Last weekend Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2014/15 season. So, is he really the best left-back in the Premier League?
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The 25-year-old has enjoyed regular football this season with his new club while he has also been consistent in that left-back position for Southampton, but statistically speaking, has he been the most impressive left-back in the Premier League this season?
Bertrand went straight into Ronald Koeman’s regular line-up when he arrived from Chelsea and he has made 30 appearances in the Premier League this season. In the 2695 minutes he has played, Bertrand has scored twice and registered two assists.
The left-back has also been impressive defensively as he makes an average of 1.4 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 1.5 clearances and 0.2 blocks per game while he wins an average of 1.5 aerial duels per game.
Bertrand’s passing ability is also impressive, as he makes an average of 40.5 passes per game, 0.8 key passes per game, 2.2 long balls and has a successful passing rate of 79.5%.
Luke Shaw – Manchester United
Shaw was named in the PFA Team of the Year last season for his impressive performances in the same position and with the same team. Although, Shaw missed a huge chunk of this season as he has only made 14 appearances so far in the league this season. In the 1087 minutes he has played, he has made an average of 1.5 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 3.7 clearances and won 1.9 aerial duels per game. These defensive statistics are much better than Bertrand but it has to be taken into consideration that Bertrand has played more than twice as many games as Shaw. Shaw’s passing statistics are also impressive as he makes 0.9 key passes per game, makes 1.9 long balls per game and has a successful passing rate of 87.1%.
Alberto Moreno – Liverpool
Moreno arrived to Liverpool from Sevilla last summer for £12m and has settled into English football quickly despite his team having a mixed season. The Spaniard has made 24 appearances in the Premier League while he has scored twice and made 1 assist in his 2130 minutes of football. The 22 year old makes an average of 2.1 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 1.7 clearances and wins an average of 0.2 aerial duels per game. Moreno makes an average of 35.2 passes per game and this includes 1.2 key passes and 1.8 long range passes while he has a successful passing rate of 82.5%.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsHI39y62kA
Kieran Gibbs – Arsenal
Gibbs has made 16 appearances and scored once in his 1478 minutes of Premier League football. The Englishman has improved immensely in defence this season as he makes an average of 3.4 tackles, 3.6 interceptions and 1.9 clearances while he wins an average of 1.9 aerial duels per game. Although, the 25 year old needs to work on his passing as he creates 0.7 key passes and 0.6 long range passes in his average of 42.1 passes per game while he has a successful passing rate of 79.3%.
Leighton Baines – Everton
Baines has been part of an Everton side that haven’t lived up to their expectations this season but the 30 year old has still been consistent this season. The Englishman has scored twice this season and made an impressive 9 assists in his 29 appearances this season. Defensively, Baines makes an average of 2.2 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, 2.6 clearances and 0.4 blocks per game while he wins an average of 0.4 aerial duels per game. The Everton left back makes an average of 2.4 key passes and 2.4 long range passes in his average of 49.6 passes per game while he has a successful passing rate of 83.5%.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA-mPMOjDYg
Cesar Azpilicueta – Chelsea
The Spaniard is easily one of the most underrated defenders in the Premier League as he has kept Filipe Luis on the bench at Chelsea for a huge chunk of the season. The 25 year old has made 27 appearances this season but hasn’t contributed directly to any of Chelsea’s goals this season. Azpilicueta makes an average of 3.3 tackles, 2.5 interceptions, 3.5 clearances and 0.8 blocks per game while he wins an average of 0.8 aerial duels per game. The Chelsea defender has impressive passing abilities also as he creates 0.3 key passes and 2.8 long range passes in his average of 54.8 passes per game while he has a successful passing rate of 88.6%.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CchgWfW5ybA
Bertrand may not have the most impressive statistics out of all of the top left backs in the Premier League this season but he is competing up there with the best.
Read More About: Arsenal, cesar azpilicueta, Chelsea, everton, gibbs, Leighton Baines, luke shaw, Manchester United, PFA Team of the Year, Ryan Bertrand, southampton fc, Top Story
