Unique season, this one. Nothing like it ever seen before. Mid-season break. An unloved World Cup. You know all the spiel by now. Anyway, upshot is that a lot of football has been crammed in already and as we hurtle towards the tournament that shames us all there are some tired, creaking bodies. Virgil van Dijk has already played 20 full games of football this season, with Harry Kane only a gnat’s hair behind.
Nothing complicated about this list. Total minutes played in all competitive action and the Community Shield because why not? We’ve not added up injury time because we’re not complete psychopaths. A full match is 90 minutes. Deal with it.
On we go…
Nottingham Forest – 5
(Scott McKenna 1260, Dean Henderson 1260, Brennan Johnson 1127, Ryan Yates 1123, Neco Williams 1102)
Guess one of the advantages of signing a gazillion players is that you don’t have to knacker too many of them out right away.
Leeds – 6
(Illan Meslier 1260, Robin Koch 1169, Pascal Struijk 1118, Brenden Aaronson 1106, Tyler Adams 1080, Jack Harrison 1032)
Jack Harrison joined the gang with 90 frustrating minutes in a Carabao Cup defeat to Wolves that almost entirely passed us by.
Bournemouth – 6
(Chris Mepham 1342, Jefferson Lerma 1260, Adam Smith 1215, Marcus Tavernier 1209, Lewis Cook 1193, Philip Billing 1053)
Chris Mepham didn’t even get the Carabao break, playing the full 90 in a 4-1 win over Everton while the rest of these weary lads had their feet up.
Wolves – 7
(Max Kilman 1440, Ruben Neves 1270, Jose Sa 1260, Nathan Collins 1113, Jonny 1074, Joao Moutinho 1040, Daniel Podence 1027)
Having a player who has played every minute of every game in every competition and his name being ‘Max’ feels like evidence we’re living in a sim, and not a very good one.
Southampton – 7
(James Ward-Prowse 1380, Gavin Bazunu 1260, Mohammed Salisu 1215, Che Adams 1043, Joe Aribo 1023, Mohamed Elyounoussi 1013, Adam Armstrong 1004)
Not ideal to need the bulk of your first team to get past Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, it has to be said.
Aston Villa – 7
(Ollie Watkins 1334, Emiliano Martinez 1295, Ezri Konsa 1229, Tyrone Mings 1201, John McGinn 1150, Jacob Ramsey 1035, Douglas Luiz 1020)
Unai Emery pushed two more players beyond the 1000-minute mark in Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United. That’s elite coaching right there.
Brentford – 7
(David Raya 1350, Rico Henry 1318, Ivan Toney 1278, Ben Mee 1120, Mathias Jansen 1077, Bryan Mbeumo…
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