Aymeric Laporte was left out of the 2021/22 PFA Premier League Team of the Year despite an outstanding season for Manchester City, but Gabriel Agbonlahor believes he’s ‘a top defender’ regardless.
The 28-year-old made 33 Premier League appearances and scored four goals, averaging a tackle (33) or interception (20) every 53 minutes, being dribbled past just six times, making 61 clearances, giving away only 14 fouls, blocking 10 shots, winning 52 aerial duels and completing 88.5% of his passes.
Laporte conceded 24 goals in those 33 games and helped to keep 18 clean sheets, so he was undoubted one of the best defenders in the top-flight. The Spanish international was snubbed for Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, however.
Laporte took to social media to question the decision and Man City posted in kind, but Agbonlahor reassured him that the voting system is flawed. He told Football Insider: “The problem with the PFA (TOTY) is that it’s picked by players.
“When I was a player and I had to pick my team, I sort of just went with the names that stand out. It was (Rio) Ferdinand, it was (John) Terry, it was (Wayne) Rooney. That’s what it’s like now. Players will get asked before they’re about to leave training who their team is and they’ll think ‘Ok, (Mohamed) Salah, Van Dijk’.
“Laporte is a name that you wouldn’t even think of, even though he’s a top defender. You just wouldn’t think of him.” Rudiger had a fine season with Chelsea, but he conceded 28 goals to Laporte’s 24 and kept only 14 clean sheets to his 18.
Does Laporte have a point?
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