Premier League Team of the Week: Kane, Pelle, Kompany and Alli Star
There may have only been five Premier League games this week, but that hasn't stopped us! We've constructed a Team of the Week based solely on he league games that occurred on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Anyone who played in the FA Cup this weekend is, of course, ineligible.
We've selected the best performers from another thrilling weekend and slotted them into a workable formation—a 4-4-2 on this occasion.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
GK: Brad Guzan, Aston Villa
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We don't doubt that you'll be surprised that bottom-placed Aston Villa's goalkeeper claims a spot in our Team of the Week after conceding two goals. It feels wrong on every level.
But the truth is he was the only viable option. With only five games played, this weekend's small sampling of games threw up no outstanding performances between the sticks.
Guzan was kept busy (unlike Joe Hart, Fraser Forster, John Ruddy, Kasper Schmeichel, Rob Elliot and Hugo Lloris) and didn't make any mistakes (unlike Lukasz Fabianski and Jack Butland). In fact, he pulled off several decent stops to keep Tottenham Hotspur at bay for as long as possible.
RB: Kyle Walker, Tottenham Hotspur
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Kyle Walker spent half of 2011 on loan at Villa Park, impressing fans despite an incredibly raw skill set. Fast-forward five years and he's a complete player—a fact he hammered home mercilessly on Saturday during Tottenham Hotspur's 2-0 win over Aston Villa.
He was a force pushing forward, troubling Aly Cissokho with his aggressiveness, positivity and willingness to cross low into the box from deeper positions. He forced a number of key chances in both halves.
CB: Vincent Kompany, Manchester City
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Manchester City may have flattered to deceive in the attacking areas on Saturday against Norwich City, but Vincent Kompany put in an outstanding display at the other end.
The Belgian was at his proactive best, intercepting and heading clear any attempted through balls and passes into the final third. He was essentially omnipresent, with absolutely nothing getting past him.
The one good chance the Canaries did fashion—a 30-yard effort from Patrick Bamford—came from Nicolas Otamendi's area, not Kompany's.
CB: Robert Huth, Leicester City
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Aside from the aforementioned Vincent Kompany, no other centre-back truly excelled in every department. Robert Huth, though, put together a good game against a Newcastle United side fighting desperately for a first win under Rafa Benitez.
He handled Aleksandar Mitrovic well in the air and dropped off well to cover runs into the space behind, acknowledging his pace disadvantage but making up for it with superior positional skills.
Toby Alderweireld was an option here, but he just wasn't worked enough to grab the spot, while Virgil van Dijk was brilliant but let Marko Arnautovic get across him for a goal.
LB: Martin Olsson, Norwich City
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Where has this Martin Olsson been all season? We know he's capable of some excellent performances, but consistency issues have dogged this Swede like no other.
His performance on Saturday was excellent. He blocked crosses, tracked runners and refused to allow City's playmakers to work his side. His solidity at left-back allowed Matt Jarvis to push forward on the counter and not worry about what was happening behind him all the time.
Wing: Max Gradel, AFC Bournemouth
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We often talk of "hitting the ground running," and Max Gradel has managed that better than anyone in recent memory. A bad knee injury early in the season ruined his opening months with AFC Bournemouth, but now he's making the splash we all expected.
His well-taken goal set the Cherries off to a good start against Swansea City, curling a reactive effort around Lukasz Fabianski's fingers, and his driving presence on the left wing caused Angel Rangel all sorts of issues.
He's quick, fast, agile and smart with the ball. He gives Eddie Howe that qualitative edge from the left to complement Matt Ritchie on the other side.
CM: Gary O'Neil, Norwich City
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Gary O'Neil's mindful, experienced performance at the heart of Norwich City's midfield played a big part in their brilliant 0-0 draw with Manchester City on Saturday.
Despite the Citizens being far from their best, they still offered plenty in terms of movement (David Silva) and goal-mouth danger (Sergio Aguero), but O'Neil's battling performance in the centre—closing off passing lanes, tackling hard and seeing things out late—was key.
“Gary used his experience and his game management to slow things down," Alex Neil lauded after the game (h/t The Pink 'Un).
CM: N'Golo Kante, Leicester City
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Sky Sports gave Danny Drinkwater the official man of the match award after Leicester City's win over Newcastle United on Monday, but very few people could genuinely fathom why.
Drinkwater has had a super season and was brilliant last week, but this time around, it was all about N'Golo Kante. His energy, drive, tackling and exceptional positioning skills were all on show.
He zipped about the pitch to break things up frequently, and unlike Drinkwater, was not sloppy with his passing.
Wing: Dele Alli, Tottenham Hotspur
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Dele Alli's recent performances haven't been stunning, as he's been battling a few niggles and knocks. But he took centre stage on Sunday, when he orchestrated Tottenham Hotspur's goals at Villa Park.
His quick thinking set up the first, sending Harry Kane in over the top from a free-kick taken immediately, and his excellent low ball into the box put Kane's second on a platter.
It's of vital importance that Spurs get Alli back to 100 percent fitness for the run-in. Perhaps a rest in midweek against Borussia Dortmund was just what he needed.
ST: Graziano Pelle, Southampton
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Graziano Pelle is back!
The Southampton forward ended his lengthy goal drought on Saturday by powering a near-post header from a corner past Jack Butland, then added a second soon after by curling a right-footed effort into the far corner.
His overall play looked strong, as he held off his markers well and his interactions with Dusan Tadic were, as usual, borderline telepathic.
ST: Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
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Harry Kane's two goals against Aston Villa drew him level with top goalscorer Jamie Vardy at 19. With eight games remaining, it seems a virtual certainty he'll hit the magic 20-goal mark for the season.
Both of his strikes were well taken at Villa Park, applying the firm finishing touch to some good play by Dele Alli in each half. He also clipped the bar when sent through one-on-one after just three minutes.
Yes, there were some wasted opportunities, but two goals in a crucial 2-0 win? That's Team of the Week material without a doubt.
Bench
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GK: Fraser Forster, Southampton
CB: Steve Cook, AFC Bournemouth
CB: Toby Alderweireld, Tottenham Hotspur
CM: Steven Davis, Southampton
CM: Jonny Howson, Norwich City
Wing: Modou Barrow, Swansea City
ST: Shane Long, Southampton
