Completing the theme of assessing player performance between last season and this. The subject this time is creativity.
I consider all players here both last season and this who completed over 900 minutes.
This map shows Chances Created (passes resulting in a shot plus assists) and Pack Passes (forward passes that take out at least one opponent) in terms of % increase or decrease per 90m between last season and this.
Those in the top right have improved in both dimensions.
Those in the bottom left have regressed by both dimensions.
The highlights are:
- Edouard has blossomed as a creative talent. Albeit from a small base, his Pack Passing is up and his xA per 90m increased from 1.37 to 1.6.
- McGregor – give him a job to do and he improves the key performance attributes associated with that job!
- Griffiths saw a big % increase in Chances Created (2.39 to 3.59 per 90m) whilst Pack Passing was flat. This was mainly due to Set Play passes.
- Of the defenders, Simunovic became more expansive this season and the numbers back this up.
- Sinclair’s decline as a creator is huge, but he seems to have been under orders to be on the end of passes rather than staying wide, at least under Rodgers.
- Brown – steady but gentle decline.
- Rogic and Ntcham would both be disappointed to see a drop off of creative performances.