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There is a reason why goal riots are fancied so much by the spectators. Many mistake it to be due to the high number of goals scored. But in fact, it is the rarity of goals in general that makes a goal riot look appealing.
A game of football is nothing without its defenders. And unfortunately, the players from that department do not get enough credit as their offensive counterparts.
Even the history books have got just three defenders to have won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award. As spectators, we can easily remember a striker weaving past defenders to slot it towards the bottom of the net. But the same can't be said when it comes to a defender or a defensive midfielder who has stopped numerous such threats while guarding his goal post.
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While the game of football has been somewhat unfair (only relatively) towards the defensive unit, let's take a moment to look at,
Top 5 players who have made the most tackles so far this season in Europe's big five leagues
#5 Petar Stojanovic (Empoli) — 13 tackles
Empoli wouldn't have been in the 11th spot in the Serie A table if the team's entire defensive unit worked as much as Petar Stojanovic. The loanee from Dinamo Zagreb has created an instant impact at the Serie A club.
He averages 2.6 tackles per match. Petar Stojanovic has made quite a name for himself during his earlier days. He is Maribor's youngest player ever to feature in the top-tier league.
The Slovak started his playing career off as a goalkeeper but eventually found the right back to be his best playing position. The same has landed him in Serie A — the best league for defenders to grow.
#4 Nicolas Dominguez (Bologna) — 13 tackles
Bologna were cruising comfortably in Serie A this season until Inter Milan happened. The reigning champions hammered Bologna to fire six goals past their goal line.
However, Bolognese defensive midfielder Nicolas Dominguez did his job just as he has been since the start of the 2021-22 season. The 23-year-old shows a high level of maturity at such a young age and has helped his defenders on a constant basis.
The Argentine's best performances so far came against Hellas Verona and Genoa. The defensive midfielder won 11 and nine duels respectively. He also managed three successful tackles out of four, against Verona.
Despite being a midfielder, Nicolas Dominguez has managed 13 tackles off five games with an average of 2.6 tackles per match.
#3 Dimitri Liénard (Strasbourg) — 15 tackles
Considering Ligue 1 giants PSG's squad depth this season, it won't be unfair to say that the remaining 19 teams are fighting for the second spot. One such team, Strasbourg, occupies the 9th spot on the table.
With a goal difference of zero, Strasbourg has maintained an equal proportion in terms of attack and defense. Though the team's attack is led by the entire forward unit, their defense mainly relies on their central defensive midfielder, Dimitri Liénard.
The 33-year-old Frenchman has made more tackles than a majority of defenders within the league. He has 15 successful tackles off six games, averaging 2.5 tackles per 90 minutes.
Just as his numbers, Liénard's tackle success rate, which is close to 65%, is impressive as well. The Strasbourg CDM had his best day so far this season against Brest. With 11 duels won and four tackles made, Dimitri Liénard stood out as one of the best players in the game.
#2 Valentin Rongier (Marseille) — 16 tackles
Though not as good as PSG, Marseille are on a good run of their own so far this season. The current Ligue 1 second-place team have registered four wins out of six league games and are the only team (other than PSG) yet to taste a defeat.
Credit for the same goes for Marseille's defensive unit. They have done a fine job in restricting their opponent's attackers from bulging their net. While the team's back four look formidable, none can deny the amount of help they get from the midfield. Particularly from Valentin Rongier, who has always been one of the best tacklers around.
The former Nantes midfielder has managed 16 tackles off just five Ligue 1 games. He was in his best form against AS Monaco where he registered 100% tackle success rate.
#1 Jimmy Cabot (Angers) — 18 tackles
Another Ligue 1 defender on the list! This time it is Jimmy Cabot from Angers. With 18 tackles to his name so far, Jimmy Cabot has played a crucial role in helping his side grab third spot in the league table as of now.
A regular starter for his side, Jimmy Cabot has been consistent with his performances. Against Lyon and Nantes, Jimmy Cabot put on a stellar show. While he graced more in an attacking role against Lyon, it was against Nantes where Angers could benefit from Cabot's defensive prowess.
Jimmy Cabot has averaged 2.6 successful tackles per match.
