Troy Deeney just dropped his Premier League Team of the Week, and if you thought you knew what was up, think again. Riccardo Calafiori, a name usually associated with Arsenal’s defense, is apparently their best forward right now, according to Deeney himself! Forget the usual suspects, because Deeney’s going for some wild picks, showing us who’s really making waves early in the season.
The Attackers Who Are Absolutely Balling Out
Seriously, Calafiori being Arsenal’s “best forward” is a head-scratcher that makes you think, what is this guy seeing? Deeney says he’s getting in good positions, solid defensively (which, yeah, makes sense for a defender), but also giving a ton in assists and goals. Wild. Then you’ve got Jordan Henderson, the “old boy” over at Chelsea, proving he’s still got it with *two* goals. He even had the stones to tell Cole Palmer, who just signed an eight-year extension, “Nah, I got this,” and then bangs in a free-kick into the top corner. That’s veteran confidence right there! Rayan Cherki at Manchester City? Deeney says he’s “the best football player to watch in world football,” period. Perfect for City, who everyone loves to hate, he just walks on the pitch and says, “Give me the ball, lads, let me have some fun.” You can’t help but smile watching him. And for Chelsea again, Joao Pedro is set for the “season of his life” with Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer dishing to him; he’s just gonna score. Then there’s Jeremy Doku, another Man City monster. He totally changed the game with a goal and an assist, all after getting Ryan Gravenberch sent off! If he keeps that up, City is absolutely winning the league and going deep in the Champions League. Let’s not forget Matt Grimes from Coventry, an unsung hero who moves the ball around like a wizard, proving against Newcastle that he totally belongs in the top flight.
Defensive Walls and Surprise Anchors
It’s not all about goals, though. The defenders and defensive midfielders came to play this week. Walter Benitez for Crystal Palace made a save from Liam Delap’s face-smashing effort that Deeney called the *turning point* for their win. If that shot goes in, game over. Ferdi Kadioglu at Brighton made a “massive block” in the second half that would’ve made it 1-1, and prevented the floodgates from opening. Not known for his defense, but he was huge! Jefferson Lerma, a centre-mid for Crystal Palace, was playing centre-back and just killed it: scored a goal, made big tackles, and was the catalyst playing out from the back. Over at Leeds, James Justin loves playing Arsenal, and his transformation from his Leicester days is something else. He can play right wing-back, right centre-back, and he gives you everything. An unbelievable goal, and he could’ve had more! Finally, Ethan Pinnock at Coventry. Deeney admits he thought Pinnock moving from Brentford was a “dodgy one” and wouldn’t move the needle. How wrong was he? Pinnock has been excellent, a big physical presence with a calming influence, and you can see Coventry getting better every week since he joined.
The Mastermind Pulling the Strings
And then there’s the guy making it all happen, Enzo Maresca, the manager for Manchester City. He didn’t just get the job done at Anfield; he galvanized the team, making it an “us versus the rest of the world” mentality. What Deeney says he hasn’t gotten credit for is his tactical switch, bringing on Doku, who, as we just said, completely changed the game. It all comes down to Maresca, leading the league and just rolling right now.
Deeney’s picks definitely give us a wild look at who’s popping off early in the Premier League. With guys like Cherki lighting it up and Maresca pulling the strings, this league is just getting started, and you know we’ll be glued to every single match.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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