Premier League 20-21: Ranking the 5 best ball-carriers in the league so far
This Premier League season hasn't allowed any team an opportunity to take a breather. Flowing at a rapid pace, the most popular league in the world is producing one of its very best seasons, both in terms of quality and unpredictability.
In this day and age, where playing out from the back is considered a necessity, ball carrying becomes an important ability. Players who can progress and carry the ball over large distances often help their teams in getting out of dangerous situations. They also help with transitions when a team is looking to hit the opposition on the break.
There is immense quality in the Premier League when it comes to ball-carriers and here are some of the best of them, ranked according to their total ball carrying distance (in meters), recorded from FBref.
#5 Adam Webster (7324)
Brighton's lanky centre-back Adam Webster is having a very solid season alongside his captain, Lewis Dunk. Under Graham Potter, Brighton have improved by leaps and bounds as they have become one of the most positionally disciplined sides in the Premier League, allowing them to keep more of the ball.
The 26-year-old Englishman has usually been a part of a back three, playing as a right-sided centre-back. Although he is very silky in possession, Webster is a no-nonsense kind of defender, with his strengths relating to winning aerial and ground duels.
Brighton is a team full of centre-back talent. Dunk, Webster, and the young Ben White have finally found their feet as a partnership and they are excelling. With numerous Premier League sides on the lookout for defenders, there is a chance the Seagulls might be raided in the summer.