The three-week international break presents us with a wonderful opportunity to take stock of what we have seen in the Prem thus far. I think that Brighton’s 3-0 win over Arsenal captured the essence of this league, where every game is thwart with danger.
I love it. So, here are my ridiculously early selections for Team of the Season. I have tried to squeeze the side into a 4-2-3-1 formation but there are a few bits of creative liberty (just you see who I have playing on the right wing). Here goes nothing.
GK: David Raya (Arsenal)
Raya has caught a couple of pelters following Arsenal’s humbling at the hands of the Seagulls. Raya was a bit wobbly on crosses and probably should have done a bit better with Groß’s opener. But let’s cut Raya a bit of slack: he has been the best goalkeeper in the league for some time now. And the three-time Golden Glove winner has been a rock in the early stages of the season, almost single-handedly securing all three points against Sunderland with that magnificent penalty save.
RB: Jayden Bogle (Leeds Utd)
Jayden Bogle has been a standout member of a resurgent Leeds United squad. Leeds boss Daniel Farke has done an Antonio Conte-Victor Moses job on the 26-year-old, pushing him further up the field into a right wing-back role. He has thrived going forward, constantly overlapping and scoring two Premier League goals. Bogle had a relatively quiet game against Palace but still produced the highest quality moment of the match, setting up Calvert-Lewin with an exquisitely timed cross. Bogel hasn’t shirked his defensive duties, retaining the tactical flexibility to drop in and do the dirty stuff.
CB: Marc Guehi (Man City)
I think the whole City defence will want to put Sunday’s whirlwind 5-3 victory over Sunderland behind them. But putting that to one side, Marc Guehi has been arguably the most consistent defender in the league. He carries the ball like a Brazilian and his overall positioning is steadily improving. His raw athleticism also gives him a massive advantage when he needs to make recovery runs.
CB: Ezri Konsa (Arsenal)
Could have easily chosen Gabriel in this slot. But something about the way he tried to buy that foul against Brighton made me reconsider my options. New central defensive partner Ezri Konsa has been just as impressive, stepping into Saliba’s oversized boots with poise and vigour. Sure, Arsenal were ruthlessly exposed by Brighton’s gegenpressing this past weekend. But prior to that, Arsenal had only conceded one goal in four games. Konsa was at the heart of that defensive output, coming in after missing the first game against Coventry to provide real steel to the Arsenal side. He was particularly brilliant against Chelsea, putting in several lung-busting tackles to scupper the Blues’ counterattacking threat.
LB: Lewis Hall (Newcastle United)
This is a tight call, but I’m opting for Lewis Hall over Gvardiol. Hall has been a bastion of consistency in a team that has been anything but consistent. The subject of an intense, apparently one-sided transfer saga with Man United over the summer, Hall has just knuckled down and produced the goods for new manager Matthias Jaissie. He just scored his first-ever St James’ Park goal in Newcastle’s 2-1 victory over Hull City. He has been at his marauding best when Newcastle have been on song, picking up an assist to go with that goal. Penned a new Newcastle contract till 2031 (which felt like a big middle-finger to the Man United hierarchy). Will be off to prove himself on international duty having been shockingly left out of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup plans.
CM: Elliot Anderson (Man City)
Some baulked at that £116 million transfer fee from Forest. How could a 23-year-old box-to-box midfielder justify that price? Oh, and Rodri is off to Barcelona now, no pressure. Anderson has stepped into the void with rabid determination, providing breathless energy in setting the tempo in the middle of the park. Yes, he still doesn’t have the G/A appeal of a Rice of a Groß, but one cannot overstate how crucial his role is in this buccaneering City outfit. There is something of the N’Golo Kante about his energy and sphere of influence.
CM: Pascal Groß (Brighton)
It took me a while to find the German character ß (almost long enough to make me consider lumping Declan Rice into this spot). But I think it’s virtually impossible not to include Groß on this list. The 35-year-old German could easily have hung up his boots after his move to boyhood club Borussia Dortmund didn’t go according to plans. But he clearly thought he still had value to offer, returning to Brighton in January. And he has been nothing short of inspirational during this opening chapter of the season, scoring three and assisting three more. He is the embodiment of Brighton’s fluid style, shifting seamlessly from a deep-lying playmaker role to a pesky no.10. He also happens to lead the Fantasy Premier League player standings, for what that’s worth.
AM: Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
Odegaard- like the Arsenal players on this list- had a bit of shocker against Brighton. But that doesn’t change the fact that Odegaard was arguably the best player in the league for the first four matches of the season. The Norwegian playmaker seems to have rediscovered the effervescent form that he had in that ill-fated 2023/2024 campaign. While he hasn’t run up the stats like fellow No.10 Ryan Cherki, he has been at the heart of all of Arsenal’s best attacking play, scoring twice while knitting everything together.
LW: Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth)
Marcus Tavernier has been hyper-consistent for the Cherries this season, coming within a whisker of earning his first international call-up after impressing Thomas Tuchel with his high-energy displays. The left-footed Tavernier has really upped his attacking output, scoring three goals from either the left of midfield or the left wing. He has the type of stunning dead-ball delivery that my No.9 would relish (almost giving the game away there, hey).
RW: Joao Pedro (Chelsea)
Ok, I had to cheat with this one. There haven’t been too many standout right wingers thus far. Saka has been stat-padding as per usual, picking up several tap-ins without really convincing me that he is an elite wide-man. With no clear and obvious winger to choose from, I have decided to move Joao Pedro into the wide-right role. The Chelsea No.9 has enjoyed a dynamic start to the campaign, scoring three and providing three assists. Pedro has played on the wing before (which is evident with how blistering he is on the counterattack). I just had to find a place for him.
ST: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
I have concluded that there are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Erling Haaland leading the Premier League goal-scoring charts. Haaland has just been his usual clinical self, scoring five league goals (and crucial ones at that). He scored the sole goal in two 1-0 wins (including that now infamous winner at Old Trafford). He seems even more integra; in the buildup play this season, almost as if his new leadership role has awakened another level of intensity.
