The emergence of Christie as a vital and thrilling part of the first team has been a season highlight. And it is the diversity of his contribution to the team that fascinates. From box to box his contribution is considerable.
Here are some examples.
I have 132 summary level data points for every outfield player (more for goalkeepers). Across those categories Christie leads the team in 10 of them. But it is the diversity of those 10 that illustrates the contributions be is making for the team. Some players, like Benkovic, excel across a narrow band of defensive metrics. Ntcham is the Packing King. Griffiths excels in weight of attacking actions. Edouard excels in delivery of attacking outcomes.
But no player appears across the defensive, creative and attacking metrics quite like Christie.
Defensive
- No player has won more tackles outright (3.24 per 90m). This is a tackle where the ball is won back for Celtic.
- No player wins more tackles that result in possession being lost (2.64 per 90m).
- Unsurprisingly he leads the team in total tackle won per 90m with 5.88.
- He leads the team in Interceptions that result in losing possession (1.7 per 90m). This is indicative of both high pressing acumen and defensive screening.
- Christie has the highest rate of blocking opposition shots. He gets in the way of 0.68 per 90.
Creative
- Christie has the highest Expected Assist rate per 90m with 0.441 xA.
- For every Packing action, no player has a higher Impect score per action. Each Pack Pass, Receive or Dribble by Christie results in an average 6.55 Impect score.
- He creates the highest quality chances in the squad. Each chance created has an average 0.022 xA per 90m
Attacking
- He has the highest Shot Accuracy in the squad. 59% of his shots hit the target.
- No player wins more fouls than Christie. He suffers 2.3 fouls per 90m.
I can’t remember a player that contributes such variety of performance. All done at break-neck speed. The defensive work in particular allows McGregor to concentrate on passing and tempo. It has taken two players to fully replace Brown. But they add energy and urgency too.
All aboard the Christie Express!
It’s nice to read, however it’s a little sky sports-like with the way they portray England stats, they only produce them when there is a little good form.
Whilst Christie has been superb, il rely on his merits when he has produced exceptional form over a full season. I know this may sound pessimistic, however he showed similar patches of form for Aberdeen before going quiet, so hopefully the better calibre of player will give consistency to Christie’s talent.
All in all very impressive, the acid test is consistency.
Thanks for your efforts! ?
It’s a fair challenge. He expends so much energy I do wonder how he will sustain it.
I believe Christie has replaced the hole left by Armstrong.
Not only has he replaced it but he has also added a more balanced defensive aspect to his game than Armstrong showed.
This allows Rogic more freedom of expression and with both moving and playing so well gives McGregor more options to aim at when he drops and receives the ball from the back.
The move from the 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 suits us better as we now have 3 attack minded midfielders operating as a unit rather than 2 more defensive minded behind the one.
Again the contrast in Celtic has been night and day since Rosenborg culminating in the first half destruction of Kilmarnock at the weekend.
I hope Brendan sticks with the 4-3-3 setup he started v Rosenborg and goes for it against Salzburg.
I we do manage to get a lead then perhaps bring on Brown and Ntcham to shut up shop with the 4-2-3-1 we have been deploying for the bulk of games these past 3 to 4 Years.
Thank you for your considered post. I agree with you and even if Celtic lose to a side that I believe is CL standard we should stick with a thrilling configuration.