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00:00All right, so Premier League Team of the Season.
00:02Everybody does one, and they are all, always, s**t.
00:07So today, we're going to fix the format.
00:10We're first going to take the Premier League's system of the season,
00:14because for all the dick jokes and elaborate metaphors,
00:17this is still primarily a tactics channel.
00:19And then we're going to build our Premier League Team of the Season
00:22into the system of the season.
00:25Now, yes, that does mean that some players who have had individually incredible seasons
00:31are going to miss out, and some players that you personally find less deserving
00:36are going to get in instead, but that's okay.
00:40It's just a thing that I've made up on the internet that, yes,
00:46does let me use the nice studio and work with a proper director of photography,
00:49but it's primarily just a bit of fun.
00:52You don't need to worry about it.
00:54They certainly won't mind.
00:55So, let's begin.
01:01All right, well, to start, we have to actually establish
01:03what the formation of the season is.
01:06So, just one minute.
01:10Right then.
01:13Yeah, it's going to have to go.
01:16Don't, don't do that.
01:18So, what has been the system of the season?
01:20I actually think, hear me out, there is an argument
01:23that it could be the 3-4-2-1 that's gone so spectacularly wrong at Man United.
01:29Now, I know, I know that's probably just the edible talking,
01:32but when you think about it, there have been a number of other teams this season
01:35that have quite unexpectedly made the thing sing.
01:40Wolves used it to stage a quite incredible turnaround in their fortunes,
01:44the minute they hired Vitor Pereira.
01:45Crystal Palace had that big wobble at the start of the season after losing Michael Alisse,
01:50but they stuck with it.
01:51They made a few alterations and then went and bantered Manchester City off in the FA Cup final.
01:56And then on top of that, several other teams have been using it
01:59as sort of like a special occasion system.
02:02Like, even Newcastle, very recently in the game at St James' Park,
02:06had Chelsea's heads firmly flushed down the toilet by using this
02:11until Nicholas Jackson got sent off and they all went,
02:13uh, there's only 10 of them now, how does this work?
02:16But that feels to me like a next season thing.
02:19This season, it has been categorically the return, the revival,
02:23of the humble 4-2-3-1.
02:27After what's felt like years of teams preferring to just have one player in the pivot,
02:31so you can then have two attacking eights,
02:34and then if you do need some help, either bring a defender in from one direction or another,
02:38managers seem to have remembered that these two wide forwards here
02:41are not just your best attackers, but usually your most expensive players.
02:46And so to get one or both of them closer to the goal,
02:50what teams are now doing is setting a proper base in here,
02:53and having their full backs, either again, one or both of them,
02:56provide all the width to narrow this forward line.
03:00David Moyes got back in at Everton and turned them into this.
03:03Fulham have a really exciting version of it,
03:05with Anthony Robinson over on this side.
03:07Bournemouth do it as well, but they have Kirk Hez.
03:10And both of them have not only been two of the best system teams in the Premier League,
03:14but they're probably going to get to sell their left backs for a billion quid this summer.
03:18And even Nottingham Forest, who do not do the five at the front end
03:21and then shuffle the defence into a back three,
03:23they use a 4-2-3-1 to give them the best possible platform
03:27to launch these four up the pitch when these six turn the ball over.
03:33And while it's perhaps not as exciting or as attacking or as dynamic
03:36as some of the other teams we've talked about here,
03:38this Forest team in this forest shape,
03:41kind of looks like a tree,
03:43very nearly ended up in the Champions League.
03:46So yes, the system of the season,
03:48which is obviously not a real thing,
03:51is a 4-2-3-1,
03:53but specifically where one of your full backs gives you the width
03:56that allows you to get one of your forwards
03:58nearer the goal.
03:59And these three just quite happily shuffle along
04:01into more of a unit.
04:03That is the flavour we are cooking with today.
04:07Now back to you, me.
04:10Thanks, me.
04:12That was weird.
04:13All right, so the goalie.
04:14After seasons upon seasons of everyone being obsessed with ones
04:17who can play out from the back,
04:19we don't massively need one to play this style of football.
04:23Certainly not the short interchange,
04:25blessed with ability that we've seen in recent years.
04:28We can get back to someone who can just be direct
04:30with their distribution.
04:31And of course, like me.
04:38Excellent with their shot stopping.
04:40Like a goalkeeper's job in a system like this
04:42isn't to be starting clever phases of buildup.
04:45It's to be able to launch you up the pitch
04:47when you attack directly,
04:49either by going out to the flanks
04:50or straight down the throat of the opposition.
04:52And of course,
04:53they have to be able to bail you out
04:55when your high line gets played into,
04:58through, on, up.
05:00For contenders for me would be this.
05:03Matt Sells, Mark Flecken, and Jordan Pickford.
05:06And just to do a little quick reminder for everybody here,
05:08if we were purely talking individually,
05:11them as people,
05:12I would say Sells or Riot.
05:14But again, they have to fit our team.
