Statistical Comparison: Sam Clucas
With Sam Clucas on the verge of signing for the Swans’, I thought I’d delve into the Squawka Comparison Matrix to take a look at how he stacks up compared to our current midfield.
Seeing as we’re only two games into the new season, I’ve used stats from last year’s campaign. Clucas played in the Premier League for Hull last season, so his stats should give a more accurate representation of what we can expect from the English midfielder.
You can take a look at these stats and more by going to the Squawka Comparison Matrix, and head over to our Twitter to get in on the discussion.
Comparing: Sam Clucas, Leroy Fer, Roque Mesa and Tom Carroll (2016/17)
Chances Created:
One of the key stats for most roles across the midfield is their number of chances created. Last season Tom Carroll created an average of 0.97 chances per ninety minutes – substantially more than the other three midfielders. It’s worth noting that Carroll played half as many games as Clucas, Fer and Mesa, which obviously will have impacted his stats per ninety minutes.
Pass Completion:
A stat that has been crucial for the Swans since the days of Roberto Martinez, pass completion is a great way to assess a player’s capabilities on the ball. Unsurprisingly, it’s Roque Mesa who comes out on top with a 91% pass completion. Mesa was an impressive 8% ahead of Sam Clucas in second, though you’d probably expect that in La Liga. Leon Britton only had 89%, which makes Mesa’s stat even more impressive!
Goals Scored:
There was only going to be one winner here, with Leroy Fer being the stand-out attacking midfielder. Fer scored 6 goals last season, with Clucas in second with 3. Roque Mesa and Tom Carroll both scored one goal a piece, though Carroll played half as many games.
Tackles Won:
The results surprised me, with Tom Carroll coming out on top with an average of 1.75 successful tackles per ninety minutes. Sam Clucas came in a close second with 1.64, while Roque Mesa had just over 1. Could Clucas give our midfield a bite that we’ve been missing?
Interceptions:
This is the only stat in which Clucas comes out on top, though you have to remember he was a part of one of the only teams worse than us last season. 1.47 interceptions per game is an impressive stat for the Englishman, although the Jack Cork’s stats over 30 games were considerably better in this field.
Of course, stats don’t always give an accurate reflection on a player but they do give us foundations on which we can form expectation.
Should the deal be done before the weekend, It’ll be interesting to see whether Clucas is thrown straight into the team to face Crystal Palace on Saturday. However with the international break approaching, he may be given the week to settle into life in South Wales.