English Premier League Team of the Week
Another week of Premier League action is in the books. Which players performed the best?
Here you'll find our picks for the best 11 players from this week's matches. To come up with the list, we've combined stats from WhoScored.com with that most old-fashioned factor: gut feeling.
Do you agree? Disagree? Think we're crazy? Let us know in the comments below.
Full Team
1 of 12Goalkeeper: Alex McCarthy
Defenders: Patrice Evra, Geoff Cameron, Matija Nastasic, Kaspars Gorkss
Midfielders: Ben Watson Pablo Hernandez, Antonio Valencia, Marouane Fellaini
Forwards: Peter Odemwingie, Luis Suarez
Goalkeeper: Alex McCarthy
2 of 12Club: Reading
WhoScored.com rating: 7.39
Alex McCarthy overtook the error-prone Adam Federici as Reading's No. 1 earlier this season, and on Sunday he demonstrated why he deserved the promotion.
With Reading fighting to hold off Queens Park Rangers' late charge, McCarthy made two key saves that preserved a 1-1 draw. First, he redirected Esteban Granero's free kick onto the woodwork. Later, he denied Adel Taarabt one-on-one in the 83rd minute.
McCarthy finished with five saves.
The draw kept Reading winless on the season, but McCarthy's performance also kept QPR from winning for the first time.
Left-Back: Patrice Evra
3 of 12Club: Manchester United
WhoScored.com rating: 7.96
OK, so he played against Arsenal, and lately that means playing against a toothless attack. On the left side of United's defense, Patrice Evra shut down Arsenal's attack—which was once again toothless—and even managed to score the decisive second goal.
The stats back up Evra's claim to a berth in our best 11. He made three tackles, one interception and five clearances, including four of what WhoScored calls "effective clearances." All the while he committed no fouls.
On the offensive side, Evra scored a goal, completed 98 percent of his passes and added one accurate cross.
Right-Back: Geoff Cameron
4 of 12Club: Stoke City
WhoScored.com rating: 7.78
American defender Geoff Cameron might seem a curious choice, considering his Stoke side lost at Norwich. The stats, however, say that as a right-back, he was Stoke's best performer.
Cameron completed 76 percent of his passes, an admittedly modest number, but he recorded team highs in tackles (six), interceptions (five, three more than any of his teammates) and shots blocked (two). He also had one clearance and caught Norwich offside once.
Center Back: Matija Nastasic
5 of 12Club: Manchester City
WhoScored.com rating: 7.87
Manchester City failed to score for the first time this season in a 0-0 draw at West Ham on Saturday. The result must have disappointed, but Serbian defender Matija Nastasic's performance at center back must have encouraged.
Nastasic was City's highest-rated player, according to WhoScored. He won an impressive 10 aerial duels, made five effective clearances (11 total) and drew West Ham offside once. He also recorded two tackles and one interception.
Center Back: Kaspars Gorkss
6 of 12Club: Reading
WhoScored.com rating: 7.95
In addition to making our best 11, Reading defender Kaspars Gorkss became just the second Latvian to score in the English Premier League (stat via Opta).
He also won four aerial duels, made five interceptions and 10 total clearances, caught QPR offside three times and even registered one shot on target—Reading's first-half goal
Left Midfield: Pablo Hernandez
7 of 12Club: Swansea City
WhoScored.com rating: 7.63
Yes, we know he played on the right. He makes it into the team as a left midfielder anyway.
Pablo Hernandez, Swansea City's record signing, scored the Swans' dramatic second-half equalizer against Chelsea and finished as his team's top-rated player according to WhoScored.
Hernandez competed just 77 percent of his passes, but he had two key passes, five crosses, three accurate long balls and one accurate long ball. And, of course, he scored the all-important equalizer.
Right Midfield: Antonio Valencia
8 of 12Club: Manchester United
WhoScored.com rating: 7.3
Like his teammate Patrice Evra, Antonio Valencia benefited from playing against Arsenal. Specifically, Valencia benefited from playing head-to-head against Arsenal left-back Andre Santos, who was, once again, nearly useless.
Valencia flew up and down United's right flank and burned Santos repeatedly throughout his 82 minutes on the pitch. He completed 86 percent of his passes and recorded four successful dribbles, two key passes and three crosses.
Center Midfield: Ben Watson
9 of 12Club: Wigan Athletic
WhoScored.com rating: 8.79
Shaun Maloney received plenty of plaudits for his attacking display in Wigan's 1-0 win at Tottenham, but Ben Watson deserves equal credit for his gritty, defensive work in midfield.
Watson was Wigan's highest-rated player by some distance, and the stats suggest why that's the case. He recorded five tackles, six interceptions and five crosses, blocked one shot and completed 81 percent of his passes.
Center Midfield: Marouane Fellaini
10 of 12Club: Everton
WhoScored.com rating: 8.73
Marouane Fellaini's tough, efficient showing for Everton against Fulham could have come straight from the classic football videos. Fulham simply had no answer for the big Belgian's physicality, and Fellaini's two goals should have been enough to secure victory.
They weren't, but that shouldn't detract from what was an outstanding performance. Fellaini was easily Everton's top-rated player after winning four aerial duels, recording four shots on target (six total) and, of course, scoring the two goals.
If Everton are to remain in the race for a European place, Fellaini must keep these performances coming.
Forward: Luis Suarez
11 of 12Club: Liverpool
WhoScored.com rating: 8.63
Luis Suarez scored a world-class individual goal in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Newcastle. Afterward, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers declared the Uruguayan "unplayable" (via Chris Bascombe, Daily Telegraph).
Suarez recorded three shots on target, made six key passes, attempted five successful dribbles, drew four fouls and completed 83 percent of his passes.
Unplayable sounds about right.
Foward: Peter Odemwingie
12 of 12Club: West Bromwich Albion
WhoScored.com rating: 8.76
Nigerian midfielder/forward Peter Odemwingie scored both goals as West Brom blanked bottom-dwelling Southampton 2-0 on Monday and moved up to fifth in the table.
Odemwingie's performance was worthy of a top-five side. Besides the two goals (from two shots on target), he completed three key passes and made two interceptions.
Shane Long provided a gorgeous cross for Odemwingie's second goal, and Odemwingie's blistering run made for a simple, classy finish.