05:16Now, Matt Sells feels like the obvious option here
05:18because for really long parts of the season,
05:21if you remember,
05:21it started to feel like he was single-handedly
05:24winning Forrest loads of points
05:25almost as much as Chris Wood was.
05:28And as a result,
05:29that post-shot XG minus goal start
05:33that everybody gets really obsessed over,
05:34basically like,
05:35how good are the chances you're facing
05:37versus how many are actually going in?
05:39He was miles ahead of everyone else
05:41in the league for that number,
05:42which was kind of like
05:43the statistical proof of how well he was playing.
05:46But now,
05:47and I was just as surprised as you're going to be
05:50when you see this,
05:51when you go and look up Jordan Pickford's exact same numbers,
05:54they are the exact same numbers.
05:57Meaning that statistically,
05:58he's contributing as much to Everton not conceding goals
06:02as Sells was to Forrest.
06:03And so,
06:03we are going to go for Jordan Pickford in this team.
06:06Not for the shot stopping
06:07and not for the distribution
06:08because they're largely very similar,
06:11but for this stat here.
06:13The average distance of his contributions
06:15outside his box,
06:17where he is doing a lot of his defensive work,
06:20right?
06:21That is way,
06:22way,
06:22way,
06:22way,
06:23way,
06:23way,
06:23way,
06:23way out of the penalty area
06:25compared to Matt Sells,
06:27who is way,
06:28way,
06:28way,
06:28way,
06:29way,
06:29way in the penalty area.
06:30Jordan Pickford very quietly
06:32has become amazing
06:34at sweeping up behind Everton
06:36and allowing them
06:36to have that sort of high line
06:38you kind of want to have
06:39with the 3-2-5
06:40once you get the fullback forward.
06:42So,
06:43yeah,
06:43well done him.
06:45Now,
06:45now,
06:46this is the really complicated bit,
06:48right?
06:48Because you'd normally go
06:49to the fullback here
06:51and work across,
06:51but this system,
06:53right,
06:54lives and dies
06:55by sort of the way you arrange
06:57both the fullbacks
06:58and both your wide attackers.
07:00You can't really decide on one
07:02without deciding on all of them
07:04at the same time.
07:05So,
07:05we're going to do all four
07:06of those positions
07:06now.
07:08Now,
07:09as discussed,
07:10the dynamic between these four players
07:12is what makes this system
07:14work or not work,
07:16right?
07:16So,
07:16on one side,
07:17you need a fullback
07:18who's going to be hyper-aggressive,
07:21a super athlete running up
07:22and down that flank
07:23to allow the forward
07:24on that side
07:25to play nearer to the goal.
07:27But likewise,
07:28to balance that out,
07:29on the other side,
07:31you need a forward
07:32who's happy holding the width
07:33and stretching the opposition out
07:35while the other fullback
07:36is comfortable tucking in.
07:38So,
07:38they need to do different things
07:40on different sides.
07:41And so,
07:42obviously,
07:43the one player out
07:44of all the candidates
07:45to play all four
07:47of those positions
07:48that you just cannot leave out
07:50with this team
07:51is Mo Salah.
07:53He has just had,
07:54arguably,
07:54his greatest ever season
07:56at Liverpool.
07:56His goals,
07:57his assists,
07:57his contributions
07:58to big games,
07:59he's broken record
08:00after record
08:00after record.
08:02He absolutely
08:03has to be in this team.
08:05You don't even need me
08:05to explain it anymore.
08:06If you've watched a minute
08:07of the Premier League
08:08this season,
08:09he's the first
08:10and only auto-include.
08:12So,
08:12he's playing
08:13on that right-hand side.
08:15Like,
08:15Jacob Murphy runs him
08:16pretty close.
08:1620 goal contributions
08:17from Jacob Murphy.
08:19That's pretty cool.
08:20Brian and Buemos
08:20had a brilliant season
08:21as well,
08:22but they both play
08:23that side.
08:25So,
08:25it's Salah.
08:26And because it is
08:27so obviously
08:28Mo Salah
08:28and he is one of those
08:29players that likes
08:30to move infield
08:31and leave a bit of room
08:32on the outside,
08:33that means our one
08:34super attacking full-back
08:36who's getting all the way
08:37up and down the touchline
08:39has to be
08:40our right-back,
08:42not
08:42our left-back.
08:44So,
08:45Anthony Robinson,
08:46Kirkes,
08:46Altnuri,
08:47Mikhelenko,
08:47all these left-backs
08:49who've had
08:50all-timer seasons
08:51bombing up and down
08:52the entire length
08:53of that flank.
08:55Yep.
08:55Sorry, lads.
08:56You'll be in lots
08:57of other people's videos,
08:58but that's not
08:59what we're doing here.
09:00So,
09:00who do I want
09:01basically playing
09:01the entire right-hand side
09:03all on their own?
09:04Well,
09:05I did give this a good thing.
09:06Tino Livramento's
09:07in their four-week.
