Deciding which players should be named to the Team of the Season is always up for debate.
In the Premier League, there are a variety of accolades used to recognise players, but the significance of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) award is that it is voted for by professional players who compete against each other throughout the season.
The list of winners and the specific candidates can be interpreted differently each year, but on the whole, some trends can be found.
In the early days of the Premier League, English players dominated the PFA Team of the Year, but with the influx of foreign players year by year, the proportion of English players in the PFA Team of the Year has declined.
Between 1993-94 and 1997-98, the PFA Team of the Year had at least seven English players in each season, but only once in the subsequent 25 seasons (2004-05) did that level be reached, with the lowest point coming in 2021-22 when only one English player – Alexander-Arnold – was selected.
The absence of an England midfielder in the recent All-Tournament team has also been prominent. Only four players have been named in the PFA Team of the Year in the last 10 seasons: Lallana (2013-14), Steven Gerrard (2013-14), Alli (2015-16 and 2016-17) and Jordan Henderson (2019-20).
During this time, there have been several instances of England players being selected from the same team. In the 2015-16 season, four English players were named in the PFA Team of the Year, with Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham taking three. In the 2016-17 season, four English players were named in the PFA Team of the Year, with Tottenham taking four – Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Harry Kane and Ali.
Another example occurred in the 2006-07 season, when Gary Neville, Leo Ferdinand and Paul Scholes were named in the PFA Team of the Year alongside Steven Gerrard.
In the 1995-96 season, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Blake all had at least one English player named in the PFA Team of the Year. In the 2004-05 season, six teams had at least one English player selected.
Prior to last season, the last time at least four Premier League teams fielded English players to the PFA Team of the Year was back in 2011-12.
But times are changing. In recent years, there has been a surge of talent in English football, with homegrown stars competing with Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Saliba, Odegaard, Rodri, Basier, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland for a chance to be named in the Team of the Year. In addition, the selected English players are not concentrated in one or two teams, but are distributed across teams in the league.
Bukayo Saka was named in the 2022-23 PFA Team of the Year and he has continued his excellent form in the Premier League this season, scoring 16 goals and registering nine assists. The right winger, who can shoot and shoot, is an attacking weapon on Arsenal's right flank, and has played an important role in the team's title race.
Bukayo Saka can shoot from distance and eat cakes, which is difficult to predict in front of goal. In addition, when the opponent plays a double against him, the rest of the Arsenal players will have space to attack.
Behind Bukayo Saka, Ben White cemented his position as one of the league's best right wing-backs. He can play on the side to support Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, he can play in the midfield and he can play in defence. In addition, he was a set-piece scorer for Arsenal.
Declan Rice has been rocking in the No. 6 and No. 8 positions this season and has been doing well in the league.
'For the number eight, the manager is very concerned about running [without the ball], playing behind to create a threat and taking up space, which is not so comfortable for me. In an interview with TA last week, Rice said, "I haven't felt this before, so this is my first year learning these things, and it's really different." ”
Rice has the ability to advance with the ball and penetrate the defense, and can also pull the edge to create a local numerical advantage. In addition, what makes Arsenal one of the best set-piece teams in the Premier League is that Rice's role – being able to pass the ball and fight for the ball – is crucial.
Rice has long proven his defensive prowess, and it's no surprise that he has been a key figure in Arsenal's pressing this season. Coupled with the fact that he has a good fight, good health, and can defend the whole game, 100 million is really not expensive.
Another person who is expected to be named to this year's Team of the Year is Phil Foden. This season, Manchester City are often short of major generals, Pep Guardiola has made a big change to the lineup, and Foden's all-round ability is very important for Manchester City's attack.
2023/24 was Foden's most goal campaign in the Premier League, scoring 16 goals and providing eight assists to help the team win the title on multiple fronts. Foden can pick up the ball in small spaces, receive it and turn away, play with his team-mates and be a threat on the wing. In December, Pep Guardiola said: "Phil is very good at those. ”
Another Manchester City Academy graduate who has exploded this season is Palmer. The 22-year-old's combination of creativity, vision and spaciousness, as well as his skills at his feet, has led Chelsea to now be in contention for a European spot, thanks to which Palmer is in charge.
Pochettino said: "He can read the game, he can use the space in his ribs, he plays between the lines and leaves the opposition at a loss. He's always there to help us get in the attack and find open players. He can tie all his teammates together. ”
Palmer has scored 21 goals in the Premier League this season, nine of them from the penalty spot, but his penalty percentage is truly impressive. When Chelsea played Burnley away to Burnley last October, it was Palmer who stepped up when no one wanted to take the penalty, and his character and mentality were absolutely tough.
Another England player at the top of the scorer list is Watkins. The Aston Villa striker has risen under Unai Emery, scoring 19 goals and providing 12 assists in the Premier League this season.
Watkins shoots well and runs off the ball. In addition, he has good physical fitness and is very accurate in judging on the field. Watkins is always improving, watching videos of himself and other strikers playing to analyse and promote training.
Emery said towards the end of last season: "Oli is very open-minded and will study other players, but the best thing is to see his game improve, every training session, every game, he can make the runs we want. ”
Watkins is also a strong tandem, often dropping back to receive the ball from his own central defenders and midfielders, and then running to the front to seek a combination with the front midfield.
Immediately behind Watkins on the assist list is Anthony Gordon, who is also very good at getting behind and running off the ball. Playing primarily on the left, Gordon has proven himself to be capable of playing anywhere in Newcastle's attacking line, which is one of the reasons why Eddie Howe has his eye on him.
Gordon has the speed, the hardness, and the tactical requirements of Howe. His scrambling strengthens the team's defence, while his pace makes him a threat in transitions, winning six penalties this season, the most of any player in the Premier League at the same position, twice as many as second.
Gordon's strength isn't just his speed, he spins his head fast, he dares to make moves, and he always has an advantage in one-on-one situations – even when the space is small.
Other homegrown players who stood out include: Bowen (West Ham), Sollanke (Bournemouth), Eze (Crystal Palace), Dwight McNeil (Everton) and Gibbs White (Nottingham Forest).
There are certainly different voices when it comes to judging this season's Team of the Season, but one thing is for sure: the level and number of talented English players in the Premier League is at an all-time high, with more to come.