Team of the Week: Martinez and Watkins bag hat tricks, plus a perfect 10 in Bologna
Here's our latest Team of the Week of the 2023/24 campaign - an attacking-minded 4-3-3 jam-packed full of goals!
Goalkeeper:
Mory Diaw (Clermont) 9.2
Clermont Foot's Mory Diaw managed to keep PSG and all their big-money stars goalless at the weekend despite the Parisians registering 10 shots on target and an expected goals (xG) score of 2.46. Take a bow, Diaw - you’re our keeper of the weekend.
Defence:
Kieran Trippier (Newcastle) 8.9
Kieran Trippier might just become a fixture in our Team of the Week - he featured in the lineup last week after grabbing three assists and he’s back again after notching another for Newcastle in their 2-0 win over Burnley.
Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace) 8.4
It doesn’t get much better than winning at Old Trafford especially when you score the winning goal. Crystal Palace’s towering Danish defender Joachim Andersen grabbed the only goal against Manchester United and in some style, too.
Andreas Maxso (Colorado Rapids) 8.5
Our centre-back pairing this week could be described as ‘Double Danish’ - and just like his compatriot Andersen, Colorado Rapids defender Andreas Maxso scored the only goal as his side beat Austin FC in MLS at the weekend.
Maximilian Wober (Borussia Monchengladbach) 8.8
Filling out our back four this week is Gladbach’s left-sided defender Maximilian Wober. He noticed an assist as his side ran riot in the first half away at Bochum in the Bundesliga - their first win of the season.
Midfield:
Calvin Stengs (Feyenoord) 8.9
Since moving to Feyenoord in the summer, Calvin Stengs has been in imperious form in the Eredivisie. His goal and assist against Go Ahead Eagles gave him his highest rating of the league season yet and saw his side continue their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) 9.5
Martin Odegaard made it three goals in the 2023/24 Premier League season when he slotted a penalty in Arsenal’s thumping 4-0 win at Bournemouth, he then assisted his side’s fourth and made one young fan in the crowd bey happy indeed. What a guy.
Malik Tillman (PSV) 9.3
Seven wins from seven, 23 goals scored, two conceded - it’s safe to say, PSV have made a flying start to the Eredivisie season. Young American midfielder Malik Tillman has made his contribution to that run and he was very much the star at the weekend with a goal and an assist in their 3-1 win over Volendam. As he’s on loan from Bayern Munich, PSV fans might not want to fall too in love with Tillman, though.
Attack:
Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna) 10
It’s not too often that we see a perfect 10/10 rating but Bologna’s Riccardo Orsolini managed just that as he scored all three of his side's goals in their 3-0 win over struggling Empoli in Serie A. A trio of exquisite strikes from the Italian.
Lautaro Martinez (Inter) 9.8
Well, if you thought a hat trick was impressive, try this... Lautaro Martinez came off the bench for Inter at the weekend away at Salernitana, it was the 55th minute and the score was 0-0. He then proceeded to score not one, not two, not three, but FOUR GOALS to wrap up the win. This guy is on fire.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) 9.6
Brighton have been wowing football fans the world over this season and then... they went to Aston Villa and got smashed 6-1. The star of the show for the impressive Villans was England striker Ollie Watkins with three goals and an assist. Typically a centre forward, we had to squeeze Watkins in on the left this week thanks to Martinez's four-goal heroics.
Honourable mentions this week go to Gladbach's Alassane Plea (9.5), who, with two goals and an assist, would normally be in this team. The same could be said of hat-trick heroes Luis Suarez (9.3) of Almeria and Cristian Tello (9.2) of Saudi club Al Fateh.