Thursday, June 8, 2017

Top 10 Best Signings - 16/17 Season


The other week as I was swanning it up in Portugal I wrote a blog post about the top 10 worst signings of the 2016/17 Premier League season so it only makes sense that this week I write a post about the top 10 best signings.


Now like I said in the last post, there have been a number of great signings this season and this is only my chosen top 10. If anyone reading this feels I missed out a big name or an obvious choice then please feel free to comment below or tweet me @ThePenaltyKing1. Without further ado let me get the ball rolling.

10 - Lee Grant
I am so happy to be adding Lee Grant to this list. Back when he used to play for Sheffield Wednesday I used to tell people that Grant was good enough for the Premier League and he’s finally getting his chance to prove me right. I’m just gutted that it took him until the tender age of 34 to get his chance...still time left though.
The Potters shot stopper has kept 9 clean sheets in 28 games this season, the same amount as Simon Mignolet and Kasper Schmeichel and more than Champions League winners Victor Valdes and Claudio Bravo! Safe to say that Grant has more than filled the boots of Stoke’s regular number 1, Jack Butland.

9 - Manolo Gabbiadini
This might raise a few eyebrows being so low on the list but I just couldn’t bring myself to stick him any higher up the list than this. The Italian joined Southampton from Napoli and really hit the ground running, scoring 6 goals in his opening 4 games, two of which came in the League Cup final against Manchester United...should have been a hattrick too...bastards…
He hasn’t scored in his last 8 games for the club, however he has only played a full 90 in one of those games. The future definitely looks bright for The Saints who look to have finally found that consistent goalscorer they’ve been missing.

8 - Mamadou Sakho
How impressive must you be to have played 8 games and still get nominated for your club’s player of the season? Mamadou Sakho joined Crystal Palace at the end of January on a loan move until the end of the season and has played a huge part in keeping The Eagles in The Premier League.
The French international has made on average 1.6 interceptions and a whopping 6.3 clearances per game for Palace. This has caused some Liverpool fans to wonder why Klopp is so desperate to get rid of the 27 year old.

7 - Matt Phillips
This one is another quite controversial entry. Matty Phillips has been a driving creative force in West Brom’s rise up the table this season, collecting 8 assists and 4 goals along the way. His direct and attacking abilities have been impressive this season and his pinpoint deliveries have helped to get the best out of Salomon Rondon.
Making 1.3 key passes and 2 successful dribbles per game, the Scotland international has really spread his wings, with Tony Pulis’ tactic complimenting him perfectly. At only 26 we may see even more improvement from Phillips in the next few seasons.

6 - Victor Wanyama
This absolute powerhouse came into a Tottenham side looking to sure up the back four as well as give the more attacking players more creative freedom. And for a low price of £11 million the Kenyan international has done just that!
On average this season, Wanyama has made 2.5 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 1.9 clearances per game! On top of that he has also scored 4 goals in Tottenham’s push for the title which is more than his last 3 Premier League campaigns combined. A class signing from Pochettino.

5 - Marcos Alonso
I’ve really enjoyed watching Alonso this season. He’s dominated all up that left side for Chelsea all season not just defensively but also when he marauds up the pitch to join the attack. In my opinion he has been (dare I say it) as good as Ashley Cole…
The Spaniard is now on his third stint of Premier League football and looks to have finally hit it big, putting in some amazing performances for Chelsea which did come as a bit of a surprise after his performances for Bolton and Sunderland. Conte’s tactic fit Alonso perfectly as he managed to bag 6 goals and 3 assists for The Blues and help them to the Premier League title.

4 - Nacer Chadli
West Brom’s second entry and club record signing Nacer Chadli comes in at number 4 . This guy has been superb this season for The Baggies this season, picking up 5 goals and 5 assists in the league, helping Albion to their highest finish since the 11/12 season.
Tony Pulis’ squad are very organised and well drilled defensively, which gives a player like Chadli freedom to be creative knowing that players like Yacob, Livermore and Fletcher can clean up for him if his attack doesn’t pan out. Arguably West Brom’s best player of the Premier League era, Albion fans can expect bigger things to come from the Belgian international.

3 - Sadio Mane
The most expensive player in African football history comes in at number 3. Liverpool paid £34 million for the Senegalese attacker and haven’t looked back. He’s managed an impressive 13 goals and 5 assists in just 27 appearances for The Reds, playing a huge part in taking them back into the Champions League.
Despite missing out on a lot of the season through either injury and The African Cup of Nations he still managed to pick up Liverpool’s player of the year award. If he manages to play all 38 games next season the scousers may actually make a stronger claim for the Premier League title.

2 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic
There are 2 reasons why Zlatan Ibrahimovic is at number 2 in this list. 1 - he has scored 28 goals in 46 appearances for Manchester United this season. 2 - he cost them absolutely nothing! These days clubs spend tens of millions to find goalscorers so you have to give credit to The Red Devils for bringing in such a top class forward on a free.
The 35 year old has been at his best this season has been a driving force in taking United back into the Champions League...even if it is only the qualifying rounds. I’m sure it’ll be a huge weight off Mourinho’s shoulders if the Swede does decide to stay at Old Trafford for another season.

1 - Paul Pogba
What can I say about Paul Pogba that hasn’t been said before. He’s the best player in the world, better than Messi and Ronaldo. Actually he’s the best player in the history of football. No one even comes close. And if anyone believes this then they must be on crack!
MUFC paid £89 million for a player who’s probably had more haircuts than goals or assists. No player is worth £89 million in my opinion. For £89 million I’d expect a player so good he renders the game pointless. So good that he can take Woking to the Champions League in 6 seasons! Someone who is so good you just automatically win the league by signing him...the only player I can think of who can do that though is...

1 - N’Golo Kante
My actual number 1 spot goes to N’Golo Kante who somehow is a better player this season than he was last season! Regular readers of my blog know that I love the little French bulldog and that is simply because of his workrate and intelligence on the pitch. It’s shocking to think that there wasn’t more interest for him.
If Arsenal signed him, they’d have won the league. If Spurs signed him, they’d have won the league. If Liverpool, City or United had signed him, they’d have won the league. Leicester essentially sold the title to Chelsea for £32 million, an absolute bargain!

And that’s it. Feel free to comment below or tweet me on how I missed out (insert player name here) and that he’s been class for (insert club name here). It’s all about opinion and I’d love to hear yours and see who I may have missed out on.

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Cheers for reading.

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