Premier League 2022/23 Season: the best possible squad
The Premier League is home to some of the world’s finest football talents, and the 2022/23 season was no exception, as a new generation of players emerged while established stars continued to shine. From influential midfield maestros to prolific goal scorers and rock-solid defenders, the league witnessed a stellar display of skill and brilliance. This blog presents the eleven best players of the 2022/23 Premier League season, highlighting their basic information, club details, player ratings, key statistics, and their ranking. Let’s dive into the list!
The eleven best players of this season
Goalkeeper:
Name: David Raya
Age: 27 years old
Player rating: 7.33
Club: Brentford
Ranking of club: 9
David Raya had an outstanding 2022-23 Premier League season, playing every minute and contributing significantly to the team’s historic achievement of their highest top-flight finish since 1938.
The Spanish shot-stopper displayed remarkable shot-stopping abilities, making a league-leading 154 saves and boasting an impressive save percentage of 77%, the best among goalkeepers who played at least five matches. Raya also registered a total of 12 clean sheets.
Raya completed 410 long passes, the most by any goalkeeper in a season since 2017-18 (Jonas Lössl with 420 for Huddersfield). He formed a successful connection with forward Ivan Toney, delivering 174 passes to him, a staggering 93 more than the next-best goalkeeper-to-forward pass combination. Remarkably, this surpassed the number of passes any other Brentford teammate made to Toney in the Premier League this season.
Most notable statistic:
Most saves in the Premier League (154).
Left-back
Name: Oleksandr Zinchenko
Age: 26 years old
Player rating: 7.11
Club: Arsenal
Ranking of club: 2
Throughout the campaign, he featured in 27 matches for Arsenal, showcasing his influence on the pitch. Impressively, he led the team in various passing metrics, including most passes (64), most passes in the opposition half (38), most passes into the final third (26), and most touches (92) per 90 minutes among all Arsenal players who played at least 1,000 minutes.
The Ukrainian midfielder played a significant role in the build-up to 16 goals for Arsenal, a remarkable feat considering he missed 11 games. This places him among the top contributors in the Premier League, with only four players being involved in more goals. Additionally, Zinchenko stood out as the left-back with the most progressive passes (121) and ranked fourth among all full-backs in the competition for secondary chances created (25).
Most notable statistic:
Left-back with the most progressive passes (121)
Centre-Back:
Name: William Saliba
Age: 22 years old
Player rating: 7.13
Club: Arsenal
Ranking of club: 2
What a debut season it’s been for William Saliba in the Premier League. While he was fit, Arsenal were eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table. After he got injured, Arsenal dropped 15 points and missed out on their first league title in almost 20 years. It’s safe to say his injury played a major role in Mikel Arteta’s side missing out to Manchester City in the title race.
While not even playing all games due to a back injury that ended his season early in March, William Saliba had the second-most clearances (82) and second-most won aerial battles (53) among all Arsenal players in the 2022/23 season. He had 27 appearances in the 2022/23 season, with which he still holds place ten, looking at the most appearances for Arsenal in the previous season.
William Saliba also noted 43 headed clearances, which places him at the third spot among all Arsenal players. He also registered 19 interceptions and a total of 10 blocks throughout the whole season.
Most notable statistic:
Second-most clearances (82) and second-most won aerial battles (53).
Centre-Back
Name: Rúben Dias
Age: 26 years old
Player rating: 7.10
Club: Manchester City
Ranking of club: 1
With an impressive win ratio of 78% in his 87 Premier League appearances, Dias ranks among the top players to have featured in at least 50 matches. Out of the 33 goals conceded by City, a majority of 17 were conceded in the 12 games Dias did not participate in. Conversely, in his 26 appearances, City conceded only 16 goals. With Dias on the pitch, City boasted an impressive goal difference, scoring 2.2 goals more than they conceded per 90 minutes, the highest ratio among all players in the league.
Despite missing 12 games, Dias still ranks seventh on the list of players with the most successful passes, completing an impressive 93% of his attempts (1,921 passes). Additionally, he attempted the most passes per 90 minutes (93) and completed the most passes (87) in the Premier League this season among all defenders. Only his teammate Aymeric Laporte has achieved higher numbers among central defenders in the past 20 seasons, setting records in 2019-20 for attempted passes (94) and 2021-22 for successful passes (88).
