On the face of it alone, it is difficult to know what to make of the fact that 98 different starting centre-back combinations have been used in the Premier League this season. It certainly sounds like a lot, at first glance. 21 gameweeks of 10 games is 210 matches thus far, so that means 420 separate lineups named. That makes it nearly one in every four team selections that there is a change at centre-back. In a position where consistency is one of the most essential of ingredients for the success of a partnership, this suddenly seems like a lot of unwanted chopping and changing.
