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Premier League Team of the Season 2017/18 predictions

By Tom Bogert

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and N'Golo Kante of Chelsea compete for the ball during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Etihad Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and N'Golo Kante of Chelsea compete for the ball during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Etihad Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 05: Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus on August 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 05: Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus on August 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images) /

CB: Toby Alderweireld /// Tottenham /// 2016/17: 30 apps, 2 total defensive errors, 1 yellow card

Last year’s Team of the Season center back pairing of Cahill and Luiz started this season in a nightmare: Cahill saw red as Burnley went to Stamford Bridge and beat Chelsea 3-2. The last time Chelsea won the title, they followed it up with a mid-table finish.

It remains to be seen if Antonio Conte can conjure up the same performances in year two, making a Chelsea title defense is a dubious task.

As such, the safe option for the first center back is Alderweireld.

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A mesmerizing statistic: over the last two seasons in the Premier League, he has just four (!!!) yellow cards in 68 starts. In this day in age, where yellows are given for tactical fouls and many mistimed challenges, that statistic is borderline impossible.

Alderweireld anchors an impressive Tottenham defense, next to fellow Belgian Jan Vertonghen, who won’t be far off the Team of the Season if he stays healthy and Tottenham are towards the top of the table. It’s the same thinking as with Lloris.

It’s difficult to split hairs between two center back partners in the Team of the Season, which is part of why Chelsea took both spots last season, but it’s best when more teams and players are rewarded.

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