Most notable statistic:
Attempted (93) and completed (87) the most passes per 90 minutes among defenders.
Right-Back
Name: Kieran Trippier
Age: 32 years old
Player rating: 7.78
Club: Newcastle United
Ranking of club: 4
It wasn’t long ago that Kieran Trippier was named in ‘worst team of the season’ articles during his latest Tottenham season. After a short period at Atletico Madrid, Trippier has returned to England as a new and improved footballer.
Kieran Trippier started every single game for the Magpies this season. He also made history as the first Newcastle player to start a World Cup match since Michael Owen in 2006, featuring against Iran in November 2022. Setting records along the way, Trippier showcased his prowess in set plays and attacking contributions. He created an impressive 76 chances from set plays, the highest by any player in a single season for the past 20 seasons in the Premier League. His 551 passes into the opposition’s box also set a new record for a single season. Trippier’s 138 successful crosses also stood out, marking the highest tally by a player in a Premier League season since Jermaine Pennant in 2005-06 (146).
Trippier’s impact extended beyond his attacking contributions. He created 110 chances for his teammates, the most by a Newcastle player in a top-flight season since 2003-04. Moreover, his passing accuracy was outstanding, completing 1,568 passes, second only to Cheick Tioté’s 2013-14 record of 1,825 passes in a single Premier League campaign for the Magpies. He also ranked second in expected assists (11.8), only behind Kevin De Bruyne. Remarkably, Trippier shared the top spot for assists from set plays, tallying six assists alongside Andrew Robertson. These statistics highlight the remarkable contributions of a full-back.
Most notable statistic:
Shared top spot for assists from set plays (6).
Defensive midfielder
Name: Rodrigo Hernández
Age: 26 years old
Player rating: 7.45
Club: Manchester City
Ranking of club: 1
Rodri topped the charts for successful passes by a midfielder in a Premier League season for the fourth consecutive time, setting a new career-high with 2,717 completed passes in the 2022-23 season. Additionally, he demonstrated his ability to execute precise long passes, ranking second among midfielders with 171 successful long passes, trailing only Rúben Neves (213). Rodri also registered the most interceptions of any Manchester City midfielder.
Rodri’s impact extends beyond his passing prowess. He plays a crucial role in City’s ability to regain possession and initiate their attacking plays. The Spaniard won possession of the ball 301 times, second only to Declan Rice in the entire league. He excelled in reclaiming possession in the middle third of the pitch, leading the league with 187 successful regains in that area. On 50 occasions, his regained possession initiated a sequence that ended in a shot, a feat surpassed only by Bruno Fernandes (57). Notably, City converted 11 of those sequences into goals, the highest tally among all players.
Most notable statistic:
Most successful passes by a midfielder in the Premier League.
Defensive midfielder
Name: Declan Rice
Age: 24 years old
Player rating: 7.30
Club: West Ham United
Ranking of club: 14
Declan Rice led the league in winning possession, reclaiming the ball an impressive 334 times. Additionally, he topped the charts for interceptions with 63 and ranked among the top 10 players for tackles with 79. Notably, Rice’s total of possessions won is the highest by any player in a season since 2017-18 (Abdoulaye Doucouré: 345) and the sixth-highest recorded since 2003-04.
In addition to his defensive contributions, Rice exhibits his prowess in carrying the ball. He ranked second among midfielders for ball carries (702) and ball carry distance (7,136m), trailing only Rodri. Furthermore, Rice demonstrated his ability to progress the ball up the field, covering an impressive distance of 3,827m.
Rice’s passing range is another aspect that sets him apart. Only three midfielders surpassed his tally of successful long passes (151), while he also excelled in executing successful switches of play, registering the most among his peers with 50 such passes.
Most notable statistic:
Winning possession 334 times (most in the Premier League).
Attacking midfield
Name: Kevin De Bruyne
Age: 31 years old
Player rating: 7.92
Club: Manchester City
Ranking of club: 1
Again, a brilliant season for midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne. He’s lighting up the Premier League once again. De Bruyne showcased his creative genius once again, crafting 98 chances throughout the season, the third-highest tally among all players. However, he claimed the top spot for assists, delivering 16 goals on a platter for his teammates. Additionally, the Belgian maestro contributed seven goals of his own, further enhancing his impact on the pitch.