09:08Dury and Timber
09:08is a really,
09:09really solid option,
09:11but this is primarily,
09:13when you think about it,
09:14a chance creation role.
09:16You'll be spending
09:17a lot of time
09:17in the final third.
09:19And when it comes
09:19to chance creating
09:20right-backs who are also
09:21very comfortable
09:22in a back four
09:22and solid enough
09:23defensively,
09:25it's Munoz.
09:26It's absolutely Munoz.
09:28No defender
09:29in the league,
09:30I think,
09:31has created
09:32more chances
09:33than him
09:34in the Premier League
09:35this season.
09:36He's been absolutely
09:37vital
09:38to how Crystal Palace
09:39have played
09:40both in the league
09:40and the FA Cup.
09:42And yes,
09:42while he is
09:43a right wing-back,
09:45they play with a back three,
09:46not a back four,
09:47he's solid enough
09:48in the tackle
09:49and interceptions
09:49and just defensively
09:51disciplined
09:51that he could play that.
09:52No problem
09:53whatsoever.
09:54So because you've got
09:55Salah,
09:56that means you also
09:57have to have
09:57Munoz.
09:59I mean,
09:59can we just,
10:01with these numbers
10:02for a second this season,
10:03like carries into
10:04the penalty area,
10:05woof,
10:05touches in the
10:06opposition third,
10:07woof,
10:07creating actions
10:08from literally doing
10:09bits of defending,
10:10woof,
10:11goals,
10:11woof,
10:12assists,
10:12woof,
10:12woof,
10:13woof,
10:13woof,
10:13woof,
10:13woof.
10:14But anyway,
10:15on to
10:16Tother,
10:18slightly less
10:18spectacular,
10:19but nonetheless
10:19vital for the
10:20system we're playing,
10:21remember,
10:22side of this
10:23defence,
10:24our left back.
10:25So annoyingly,
10:25we are going to
10:26have to discount
10:27Kerkhez and
10:28Robinson because
10:28their strengths
10:29are in getting
10:30forward and what
10:30we really want
10:31here is someone
10:31who is defensively
10:33capable,
10:33good on the ball,
10:34can sort of tuck
10:35inside into a
10:36back three if they
10:36need to,
10:37but of course,
10:38still,
10:38if they want to
10:39carry it forward
10:40and move into
10:40other areas,
10:41that's great,
10:42but we're
10:42talking about
10:43a solid
10:44defender first
10:45and a party
10:47guy,
10:47don't know why
10:48I said that,
10:48second.
10:49Now,
10:49Vardial would
10:50be absolutely
10:51perfect for this
10:52role,
10:52but I personally
10:53think he's had
10:54like a bit
10:55of a weird
10:56season.
10:56Miles Lewis
10:57Skelly has
10:58been absolutely
10:59class,
10:59but I think
11:00it's a bit
11:01of a waste
11:01in this role,
11:02you kind of
11:03want him to
11:03be able to
11:03either go
11:04forward or
11:04go into the
11:05middle,
11:05not just sort
11:06of like defend
11:07first and
11:07foremost,
11:08so I'm
11:08going to
11:08not use
11:09him.
11:09And weirdly,
11:10right,
11:11Dan Byrne,
11:12who is not
11:12only a perfect
11:13pick for this
11:14kind of role,
11:15but has had
11:15a fantastic
11:15season,
11:16has actually
11:17spent pretty
11:18much all of
11:19it playing
11:20centre-back,
11:20not left-back,
11:22so I can't
11:24use him.
11:24So instead,
11:26I'm going to
11:27go with
11:28Jurian Timber.
11:29He's had a
11:30really great
11:31season after
11:31that horrible,
11:32horrible injury
11:32last time
11:34around,
11:34and crucially,
11:35for the point
11:35of this argument,
11:36if you go and
11:36look,
11:3710 starts at
11:38left-back,
11:39individually as
11:40good at any
11:41one thing
11:42we're looking
11:42for,
11:43like go
11:43forward a
11:44bit,
11:44go in the
11:44middle a
11:45bit,
11:45tuck round
11:45at the
11:46defence a
11:47bit,
11:47as any
11:48of those
11:48other players,
11:49I'd say
11:49they're all
11:50individually
11:50better at
11:51one thing
11:51than he
11:51is,
11:52but I
11:52would say
11:53across the
11:53three things
11:54you're looking
11:54for,
11:55he's actually
11:56way more
11:57of an
11:57all-rounder,
11:58and you
11:58trust him
11:58to do all
11:59three of
11:59them more
12:00than you
12:01trust those
12:01other players.
