Ian Darke’s Worst XI of the season

[Theafonis]

Realize ESPN’s content these days is pretty much outrage bait or ridiculous sound bites from their “pundits” and they most definitely tweeted this for the sake of engagement metrics but this list is pretty ridiculous. I couldn’t scroll past it without noticing the amount of black players from a league that’s barely 25% black. What gives Ian? And how convenient that the worst players of the season play for top 6 clubs.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[horsechoker]

Not sure what Kante did to be there, Varane is a bit harsh as he was underwhelming but not the worst CB

 

[Vidyoyo]

I'd have Ben White over Varane, and Iwobi over Lacazette.

Kante and, to a lesser extent, Fernandes are strange inclusions. If you're picking anyone from our midfield it should be McTom or VdB.

No issues with the rest but half the Leeds squad should be in contention.

 

[Ralaks]

Pretty harsh on Bruno given he consistently ranks high on chances created, not his fault his team mates are donkey brained.

If the XI was 'Worse than an incredibly amazing first full season' then sure

If you need to have as many United players as possible, then add McTominay

 

[RoyH1]

Ridiculous clickbait. Varane, Kante, Fernandes and Lacazette should not be there.

 

[SirReginald]

Chelsea’s 2nd choice keeper as worst of the season tells you all you need to know.

Yes he isn’t great but he went into the season as 2nd choice and was an adequate stand in.

 

[GledTheRed]

No Watford or Norwich players?

Oh sorry, nobody would click would they?

 

[harms]

For the last point — it’s just probably understandable since it’s most likely not the literal worst players (those would be the unused subs for a bottom half) but those who have the biggest margin between what was expected of them and how they’ve performed in reality. And there’s Firpo from Leeds.

As for the race thing… it’s hard to argue against any of the United guys aside from maybe Varane (he was bad, but probably not worst in the league bad) and Lukaku has been the biggest flop of the season.

Firpo, Kanté? I certainly wouldn’t include the latter even though he’s past his imperious best. Not sure about the former as I haven’t seen enough if Leeds and when I’ve seen them they’ve been generally terrible. Still, the overall number of black/colored players does indeed point towards some (hopefully unconscious) bias.

Edit: somehow my mind didn’t process Bruno’s inclusion. It’s been a tough season and he’s been a shadow of himself but he’s still one of the most creative players in the league with decent productivity.

 

[FootballHQ]

Kante and Varane really shouldn't be in it.

Think Varane up to April was actually good in many of his appearances but constant injuries disrupted things. Kante not the force of old but still puts in good performances.

Fernandes underwhelming but statistically still had an o/k year.

Certainly a clickbait 11.

 

[Augustus Gloop]

See absolutely no problem with Fernandes being in there myself.

 

[Skills]

For the last point — it’s just probably understandable since it’s most likely not the literal worst players (those would be the unused subs for a bottom half) but those who have the biggest margin between what was expected of them and how they’ve performed in reality. And there’s Firpo from Leeds.

As for the race thing… it’s hard to argue against any of the United guys aside from maybe Varane (he was bad, but probably not worst in the league bad) and Lukaku has been the biggest flop of the season.

Firpo, Kanté? I certainly wouldn’t include the latter even though he’s past his imperious best. Not sure about the former as I haven’t seen enough if Leeds and when I’ve seen them they’ve been generally terrible. Still, the overall number of black/colored players does indeed point towards some (hopefully unconscious) bias.

Erm Pogba, Bruno ahead of McTominay?

 

[charlenefan]

Worst XI - Utterly ridiculous
Most disappointing - he's probably not far off (though AWB and Kepa being in that XI is also ridiculous)

 

[Vidyoyo]

Still, the overall number of black/colored players does indeed point towards some (hopefully unconscious) bias.

Bias is a good word for it. A lot of crap white players will often get a 'hard-worker' tag attached to them despite being routinely crap. Daniel James springs to mind.

 

[Mickeza]

That team would comfortably be top half for fecks sake. AWB hasn’t even played for fecking months. What a load of utter cock.

I only just noticed Kante

 

[DJ Jeff]

too many black players. Give me a break

 

[Theafonis]

Bias is a good word for it. A lot of white players seem to get a 'hard-worker' tag attached to them despite being routinely crap. Daniel James is an obvious one that springs to mind.

Grealish being excluded. Not a single Everton player or Leicester player who have underperformed.

 

[One Night Only]

Maguire could fill all 11 positions tbh.

 

[Desert Eagle]

You just gave the idiot exactly what he wanted by posting that shite here. Garbage clickbait article

 

[AltiUn]

Kepa's barely played, is Ian Darke on ket or something?

 

[UpWithRivers]

The biggest drops in the league are Us, Everton and Leeds. Pick a team from those 3 and add Lukaku.

