nods to Emi Buendía,

Todd Cantwell

and Teemu

Pukki.

Tim

Krul

He cares. Left

foot and right

attitude.

Nods to Craig

Dawson, Etienne

Capoue, Ismaila

Sarr and Troy

Deeney.

Will

Hughes

Just a

fantastic, all-

round No 9.

Prolific Mexican

leads the line, a

threat aerially and on

the floor. Nods to

Adama Traoré, João

Moutinho and

Romain Saïss.

Raúl

Jiménez

Incredible

industry,

tactically

smart, expert timing

in the tackle.

Nods to Christian

Pulisic, Mason Mount,

Cesar Azpilicueta,

Olivier Giroud,

Tammy Abraham and

Reece James.

Mateo

Kovacic

Best

footballer in

the country,

and the best midfield

player in Europe.

Free kicks, shooting,

penalties and passing

all sublime.

Nods to Riyad

Mahrez, Kyle Walker,

David Silva, Raheem

Sterling, Phil Foden,

Ederson, Sergio

Agüero and Aymeric

Laporte.

Kevin

De Bruyne