Premier League Player Rankings: Terry Enters, Cambiasso Rises, Giroud Falls
Welcome to the latest edition of our 2014-15 Premier League player rankings, continuing for another season in its mission to quantify the form of England's top-tier players.
Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool and Hull City all played two games this week to catch up on fixtures, so some of our players enjoyed a double gameweek. We have three new entries from different locations in the Premier League table as certain teams hit end-of-season form.
The rankings are formed based on players' last four games, with slightly more emphasis placed on their most recent outings.
Only Premier League performances are counted, and one-week wonders do not find their way in by default. (David De Gea did not qualify in Week 7 for one great showing but now has after consistently strong form.)
Take a look and see if you agree with our selections, and if you feel like we've missed anyone, let us know in the comments section below.
Dropouts
1 of 21
Matt Phillips, Queens Park Rangers: The run in the sun was impressive, but QPR are back to scrap mode.
Ashley Young, Manchester United: Has tried his best as always, but his form has dropped in conjunction with Marouane Fellaini's.
Ander Herrera, Manchester United: No longer in form as he's struggled filling in for Michael Carrick. Some wayward passes.
20. Marc Albrighton, Leicester City
2 of 21
Last Week: Unranked
Differential: New!
Marc Albrighton has been impressing for weeks now. He's landed in two of our Premier League Team of the Week selections, and now he enters the top 20 form players as well.
He's found a new home at right-wing-back in Nigel Pearson's 3-5-2, flying forward from the flank and crossing to Leonardo Ulloa. His opening goal on Wednesday—a first for the Foxes—was just reward for his hard work and commitment.
19. James McCarthy, Everton
3 of 21
Last Week: Unranked
Differential: New!
Everton are unbeaten in six and found good form about a month ago. That fact slipped by many over the course of April, but a 3-0 defeat of Manchester United very much confirms it to the masses.
James McCarthy has been a key part of this rise, dominating in midfield and surging forward to great effect. He's always been a solid anchor midfielder, but now Roberto Martinez is coaxing other parts of his game out to superb effect.
A goal and an assist in his last three.
18. Daley Blind, Manchester United
4 of 21
Last Week: 12
Differential: -6
Daley Blind comes tumbling down the rankings after a poor showing against Everton this weekend. He alternated between the deepest role and a flat role in central midfield, but he could not provide the control Michael Carrick would nor the goalscoring tendencies Ander Herrera does.
Luke Shaw played well again from left-back, leaving Blind's place in the side surprisingly under scrutiny for the next fixture.
17. Ki Sung-Yueng, Swansea City
5 of 21
Last Week: 19
Differential: +2
Swansea City seemed to establish an immediate measure of control once Ki Sung-Yueng entered the fray at St James' Park. His calming influence was a godsend for the away side.
He was benched only to be able to rest and because Garry Monk has exceptional central midfield depth, and although the switch back to 4-2-3-1 looked a little iffy at times, Ki came on and smoothed over the cracks.
16. Glenn Murray, Crystal Palace
6 of 21
Last Week: 10
Differential: -6
Glenn Murray turned in his second consecutive disappointing performance, and that means he's falling in our estimations again.
Credit to Hull City's defence for playing Murray far better than other teams have—they disrupted him, rather than allow him to push, pull and gain a yard of space on the front foot—but the fact that Palace are already in holiday mode means he received zero service.
15. John Terry, Chelsea
7 of 21
Last Week: Unranked
Differential: New!
After putting in what Jose Mourinho described as his best-ever career performance, per James Benge in the London Evening Standard, John Terry had another vital one three days later.
He scored the second goal on Wednesday night to put Chelsea into the lead at the King Power Stadium. His strikes always appear to be significant, and this one has set up the chance for the Blues to win the Premier League title this weekend at home to Crystal Palace.
14. Santi Cazorla, Arsenal
8 of 21
Last Week: 9
Differential: -5
Santi Cazorla is truly transitioning into a deeper midfielder—that much is clear. His cynical foul and yellow card to prevent a dangerous counter-attack even suggest he's picking up a trick or two off Francis Coquelin.
Offensively, though, the Spaniard disappointed on Sunday. No space meant he couldn't dictate play, and his shooting, well...it's best we leave that door unopened.
13. Aaron Lennon, Everton
9 of 21
Last Week: 17
Differential: +4
The thought of Aaron Lennon running headlong at Kieran Richardson this Saturday is a scary prospect for Aston Villa fans. The English winger is back to his best and looks an astute loan signing by Roberto Martinez.
Luke Shaw did reasonably well against him this weekend, but the directness and pace Lennon offers gives Everton real thrust in the forward areas.
12. Simon Mignolet, Liverpool
10 of 21
Last Week: 16
Differential: +4
Simon Mignolet barely had a thing to do against West Bromwich Albion, with perhaps one save of note due to the Baggies packing the box and defending like Trojans.
