There is no doubt about the fact that football is by far one of the most intense games to be played as much as to be debated—on the field or off the field, there is very little stopping the players and fans alike to prove their mettle. Be it putting forth one’s opinion about the best midfielders of the decade, or why 2020 Liverpool might just win all possible accolades—fans are ready to debate it all. In this regard, online gambling sites in India, or popular forums serve as a great tool where one can discuss, debate, or even generate a fair amount of currency whilst doing the same—after all, placing bets on their favorites is an extreme form of debating in itself. In this regard, it is to be understood that football, to a great degree, is a game of opinions, and where opinions vary, biases play a big role.
Keeping subjectivity aside, there is no doubt about the fact that the Premier League is by far the most competitive leagues in football at this juncture. Not as monotonous as La Liga, nor too boring like Serie A, the Premier League serves as a great platform where ardent football fans and armchair analysts alike prefer debating over match clauses, predictions, favorite players, and so on. In the context of football fans and their biases, here is an extensive list of the most overrated players in the Premier League. ‘Overrated’ by no means refers to the incapability of the said players to perform according to the average fan’s expectations, but mostly serves as a middle ground to comment on the erratic judgement of the fans about their chosen ones. After all, football is a game of staunch opinions.
Dele Alli:
While age might be a factor to be taken into consideration, it definitely does not serve as a ground for excuse. Alli might be 23, but his past years in the Premier League certainly show that he is not as high yielding a performer as the average Spurs fan might consider. Despite having a good 2016/2017 with 18 goals, his performance as well as stats have fairly declined ever since. With 5 goals in 25 appearances and not too many assists either, it is evident that albeit talents and potential, Alli has a long way to go.
Kyle Walker:
One might imagine how the previous year’s Premier League winner can be considered overrated, one referring to the millions of Manchester City fans who think buying players are the only way to fix a team and get back to previous glory. Kyle Walker might be one of the fastest in the Premier League but that in no way proves that he is one with a great defensive prowess, as is evident from how he turns out to be one of the weaker links whilst playing for his national team. Nevertheless, he has titles to hold on to, and that should pay a fair amount of dividend to his defensive skills.
Hugo Lloris:
This might come as a surprise to some, considering how a world cup winning goalkeeper managed to end up in this list, but Lollichon would agree—for he too has gone on record, claiming how Lloris does not deserve the accolades that he deserves. Lloris might have a World Cup is his name, but one needs to consider the incessant and constant backing he has had in the form of Umtiti, Kanté, and so on. The cracks in performance are not due to improper goalkeeping as much as it is due to improper goalkeeping and grave mistakes during testing times, such as the one against Barcelona at Wembley.
Kepa Arrizabalaga:
When one is tagged as the most expensive goalkeeper ever, one is expected to perform according to said estimations. Hailing from Bilbao for a whopping €80 million, Kepa was expected to show promising returns. However, with a meagre 21% clean sheet record, to add to the fact that he is known to concede a goal every 60 minutes in no way justifies the transaction, no matter how much dire Chelsea fans disagree. Possibly due to Courtois’ actions or lack of alternatives, Chelsea had to make the deal without negotiations. Either way, it seems like Kepa’s flaws have gone unnoticed, considering how he is slowly becoming a pivotal figure in his national side too, and might just replace De Gea in the years to come.
Paul Pogba:
In a recent poll carried by the Sun, the Frenchman received the highest percentage (22%) of votes that chose him as the most overrated player of the Premier League. Despite his fairly marvelous run alongside the great Pirlo and being one of the midfield pillars of Juventus, Pogba has not had an exceptional run, and by no means justifies the £89million Manchester United paid for him. Even in his national side, playing alongside Kanté and Matuidi has masked the umpteen number of flaws he has had over the course of the World Cup, despite having a decent performance overall. By no means does this mean that Paul Pogba is a bust—he isn’t. He might be one of the most crafted and gifted midfielders the EPL has to offer, but he is nowhere as great as the ardent fans in Old Trafford claim. Not yet.
