Top 10: One-Footed players in the Premier League

Being one footed is not necessarily a bad thing, some of the games greatest players were one-footed.

Maradonna, Messi, Rivaldo, Giggs, Robben, Bale, Roberto Carlos are all examples of players who were undoubtedly one-footed but were among the best players in the world.

However, one of the most frustrating parts of watching Football is when a player allows a chance to pass them by because they're trying to shift the ball onto their stronger foot.

Goalkeepers will not be part of the list and I am only counting current premier league players.

My frustration with one-footed footballers was born when watching a certain Daniel Sturridge come off the bench against Wales at Euro 2016.

I personally didn't think he should have been in the squad. Firstly, because he missed most of the season leading up to the tournament through injury, but more because he was the most unbelievably one-footed footballer I had ever seen.

Growing up only using your dominant foot was a cardinal sin, yet a professional footballer was getting away with it.

Back to the incident, England go in at half time 1-0 down to bitter rivals Wales after Joe Hart throws in Gareth Bale's 30-Yard free kick in the second group game of the tournament. Roy Hodgson decides to bring Sturridge on for Raheem Sterling at half time to my disgust.

Jamie Vardy was flowering into a national treasure and was yet to feature for England in the tournament, however it was Sturridge who got the nod. I was outraged at this decision and I let my friends watching the game with me know about it.

Jamie Vardy was subbed on 10 minutes later and scored the equaliser from a Daniel Sturridge cross..

I had been slightly humbled, but the fact Vardy was the scorer gave me something to cling on to.

In the dying embers of the game England go chasing a winner and get one. No prizes for guess who the scorer was.

It was Daniel Sturridge obviously. The elation of the result did eventually wear off. It was soon made clear to me how much of a fool I had made of myself. I had slated Sturridge for only using his left foot throughout the 2nd half, for him to go on to be England's saviour. He also scored the winner with his right foot.

Rather than cutting Sturridge some slack and maybe considering a notion that a footballer might not have to be two-footed. It sparked a resentment of all Footballers who use their dominant foot too much.

4 years on and I'm still not over it so here is 10 players guilty of neglecting their weaker foot...

10) James Maddison (R)

I admit this is harsh. Not because i'm not backing my pick, more because he hasn't got a bad left foot by any stretch of the imagination. This is more to do with his style of play showing him up.

JM specialises in long passes, long shots, set pieces, crosses, passes in behind the defence. For all of which he likes to shift the ball onto his right foot. Only 5/39 of JM's professional goals have come from his left peg.

But, Why would you use your left foot when you have a right like Maddison's?

9) Willian (R)

Willian is a true seasoned veteran of the premier league, everyone knows what he's about. He stands on the right touchline, picks up the ball, drives to the byline and crosses with his right foot. I don't want to sell him short, because in spells Willian has been an elite premier league player.

Anybody who's watched him play for more than 10 minutes knows he can't use his left foot, but nobody ever does anything about it. He still gets ushered to the byline and can whip balls into the box every single week. 6/68 professional goals with his left foot.

8) Christian Benteke (R)

There's a case for saying Christian Benteke has two weaker feet. Certainly going off his last 2/3 seasons with Palace. In recent weeks he has shown signs of improvement as there was a time where he was scoring goals in the premier league. Some quite good ones too, enough to secure a move to Liverpool anyway. Of the big Belgian's 88 professional goals (me too) just 12 of them have come from his left foot.

7) Mesut Ozil (L)

A world cup winner, "Galactico" and the first lefty on the list. I don't think this one is up for debate at all. His goal stats certainly agree with 73/90 professional goals scored with Mesut's left foot. Im sure if we could find a stat for assists from his Right Vs. Left foot it would further cement his position.

Ozil is the first on the list who will consistently use the outside of their strong foot over their weak foot. An immense left foot none the less.

6) Andy Robertson (L)

Another magnificent player featuring on the list. Robertson's lightning pace means very few people will catch him in order to show him inside onto his right foot. For his national side, he's historically battled for the left back position against Kieran Tierney, now of Arsenal.

Despite being the more experienced player, it's the youngster Tierney who moves over to right back for Scotland, illustrating his one-footedness. None of his 12 professional goals have come from his Right foot although thats not unusual of a left back.

5) Aaron Wan-Bissaka (R)

Highest ranked right footed player on the list. The Londoner was not brought to Old Trafford for his attacking capabilities, more because he is a magnificent one-on-one defender. He has the ability to single-handedly mark a winger out of a game.

His attacking repertoire is limited and is either a cross or a chop to recycle the ball. I am yet to see him cut onto his left foot and deliver a cross of any quality. But, he's still only 22 and there's a lot of football ahead of him.

4) Tyrone Mings (L)

Mings had a fantastic season in the Championship last year which saw Aston Villa promoted. Bournemouth then sold the loanee for a fee which could rise to £26Million. Although reckless at times, Mings has done well with Villa this season earning an England call up before the festive period.

However, Mings has struggled more recently and is hilariously one-footed. He gets away with it as a result of his style of play (much the opposite to Maddison) but i've spotted his stray passes, reluctance to shift the ball across his body, dodgy touches. He'll get away with it so long as he never crosses over to the right hand side of the pitch.

3) Andriy Yarmolenko (L)

The one trick pony- I can't remember a premier league without the customary one trick pony. Arjen Robben is one of the most famous examples. They're often left footed and you will always hear commentators saying "You know what he's going to do, but there's nothing you can do about it".

Like Arjen Robben, Yarmolenko is a proper chalk on his boots winger who's only aim is to run at defenders cut inside onto his favoured left peg and get a shot away. Some West Ham fans claim they're yet to see him use his right foot.

2) Bernardo Silva (L)

The Lisbon native arrived at the Etihad in the summer of 2017. The best player on the list by a distance. The little magician has wand of a left foot, he often plays on the right wing as well.

Silva throughout his career has been able to use his one-footedness to his advantage. Firing waves of in-swinging crosses or getting to the byline and using the outside of his boot to deliver. Which puts a unique disguise on crosses, often catching defenders napping.

The little man's incredible ball control and ability to sell a feint of a cross/shot helps him to solve any problems a reluctance to use his weaker foot might cause. Bernardo Silva has scored just 3 times with his right foot for club and country.

And the winner is....

1) Erik Lamela (L)

Erik has gained my respect since he arrived for a hefty £27 Million transfer fee from AS Roma. In his first few years at Tottenham he looked like a raw wide player, lacking end product and who we rarely saw the best of due to injury. But he has reinvented himself as an industrious winger who will do the dirty work and is not afraid to stick a boot in when necessary.

The Argentine has scored 6 club goals with his right foot out of a total 45. With the majority of Lamela's appearances this year coming from the bench, this hasn't been his most productive year. Even with limited game time the spurs winger has shown himself to be the most one-footed player in the league.

He is a great example of the problems caused by having one foot which is too dominant. Passing up shots on his right foot is Lamela's speciality, meaning he regularly butchers chances. However, it does sometimes lead to moments of magic. I'm sure we've all seen him attempt a Rabona in a game, rather than use his right boot. He has even scored one in the Europa League.

The Rabona attempts stick in my mind the most about Lamela and this is what was the difference between him and Silva for the top spot on this list.

Do you agree with this list? Who else do you think deserves a mention?