One of the standout narratives of De Bruyne’s season was his exceptional partnership with Erling Haaland. A remarkable eight of his assists were for Haaland, marking the highest assist count between two players in the 2022-23 Premier League season. Moreover, this duo holds the record for the most assists between a pair of Manchester City players in a single Premier League campaign.
Most notable statistic:
Most assists (16) in the Premier League.
Attacking midfield
Name: Martin Ødegaard
Age: 24 years old
Player rating: 7.53
Club: Arsenal
Ranking of club: 2
With an impressive tally of 15 goals and seven assists, Ødegaard doubled his contributions from the previous season, which consisted of seven goals and four assists. The Norwegian playmaker showcased his immense talent and versatility, ranking among the league’s top performers in several key categories. He finished fifth for chances created, with a total of 76, demonstrating his ability to carve open opportunities for his teammates. Additionally, Ødegaard secured the fourth spot for successful passes in the opposition’s half, completing 1,017 passes with precision and effectiveness.
Notably, he emerged as the Premier League’s highest-scoring midfielder, finding the back of the net 15 times throughout the season. Ødegaard’s impact on Arsenal’s attacking prowess was undeniable. He played a crucial role in 232 unique shot-ending sequences, ranking second in the league, surpassed only by Bruno Fernandes. Within these sequences, 33 culminated in goals, with Ødegaard’s involvement rivalled only by Erling Haaland, who contributed to 39 such instances.
His adeptness further highlighted his playmaking abilities at delivering successful through balls. With 13 successful through balls, Ødegaard ranked among the top players in this category. Additionally, he showcased his awareness and vision by providing 41 key passes that set up his teammates’ advancing runs, placing him third in this regard.
Most notable statistic:
Highest-scoring midfielder in the Premier League (15 goals).
Striker
Name: Erling Braut Haaland
Age: 22 years old
Player rating: 7.53
Club: Manchester City
Ranking of club: 1
There is no doubt that Erling Haaland is the standout choice for the striker position in this XI, having shattered multiple Premier League records and struck fear into both defenses and statisticians throughout the season.
The young star made history by securing back-to-back hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest in August, becoming the youngest player to accomplish this in the Premier League at the age of 22. In total, Haaland finished the season with four hat-tricks, just one short of the record set by Alan Shearer in the 1995-96 season.
Statistically, Haaland’s impact is astounding. He averaged a mere 27 touches per 90 minutes in the league this season, the joint-lowest among players who played at least 2,000 minutes. Impressively, over 5% of these touches (830) resulted in a goal or assist for a teammate. Haaland found the back of the net once every 23 touches on average, the fewest among players who had 100 touches in a Premier League season since 2003-04. Furthermore, 27% of his touches occurred in the opposition’s box, the highest ratio of any player in the campaign.
Most notable statistic:
Record-breaking 36 goals in one Premier League season
Striker
Name: Harry Kane
Age: 29 years old
Player rating: 7.59
Club: Tottenham
Ranking of club: 8
Harry Kane’s remarkable season has seen him surpass Wayne Rooney’s records and solidify his position as one of the Premier League’s greatest goal-scorers. This marked Kane’s second 30-goal season in the Premier League, finding the net in 26 different games to equal Andy Cole’s record from the 1993-94 season. Additionally, he became the first player to score 100 away goals (currently standing at 112). Kane also set a new record for the most headed goals in a single season (10).
Kane’s underlying statistics continue to impress. He recorded the most shots (130) and shots on target (63) in the Premier League this season, and only seven players created more chances from open play. As he approaches his 30th birthday on the eve of the 2023-24 season, Kane finds himself 47 goals behind Alan Shearer in the all-time charts (Shearer scored 176 Premier League goals before turning 30).
Most notable statistic:
Most shots (130) and shots on target (63) this season.
Conclusion
The Premier League’s 2022/23 season showcased an array of exceptional talent. From established stars like De Bruyne and Kane to rising talents like Ødegaard, the league was blessed with players who enthralled fans with their skills, goals, and contributions to their respective clubs. These players, with their remarkable performances, left an indelible mark on the season and solidified their positions among the best players in the Premier League.
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