With the 2015-16 Premier League season set to get underway this weekend, theScore is counting down the top 50 players the top flight of English football has to offer heading into the campaign. Our list was compiled by theScore's quintet of footy editors: Gianluca Nesci, Carlo Campo, Gord Brunt, Michael J. Chandler, and Armen Bedakian.
Agree or - more likely - disagree? Let us know on Twitter, where you can find all five of our editors responsible for the rankings you either love or loathe.
theScore's Top 50 Premier League Players: The Rundown
- No. 50 - 41
- No. 40 - 31
- No. 30 - 21
- No. 20 - 11
- No. 10 - 1 (Aug. 7)
No. 20: Oscar, Chelsea
2014-15: 32 appearances, 8 goals, 8 assists, 1.3 key passes per 90 minutes
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 19 | 28 | 39 | 18 |
Oscar hasn't had a break in years. The Brazilian attacking midfielder has been playing football without a break for the better part of the last five years due to offseason international obligations, and enters his first ever preseason training camp with Chelsea. Refreshed and rejuvenated, Oscar could finally thrive and dominate this year. - Armen Bedakian
No. 19: Laurent Koscielny, Arsenal
2014-15: 33 appearances, 1.3 tackles per 90 minutes, 3.5 interceptions per 90 minutes
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 28 | 20 | 11 | 19 |
Arsenal's ethos has long been that as strong as they are in attack, they're as porous in defence. Since Laurent Koscielny's arrival from Lorient in 2010, things have steadily been improving. The French international could have very well been on the PFA Team of the Year, and this season could see him supplant John Terry as the league's best center-back. - Michael J. Chandler
No. 18: Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool
2014-15: 43 appearances, 9 goals, 5 assists, 1.6 key passes per 90 minutes
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 20 | 16 | 23 | 20 |
Philippe Coutinho's nomination for last season's PFA Player of the Year award came as a surprise to many, but there should be no mistaking how he flies under the radar. A phenomenally well-rounded attacking midfielder who also provides a defensive contribution, Coutinho is a monster in one-on-one scenarios, ranking fifth in dribbles per game (3.1) in 2014-15. - Carlo Campo
No. 17: John Terry, Chelsea
2014-15: 42 appearances, 6 goals, 1.1 tackles per 90 minutes, 0.9 interceptions per 90 minutes
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 23 | 23 | 12 | 7 |
Okay, so we're not going to tiptoe around it: John Terry is not a very likable fellow. But he's an absolute beast in the Chelsea back line, finding his form once again under Jose Mourinho. Incidentally, Terry's best season for Chelsea saw him lift the Premier League title once more, capping off a year where he played every single game for his boyhood club. - Armen Bedakian
No. 16: Morgan Schneiderlin, Manchester United
2014-15 (Southampton): 27 appearances, 5 goals, 1 assists, 3.7 tackles per game, 2.6 interceptions per 90 minutes
None of Manchester United's new arrivals will be expected to fill the void left by Angel Di Maria quite like Morgan Schneiderlin, a tackling machine who also possesses an eye for the goal and is capable of controlling the midfield. Schneiderlin was the engine of Southampton's squad last season, and he's fully capable of becoming an icon at Old Trafford. - Carlo Campo
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 7 | 14 | 16 | 21 |
No. 15: Harry Kane, Tottenham
2014-15: 34 appearances, 21 goals, 4 assists, 3.3 shots per 90 minutes
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 12 |
Rock you like a hurricane. The young English striker blasted his way into the conversation as one of the Premier League's best last season, scoring goals at a frightening pace and evolving into nothing short of a deity at White Hart Lane. The best part for Tottenham supporters? Kane doesn't look like he's slowing down any time soon. - Gianluca Nesci
No. 14: Santi Cazorla, Arsenal
2014-15: 39 appearances, 7 goals, 11 assists, 2.1 key passes per 90 minutes
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 8 | 21 | 8 | 14 |
Arsenal's diminutive two-footed midfield magician Santi Cazorla continues to shine under manager Arsene Wenger's fluid style, and this season should be no different. The Spaniard appeared in all but one of Arsenal's Premier League matches last season, scoring seven goals with 11 assists. - Michael J. Chandler
No. 13: Wayne Rooney, Manchester United
2014-15: 37 appearances, 14 goals, 5 assists, 1.4 key passes per 90 minutes
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 29 | 7 | 13 | 10 |
The desperation is real for Wayne Rooney ahead of his third attempt to win a Premier League title without Sir Alex Ferguson. Rooney's impact and leadership, which may not have received deserved credit under the shadow of Ferguson, will undoubtedly be a critical factor in determining if Manchester United can to return to its perch atop the league. - Gordon Brunt
No. 12: David De Gea, Manchester United
2014-15: 37 appearances, 2.5 saves per game, 10 clean sheets
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 11 | 17 | 10 | 16 |
From someone who, generally speaking, loathes goalkeepers and thinks they are mostly interchangeable, the fact David De Gea was a point-saving behemoth for the Red Devils in 2014-15 can't be denied. Would they be in the Champions League this year without the pliable Spaniard between the posts? You know the answer to that. - Gianluca Nesci
No. 11: Thibaut Courtois, Chelsea
2014-15: 35 appearances, 1.91 saves per game, 19 clean sheets
| Nesci | Campo | Brunt | Chandler | Bedakian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | - | 15 | 20 | 15 |
Teams wait years, sometimes decades, to find and develop goalkeepers into a dominant shot-stopper needed to win titles like Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian has provided Chelsea with the perfect replacement for legendary 'keeper Petr Cech and figures to replicate his predecessor's achievements with multiple trophies. - Gordon Brunt