12:02He has
12:02tucked inside,
12:03he has
12:03pushed forward,
12:04he has
12:04inverted on
12:05occasion,
12:05he's been
12:06really solid
12:07for Arsenal
12:07in a lot
12:08of big
12:08games,
12:09I think
12:09he's had
12:09genuinely
12:10a class
12:11season,
12:12but ahead
12:14of him,
12:15right,
12:15and I'll
12:16level with
12:16you,
12:16this was
12:17the hardest
12:17pick of
12:19the entire
12:19video,
12:19because what
12:20we're looking
12:20for here is
12:21either the
12:22Premier League's
12:22best left
12:23winger or
12:23left forward,
12:24but who
12:25wants to
12:26actually play
12:26in the
12:27space on
12:28the left
12:28hand side,
12:29and can
12:30both score
12:30and create
12:31from that
12:32area,
12:32not somebody
12:33who moves
12:34from there
12:35into the
12:36number 10
12:37role or
12:37up front,
12:38and if
12:39you'll
12:40forgive me,
12:41this is
12:41like my
12:42only square
12:44peg,
12:45slightly
12:45round a
12:46hole,
12:47like I'll
12:47walk you
12:48through my
12:49thought process,
12:50right,
12:50so Cody
12:50Gakpo has
12:52had an
12:52amazing season,
12:53added goals
12:53to his game,
12:54been really
12:54important for
12:55Liverpool,
12:56but he does
12:56not have
12:57sort of the
12:58pace or the
12:58engine or
12:59just sort of
13:00the directness
13:01you'd want if
13:02you were playing
13:02this system.
13:03Semenyo I
13:04think's been
13:05brilliant on
13:05both the
13:05left and
13:06the right,
13:06but when
13:07he is on
13:07this side,
13:08it's so we
13:09can move
13:09infield,
13:10because as
13:10we've already
13:11mentioned,
13:11Kirkhz is
13:12bombing up
13:13and down
13:13the flank,
13:14and in
13:14this team,
13:15he's not
13:16going to
13:16get that,
13:17so I
13:17don't think
13:18he quite
13:18works for
13:19it either.
13:20And Nelly
13:20went for the
13:21naturally
13:22left-footed
13:23Cole Palmer,
13:24but such
13:24have been his
13:25struggles in
13:26the second
13:26half of the
13:27season,
13:27he hasn't
13:27really got
13:28the consistency,
13:29he hasn't
13:29had the season
13:30you need to
13:31be in a team
13:31of the season.
13:32And finally,
13:33Brian and
13:33Burmo felt
13:34like a really
13:35good option,
13:36because he's
13:36been in loads
13:36of people's
13:37teams of the
13:37season,
13:38but for some
13:38reason,
13:39I'm the only
13:40person who
13:40seems to
13:40have realised
13:41that he did
13:42not play
13:43one single
13:45minute this
13:46season on
13:47the left-hand
13:48side.
13:48That's his
13:49heat map from
13:50the entire
13:50season,
13:51it's like he's
13:51allergic to
13:53that side of
13:53the pitch.
13:54So my
13:54solution,
13:55as best as I
13:56could figure it,
13:57someone who has
13:57had a great
13:58season and would
13:59work in this
13:59role,
13:59all right,
14:00is,
14:02hear me
14:02out,
14:04Mateus
14:04Cunha.
14:05I mean,
14:05if now else he
14:06just deserves to
14:07be in the team
14:07of the season,
14:08so if you can
14:08sort of shoehorn
14:09him in there,
14:10then you
14:11absolutely,
14:12yeah,
14:12yeah,
14:12I know,
14:13okay,
14:13I know that
14:14completely undermines
14:15the entire
14:15premise of this
14:16video,
14:16makes me look a
14:17massive hypocrite,
14:18I'm aware of
14:18that,
14:19okay,
14:20but he has been
14:20really good.
14:21His goals output
14:22has been absolutely
14:23incredible this
14:24season,
14:24his assists,
14:25his direct
14:25running,
14:26his counter-attacking
14:26threat,
14:27his ability to get
14:28from back to
14:28front,
14:28really,
14:30really quickly,
14:31and look at his
14:31seasonal heat map
14:32as well,
14:33just obviously
14:33showed you,
14:34and Buemos,
14:35that is a player
14:36allegedly playing
14:37through the middle,
14:38but who clearly
14:39prefers to drift
14:40out onto that
14:42left-hand side,
14:43he can score when
14:43he comes inside,
14:44but he can create
14:45from out there,
14:46thus,
14:47he's not the
14:48perfect fit for
14:50this team,
14:50but he's been so
14:51good,
14:51and he's close
14:52enough,
14:52I'm gonna go
14:53with it.
14:54So yeah,
14:55there you go,
14:56the whole sort of
14:57magic square that
14:58this team is built
14:59around,
15:00Mo Salah on the
15:01right coming in the
15:02middle so that
15:02Anthony Robinson can
15:03get up and behind
15:04him,
15:05and then Jurian
15:05Timber can shuffle
15:06along sometimes if
15:07he wants to help
15:09that,
15:09and Kunye will do
15:10as he's goddamn
15:11told and stay on
15:13the left for us,
15:14and that's,
15:15that's,
15:15that's your magic
15:16box.
