Scottish Premiership Team of the Season: Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen feature
The Scottish Premiership season is over with Celtic retaining the title and Dundee United relegated after another dramatic campaign in the top flight.
It is no surprise that the Old Firm dominates the WhoScored.com 2022/23 Team of the Season with 10 players from the two Glasgow clubs making the best XI.
Aberdeen impressed under Barry Robson, finishing third and securing European football and are the only other team to have a player represented.
Here, we take a look at the WhoScored.com best-rated XI for season 2022/23…
Goalkeeper: Kelle Roos (Aberdeen) – 6.84 rating
Aberdeen’s Kelle Roos kept the most clear sheets behind Joe Hart
The only non-Celtic or Rangers player features between the sticks as Kelle Roos makes the Team of the Season with a WhoScored.com rating of 6.84. Only Joe Hart (16) kept more clean sheets than the Aberdeen goalkeeper, whose save success rate of 71.4 per cent was also the best in the league.
Right back: James Tavernier (Rangers) – 7.64 rating
Rangers captain James Tavernier scored his 100th goal for the club this season
Once again, James Tavernier is the WhoScored.com Scottish Premiership Player of the Season having returned a rating of 7.64. The Rangers skipper made more key passes (107) than any other player in the league, and that resulted in an impressive nine assists, while a further 16 goals capped which was another excellent campaign for the right-back.
Center back: Carl Starfelt (Celtic) – 7.21 rating
Carl Starfelt impressed for Celtic this season
Pass-master Carl Starfelt is the first of five Celtic representatives to feature in the team of the season having returned a rating of 7.21. The Swedish centre-back returned a pass success rate of 91.5 per cent, the third best in the league, from an average of 92.7 passes per game, more than any other player to feature here.
Centre-back: Connor Goldson (Rangers) – 7.14 rating
Connor Goldson was key to Rangers’ defense
Another fine distributor of the ball partners Starfelt at the heart of the defence. Connor Goldson’s average of 77.8 passes per game ranked fourth in the Scottish Premiership this season, while he managed to pick out a team-mate with 89.2 per cent of his attempted passes. In addition, Goldson was vital at setting Rangers on the front foot, ranking third for accurate long balls (138) of outfield players to help return a WhoScored.com rating of 7.14.
Left back: Borna Barisic (Rangers) – 7.29 rating
Borna Barisic registered nine assists for Rangers
Rounding off the defense is Rangers left-back Borna Barisic. Like team-mate Tavernier, Barisic also registered nine assists this season, that return ranking joint-fourth in the Scottish Premiership. The Croat ranked fifth for big chances created (12) and key passes (68) this season to cap a fine campaign that saw him yield a rating of 7.29.
Central midfield: Matt O’Riley (Celtic) – 7.20 rating
Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Kilmarnock and Celtic
The second Celtic player in the side is the Hoops’ creator-in-chief Matt O’Riley. The 22-year-old made the second most key passes (81) in Scotland’s top tier this term and registered more assists (12) than any other player. An additional three goals meant O’Riley was good value for his inclusion in this XI with a rating of 7.20.
Central midfield: Reo Hatate (Celtic) – 7.14 rating
Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St Johnstone
Anchoring the midfield in this XI is Celtic star Reo Hatate. The Japanese star was directly involved in 14 league goals for the Bhoys in their title winning campaign, providing eight assists in the process, while a modest tackle success rate of 74.5 per cent helped Hatate to a WhoScored.com rating of 7.14.
Central midfield: Malik Tillman (Rangers) – 7.29 rating
Malik Tillman’s loan spell at Rangers was cut short by injury
Back on the Rangers beat now and rounding off the midfield is on-loan star man Malik Tillman. While the Gers may be priced out of a move for the American this summer, Tillman showed glimpses of his potential when fit having scored 10 goals and laid on a further four assists. The 21-year-old worked hard off the ball, too, chipping in with two tackles per game and winning possession in the attacking third 23 times, the sixth most, to land a WhoScored.com rating of 7.29.
Right wing: Fashion Sakala (Rangers) – 7.27 rating
Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Hibernian and Rangers
Completing the Rangers contingent is forward Fashion Sakala. With Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent both departing the club this summer, there will be greater pressure on Sakala to perform consistently. The 26-year-old ended the season with 12 goals and six assists to return a rating of 7.27.
Striker: Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) – 7.06 rating
Highlights of the thrilling Old Firm game between Celtic and Rangers in the Scottish Premiership
The Scottish Premiership’s top scorer leads the charge in the team of the season with Kyogo Furuhashi returning a rating of 7.06. The Japan international ended the campaign with 27 league goals to his name as he played a key role in Celtic’s title success.
Left wing: Jota (Celtic) – 7.48 rating
Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Ross County and Celtic
The fifth and final Celtic player to make the Scottish Premiership team of the season is wing-wizard Jota, who returned a WhoScored.com rating of 7.48. Jota was the only player to register double figures for both goals (11) and assists (11) in the 2022/23 campaign, while the Portuguese star completed the eighth most dribbles (48) to nail down the left wing spot.
