Another Premier League season’s curtains are setting, with just about six games to go. From the goals to the nail-biting title chase, the race for top four and relegation, the talking points are endless. We’ve also had immense talent on display throughout with some stunning players gracing the pitch all through the season. So this article takes a look at some of the Premier League Breakout Stars who have made a breakthrough this season and whom to watch out for next season!
There are some rules that I have set while selecting these players to make it slightly more interesting.
Rule 1 – No players from the big six clubs.
Rule 2 – No players over the age of 21.
Rule 3 – The player’s debut does not have to be made in the 2021/22 season.
No. 1) Jacob Ramsey
(image: TalkSport)
Factfile
Age: 20
Position: Central Midfield
Club: Aston Villa
Nationality: English
Now, Jacob Ramsey made his Premier League debut the 2020/21 campaign, making 27 appearances in all competitions, but he has hit new highs this season. He gathered just one assist in the last campaign, which came against Championship side Bristol City in the third round of the league cup.
This season he has made 30 appearances (29 in the Premier League) and scored six goals, providing one assist. Furthermore, his goals have come against sides like Arsenal, Manchester United, and West Ham United. The interesting bit is that despite playing in central midfield all season, Ramsey is Aston Villa’s second-highest goalscorer, just two behind Ollie Watkins.
Playing Style and Stats
Source: Fbref.com (Jacob Ramsey)
At 5-11, Ramsey is a very good dribbler. In particular, he loves to face his goal, collect the ball, and carry it to the attacking third. Ramsey is in the 84th-percentile when it comes to Progressive Carries per 90 completing 5.51 of them per game. He’s also in the 85th-percentile of carries into the attacking third and carries into the penalty area.
His dribbling style is reminiscent of, dare I say, Paul Pogba’s and more recently, Ryan Gravenberch. While pace isn’t a part of his game, he uses his time on the ball effectively. The Aston Villa faithful will be thrilled that he has added goals to his repertoire, sitting in the top 94 percentile of non-penalty goals scored per 90, amongst other midfielders in the top 5 leagues of Europe.
Jacob Ramsey has a scored six goals in the league this season, while registering an xGoals of 3.31 (Fbref)
Final Word
While Jacob Ramsey has a lot of upsides, he can be a little reckless too with his passing. Due to the sheer volume of passes he attempts, he invariably ends up dispossessing often.
Overall, Ramsey is a wonderful player and you can look forward to more of him next season. It also isn’t long before some top clubs come knocking on Villa’s door inquiring about his availability.
No. 2) Armando Broja
(image: TalkSport)
Factfile
Age: 20
Position: Centre-Forward
Club: Southampton
Nationality: Albanian
Armando Broja, pronounced Bro-ya, announced himself to the world in the first half of the season, with his dominant presence (all 1.91m of it) in the opposition half. While he actually made his debut for his parent club, Chelsea, he was on the pitch for just about five minutes, before he was sent on an obligatory loan to Vitesse the following season. He was their top scorer in the Eredivisie, scoring 10 goals and providing two assists.
He then returned to the Premier League partnering Che Adams upfront for Southampton. The Albanian scored a brace on his debut albeit against League 2 side, Newport County. Broja went on to show his class in the Premier League as well, terrorizing defences all across the league. With nine goals and one assist with six games to go, he is Southampton’s second-highest goal scorer in the league this season, behind only Che Adams and James Ward-Prowse (both on seven goals).
Playing Style and Stats
Despite his large frame, Broja is a stunning dribbler. He is in the 92nd-percentile of carries into the penalty area, compared to other forwards in Europe’s top 5 leagues. On their trip to Burnley, Broja did pick up a goal but what was phenomenal was a moment of magic he produced earlier on. He received the ball on the right flank, towards the end of the middle third. He took James Tarkowski on a walk, spun him around and served up a delicious cross only for Nathan Redmond to miss an open goal. This, for me, was Broja at his best.
An amazing striking partner, Broja is either slotting the ball home or is creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. At 1.91m, he is a brilliant target during set-pieces winning 4.3 aerials per 90 which puts him in the 85th-percentile.
This is a cluster of Broja’s shots. Different colours represent the different areas he has attempted a shot from. (Data: Understat)
Final Word
Perhaps Broja’s only con could be his shot selection. The Saints striker loves an angled shot which slightly reduces his chances of scoring. This is mostly because he does his best dribbling on the flanks, making his way inward.
We mustn’t forget that he is just 20 years old with a lot of room to grow and evolve as a player. A bold claim would be that Tottenham Hotspur should be keeping tabs on Broja as a long-term Harry Kane replacement.
No. 3) Michael Olise
(image: Football.London)
Factfile
Age: 20
Position: Right Midfield
Club: Crystal Palace
Nationality: French
Last but not the least, and with honourable mentiones to Tino Livramento and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (who is 23), we have Michael Olise. Signed from Reading for £8.37 million, Olise has been an amazing watch in the Premier League. He had seven goals and 14 assists during his time at Reading, but when he made the move to play in the big leagues, few knew how big his impact would be.
Despite turning just 20 in December, Olise has a fearlessness to his game. His goal-contributions have come against sides like Arsenal (assist), West Ham (goal and assist), Manchester City (assist) and Leicester (goal). In total, Olise has four goals and nine assists this season. He has been known to toy with defenders at will and his ball control is outrageous. At 19 years and 295 days, Olise is currently Crystal Palace’s third youngest goal-scorer of all time.
Playing Style and Stats:
Source: Fbref.com (Michael Olise)
Olise’s stats stand out almost immediately. He has created an xA (Expected Assists) of 4.3, the highest of any Palace player in the Premier League. The Frenchman also puts in 1.62 key passes per 90, which again is the highest on any Palace player. Olise is in the 95th-percentile of shot creating actions from open play per 90 as well.
The Palce man is a natural with the ball and his footwork leaves defenders on their backs a lot of times and the way he dribbles is very similar to Jadon Sancho’s style. He is especially amazing at getting past his man on the right flank and creating opportunities for his teammates in the final third. Because of how threatening his runs are, Olise attracts defenders towards him, leaving other Palace attackers open. Despite playing preferring the right, he is equally adept at playing down the middle and facilitating play in the middle third.
A progressive carry is any dribble that carries the ball at least 5 yards closer to the goal, excluding dribbles in the defensive half. (Fbref)
One notable stat is the Olise plays about five progressive passes per 90, which puts him in the 87th-percentile. This gives Palace more creativity to engage the likes of Wilfred Zaha and Odsonne Eduard and Conor Gallagher in attack.
Final Word
Crystal Palace have a gem of a player in Michael Olise, and under the able guidance of Patrick Vieira, he is will only get better. While a number of top clubs will be interested in his services, Arsenal look to be leading that list. With a release clause of just £35 million, he will be a bargain for the Gunners.
(All Data and Stats taken from Transfermarkt, Fbref, Understat)
