Top 5 Passers in the Premier League so far
Modern Football has evolved a lot over the years, however the ability to make a pass is still one of the most basic aspects of the beautiful game. Passing the ball is as important now as it was decades ago, however, the effectiveness of passing as a tool in both the defensive and offensive component of football has never been so grand.
Instead of hooking out the ball as part of defending, teams now try to play the ball out of trouble, by small intricate passing that gives them greater control on the pitch. They use accurate passing to ensure there is no panic, everything in planned, practiced and executed as per the tactics. In the offensive side as well, individual skills are no longer the most preferred way to break opposition defenses. Clever exchanges of passes and perfect through balls are capable of disrupting even the strongest of defenses.
As such, teams are now more often built on passers who control the play, dictate the momentum and pull the strings in the team. Every team desires a master passer of the ball, whose ability to see a pass and execute it to perfection often defines the game. Today, we take a look at the top 5 passers in the Premier League so far this season.
#5 Granit Xhaka (Arsenal, Switzerland)
The Switzerland International seems to have found a new lease of life under Unai Emery this season. Granit Xhaka has 2 goals from 12 appearances in the Premier League and has been in the starting eleven for all of those games for Arsenal. Barring the first two games, the Swiss has almost always completed the full 90, which highlights his growing importance in Emery's tactics at Arsenal.
Last season, Xhaka had just 1 goal from 38 appearances in the Premier League. He averaged 82 passes per game and had completed 3116 passes, the most in the Premier League. This season, though, Xhaka averages a slightly lower 80.5 passes per game and has already completed 966 passes. As such, the Swiss has been consistent with his performances but has greater competition this season.
While his free kicks have been a rage this season, Xhaka is the heartbeat of this new look Gunners side. He has 1202 touches in the ball so far, second only to Jorginho in the league, so the battle between those two is sure to get exciting as the league progresses. As of now, Xhaka has completed the 5th most passes in the Premier League this season so far.