5 defenders with the best ball-carrying ability in the Premier League right now
The Premier League consists of some of the biggest clubs in world football that employ the services of truly world-class footballers. These stars are leaders in their positions when it comes to setting performance benchmarks. While attacking football may be more attractive for fans, the Premier League has no shortage of remarkable defenders either.
The role of defenders has evolved with the changes brought about by the modern game. Gone are the days when Premier League defenders only had to bother with the defensive side of their game. With modern managers like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, it has become important for Premier League defenders to contribute to their side's build-up.
But who are the best ball-carrying defenders in the Premier League?
Several defenders of the Premier League are excellent carriers of the ball. They're good with the ball at their feet, have an adventurous streak and, most importantly, are gifted passers. Of course, there are some determinants of a successful ball-carrier, but the most important ones are carries/90 and progressive distance/90 along with the total distance carried.
#5 Joel Matip
One would have expected to see Virgil Van Dijk or Trent Alexander-Arnold as representatives of the Premier League club from Merseyside. However, Joel Matip does better statistically than some of his more esteemed colleagues when it comes to being an expert ball-carrier in the Premier League. The Cameroonian has been a wonderful signing since Liverpool snapped him up as a free agent in 2016.
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Matip has 52.1 carries/90, and his total distance/90 is 330.4m. Despite his position, the Premier League centre-back has covered 223.6 progressive distance/90, with the total carried distance being 4625m.
#4 Thiago Silva
When Thiago Silva joined Premier League outfit Chelsea in 2020, some questioned the rationale for the move. Silva was 36 and was joining what is considered by many to be the most intense league in the world.
However, he has proved that age is just a number as he is one of the most important players of Chelsea at the back. Under Thomas Tuchel, Silva has quickly become the leader of the Blues' defense, and his commanding presence adds a lot of stability to keep things tight at the back.
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Silva excels at the offensive end, and his ability to bring the ball out from the back is an important part of Tuchel's tactics. Among all the defenders in the Premier League, Silva is ranked fourth as a ball-carrier. He averages 60.1 carries/90, with progressive distance/90 of 227.9m. Silva has covered 4890m as carries with 356.9m of total distance/90.