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Why Jordan Henderson?10 Comments.June 8, 2011 · by Grubb · Video Scout
Who says I'm not as good as James McCarthy?
With the arrival of Sunderland starlet Jordan Henderson seemingly imminent (indeed – the signing could well be confirmed before the publication of this post) the talk amongst the Liverpool faithful has been… well it’s been how it always is when an unknown quantity is about to sign. Some supporters are happy at the arrival of a bright young prospect, others are incredulous regarding his exorbitant price tag, and a large section underwhelmed, as they (like me) hold out hope for elite and exotic continental signings.
It is for the underwhelmed that I write this column.
When rumours of a potential transfer for the England U21 man first surface, my initial reaction was slight disappointment. Did we need another player in the Spearing and Shelvey category of midfielder – talented, potentially excellent, but one for the future? What could he bring to the first team that would be an immediate improvement? Why Jordan Henderson?
In trying to understand Henderson’s appeal to Liverpool I trawled through his stats on the Telegraph site (as I usually do with any linked player from the Prem) and directly compared them with the statistics produced by his contemporaries – in this case England and Arsenal golden boy Jack Wilshere (widely considered the best young midfielder in the league), and precocious Wigan starlet James McCarthy, who has also been linked to LFC. The results are in the graph below (click to enlarge):
I calculated most stats in a ‘per game’ format in order not to unfairly penalise McCarthy, who missed the early part of the season through injury. While a ‘per minute’ calculation may have been even more fair, I’m far too lazy for that kind of statistical rigour.
In each area compared, I highlighted in light blue the player who I felt had produced the best statistical performance. For example Jack Wilshere’s foul ratio sees him win fouls far more than he gives them away, making him the best performer in that category (as unimportant as it is). As you can see each player has an area of strength that highlights their individual games and abilities.
Here’s my player-by-player analysis of the stats above:
Jack Wilshere:
Probably the best all-rounder of the group, Wilshere’s high quality passing percentage is typical of Arsenal’s play. He has a respectable 3 assists from a deeper midfield role, and is a reasonable chance creator. Weaknesses include that he is only small and not an effective ball winner, however he is tricky with the ball and uses his technique and agility to win fouls from the opposition.
James McCarthy
Clearly the best of the trio in a defensive sense, McCarthy makes and wins more tackles than his contemporaries, and also intercepts more stray balls. Partly this is due to the season Wigan have had, but it also reflects his role in the team. McCarthy’s goal output is good, but he doesn’t create many scoring opportunities for his team.
Jordan Henderson
For me the best attacking prospect of the three, it’s important to interpret Henderson’s statistics carefully. He has been deployed in both central and wide positions this season, and has also been a regular set-piece taker for Sunderland. Taking set pieces reduces passing accuracy statistics significantly, making his 80.5% accuracy quite respectable. However it also has the effect of inflating his chance creation stats, as corner and free kicks are more likely to result in a scoring chance than a pass from open play.
The reality is, Jordan Henderson is statistically comparable to Jack Wilshere, justifying his identification by the talent spotters at Liverpool. He is amazingly ranked 3rd in the entire Premier League for goal chances created. Only Florent Malouda, Kevin Davies and Stewart Downing created as many chances or more:
Top 20 chance creators, courtesy of the Telegraph
You’ll see I’ve highlighted certain players in red – each of these players have been linked with a move to LFC this transfer window. Surprisingly 5 of the top 10 creators have been linked (including Joey Barton, who you can read about here). Coincidence or market strategy? Carroll and Suarez will be licking their lips at the service they will get next season if some of the names in the chart eventually end up signing
Why Jordan Henderson?10 Comments.June 8, 2011 · by Grubb · Video Scout
Who says I'm not as good as James McCarthy?
With the arrival of Sunderland starlet Jordan Henderson seemingly imminent (indeed – the signing could well be confirmed before the publication of this post) the talk amongst the Liverpool faithful has been… well it’s been how it always is when an unknown quantity is about to sign. Some supporters are happy at the arrival of a bright young prospect, others are incredulous regarding his exorbitant price tag, and a large section underwhelmed, as they (like me) hold out hope for elite and exotic continental signings.
It is for the underwhelmed that I write this column.
When rumours of a potential transfer for the England U21 man first surface, my initial reaction was slight disappointment. Did we need another player in the Spearing and Shelvey category of midfielder – talented, potentially excellent, but one for the future? What could he bring to the first team that would be an immediate improvement? Why Jordan Henderson?
In trying to understand Henderson’s appeal to Liverpool I trawled through his stats on the Telegraph site (as I usually do with any linked player from the Prem) and directly compared them with the statistics produced by his contemporaries – in this case England and Arsenal golden boy Jack Wilshere (widely considered the best young midfielder in the league), and precocious Wigan starlet James McCarthy, who has also been linked to LFC. The results are in the graph below (click to enlarge):
I calculated most stats in a ‘per game’ format in order not to unfairly penalise McCarthy, who missed the early part of the season through injury. While a ‘per minute’ calculation may have been even more fair, I’m far too lazy for that kind of statistical rigour.
In each area compared, I highlighted in light blue the player who I felt had produced the best statistical performance. For example Jack Wilshere’s foul ratio sees him win fouls far more than he gives them away, making him the best performer in that category (as unimportant as it is). As you can see each player has an area of strength that highlights their individual games and abilities.
Here’s my player-by-player analysis of the stats above:
Jack Wilshere:
Probably the best all-rounder of the group, Wilshere’s high quality passing percentage is typical of Arsenal’s play. He has a respectable 3 assists from a deeper midfield role, and is a reasonable chance creator. Weaknesses include that he is only small and not an effective ball winner, however he is tricky with the ball and uses his technique and agility to win fouls from the opposition.
James McCarthy
Clearly the best of the trio in a defensive sense, McCarthy makes and wins more tackles than his contemporaries, and also intercepts more stray balls. Partly this is due to the season Wigan have had, but it also reflects his role in the team. McCarthy’s goal output is good, but he doesn’t create many scoring opportunities for his team.
Jordan Henderson
For me the best attacking prospect of the three, it’s important to interpret Henderson’s statistics carefully. He has been deployed in both central and wide positions this season, and has also been a regular set-piece taker for Sunderland. Taking set pieces reduces passing accuracy statistics significantly, making his 80.5% accuracy quite respectable. However it also has the effect of inflating his chance creation stats, as corner and free kicks are more likely to result in a scoring chance than a pass from open play.
The reality is, Jordan Henderson is statistically comparable to Jack Wilshere, justifying his identification by the talent spotters at Liverpool. He is amazingly ranked 3rd in the entire Premier League for goal chances created. Only Florent Malouda, Kevin Davies and Stewart Downing created as many chances or more:
Top 20 chance creators, courtesy of the Telegraph
You’ll see I’ve highlighted certain players in red – each of these players have been linked with a move to LFC this transfer window. Surprisingly 5 of the top 10 creators have been linked (including Joey Barton, who you can read about here). Coincidence or market strategy? Carroll and Suarez will be licking their lips at the service they will get next season if some of the names in the chart eventually end up signing
