The 19 runs made by Dominic Calvert-Lewin difficult the Brighton backline on the opening weekend stay essentially the most by any Premier League participant this season. There have been 17 extra of them within the 4-0 defeat to Tottenham. He tops the record for attacking runs.
Not that this might be noticed even when watching the sport on tv – Everton’s striker isn’t within the image. His workforce have conceded seven objectives with out reply of their opening two fixtures and Calvert-Lewin has mustered just one shot. That was blocked.
He’s one in every of solely two Premier League centre-forwards to have began each video games up to now and never registered a shot heading in the right direction. The opposite, Ipswich’s Liam Delap, can not less than level to the standard of the opposition confronted by his aspect – Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis.
Calvert-Lewin can nonetheless declare to have had worse service. Even Delap has had extra touches. And when the ball does attain Calvert-Lewin, his scenario hardly improves. That story is instructed to us by means of Second Spectrum with assist from the monitoring knowledge.
There’s a metric that calculates the variety of passing choices obtainable when a participant receives possession. Calvert-Lewin averages 0.96 choices when he will get the ball – one in every of solely 4 gamers to start out each video games averaging fewer than a single passing possibility.
No surprise his anticipated go completion fee, calculating the issue of his passes, is simply 57.3 per cent. That’s the lowest of any Premier League participant. Apparently, Jordan Pickford ranks third on that metric. Everton’s long-ball soccer is simply not working.
Some are shocked to see Calvert-Lewin linked with a transfer away from Everton given his underwhelming type and issues over his health. However study the information and it’s simple to think about that he may look a really completely different participant in a aspect that would discover his runs.
Odegaard’s urgent for Arsenal
Martin Odegaard has had extra inventive performances for Arsenal than his show of their 2-0 win over Aston Villa over Saturday however his urgent led to seven turnovers of possession of their favour. He did it 16 occasions within the opening fixture towards Wolves too.
No participant has helped his aspect win the ball again by means of urgent extra occasions than Odegaard this season. In complete, he has had 133 urgent conditions already. These are the form of numbers extra usually related to workhorses than present ponies.
Arsenal’s captain is able to dazzling on the ball as effectively, in fact. He created 88 probabilities from open play final season, essentially the most by any participant within the Premier League. However Mikel Arteta is aware of that his work out of possession is simply as vital for the Gunners.
Pereira’s set items for Fulham
It is likely to be shocking to study that Fulham created the second most alternatives of any Premier League workforce from corners final season, behind solely Liverpool. It’s much less shocking if you see the standard of supply from their midfielder Andreas Pereira.
The Brazilian has been at it once more within the early weeks of this season, creating 9 probabilities from set-piece conditions. For context, that’s greater than twice as many as another Premier League participant. It has change into a serious weapon for Marco Silva’s aspect.
Southampton’s passive passing
Unusually, it’s a newly-promoted aspect which have tried essentially the most passes within the Premier League up to now this season. Russell Martin’s Southampton aspect have made 1,305 of them already, placing them simply forward of the reigning champions, Manchester Metropolis.
However whereas Metropolis have six objectives and 6 factors, Southampton have managed none of both. Given the context of their two fixtures up to now, that’s alarming. They’ve had over an hour towards Newcastle’s 10 gamers and a house sport towards Nottingham Forest.
It was a deserved defeat at St Mary’s too. Saints had 65 per cent of the ball however solely 18 per cent of the photographs. Remarkably, regardless of their dominance of possession, solely three groups – Ipswich, Leicester and Everton – have a decrease expected-goals complete up to now.
Southampton are averaging 683 passes per one anticipated purpose, excess of any workforce bar Ipswich. It has been too passive. However don’t count on Martin to alter the strategy. He defined that in an unique interview with Sky Sports activities forward of the brand new season.
“For me, it would be crazy and illogical to get to the Premier League and then change it completely. We still need to have the intention of wanting to dominate the ball – we just need to be better at it. I do not think we stay up playing ugly as that is just not us.”
Whether or not they can keep up enjoying like that is the query. Martin pointed to Forest’s superior high quality within the ultimate third however the stats counsel this can be a creativity drawback relatively than a ending drawback. Not sufficient of these 1,305 passes have been threatening.