Liverpool defender joins embarrassed Chelsea striker in Premier League’s Worst XI…

Ian Watson
Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate and Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye all make the Premier League's worst XI.

It’s no surprise to see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Premier League matchday’s worst XI, but how the bloody f*** is there only one Evertonian?

Here is the worst XI from this week’s round of Premier League matches, according to Whoscored ratings…

 

Vicente Guaita – 5.13
Conceded four in 24 second-half minutes to Tottenham but the Crystal Palace keeper wasn’t directly responsible for any of them. The Spaniard was perhaps caught under the cross for Harry Kane’s opener but he didn’t just usher the ball drift across his goal like Kepa.

 

Adam Smith – 5.91
Smith is in just ahead of Everton right-back Nathan Paterson (5.95) but the 31-year-old wasn’t the worst-rated Bournemouth defender. That dubious honour belongs to Marcos Senesi (5.76). But there were worse centre-backs, including Virgil van Dijk (5.73), Conor Coady (5.74) and Lyanco (5.22).

 

Ibrahima Konate – 4.67
Konate was the worst centre-back of the lot. The Liverpool defender endured a torrid evening at Brentford in his first action since returning from the World Cup. He was flat-footed when marking Ben Mee which led to him diverting a corner into his own net and was shurugged aside with worrying ease when Bryan Mbeumo made the game safe for the Bees.

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Marc Guehi – 4.86
The Palace centre-back had a nightmare second half when Spurs showed up. His poor defensive header under no pressure gifted the visitors possession in the build-up to Kane’s opener; Guehi failed to get close enough to Kane for his second; and he was all over the place under a high ball before Son Heung-min rounded off a 4-0 defeat for Palace. Questions for Patrick Vieira?

 

Pascal Struijk – 5.86
Against West Ham, the Leeds defender had a torrid first-half, at the end of which he conceded a penalty that allowed the Hammers to go in level at the break. Regained his composure in the second half, but Struijk might be glad to se Max Wober arrive to play at left-back, allowing him to return to centre-back.


Idrissa Gueye – 5.45
To be the worst player in that Everton side takes some doing but the central midfielder achieved it with one of the worst, laziest passes of the season to give Pascal Gross a free run on goal for Brighton’s fourth. He also missed a tackle in the build-up to the Seagulls’ second before being hooked just after the hour. Wretched.

 

Brenden Aaronson – 5.16
The American struggled to give Leeds any impetus in attack in the 63 minutes before he was replaced, with his most notable contribution being the turnover that led to West Ham’s second immediately after half-time. Sums up his recent form and Jesse Marsch acknowledged the summer signing is struggling.

 

Michael Olise – 5.84
A second appearance in the worst XI over the festive period for Olise following a similarly poor performance in Palace’s last home defeat to Fulham. Things might have been different had Jordan Ayew passed rather than shot in the first half, much to Wilfried Zaha’s fury. But overall, Olise was successful with only one of 11 crosses while losing six of his eight duels and giving away possession 25 times before he was replaced on 73 minutes.

 

Harvey Barnes – 5.81
It’s a similar story for Barnes, who featured in the same Worst XI midfield as Olise last week. The Leicester wideman wasted one big chance against Fulham, with 11 of his 13 duels going the way of his opponent. Conceded five fouls and lost possession 14 times.

 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 5.62
Started on the bench and was back there with a quarter of the game still to play and Chelsea chasing a goal. In the brief time he was given, Aubameyang managed 13 touches, none of them significant in any way. “I thought he did everything he could for the team,” said Graham Potter, which probably wasn’t the compliment it appears to be.

Che Adams – 5.67
The Southampton striker edges out other sub-six scorers Darwin Nunez, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ollie Watkins to partner Aubameyang after failing to fluster the Forest defence. Saints’ best chance fell to Adams but he skewed horribly wide early on. That set the tone for another defeat in which the hosts failed to have a shot on target.

F365 Features Ibrahima Konate

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