Troy Deeney’s Team of the Week: Sels, Robinson, Amad, Foden
Who has made Troy’s Premier League team of the week?
After every round of Premier League matches this season, BBC football pundit Troy Deeney will give you his team and manager of the week.
Here are this week’s choices. Do you agree? Give us your thoughts using the comments form at the bottom of this page.
Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest): He made maybe seven unbelievable saves that kept his team in it against Liverpool. Really no-nonsense defending, no getting up and giving it to the fans. He just got up and did his job like a proper goalkeeper.
Reece James (Chelsea): I’m going to be soft and sentimental with this one. Yes, I know he was a sub against Bournemouth and he scored a nice free-kick and it was only a draw. However, it has been about 500 days since we saw him play a decent game. A world-class player on his day but unfortunately injuries have ravaged him.
Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace) and Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa): Both have been excellent defenders for a long time now. Both of them are in different parts of their lives. Guehi always seems to be linked with a team and is still trying to be the captain but he handles it like a true pro and gets his job done. It is not a coincidence that with his form picking up Palace are winning more and more games to move away from the relegation zone.
Konsa is never the guy you speak about at Aston Villa. Years ago it was Tyrone Mings, then it was Diego Carlos, but he is Mr Consistent. He can play at centre-back, he can play at right-back and he’s just a solid pro, a really good player and he probably should be getting more of a look-in in that England side with all the injuries – and he’ll help his chances with Thomas Tuchel taking over.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham): Arguably the best left-back in the Premier League this season. Excellent again for Fulham with two assists against West Ham. Just a real marauding, solid defender. I think there’s still a bit more to come and I think if he can get that end product and a bit more consistency, they’ll struggle to keep him. He’ll move on to bigger and better things.
Sandro Tonali (Newcastle) and Carlos Soler (West Ham): Two players who have had difficult seasons for different reasons. Soler has been playing in a struggling West Ham team – we’ve not seen the best of him. Hopefully, with Graham Potter coming in now, we start to see a bit more. Well-taken goal, an excellent engine in the middle. He looks like there could be a player in there. I’m still worried about his legs but for this week we’ll be nice and say he did well.
Then Tonali, he obviously had the ban and it looked at one point as if he was going to get moved on to Italy again, it didn’t look like it was going to work out, but since Eddie Howe has put him in there with Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, that midfield three is arguably the best in the Premier League right now. It just works altogether and he is a key part of that.
Alex Iwobi (Fulham): He got another couple of goals and has probably been Fulham’s best player throughout. He can play numerous positions but he has just been really, really good. He’s one of those people that we disrespect and underappreciate but if he was in your team, you would love him to death. He’s had a really good week.
Phil Foden (Manchester City): He’s just a really good player. I want to see more from Phil. It has been an iffy year for him, considering the year he had last year and I’m glad he started to pick it up. I want to see more from him, I want to see him taking ownership of this team and making it his team.
Amad Diallo (Manchester United): I didn’t even know he was playing in the first 70 minutes against Southampton but to get a hat-trick in 12 minutes, you have to put him in. He turned Manchester United’s team and fortunes on its head. He obviously got a nice big contract, he seems like the bright spark of this season so far but he has still got loads of learning to do and he has still got loads to improve on. He’ll only get better.
Alexander Isak (Newcastle): We may as well just keep him in for the next six weeks. Mr Isak, the best striker on the planet currently. He does everything – scores two goals, creates an assist and then goes and sits down after 70 minutes because it is job done. We can keep talking about how good he is – he’s an obvious replacement for others, but while he’s at a flying Newcastle team why would he leave? They may end up – don’t say it too loud – creating a little title push.
Graham Potter (West Ham): I don’t see this working out long-term but for right now, Mr Graham Potter. His first win in a long time. Were they a bit fortunate that Fulham decided to give them a couple of goals? Yes. However, he has had a tough time of it but you can see a clear brand of football change and an identity change instantly.
Do you agree with Troy’s selections? Who would be in your Team of the Week? Have your say using the comments form below: