We’re slowing making our way through the team, and in this post I’ll be focusing on full backs and defensive midfielders.
Fullbacks
Arsenal’s first choice full backs are Kieran Gibbs at left back and Bacary Sagna at right back. They seemed pretty solid this year, and apart from suicidal tactics we adopted in some games that saw our fullbacks all the way up-field, they have been very good. Statistically, they are not as good as other top team rivals, with Gibbs having the lowest overall rating of this group, and Sagna registering the fewest amount of tackles. Having watched them play almost every week, I think Gibbs offers a lot more to the team than his stats suggest.
Chelsea settled on César Azpilicueta at left back and Branislav Ivanovic at right back, meaning that the ever-present Ashley Cole enjoyed the view from the bench for the majority of this season. Ivanovic had an excellent season, registering 3 goals and 1 assist, the highest number of clearances and highest overall ranking. Azpilicueta managed the most tackles and blocks, compared to the rest of this group. They have been part of a very solid defensive unit this year which contributed to their relatively high overall ranking.
City’s full backs aren’t very settled, but in my opinion their best combination is probably Pablo Zabaleta on the right and Gael Clichy on the left. Kolarov does play on the left occasionally, but he seems like the more attacking option. Since Zabaleta likes to bomb forward, Kolarov doesn’t get as much game time as he probably deserves. Statistically, Clichy had an excellent season, although it’s hard to believe given how shaky he can be. Along with Gibbs, he’s had the most interceptions and the second highest overall ranking. Zabaleta’s tackling has been excellent this season, and with 5 assists to his name, he’s the most prolific full back in this department.
Liverpool’s full backs haven’t been as settled this year, but Glen Johnson and Jon Flanigan are probably their best (and most consistent) options in these positions. Flanigan hasn’t been amazing in any one category, but managed 1 goal and 1 assist for the season. He’s still young but on the evidence of this year’s performances he could be their first choice for years to come. Johnson’s had a relatively poor season by his high standards. For a full back that is known for his attacking, he only managed to provide 2 assists this term. Being part of a leaky Liverpool defensive unit hasn’t helped their overall rating unfortunately.
Winners: Kieran Gibbs (left back) and Branislav Ivanovic (right back)
Defensive Midfielders
Mathieu Flamini’s arrival at Arsenal was criticized due to lack of spending in the summer, than overshadowed by the arrival of club-record Mesut Ozil. This doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s been a vital part of our team this year. Some of the best performances of the season had him bossing the midfield. He’s very vocal and covers a lot of ground, however is always likely to get a booking. Unfortunately his stats don’t back up my impression of his impact this season, as he’s statistically the lowest rated midfielder in this category. His overall impact is has been exaggerated due to the fact that we haven’t really had anyone covering this position well before.
Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic was one of the more bizarre stories of this winter’s transfer window. He arrived back at Cheslea after having been sold to Benefica just 3 years ago. Back in 2011 he was surplus to requirements and was used as a makeweight in the David Luiz deal. Chelsea then had to pay over 20 million just to get him back. He slotted right in as if he never left, and is probably one of the best players in his position. It’s difficult to judge him fairly on what is essentially been 3 months of games, but so far he’s been very impressive. He leads this group in interceptions, clearances and blocks, and has 2 assists to his name already.
Fernandinho’s transfer raised a few eyebrows this summer, and some questioned where the aging Brazillian would fit in at City. He’s proved all the critics wrong, and his impact when really felt when he was missing through injury in mid-season. This coincided with a poor run of form for City, which is further testament to his importance in this side. He also managed 4 goals and 3 assists, which is an excellent return for a deep-lying holding midfielder. Due to his consistency over the entirety of this season, he’s probably the strongest candidate out of this group.
While Steven Gerrard has often been deployed in the deeper role, Lucas Leiva is probably their first choice holding midfielder. His stats are pretty unspectacular, and with no goals and assists this season he doesn’t contribute at all in the final third. He hasn’t been consistently in the team, so it’s hard to fully evaluate his impact this season. Liverpool’s defensive record hasn’t been great, so I question his defensive contribution to the team.
Winner: Fernandinho
Highbury Times 