One of the big positives to come out of Sunday’s game at Wembley was the performance of Tom Cleverley. I thought it a good idea to compare Cleverley to two other highly regarded young midifleders, namely Jack Wilshere, whom is widely regarded as the best young midfielder in the league, and Liverpool new boy Jordan Henderson.
The following are statistics from the 2010/11 season, courtesy of The Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk):
Cleverley | Henderson | Wilshere | |
Appearances | 25 | 37 | 35 |
Goals | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Assists | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Pass % | 80.2 | 80.5 | 86.1 |
Tackles per game | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
Tackle % | 74.5 | 72.7 | 70.4 |
Fouls conceded | 14 | 27 | 35 |
Fouls against | 22 | 14 | 48 |
Chances per game | 0.96 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
Age | 21 | 21 | 19 |
Height | 1.75m | 1.82m | 1.72m |
Weight | 69kg | 67kg | 68kg |
Henderson played in both central and wide positions for Sunderland last season, and was also a regular free kick and corner taker, so his 80.5% pass accuracy is very respectable. Henderson was responsible for creating 82 goal scoring opportunities for his team mates in 2010/11, 39 more than any other Sunderland player, and the fourth best total in the Premier League. He is the tallest of the three players, and in the physicality of the Premier League, this could be seen as an advantage. One has to wonder, however, how much game time he is going to get at Liverpool, considering he is competing against the likes of Gerrard, Adam & Downing, to name a few.
Wilshere’s technique and vision are amazing, and with his dribbling and passing ability he can open up the toughest of defences. His performance against Barcelona in last season’s Champions League was incredible, and he outshone two of the world’s best in Xavi and Iniesta. He is, however, small, and therefore not an effective ball winner. Of the three players, he has the highest pass completion ratio, an impressive 86.1%. This might, however, have something to do with Arsenal’s passing game.
When looking at Cleverley’s stats, I think it is important to keep in mind that he was playing for Wigan last season, a team much weaker than the likes of Sunderland and Arsenal. I’m pretty sure that being involved in a relegation battle last season would have done him a world of good in terms of maturity, and his England call-up will give his confidence a boost. If his performance against City is anything to go by, then it seems Sir Alex may just have found part of the solution to replacing the legend which is Paul Scholes. Cleverley is quick-footed, and definitely has an eye for a pass. So what do the stats tell us? Of the three, he has the best successful tackle ratio. He won the second most fouls, in the least number of games, and had a very respectable successful pass ratio of 80.2%. He has the lowest number of chances created per game, but once again, that could have something to do with the fact that he was playing for Wigan.
So all in all, the three youngsters are, statistically, very comparable. Each has different strengths and weaknesses, but one thing they have in common is a bright future. I for one am very excited to see how their season’s progress.
