The EPL's Best Defenders so far,2011/12.

Using the methodology in this post here,I've listed the most impressive defenders from each EPL side so far this season.It would appear that the more times a defence loses a ground based duel,the more goals they are likely to concede.Therefore a defender who contests more ground duels than the average for his team and who can also lose less than the average number of such duels compared to the average for his side could be considered his team's outstanding defender.The players listed below are either above average in both categories (denoted by ratios in excess of 1) or are slightly below average in one category,but overwhelmingly dominant in another.For example Koscielny contests more ground duels than has been the average for Arsenal defenders so far this year and had lost less than the average of such contests.By contrast Rio Ferdinand has contested a below average number of ground duels,but has been imperious when doing so.

The Outstanding Defenders from Each EPL Team based on Ground Duels Contested and Lost.

Player	Team	Total Ground Duels Ratio.	Ground Duels Lost Ratio.
L Koscielny	Arsenal	1.08	1.04
C Cuellar	Aston Villa	1.10	0.97
C Samba	Blackburn	1.01	1.20
Z Knight	Bolton	0.73	1.91
B Ivanovic	Chelsea	1.12	1.34
P Jagielka	Everton	0.91	1.82
B Hangeland	Fulham	1.11	1.05
M Skrtel	Liverpool	0.83	1.56
V Kompany	Man City	0.76	1.70
R Ferdinand	Man Utd	0.57	2.66
S Taylor	Newcastle	0.71	1.82
L Barnett	Norwich	1.12	1.02
C Hill	QPR	0.86	1.33
Y Kaboul	Spurs	1.16	1.19
R Huth	Stoke	0.95	1.25
P Bardsley	Sunderland	1.03	1.03
S Caulker	Swansea	0.90	1.36
G McAuley	WBA	1.20	1.23
M Figueroa	Wigan	1.17	1.04
C Berra	Wolves	1.07	1.04