Premier League End Of Season Awards
Three contributors pick their Premier League standouts for 2022-23.
With the curtain drawn on another Premier League campaign, it’s time to name (and shame) the best and worst of 2022-23. Following on from MTAG’s Premier League Team of the Season, three contributors make their picks for the end-of-season awards.
Best player
Best young player (aged 22 or under)
Best signing
Worst signing
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Best Player
Patric Ridge – Harry Kane
I know… I know. Erling Haaland has scored 36 Premier League goals, broken pretty much every record in the book (apart from Dixie Dean’s) and has been the driving force behind Manchester City retaining the crown.
Yet while others around him – namely Antonio Conte – lost their cool, Harry Kane kept on doing what he does best for Tottenham, scoring 30 goals. He played in every league game for Spurs and, per Opta data, ranked in the 97th percentile for attack contribution (non-penalty shots plus open play chances created), the same as Haaland. FBref has Kane averaging 3.47 shot-creating actions and 4.76 progressive passes per 90, too, up from Haaland’s 2.33 and 1.1 respectively. To play well in such an underperforming team shows Kane’s quality.
Mike Cosgrove – Erling Haaland
I’m going for something a little more sensible and reasoned, here. Haaland might be the obvious pick, but that’s because he’s just so good!
In 35 league matches, he scored 36 goals. He has added another dimension to City and given them the striker they had, on a few occasions, needed to push on. They’re in for a treble this season and there’s no doubt in my mind Haaland is the major factor in that.
Steve Kelly – Erling Haaland
To do what Haaland has done in his first season in the league is incredible. It often takes players coming into a Pep Guardiola team some time to settle, but Haaland hit the ground running and never looked back, even when some were questioning whether he had actually made City worse as a team.
He is on course to lead City to a treble and the only question for next season will be if he can come close to replicating his tally.
Best Young Player
Patric Ridge – Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka could easily have retreated into his shell after that penalty miss in the final of Euro 2020, but over the past two years the Arsenal winger has proved himself as one of Europe’s brightest talents.
The season just gone saw him help drag the Gunners into the front of the title race, and it was not for his efforts that they faulted at the last. Saka finished with 14 goals, 11 assists, 161 shot-creating actions and an average of 1.66 chances created per 90 minutes. He topped the charts for chance-creating carries (57), too, per Opta.
Mike Cosgrove – William Saliba
After returning from a successful loan spell at Marseille last season, Saliba made himself a mainstay in the heart of Arteta’s team and was outstanding until his injury against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League in March.
Comfortable on the ball, quick across the ground and physically dominant, at 22, Saliba could easily become one of the world’s best defenders.
Steve Kelly – Moises Caicedo
When losing a player as crucial as Yves Bissouma had been, Brighton and Hove Albion might have been forgiven had the transition to a new holding midfielder not been the smoothest. But as they so often do, Brighton got it right, and had a ready-made replacement in Moises Caicedo.
The Ecuadorian has the stamina to cover plenty of ground and the power to hold players off in tight areas. He’s calm in possession and Arsenal wanted him in January. Brighton kept hold of the 21-year-old and he showed no signs that those failed bids had affected him, with Caicedo even slotting in at right-back when required. He seems set for a big move this summer.
Best Signing
Patric Ridge – Erling Haaland
See… I wasn’t going to leave him out! Haaland absolutely has to be considered as the standout signing of the season. The Striking Viking, as some might call him, has averaged one non-penalty goal per 90 minutes in the league, from a non-penalty xG of 0.8. He averaged four shots per 90 minutes and also chipped in with eight assists.
With City having paid a reported £51.3million for the 22-year-old, he is by far and away the best incoming transfer any Premier League club made.
Mike Cosgrove – Manuel Akanji
Akanji snuck in somewhat under the radar towards the end of the summer transfer window last year, but the former Borussia Dortmund defender has been fantastic for City.
He has played in pretty much every position across the back four, and even stepped into midfield at times. Another top-class signing from City.
Steve Kelly – Manuel Akanji
Akanji has excelled in the middle of a back four, back three and even as a left-back. At a reported £15m, he’s proved a bargain.
The Swiss international is comfortable with the ball at his feet and excellent at building out from the back, with a good range of passing, both short and long, while his recovery pace is another key asset for if City’s line do get caught high.
Worst Signing
Patric Ridge – Neal Maupay
Dominic Calvert-Lewin went down with an injury in early August, yet by the time Everton managed to bring in attacking support, most of the month had passed.
Suffice to say, Neal Maupay’s transfer from Brighton to Goodison Park, reported to be worth £11m, has not been a success. The diminutive forward, who prefers to drop in and link the play rather than stretch teams, was never going to be a suitable back-up for Calvert-Lewin, who has spent most of the season on the treatment table. Yes, a mismatch of ideas under first Frank Lampard and then Sean Dyche hasn’t helped, but Maupay managed only one goal in 27 league appearances and ranked above the 50th percentile in only one of seven key attacking metrics, per FBref.
Mike Cosgrove – Richarlison
After dragging Everton to safety in 2021-22, Richarlison got his move to a club competing in the Champions League, with Tottenham splashing out an initial £50m for the Brazil international, with a further £10m payable in add-ons.
Yet Richarlison scored only once in the league, in a 4-3 defeat at Anfield in April, and managed only two goals in Europe. He provided three assists, but by anyone’s standards, it’s not enough, with even Richarlison himself saying his season had been “shit”. If the man himself says it, who am I to argue?
Steve Kelly – Mikkel Damsgaard
Mikkel Damsgaard was a star at Euro 2020 but suffered an injury-hit campaign the following season. That being said, the Danish international was an exciting addition to the Premier League when he joined Brentford last year and I expected more.
Injuries have hindered his season but even when he has come into the side, Damsgaard has struggled to make much of an impact or hold down a place, starting only nine league games. He’ll need strong pre-season and will be one of the attackers that needs to step up for Brentford in Ivan Toney’s absence.
Best player: Haaland
Best young player (aged 22 or under): Haaland
Best signing: Haaland
Worst signing: Richarlison