by Daniel Roodt
After a whirlwind 380 matches, the 2020/21 Premier League season is finally over. It turned out to be yet again another largely predictable season, with West Ham’s Europa League spot turning out to be the only major surprise, especially after their rather dismal 2019/20 campaign. Manchester City ended up running away with the title after their rather poor start to the season, and Leicester once again fell short right at the final hurdle.
But enough about the teams, because the focus of this article is on the individual players who did (and didn’t) set the Premier League on fire this season. Here, I’ll discuss who my player of the season, young player of the season, best signing and worst signing are.
Player Of The Season:
Who was the best player in the 2020/21 Premier League season? There is only one answer to this question, and it is wantaway Spurs striker, and England captain Harry Kane. Kane not only won the golden boot after scoring 23 goals, but also got the most assists, setting his team mates up 14 times.
He also single handedly carried this Spurs team throughout the second half of the season, where they limped to a 7th place finish and a spot in the brand new UEFA Conference League. His goal scoring exploits were made even more impressive by the fact that he wasn’t playing in a particularly free-scoring side, who often looked to sit back and absorb pressure after going ahead.
While Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes are in this conversation, frankly, neither of them came close to Kane’s level this season. Half of Fernandes’s 18 goals came from the penalty spot, whereas Kane scored four penalties. Ruben Dias was excellent, but the narrative surrounding him in the media has overhyped him and the reality is that City only conceded three fewer goals than they did last season.
Young Player Of The Season:
Before I discuss who I think deserves to win this, I think the criteria for this award is too broad, and ultimately unfair. To win it, a player has to be 23 or under at the start of the season. But, the issue is that someone like Marcus Rashford who has over 130 Premier League starts, is competing for the same award as someone like Bukayo Saka and Mason Greenwood who only have a combined 83 Premier League starts.
But, based on the official criteria, I think Ruben Dias is the most deserving candidate. While he hasn’t completely transformed Manchester City’s defence, like some people make out, he has been excellent at the back, and was an integral member of a title winning side with the best defence in the league.
Best Signing:
There were a number of very good signings in the Premier League this season, as well as some awful ones, which will be discussed in the next section. Jesse Lingard set the league on fire after his mid-season loan to West Ham, with his nine goals and four assists helping propel the Hammers to 5th. However, this accolade definitely has to go to Ruben Dias.
Playing in his first Premier League season, the Portuguese centre-back became one of the first names on the team sheet as City went on to claim a fifth Premier League title. Dias was imperious in the City backline, and helped sure up the Sky Blues at the back. He was also second in the league for the total progressive distance carried. A progressive carry is where a player controls the ball with their feet and moves towards the opposition goal.
At only 24, Ruben Dias should become a mainstay in the Manchester City backline for years to come. If that does turn out to be the case, his €68m will look like a bargain.
Worst Signing:
Like the candidates for best signing, there are plenty of players to choose from here. Timo Werner and Kai Havertz haven’t really lived up to their price tags, but haven’t been completely dreadful and will likely improve next season. Willian has also been a complete waste of money, even though he was signed on a free transfer, scoring one league goal in 16 starts.
However, Rhian Brewster has definitely been the worst purchase this season, especially when you consider his team’s league position. Signing an unproven striker, who has barely played in the Premier League, let alone the Championship is a massive gamble for any club. But, when you make him your club record signing, and he ends up scoring no goals, and you end up getting relegated, it is even worse.
Brewster scored zero goals and got zero assists, with his combined expected goals and assists sitting at 3.4 for the entire season, after 12 starts. This indicates that he wasn’t even getting into good goal scoring positions, or that he was creating good chances for his teammates who couldn’t finish them.
All in all, it was a season to forget for the former Liverpool striker, and he will now finally have a chance to get some consistent game time at a level more suited to his abilities.