Against Hull City he conceded, but he also made one or two quality interventions to keep the score at one. One world-class double save stuck out.
11. Olivier Giroud, Arsenal
11 of 21
Last Week: 8
Differential: -3
Chelsea kept Olivier Giroud very quiet on Sunday as Arsenal drew 0-0; John Terry's best game in a long time coincided with the Frenchman's worst.
He managed two snap-shots that flew wide and struggled to bring the ball down under pressure. Theo Walcott eventually replaced him late on, as Arsene Wenger tried a different approach.
10. David Silva, Manchester City
12 of 21
Last Week: 7
Differential: -3
Manchester City were extremely fortunate to come away from their home tie vs. Aston Villa with a victory, and David Silva's non-performance can go some way to explaining their lack of fluency.
If he was slightly off his game from a mental perspective it'd be understandable—he was smashed by Cheikhou Kouyate in the previous game and left on a stretcher—and City had to rely on defensive gaffes from Villa to win.
9. Esteban Cambiasso, Leicester City
13 of 21
Last Week: 15
Differential: +6
Despite Leicester City only winning one of their games in this double gameweek, Esteban Cambiasso was brilliant in both.
At the weekend he surged forward with great decisiveness and influence, picking passes and feeding balls into the channels for Jamie Vardy to chase. Against Chelsea he was magnificent in the first half, shielding, protecting, creating and sweeping passes across the turf.
8. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
14 of 21
Last Week: 5
Differential: -3
Harry Kane reverted to looking rather tired again on Saturday as Tottenham Hotspur drew with Southampton. His team's goals—first an Erik Lamela handball, second a Nacer Chadli finish from an Eric Dier pass—had little to do with him.
He's reached the 30-goal mark for the season and has been crowned PFA Young Player of the Year. Evidence suggests he needs a summer of recuperation, but the England U21 squad will make the call.
7. Christian Benteke, Aston Villa
15 of 21
Last Week: 11
Differential: +4
Christian Benteke didn't score this week, but he did give Manchester City's defence a very tough time in what was another very strong performance.
He put himself about, won aerial challenges and probably should have won a penalty (and forced a Joe Hart red card) late on as he went down in the box under a poor challenge.
6. David De Gea, Manchester United
16 of 21
Last Week: 4
Differential: -2
Things didn't exactly go to plan for Manchester United across the board this weekend, losing 3-0 to Everton in a match where they really did not threaten Tim Howard.
David De Gea was left helpless for two goals—John Stones' header was unsaveable, and the quirky modern offside law really let him down for the Toffees' third. But he allowed James McCarthy's scuffed effort through his legs for the first, and that's the real disappointment.
5. Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea
17 of 21
Last Week: 13
Differential: +8
Branislav Ivanovic had himself a superb two games this week. He stopped Alexis Sanchez from working his usual magic on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, then dominated against Leicester City on Wednesday night.
It was at the King Power Stadium that he really shone, sweeping behind for one brilliant recovery tackle and making several key interventions throughout the night. He's rising in our estimations once again.
4. Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool
18 of 21
Last Week: 6
Differential: +2
We're on the verge of feeling sorry for Philippe Coutinho. He's got no one to pass to and trusts very few colleagues with the ball on matchday.
It leaves him holding the ball and dribbling a lot. Sometimes, like against Newcastle United, it allows him to dominate single-handedly, but at other times, like against Hull City and West Bromwich Albion, it leads to mistakes.
West Brom were a particularly tough opponent for him; they sat nine in the box and refused to allow him to pick a pass.
3. Mesut Ozil, Arsenal
19 of 21
Last Week: 3
Differential: None
Mesut Ozil's frustrating day culminated in a fresh-air shot late on that could, perhaps, have turned one point into three had he connected with it.
Chelsea sat deep and gave Arsenal absolutely no space to play in, meaning Ozil was rendered ineffectual for much of the 90 minutes, as he was unable to pick passes and open pockets to play in.
Fortunately for Ozil, David De Gea and Harry Kane both had poor weeks, so the Arsenal man doesn't drop.
2. Francis Coquelin, Arsenal
20 of 21
Last Week: 2
Differential: None
Francis Coquelin had yet another very strong game this weekend, helping Arsenal secure a clean sheet and a point against Chelsea.
He wasn't pressed into heroic action but continued to screen his defensive line and appear proactive in racking up interceptions. The Frenchman was substituted late on, but that was only because Arsene Wenger was gunning for the win against a defensive side.
1. Eden Hazard, Chelsea
21 of 21
Last Week: 1
Differential: None
Eden Hazard completed games against Arsenal and Leicester City this weekend without recording a goal or an assist in either, but that doesn't mean he performed poorly at all.
Against the Foxes he was in sparkling form once again, dancing across the edge of the box and creating chances. His link-up with Cesc Fabregas was superb, and he was the pass before the pass for Didier Drogba's leveller.
