Your team of the season: Chelsea and Tottenham dominate selections

Your team of the season
Image caption,

The BBC Sport readers' team of the year 2016-17

Chelsea and Tottenham were the two outstanding teams in the Premier League in 2016-17 - and it's no surprise players from the two London clubs dominate the team of the season picked by BBC Sport users.

Only Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and Everton striker Romelu Lukaku were able to break the duopoly.

Almost 125,000 people picked their team over the weekend from a shortlist of 100 players.

You picked nine of the players who made BBC pundit Garth Crooks' team of the season.

But why are they playing 4-4-2? Why was Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho unlucky to miss out? Who was picked most often? Who received the fewest nominations? Let's take a look at the data.

No wing-backs?

A three-man defence may have been the most talked-about tactical tweak of the season but BBC Sport readers are more Mike Bassett than Antonio Conte.

The most popular of the 12 possible formations picked was the trusty 4-4-2, accounting for 52% of teams.

And, with 73% of users selecting a formation with four defenders, and 65% picking a team with two forwards, that's the way our team have to line up.

Dave saves - a clear winner in goal

Of the 10 goalkeepers available to choose from, De Gea was the clear choice, being selected in 30% of all teams.

He was the 12th most-popular selection overall, but we cannot justify putting the 11th - Coutinho - in goal, so De Gea gets the nod.

Image source, Reuters
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David de Gea was easily the most popular choice in goal this season - Artur Boruc and Ben Foster were picked by fewer than 1% of managers each

Thibaut Courtois was the next most-popular keeper, with Sunderland's Jordan Pickford ahead of Hugo Lloris of Tottenham.

Thirteen goalkeepers made more saves than De Gea this season (74) but the Spaniard can boast a 72% save percentage.

Burnley's Tom Heaton made the most saves all season (141), but he was picked by just 11% of you.

A settled back four

Four defenders were a distance clear of the pack - Chelsea trio David Luiz, Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta joined by Tottenham centre-back Toby Alderweireld.

Alonso has played most of the season as a wing-back, with Azpilicueta in a back three, but they were most often picked at full-back.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The only man to play every game for Chelsea this season - Azpilicueta also weighed in with four assists, the same number as Paul Pogba and Aaron Ramsey

Alderweireld was picked in 58% of teams, more than 12% more than any other defender. He is one of five players to appear in more than half the teams picked.

Azpilicueta was the only player to play in all 30 of Chelsea's league wins this season, keeping the most clean sheets (16) into the bargain.

Spurs full-back Kyle Walker was the fifth most-popular defender but still misses out by a large margin.

Sanchez on the wing?

In a midfield four, three of the selections were obvious.

Tottenham's Dele Alli was the most-selected player in any position, with 77% of teams containing the England man. An overwhelming majority picked him in midfield and not attack.

Alli scored more goals (18) than any other midfielder this season.

Image source, PA
Image caption,

No player made more of your teams of the year than Dele Alli. That's what 18 goals from midfield will do

Chelsea duo Eden Hazard and player of the year N'Golo Kante were not far behind, with the Belgian making 72% of the teams and Kante 70%.

Hazard's selections were split between midfield and attack, but only 20% of people played him in a front three, so he plays on the wing.

Yes, Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez would have a bit of settling-in to do on the right wing - and his selection is problematic.

Coutinho was the fourth most-selected midfielder, but Sanchez was the ninth most-selected player overall, chosen in 7% more teams than the Liverpool man. He has to play somewhere.

Confused? Well BBC Sport users picked Sanchez across midfield and attack, and with a 4-4-2 formation already decided, the Chilean is doing a job wide right.

From a statistical point of view, Manchester City man Kevin de Bruyne may consider himself unlucky to miss out. The Belgian had more assists (18) and created more big chances (24) than any other midfielder, but only made it into 24% of teams.

He was the sixth most-popular midfielder, just behind another unfortunate player, Spurs' Christian Eriksen.

Up front? Kane +1

He scored seven goals in the last four days of the season, 29 in total in the league including four hat-tricks, and was picked by 77% of users. Harry Kane was a shoo-in.

In fact it may be easier to ask who the 23% who left him out were.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

It could be a while before anybody else gets the golden boot off Harry Kane. He had more shots on target (58) than anyone else

Kane was in more than double the teams featuring Lukaku, who was still a long way clear of Sanchez, the third most-popular forward.

Sergio Aguero scored more goals in all competitions (33) this season than before for Manchester City, but made just 9% of teams. He was only the seventh most-popular forward.

Fewer than 1% of readers picked versatile West Ham duo Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini in attack, while Middlesbrough forward Alvaro Negredo has the dishonour of being the least selected player from the 100-man list.

Top 20: The most picked

Most selected players

Player (club)

% of teams selected in

1. Dele Alli (Tottenham)

77%

2. Harry Kane (Tottenham)

77%

3. Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

73%

4. N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)

70%

5. Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)

58%

6. David Luiz (Chelsea)

45%

7. Marcos Alonso (Chelsea)

45%

8. Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)

43%

9. Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)

39%

10. Romelu Lukaku (Everton)

32%

11. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)

31%

12. David de Gea (Manchester United)

30%

13. Kyle Walker (Tottenham)

29%

14. Gary Cahill (Chelsea)

27%

15. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)

25%

16. Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

24%

17. Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

22%

18. Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)

21%

19. Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)

19%

20. Danny Rose (Tottenham)

18%

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