15:17And yeah,
15:17you know what,
15:18it is,
15:18it's a slightly
15:20janky inclusion,
15:21but I could work
15:23with that,
15:24I think they'd do
15:25okay.
15:25Anyway though,
15:26right,
15:26back to sort of
15:27going from back
15:27to front like
15:28you're supposed
15:28to in these
15:29videos.
15:30The two
15:30central backs.
15:33Now in a team
15:33such as this,
15:34there's a couple
15:34of things you're
15:35looking for,
15:35right?
15:35Obviously you want
15:36them to be
15:36comfortable on the
15:37ball because just
15:38like all centre
15:39backs have to be
15:40comfortable on the
15:40ball,
15:40but not in a
15:41sort of neat,
15:42tidy,
15:43sort of structured
15:43build-up way,
15:44you want them to
15:45have a good eye
15:46for a long pass.
15:47Because ultimately
15:47that's how these
15:48sort of direct
15:49attacking teams work.
15:50At some point you're
15:50going to get the
15:51ball at the back
15:51and you want to
15:52release somebody
15:55to do that
15:55really well
15:56is quite important.
15:57But likewise,
15:58you are eventually
15:59going to push up
16:00really high
16:01onto the opposition
16:03so you do also
16:04need at least
16:04one of them
16:05to have really
16:06good recovery pace
16:07coming back
16:08the other way.
16:09So you want
16:10someone who's
16:10quick ideally
16:11and someone who
16:12can pass ideally.
16:13But also remember
16:14because we've got
16:14Salah and Munoz
16:15on that right-hand
16:16side,
16:17the right-sided
16:18centre-back is
16:19going to be the
16:19one that has to
16:20do the most
16:21covering,
16:22the most mopping up.
16:23He's going to have
16:24to deal with the
16:24problems that
16:25that flank
16:26creates.
16:27So you want him
16:27to be the one
16:28with the pace
16:28ideally and the
16:30other one can be
16:31the one who
16:31kicks it up the
16:32pitch.
16:32Now obviously
16:33the one defender
16:34who's been in
16:34everybody's Premier
16:35League team
16:35of the season
16:36is Milenkovic.
16:37He's been
16:38absolutely
16:39one of the best
16:40value buys in
16:41Premier League
16:41history.
16:42However,
16:42he plays for a
16:43Nottingham Forest
16:44team that sits
16:45so deep.
16:46They do not want
16:47him on the ball,
16:48they do not want
16:48him running back
16:49to his own goal.
16:50He is no use
16:52to us.
16:52So, and with
16:53apologies to
16:54Gabriel who
16:55could very
16:55easily have
16:55made it into
16:56this team,
16:56we're going
16:57to go with
16:58the combination
16:59of Virgil van
17:00Dijk and
17:02Housen.
17:03Between the two
17:04of them,
17:04they absolutely
17:05have it all
17:06this season.
17:07Their defensive
17:07numbers individually
17:08are outstanding
17:09and the teams
17:10they play for
17:10by extension
17:11have defended
17:12really well.
17:13But on the
17:13ball as well,
17:15they've both
17:15demonstrated that
17:16they're absolutely
17:17excellent.
17:17Van Dijk's
17:18actually been
17:18really good at
17:20those recovery
17:20runs, but not
17:21by being athletic,
17:22by having it
17:23up here.
17:24And they've
17:25both, equally as
17:25importantly, got a
17:26fantastic eye for
17:28the pass.
17:28So we haven't
17:28got to have one
17:30who runs and
17:30one who passes.
17:31You've got a
17:32really good
17:32combination of
17:34both those skills
17:35in both of those
17:36players, albeit that
17:37one of them is
17:38better at the
17:38other than the
17:39other one is.
17:40So they complement
17:41each other nicely.
17:43And yes, the one
17:44small caveat to this
17:45is that they are
17:45both preferably
17:47left-sided
17:48centre-backs.
17:49But Hausson
17:50apparently is
17:52comfortable playing
17:53on both sides
17:54and has had a
17:55couple of games
17:56there for
17:57Bournemouth this
17:58season.
17:58And given that
17:59he's the one
18:00with the legs and
18:00we need the one
18:01with the legs on
18:01the right-hand
18:02side, he'll be
18:05fine there all.
18:06If Kuna can do
18:06that role, he can
18:07do that.
18:08All right, so
18:09central midfield.
18:11And if me and
18:11you, just me and
18:14you, right, if we're
18:15going to have a
18:15falling out over
18:16anything in this
18:17video, probably
18:19going to be this.
18:20So to be specific,
18:22right, in this
18:22system where you're
18:23not asking them to
18:24be too far forward,
18:25you're not asking
18:25them to be too far
18:26back, but you are
18:27occasionally asking
18:27them to do both
18:28of those things.
18:29What we want is
18:30athleticism, robustness
18:32and technique.
18:34You want them to
18:35be an absolute
18:37flipping nightmare
18:40to play against.
18:42Now ideally, one of
18:43them should be able
18:44to offer you
18:44something really
18:45high quality.
