Patrick van Aanholt was a rarity for Sunderland in 2014/15 - a highly-rated signing who actually lived up to his billing! The flying Dutchman wasn't as defensively dependable as recent left backs Danny Rose and Marcos Alonso, often finding himself miles out of position after an eager burst up the pitch, but more than made up for it with his offensive capabilities. Van Aanholt's pace is ludicrous, and he wasted no time displaying it, assisting Sebastian Larsson with a low cross from the byline on opening day. Suddenly the left flank became Sunderland's main point of attack (especially with the ineffective Buckley and Alvarez on the right wing, and defensively-minded players Cattermole and Larsson patrolling the middle), and PVA was a key weapon in the Black Cats' rather limited arsenal. He didn't score a goal in the Premier League, but had a hand in many, and knocked Leeds out of the FA Cup with a magnificent strike from a tight angle. Under Advocaat he improved defensively too, showing that when he stays in position, he can be an unquestionably effective member of a back four.