Three Spurs flops join Arsenal captain in Premier League weekend’s worst XI
Martin Odegaard takes the armband for the Prem weekend’s worst XI, leading a Tottenham trio, two from Bournemouth, and one of Chelsea’s centre-backs.
Here, according to WhoScored ratings, is the worst-performing XI from the penultimate Premier League matchday…
GK: Fraser Forster – 5.22
The Tottenham keeper conceded three goals from four Brentford shots on target with an xG of 1.29. The first bypassed him easily and Forster failed to get himself into position or set in time before Bryan Mbuemo swept the ball inside the far post. A shaky presence behind a p*ss-poor defence.
RB: Luke Ayling – 5.77
Leeds were wretched at West Ham, going down with barely a whimper against a side with nothing to play for. Ayling was the worst of a sorry lot, the right-back losing possession 19 times, eight times when he attempted crosses, none of which found a Leeds team-mate. Given Leeds’ lack of bite, that might not be entirely his fault, but still… the Championship looms and a pay-cut is imminent.
CB: Wesley Fofana – 5.48
Manchester City don’t need much help but they got it from Fofana when the Chelsea centre-back, under no pressure, played a sloppy pass into midfield straight to Kalvin Phillips. Two passes later, Julian Alvarez was firing in City’s winner.
Read more: Man City B beat Chelsea in darkest hour before a dawn of fighting for second while Guardiola remains
CB: Kurt Zouma – 5.82
Lasting 45 minutes, the only member of West Ham’s back four from the win at AZ Alkmaar to keep his place and the Frenchman looked slightly hungover, especially when he was robbed of the ball by Rodrigo. Fortunately for Zouma, Leeds are crap going forward. And in defence too.
LB: Antonee Robinson – 5.56
Neither left-back covered themselves in glory at Craven Cottage with Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell earning 5.84 after giving away a first-half penalty. But Robinson rated lower after being caught flat-footed for Michael Olise’s late free-kick from the left, giving Joel Ward the chance to bundle home an equaliser.
CM: Oliver Skipp – 5.32
Plenty of graft but little guile despite finishing with a 96.6% passing accuracy rate from 55 passes with only five turnovers. But one of those concessions of possession – mis-controlling a throw-in before failing to dribble out of trouble – gifted Brentford their third goal.
CM: Lewis Cook – 5.88
Bournemouth lost the midfield battle to Manchester United on Saturday, with Cook losing all but one of his eight duels. None of his three crosses found a team-mate and he failed to win a tackle against the Red Devils.
RW: Arnaut Danjuma – 5.88
Wasted one big chance – heading wide from close range – before tiring and being replaced after 66 minutes. No successful dribbles or crosses attempted from the winger on his first Premier League start for Spurs.
CAM: Martin Odegaard – 5.64
The Arsenal skipper gave the ball away with a loose pass in midfield in the build-up to the only goal in the defeat to Forest. Odegaard probed but offered little penetration and was fortunate not to be replaced as Arsenal and their captain went through the motions at the City Ground.
LW: Jaidon Anthony – 5.74
The Bournemouth winger lost all seven of his duels against Manchester United while failing to complete a cross, a long ball or even a dribble. Somehow stayed on for 90 minutes with Aaron Wan-Bissaka enjoying a pleasant afternoon in the south coast sunshine.
CF: Carlos Alcaraz – 5.61
Alcaraz was playing in a deeper role against Brighton on Sunday but Saints have played him as a false nine this season and in the absence of any actual no.9s having a ‘mare this weekend, the Argentinian will do a job for the worst XI after 71 minutes in which he offered not a dribble, a cross or a tackle, and the one big chance that came his way, he missed.