18:46on the ball, just
18:47in case you're
18:48struggling to
18:49break down the
18:50opposition.
18:50But what's more
18:50important than
18:51that is that
18:52they're both
18:52incredibly hard
18:54to press.
18:56And I know what
18:56you're thinking, but
18:57I'm not even
18:57slightly arsed what
18:59the pair of them
18:59are doing in the
19:00final third of
19:01this pitch.
19:01We're going to
19:02have five absolute
19:03belters taking
19:04care of that.
19:05So, Alexis
19:06McAllister and
19:08Declan Rice, out
19:10and out.
19:11I saw a few
19:12shouts of Bruno
19:12Fernandes as well.
19:14Out.
19:14Not interested.
19:15Like, don't get me
19:16wrong, fantastic
19:17players who've all
19:18had, in their own
19:19way, outstanding
19:20individual seasons.
19:22But what we're
19:23looking for here
19:24are two
19:25just
19:27bastards.
19:28And though it
19:29pains me to say
19:30it, Ryan
19:31Gravenberg, the
19:32player I have
19:33spent the most
19:34time on camera
19:35talking about how
19:37great they've been
19:38this season, he
19:40is not going in
19:42either.
19:43Because, and
19:45just hear me out,
19:46I've got no doubt
19:47whatsoever that he
19:48could play that
19:50role, but he has
19:51basically been the
19:53poster boy this
19:54season, but just
19:55having a single
19:57pivot.
19:57He is the man
19:58who has made
19:594-3-3, win the
20:01league this season
20:02on his own.
20:03And it just
20:03feels morally
20:06wrong to me to
20:08then have him in a
20:09double pivot in
20:10this video.
20:11Which, let's not
20:12forget, very
20:13importantly, is my
20:16video.
20:16It's something silly
20:17I've just made up.
20:18So if you think
20:19this is silly, well,
20:21then you're right.
20:21So for this, our
20:23team right here, me
20:25and you, I'm going
20:25to go with Moises
20:28Kai-Sedo.
20:29Because I think he's
20:31maybe had one of
20:33the most underrated
20:34seasons I have
20:36ever seen.
20:38He has absolutely
20:39dominated in some
20:41big games.
20:41He has screened in
20:43front of that Chelsea
20:43back line.
20:44He has played in
20:45that Chelsea back
20:46line and then
20:47inverted into it.
20:48He's been
20:48absolutely sensational
20:49for Chelsea, both
20:50with the ball and
20:52without it.
20:52And it doesn't
20:53really bear out in
20:54the numbers, but
20:55every time I've
20:56watched him this
20:57season, I've just
20:57been so blown away
20:59by how he seems to
21:00dominate in so many
21:02different phases of
21:03play.
21:03How so many
21:04situations seem to
21:05envelop where you
21:06think, oh, Chelsea
21:07have messed this up.
21:08They've lost the
21:09ball here.
21:09And then there he
21:10is doing the work
21:11of two or three
21:12extra players.
21:14And he has
21:14actually looked at
21:15this season from
21:16pretty much start to
21:17finish, even when
21:18Chelsea went to
21:18went on their
21:18bad run, like the
21:20£100m defensive
21:22midfielder that
21:23everyone was so
21:24desperate to get
21:25last season.
21:26I weirdly find
21:28myself quite pleased
21:29for him, even
21:29though I literally
21:31never met him.
21:32And alongside him,
21:33I want someone who
21:34can simultaneously
21:35match the
21:36physicality, match
21:37the energy, match
21:38the recovery runs,
21:39match the dynamism
21:40up and down the
21:41pitch, but who can
21:42maybe offer you
21:43something, a little
21:44bit higher quality
21:45on the ball.
21:46And I promise
21:47you, I promise
21:48you, this is not
21:50just my personal
21:51bias is talking,
21:52because I did try
21:53and think of a
21:54third option just
21:55to make it look
21:55like it wasn't.
21:56But I think the
21:57two best options
21:58there, honestly,
22:00are Sandro
22:01Tonali and Bruno
22:02Guimaraes.
22:03Now they both
22:04obviously offer you
22:05slightly different
22:07things, but if we're
22:07just talking about
22:08the kind of season
22:09these players have
22:10had, because it's a
22:11team of the season,
22:12at the end of the
22:13day, Newcastle had
22:14a really ropey
22:16start, where it
22:17looked like things
22:18were all going
22:18wrong, and there
22:19was talk about
22:19changing the
22:20manager, and
22:21finally, Eddie
22:22Howe cracked how
22:23to get Sandro
22:24Tonali into this
22:25team, and it
22:25wasn't to have him
22:27as one of the
22:27eights in the
22:28system going box
22:29to box, it was
22:30to have him as
22:31the pivot, which
22:32yes, is a single
22:33lone pivot, but in
22:34the games when
22:35Newcastle have used
22:36it to, he has
22:38been in there, and
22:39he's a weird
22:41player to watch.