 

[El Jefe]

ESPN UK s truly awful. I ignore or block most of their material.

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

Vestegaard next to Maguire

 

[Deery]

Ridiculous clickbait. Varane, Kante, Fernandes and Lacazette should not be there.

Agreed

 

[Lee565]

And no place for the biggest flop.of the season 100 million grealish kills any reason to take this serious

 

[FrankDrebin]

Pretty good team.

 

[V.O.]

Let's have a go at real ones.

Overall:
---------------------Dubravka
Lowton----Hanley---Gibson---Firpo
Lennon----Dowell---Vlasic---Roberts
------------Fabio Silva---Barnes

Vs Expectations:
------------------------Meslier
Royal--Vestergaard--Maguire--Tavares
-----------------------Soumare
--------------McTominay--Saul
Rashford---------Lukaku--------Grealish

Bench: Everton's whole team.

 

[harms]

Erm Pogba, Bruno ahead of McTominay?

Not Bruno, no — my mind skipped past him without even processing his inclusion. As for Pogba over McTominay — if we count the gap between the expectations/ability and the end result… I’d pick Pogba. If we compare them side by side then of course, McTominay is a worse footballer by a long mile.

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

Tielemans is one who’s been utter shite whenever I’ve watched him, that Dewsbury Hall has popped up at a good time for them

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Kepa just for the final vs Liverpool?

 

[El-Manos]

Ridiculous clickbait. Varane, Kante, Fernandes and Lacazette should not be there.

Agreed. Ridiculous

 

[TheGame]

What a joke, clearly something against United it seems. Plenty of players with relegated or lower half teams who had woeful performances. Kepa has hardly played any games to warrant inclusion. Not a single Everton player for example?

 

[Smithy89]

The Ian Darke doesn't like french, united or black players team.

 

[Skills]

Not Bruno, no — my mind skipped past him without even processing his inclusion. As for Pogba over McTominay — if we count the gap between the expectations/ability and the end result… I’d pick Pogba. If we compare them side by side then of course, McTominay is a worse footballer by a long mile.

That's ridiculous. Pogba got 9 assists this season, and was generally in the team when were were winning or not doing terribly. McTominay was arguably the worst footballer on the pitch for in many games that he featured in.

Btw 9 assists, is 3x as many as McTominay accumulated in his Premier League career.

 

[harms]

That's ridiculous. Pogba got 9 assists this season, and was generally in the team when were were winning or not doing terribly. McTominay was arguably the worst footballer on the pitch for in many games that he featured in.

Btw 9 assists, is 3x as many as McTominay accumulated in his Premier League career.

Half of those were made in one Leeds game, I believe? Anyway, I’m not here to criticize Pogba — the fact that he’s here is very much the testament to his ability and talent… and yet he genuinely felt non-existent aside from the first couple of games. McTominay is a bad footballer who’s had a horrid season, it doesn’t make for an interesting story.

 

[Red the Bear]

This is bait.
They've been underwhelming for sure but to say they're the worst of the bunch is just hysterical.

 

[Sky1981]

What's wrong with it? All of our boys deserve to be in there. Including varane considering he's the best CB in the world just a year ago

 

[paulscholes18]

Gunn
Ayling Gibson Kabasele Firpo
Westwood Willock Alli Rashford
Roberts Idah

 

[Jeppers7]

Not Bruno, no — my mind skipped past him without even processing his inclusion. As for Pogba over McTominay — if we count the gap between the expectations/ability and the end result… I’d pick Pogba. If we compare them side by side then of course, McTominay is a worse footballer by a long mile.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Pogba has missed 18 league games due to injury. He’s featured in the other 20. Straight off the bat he’s played somewhere between sensational and very well in 8 of those games, namely his first four of the season and the first four back after injury. He’s been irrelevant due to injuries but I’ve never seen a player included in these teams due to injury.

Your complete dismissal of Bruno is laughable. He’s been a train wreck this season. His performances have been abysmal week in week out. I doubt he’s had 8 good games all season. He’s also cost us in massive moments from his penalty miss vs Villa, his misses including an open net in the fa cup, his misses against Watford at home, his abysmal performance against arsenal coupled with the penalty miss and moments later gifting Arsenal a third, cost us top four. His assist for Palace on Saturday is typical of his entire season, see the same vs Watford away. Sloppy play leading to goals for the opposition against Southampton, Leeds, Arsenal and probably more.

His constant moaning and whinging and rolling about on the floor when he gets tackled….coupled with terrible performances, crucial misses and ridiculously wreckless decisions in his own half make his inclusion a certainty.

 

[FootballHQ]

Ings probably should be in there, 30m and just 6 goals and some poor misses in last two months.

 

[The Corinthian]

Who gives a shit about Ian Darke though