Worst Premier League Team of the Season so far
FT Desk
- Updated: 24 May 2022 21:50 BST
- 7 min read
The 2021/22 Premier League season has already delivered on its promise as it approaches the halfway stage.
There's a legitimate battle for the title, European places, and the relegation spots, while plenty of managers have come and gone as is traditional in England.
Antonio Conte's arrival at Tottenham is the most high-profile arrival, and that appointment has already seen an uptick in form.
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However, which players from the league haven't experienced such success in the league so far?
FootballTransfers has already released its Premier League Team of the Season so far, but who makes our Worst Team of the Season so far?
GK: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City)
Kasper Schmeichel was one of the heroes of Leicester's unlikely title win back in 2016, and is most certainly a club legend at the King Power Stadium.
However, after years of incredible service, this season he's causing Leicester considerable harm.
Now aged 35, a downturn in form is to be expected, and it's harsh to criticise such a club legend, but 2021/22 has not been kind to Schmeichel.
While Leicester as a whole have suffered a drop-off in form, and no longer look shoe-ins for European football, unlike the past few seasons, Schmeichel has dropped off the most.
Previously one of the league's best shot-stoppers, Schmeichel has been the worst in the English top flight this campaign. According to Fbref, Schmeichel has conceded 5.3 more goals than xG predicts he should've, which is the biggest disparity in the league. By comparison, Wolves 'keeper Jose Sa has conceded 6.7 less goals than xG suggests, the best in the league.
It's not been a good start to the season for the Danish number one.
RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was a big-money signing when he joined Manchester United, and even at the time, the fee was seen as excessive.
However, the Old Trafford club were getting a full-back with exceptional defensive qualities. At times, the move has worked out perfectly with Wan-Bissaka's defensive nature balancing perfectly with the attack-minded Luke Shaw.
But, this year, it's taken a turn for the worse. While Chelsea and Liverpool, for example, have Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James providing plenty of attacking threat down the right, Man Utd simply have received none with Wan-Bissaka this year.
He's yet to score or assist in all competitions, and has now been dropped by Ralf Rangnick in favour of Diogo Dalot, who was previously frozen out at the club.
The English right-back may still be racking up the defensive actions in 2021/22, but his lack of threat in the final third, and his awkwardness in possession has been highlighted more than ever.
CB: Ozan Kabak (Norwich City)
When Norwich signed Ozan Kabak in the summer, it was seen as a promising move. While he failed to replicate Virgil van Dijk's presence on loan at Liverpool last campaign, Kabak still looked fairly promising in an injury-hit side.
His form at Schalke had also been impressive, and he was touted for an encouraging future.
However, it hasn't worked out at Norwich. The lack of quality around him hasn't helped, but his willingness to play out from the back has cost the Canaries on countless occasions, and although it's not entirely his fault they've conceded the second-most goals in the division this term, he certainly hasn't helped.
He needs to improve if Norwich are to survive this season.
CB: Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Harry Maguire had perhaps been unfairly treated by the press and fans since his world record move for a defender to Man Utd in 2019.
Furthermore, during Euro 2020, he was certainly one of the best defenders in the competition as England finished second.
However, the 28-year-old has endured a disastrous season so far from an individual point of view, being guilty for a catalogue of errors at home and abroad.
Indeed, at the beginning of November, we revealed that he had already been directly responsible for NINE goals that Man Utd had conceded in 2021-22.
Things have improved ever so slightly since Ralf Rangnick’s appointment but Maguire will be hoping that 2022 brings better fortunes.
LB: Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
Fresh from the best season of his life and an impressive Euros, Luke Shaw was expected to continue his fine form this campaign.
However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Despite the successes of last term, Shaw has been unable to recreate the magic he displayed so consistently in 2020/21.
Man Utd as a whole have been a mess defensively this season, which is why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been sacked, and three of their back four features in this XI, but Shaw has played his part in the problems.
For example, his progressive passes per 90 are now at their lowest level of his Man Utd career, and his defensive frailties, which were hidden by his attacking prowess last season, have been revealed.
Now back from injury, Shaw has found himself replaced by Alex Telles, and could face a struggle to get back into the starting XI.
RM: Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa)
Big things were expected of Emiliano Buendia upon his arrival at Villa Park. After turning down Arsenal's approaches in the summer, he choose Aston Villa, and the prospect of replacing the Manchester City-bound Jack Grealish.
The Argentine scored 15 and assisted 16 for Norwich in the Championship last season, and pre-season suggested he could form an impressive relationship with Ollie Watkins.
However, things haven't quite panned out as many believed they would. At the halfway point of the season, Buendia has managed just one goal and two assists in 16 league appearances, 12 starts, while his creative number have also dropped off a climb.
During his previous season in the Premier League, 2019/20 with Norwich, Buendia was creating 3.0 key passes P90, but that tally is now 1.8 P90 this term. Improvement is needed.
CM: Donny van de Beek (Manchester United)
18 months on from his move to Old Trafford and Donny van de Beek's decline hasn't slowed down one bit.
With no Premier League starts, and just 68 minutes of substitute action in the league, this season has been a disaster for the Dutchman. It's slightly harsh to include him given his lack of opportunities, but the fee he cost added to expectations, mean he finds himself in the XI.
He's not been injured, and even the arrival of Ralf Rangnick hasn't particularly helped yet.
CM: Joe Willock (Newcastle United)
Joe Willock's purple patch of scoring form last season was quite frankly freakish. He netted eight goals with an xG of less than five, and hence his form in front of goal was always going to decline.
However, Newcastle had seen enough to pay Arsenal £25m for his services. Since making the move permanent in the summer, Willock has neither scored or assisted in any competition.
For such a large fee Newcastle needed the move to work, but it hasn't. With 18 goals in 18 games, the Magpies need goals from somewhere, but Willock doesn;t seem to be the answer.
LM: Jadon Sancho (Manchester United)
It's yet another Manchester United player, and it's summer signing Jadon Sancho.
The Englishman arrived with plenty of expectation following an incredible spell at Borussia Dortmund that saw him rack up goals and assists for fun, but it hasn't worked out so far at Old Trafford.
The huge transfer fee of £72m was seen as excessive by some, but a bargain by other who had seen his talent in Germany. However, six months in, and it's been a waste of money so far.
He could come good, and by all accounts he will improve, but to have just one goal and zero assists in 13 Premier League appearances, eight starts, isn't good enough.
ST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Now an outcast at Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored four goals in over 1,000 league minutes this season, and has also been stripped of his captaincy.
Similar to the Mesut Ozil situation, Arsenal have sidelined a star on ridiculous wages, who hasn't performed since being handed a bumper new contract.
It seems his time in North London is over, but where next for the Gabon international?
ST: Harry Kane (Tottenham)
Disappointed that his move to Man City was blocked by Daniel Levy, Harry Kane has looked like a man disinterested for much of this season.
He's now found some kind of form under Conte, but the England captain has still only managed three league goals this season.
That tally was at just one until recently, and Kane no longer looks the player he was just last season.
An improvement is needed, especially if Tottenham want to finish in the top four.
Read more about: UEFA Champions League, Premier League, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Leicester, Man City, Man Utd, Newcastle Utd., Norwich, Tottenham, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Donny van de Beek, Emiliano Martinez, Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho, Joe Willock, Kasper Schmeichel, Luke Shaw, Ozan Kabak, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