22:42When they're
22:42defending, he
22:43always seems to
22:44be on the edge
22:45of the box, like
22:46closing down a
22:47passing angle, putting
22:48a tackle in, something
22:49like that, and when
22:50they're playing through
22:51the opposition in the
22:52middle of the pitch,
22:52he always seems to
22:54be there as well,
22:55either carrying the
22:56ball out himself,
22:56linking up, or
22:57sometimes being the
22:58pass option a little
22:59bit further up the
23:00pitch, and then when
23:02they get into the
23:0218-yard box, he
23:04still seems to pop
23:05up there as well, he
23:07gets on the end of
23:08crosses, he finds
23:09himself making these
23:11runs.
23:11The guy's
23:12athleticism alone,
23:14put aside his
23:15technical quality,
23:15because that's
23:16fantastic as well, but
23:17just his engine and
23:18his determination to
23:20be involved everywhere
23:21on the pitch has
23:22revolutionised how
23:24Newcastle play, and
23:26taken them from a
23:27really bad-looking
23:28season to a trophy
23:30win and European
23:32football.
23:33And the thing is, and
23:34I'm going on about
23:35them a lot here, but
23:36just one last thing,
23:36right?
23:37If I showed you his
23:37numbers, right?
23:39None of them are
23:40great, but that's the
23:41thing, they're all in
23:43that category.
23:44There is no weakness
23:46to his game
23:47whatsoever.
23:47Every single thing he
23:49can do on a football
23:49pitch, defending,
23:51passing, tackling,
23:52chance creation, ball
23:53progression, anything
23:54you can think of, he is
23:55in a good to very good
23:57category for it.
23:58And that kind of makes
24:01him unique in this
24:02league.
24:02And having genuinely
24:03thought about this,
24:04right?
24:04I don't think there's a
24:06midfield pairing you
24:08would less want to play
24:09against than that.
24:12Right then, God
24:13almighty, this is a
24:13long video.
24:14Okay, so the number
24:1510 in the forwards,
24:16this is fun, they need
24:19to work together.
24:20Now the centre
24:21forwards in this
24:22system, because you're
24:22very direct and you're
24:23sort of attacking front
24:24to back, is going to be
24:25getting in behind a lot.
24:28I'm not hyping it up,
24:29I'm just going to pick
24:29Alexander Isak.
24:30So you need someone who's
24:31both a runner and a
24:33finisher, like Alexander
24:34Isak.
24:35But behind him in the
24:36number 10, because you've
24:37already got three
24:38runners, you actually
24:40want someone who can
24:42create.
24:42Like if I just wanted
24:43another runner, I'd go
24:44for Morgan Rodgers,
24:45because he's had an
24:46unbelievable season.
24:47And I think maybe,
24:48might actually be the
24:49best ball carrier in the
24:51Premier League at the
24:52minute.
24:52But we've got three of
24:53those already, we're
24:54kind of covered for
24:54that.
24:55I want someone who can
24:56pick the pass into
24:57them.
24:58But also, and this is
24:59important, because you've
25:00got two bastards right
25:02behind you, you're going
25:02to need someone who can
25:03drop in there occasionally
25:05as well, because you've
25:06only got two, so when
25:07the opposition get three
25:09in the midfield, or
25:09sometimes even get four,
25:11you need somebody with a
25:12bit of technical quality
25:13to drop in and be
25:15competitive and be
25:16technical there as
25:17well.
25:18You have to have a bit
25:20of everything.
25:20You are the most
25:22important player in this
25:23team.
25:24You are Morgan Gibbs
25:27White.
25:27Like it's chance
25:28creation, like in
25:29particular is balls into
25:30the final third, is
25:31through balls, things like
25:31that are beyond reproach.
25:34What he has done for
25:35Nottingham Forest this
25:36season is amazing.
25:39And his ability to drop
25:40into the middle of the
25:41pitch and compete is
25:42fantastic.
25:43He intercepts the ball
25:43really well because you
25:44read the game so well.
25:46He offers you like
25:47genuine elite level
25:49chance creation at the
25:50top end of the pitch,
25:50but also like solid,
25:52robust, athletic,
25:54physical number in the
25:56middle.
25:56He can slow the game
25:57down.
25:58He can speed the game
25:58up, he can help you
25:59press, he can help you
26:00defend really deep.
26:02He's another one of
26:02these players that really
26:03feels like he's got it
26:05all.
26:06And as a result, he's
26:08had an absolutely
26:09fantastic season.
26:11And the highest
26:11compliment that I can
26:12pay to him is that there
26:13have been several
26:14Nottingham Forest
26:14players who could be in
26:16this team, but I've
26:17ruled out because the
26:18system is so different
26:19to the one they play.
26:20And yet, I think he
26:22would be absolutely
26:23fantastic in a team like
26:26this.
26:26Like, to be fair, the
26:27four lads up his end of
26:29the pitch do attack
26:30direct anyway, so that
26:31the rest of them don't.
