Adama Traore, Wilfried Zaha and Emiliano Buendia have been the Premier League's top dribblers this season
Thursday 16 April 2020 14:45, UK
On Sky Sports this week we're discussing the Premier League team of the season - but who would make it into alternative XIs based on certain stats? Today we're looking at the best Dribbling XI...
As with each of these Alternative XIs, a 4-3-3 formation will be used and players included must have played at least 50 per cent of the season so far.
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An all Leicester and Sheffield United back four includes one from each club at full-back and centre-back. Ricardo Pereira, dribbling past more opponents per 90 minutes than any other Premier League defender this season, partners Enda Stevens at full-back.
The second Sheffield United choice is Chris Basham, regularly seen venturing upfield as one of his side's three centre-backs, while Caglar Soyuncu completes the unit.
In goal, Ben Foster actually dribbled past two opponents this season - successfully taking on Tottenham's Dele Alli and Newcastle's Joelinton - while the rest of the Premier League's goalkeepers combined for just 3 successful dribbles between them. Clearly Foster possesses the ideal blend of confidence and swagger for this side.
Norwich's Emiliano Buendia leads the way among Premier League midfielders, dribbling around 92 opponents in total. That's also, remarkably, more than double the next best return of any other Norwich player.
Alongside him is Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic, who has the best actual dribble success rate of any player in this team, and West Ham's Felipe Anderson.
An especially fluid front three includes the master of this trade, Adama Traore. On average, the Wolves winger leaves an opponent trailing behind him 6.3 times per 90 minutes - significantly more than any other Premier League player and enough to give any left-back nightmares. For context, Burnley only average 6.8 successful take-ons as a team this season.
Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha then accompany Traore, in an eye-catching trio capable of tormenting any defender in front of them.
A side focused on individual skill and brilliance over team cohesion but one guaranteed to supply a heavy dose of fireworks and entertainment.
