Stat Attack Preview: Stoke v Liverpool

Liverpool travel to the Britannia Stadium to face Stoke City on Saturday, after an international break.

The last time out they saw off Bolton at Anfield in an impressive display. Stats below from EA Sports Player Performance Index identify the importance of new signing Charlie Adam on the new-look Liverpool side already…

Liverpool’s Charlie Adam has proven to be an immediate success having signed from Blackpool. Adam is the highest ranked Liverpool player on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, currently in 11th place

In terms of midfielders, Adam finds himself behind only the Manchester-based trio of Ashley Young, David Silva and Anderson on the Index. Adam has one goal in 287minutes of Barclays Premier League action this season and has hit the target with 62.5% of all his shots

Adam has also proved his worth in defence, winning 83.3% of all the tackles he has entered in to this season as well as making three clearances

Another new face at Liverpool is Jordan Henderson, who is currently in 24th place on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index

Henderson scored a goal and covered 10,577m before being substituted in Liverpool’s last game, a 3-1 win against Bolton

Adam also scored his first goal for Liverpool in the same game, but played the full 90 minutes and covered an incredible 13,515m including a massive 7042m in the first half alone!

Andy Carroll has had 9 attempts on goal, with just 4 on target (44%). Suarez has had 5 attempts on goal with 3 on target (60%) and 2 goals.

While his fitness and lifestyle have been criticised by Capello, Carroll covered a total of 18.3km in the Arsenal and Sunderland games combined (unfortunately we don’t have complete data speed / distance data for the Bolton game). Co-striker Louis Suarez has covered 10.9km (if you average this per minute on the pitch Carroll covers 108m and Suarez 109.6m, so they’re pretty much even with Carroll playing for longer and therefore stamina factors in).

Ryan Shawcross is the highest ranked Stoke City player on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, currently sitting in 45th place. Shawcross’ teammates Matthew Etherington and Asmir Begovic follow him, in 51st and 52nd places respectively

Both Shawcross and Begovic have played all 292minutes of Stoke City’s Barclays Premier League games this season. Shawcross has won eight of the 12 tackles he has entered into and make six clearances, six interceptions and five blocks