26:33And don't get me wrong,
26:34there are loads of
26:34other players in this
26:35position this season
26:36that could have been
26:36in here, like, as a
26:37very, very nearly went
26:39for Morgan Rodgers, who
26:41we've mentioned.
26:42Like, Justin Cliver,
26:43why not?
26:44Possibly even Cole
26:44Palmer if he hadn't
26:45been visited by three
26:47ghosts over Christmas,
26:48he told him to just
26:49immediately stop scoring
26:51goals.
26:51But no, it is Morgan
26:53Gibbswhite, whose
26:54spectacular contribution
26:56to this Nottingham
26:57Forest team, has got
26:58them into the
27:02Champions League, or
27:05nearly did.
27:07I'm recording this on
27:09Saturday.
27:10But also, also, also,
27:12also, also, also, now
27:13that we've finished the
27:13team, can you just, can
27:15you do me a solid here,
27:16right, and imagine
27:17Morgan Gibbswhite feeding
27:19the ball into the runs
27:21of Kuna, Isak, and
27:23Salah.
27:24That man would get
27:26one squajillion
27:29assists.
27:30So, yeah.
27:31Which camera?
27:32Yes, that one.
27:32That's it.
27:33That is the ACFC
27:35original concept
27:38team of the season,
27:40brackets, Premier League
27:4124-25.
27:42Skip to the end, or
27:44you first leave at the
27:44start.
27:45We picked the system,
27:46the system that
27:47defined the season this
27:48year, which was 4-2-3-1,
27:50with one insane fullback,
27:51and we picked the team
27:53to best fit that.
27:55And, yes, some of your
27:56faves who have had better
27:58seasons than Lowe's,
27:59lads, might not be in
28:00there, but they're in
28:02there, because it's,
28:04because it's my team,
28:05and it's my video.
28:08Now, yes, I have
28:09admittedly sort of
28:10front-loaded the premise
28:11of this video in a way
28:12that doesn't really
28:13invite discussion or
28:15challenge, but
28:15nonetheless, I would
28:17actually be more
28:18interested than you
28:20could believe in what
28:22your version of this
28:23is, primarily because
28:25I think this is a low
28:26yield video in terms
28:29of views, so we're
28:30not going to get
28:30flooded with, like,
28:31500 or 1,000 comments,
28:32so if you comment,
28:34I'll actually be able
28:35to talk to you about
28:36it, because I won't
28:37get, like, drowned
28:38in a sea of them.
28:40So what your version
28:41of this is, what's
28:42your system, and
28:43what's your team that
28:44fits it, bear in
28:45mind they have to have
28:45had a good season,
28:46you can't just pick
28:47players, because
28:48they theoretically
28:48would be good, you've
28:49got to marry the two
28:51concepts, what's
28:52yours?
28:52And I'll tell you
28:53what, if you give me
28:54it, the system, how it
28:56works, one sentence
28:57max, and then the
28:5811, I will score you
29:00out of five, yeah.
29:07Yeah, we'll go five.
29:09You guys probably
29:09don't know who Dave
29:10Meltzer is, but I do,
29:12and I've always wanted
29:13to have my version of
29:15that.
29:15Yeah.
29:17But anyway, other than
29:18that, that was just,
29:18that was a bit of fun.
29:19I've got no idea how
29:20long this is.
29:20Is it an hour?
29:21Is it 30 minutes?
29:22I feel like I've been
29:23in the studio all day.
29:24Let me know, though,
29:25which is if you enjoyed
29:25it, and which is the
29:26big studio we have
29:28here at The Independent,
29:29not the purpose-built
29:30one they kindly made
29:32for me.
29:32I wanted to use it
29:33because the lighting's
29:34nicer, and it's bigger,
29:35and also I've never
29:36booked it before, and
29:37also if you have this
29:38one, someone comes and
29:39chose the lights and
29:40chose the cameras for
29:41you, which is cool.
29:43You can, of course,
29:43subscribe to ACFC,
29:44which I would love you
29:45to do because we're
29:46getting so close to
29:47100,000, and I want
29:48my little silver play
29:50button.
29:51You can get me across
29:51all the social media
29:52at Adam Cleary, C-L-E-R.
29:54I still can't get
29:55over how cool that is,
29:56the spinning football
29:57card.
29:58I can't believe we
29:58made that, but yes,
30:00that's it.
30:01I don't know which
30:01camera I look at.
30:02That's it.
30:03That's the team of the
30:03season.
30:04That's the thing I came
30:05up with and I'm very
30:06happy with, although as
30:07soon as this goes out,
30:08I will wish that I put
30:10Ryan Gravenberch in.
30:11Oh, well, you have no
30:13idea how hungry I am
30:14because I've been in
30:15here all day, so I'm
30:15just going to go now.
30:16I'm just going to go
30:17now.
30:17Goodbye to you,
30:18camera two, and
30:19goodbye to you,
30:20camera one.
30:22Goodbye.