Premier League Team of the Week: Alexis, Lukaku, Sturridge Shine
Welcome to the sixth installment of B/R's Premier League Team of the Week series for 2015-16.
We analysed every game to pick out a star XI from the weekend's fixtures, choosing the best players to form a viable formation. Only the best players in each position from this week's action make the cut, leading to several tough decisions along the way.
With as many as eight brilliant striking performances on the weekend, we had no choice but to go 4-4-2 and include the cream of the crop. The wings are loaded with top performers too, meaning several excellent players were unfortunately left out.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
GK: Adrian, West Ham United
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In a week where outstanding goalkeeping displays were few and far between, we turn once again to the phenomenal Adrian. It was another strong afternoon from him between the sticks at Upton Park.
He made several superb saves to deny Norwich City during a period of intense pressure—even managing to repel one shot with his face, get back up (dazed) and see the follow-up out for a goal-kick.
His agility and reach make him a great watch.
RB: Daryl Janmaat, Newcastle United
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For the second week in a row, Daryl Janmaat lands in our Premier League Team of the Week. His performance against Chelsea on Saturday evening was very good, reminding neutrals tuning in why there was so much excitement surrounding his transfer after the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Having been dropped from the Netherlands national set-up under new boss Danny Blind, he has a point to prove. The last two weeks have seen him returning to his rumbustious, roaming best, spurring forward and impacting in the final third. How timely.
His link-up play and creativity from the right helped put the Magpies two up against Chelsea, and although the defending champions came back to rescue a draw, several of the Newcastle players can hold their heads high. Janmaat is most certainly one of them.
CB: Daley Blind, Manchester United
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In a week where just two clean sheets were recorded (by Manchester United and Crystal Palace), a good centre-back performance stuck out like a sore thumb. Daley Blind recorded one, recovering from an iffy showing last week to shine against Sunderland.
Defensively the Red Devils looked good, and Blind also became a factor in the build-up play, surging forward with the ball at his feet and picking out longer passes to start attacks.
His lofted ball for Juan Mata to tee up Memphis Depay's opener was just sublime.
CB: Toby Alderweireld, Tottenham Hotspur
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With so many forwards and strikers playing so well this weekend, centre-backs of a similar level have been understandably difficult to find.
There were no all-encompassing, dominant showings, but Toby Alderweireld came pretty close with a defining showing against Manchester City.
The Belgian's hit the ground running in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt and now has his first Premier League goal for the club to shout about. A nice header from a good free-kick gave Spurs the lead in the second half, and at no point did they look back.
Alderweireld's calm ball-playing helped the home side play through the middle on the deck, and his crunching tackles ensured no City revival was to be had.
LB: Ryan Bertrand, Southampton
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"In my opinion, he was the best player on the pitch. Three months out and he's playing like he wasn’t away." Ronald Koeman waxed lyrical over Ryan Bertrand's strong performance for Southampton on Saturday, with the Englishman returning from a lengthy ailment to instantly solidify the Saints' left flank.
Bertrand was one of the best full-backs in the Premier League in 2014-15 but missed the first six games of this campaign. He's returned with a bang here, finding his old level immediately, and put in a tenacious display against a good Swansea City side, linking attacks well and delivering some extremely dangerous low crosses into the box.
Koeman juggled Matt Targett and Cuco Martina at left-back in his absence, but neither came close to the standard Bertrand has set on the south coast. The Dutchman will be relieved to have him fit and firing, and he'll hope the former Chelsea man can help elevate Southampton to a more-consistent level.
CM: Eric Dier, Tottenham Hotspur
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Eric Dier put in a fantastic display in midfield against Manchester City in this weekend's early kick-off, scoring and dominating the central zones in a brilliant 4-1 victory.
The young Englishman still faces weekly questions over where he should actually be playing—Mauricio Pochettino has had to install him in the middle due to the settled Belgian centre-back pairing behind him playing so well—but he's still shining most weeks he plays.
A calm passer, a tough tackler and, with a surprising eye for goal, a little grooming could see the 21-year-old emerge as a long-term option slightly further forward.
CM: Lucas Leiva, Liverpool
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Lucas Leiva reminded Liverpool fans of his worth on Saturday, putting in an excellent showing against Aston Villa.
"Time and time again he broke up the visitors’ attacking forays, and he was a hugely calming influence at the heart of the midfield," wrote Henry Jackson for This Is Anfield in his player-ratings column post-match.
The Brazilian isn't an automatic choice for Brendan Rodgers when everyone's fit, so this performance will have done his stock a world of good in a crowded midfield selection.
The question is consistency: Can he replicate this level over the next few weeks to rubber-stamp his spot in the XI?
Wing: Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
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The shoo-in selection of the week is Alexis Sanchez, who ended his goal-scoring drought with a sublime hat-trick against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.
He scored key goals at key times to stymie the Foxes' attempts to get themselves back into the game, and his third strike in particular was a stunner, slamming home a firm finish from outside the box.
Energy, quick feet and remorseless, lethal finishing: It's what Alexis showed consistently last season, and Gooners will hope this is the start of another brilliant goal-scoring campaign.
Wing: Erik Lamela, Tottenham Hotspur
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Erik Lamela's committed, gutsy performance just about beats out Juan Mata and Gerard Deulofeu this week for a spot on the wing opposite Alexis Sanchez.
The Argentinian has been in decent form this season (despite bashing him regardless emerging as a popular trend), and his usual effort levels were present. Tearing up and down the wing, he pressed, tracked and marked when required.
This week, though, the end-product came to the fore too. His goal was slightly fortuitous and perhaps a little clumsy, but no less than he deserved. Minutes later he was withdrawn to a standing ovation.
ST: Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool
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Daniel Sturridge beats out fierce competition from six other strikers who impressed this weekend, earning his place in our Team of the Week thanks to two stunning goals in a fantastic performance.
The Englishman's immediate return to form, in conjunction with his budding partnership with Danny Ings, prompted Jack Lusby of uMAXit Football to wonder how Christian Benteke fits back into this Liverpool side.
It's a legitimate worry: where the Belgian had looked like a square peg in a round hole, his replacement is gently coaxing the Reds back to their final-third best.
His two goals against Aston Villa on Saturday were both stunning, and his intuitive movements and interchanges with Philippe Coutinho left the defenders chasing shadows.
ST: Romelu Lukaku, Everton
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Romelu Lukaku put in a stunning, complete performance to lead Everton to a dramatic comeback victory over West Bromwich Albion on Monday night.
He scored the first and the third and assisted the second, dominating Albion's defensive line by utilising great movement, power and technique.
For Arouna Kone's equaliser, Lukaku slipped a wondrous through-ball in behind the defence to pick out the run.
"A year ago Lukaku probably doesn't see that pass," uMAXit Football's Seb Stafford-Bloor noted on Twitter, and afterwards he played another for James McCarthy—though the Irishman was booked for diving.
Bench
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GK: John Ruddy, Norwich City
CB: Virgil Van Dijk, Southampton
FB: Nacho Monreal, Arsenal
CM: Santi Cazorla, Arsenal
Wing: Juan Mata, Manchester United
ST: Jamie Vardy, Leicester City
ST: Theo Walcott, Arsenal
*All quotes obtained first-hand.
