The Numbers Game – Double Gameweek Form

It’s time to delve into the data this evening and step up our preparations for double Gameweek 37. We cast an eye over the eight teams set to feature twice in the upcoming round of fixtures and roll out the members’ tables to assess their main goal threat of late.

In order to qualify for our analysis, each player must have featured in at least two of their side’s last four league fixtures and produced a minimum of four attempts on goal over their previous quartet of appearances.

Chelsea

Eden Hazard has produced more shots on target than any Chelsea player in our analysis.

The Belgian is neck and neck with Diego Costa for both shots (seven) and key passes (six), though betters the Spain international for efforts in the box (five to three) and has scored with three of his four accurate attempts. Hazard has also chalked up 20 touches in the box to Costa’s 25 in 77 minutes less pitch time.

Willian’s numbers also look promising ahead of the trips to Sunderland and Liverpool. The Brazilian leads the way here for shots (ten) and efforts inside the box (eight) and, having also mirrored Hazard for chances created, bagged a goal and assist in his last four.

Elsewhere in the Blues’ midfield, both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Oscar have equalled Hazard’s seven shots on goal, with Pedro and Cesc Fabregas firing six apiece. The former two remain uncertain of starts, whilst Hiddink’s decision to haul Pedro off for Hazard against Spurs is somewhat disconcerting. Fabregas’ 12 key passes – and three subsequent assists – also keeps him on the radar, though it’s yet to be seen whether he will be charged for his involvement in the tunnel altercation on Monday.

At the back, the stats highlight the threat that saw Gary Cahill find the net against Spurs. The centre-half has produced more touches in the box than any defender over the last four and his six efforts inside the box is joint-top along with Villa’s Ciaran Clark.

Everton

Aaron Lennon has produced more shots on target (three) than any Everton player over their respective last four appearances.

The winger has mainly been restricted to efforts from range, though – he’s managed just one effort inside the box and has failed to create a single scoring opportunity for his team-mates.

Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley are joint-top for attempts inside the box, with four apiece, though the latter boasts a greater goal threat – he’s managed seven efforts on goal to Lukaku’s lowly five after the latter was utilised as a sub against Bournemouth. Barkley’s creativity also stands head and shoulders above his fellow Toffees in our table – his eight key passes is more than the other seven players combined.

Kevin Mirallas has managed an effort every 31.3 minutes – far quicker than Lennon’s 89.3. The Belgian has produced seven shots on goal in 219 minutes, though dropped to the bench against Bournemouth after starting both fixtures in double Gameweek 34. Tom Cleverley and Arouna Kone also produced attempts at a far quicker rate than Lennon (52 minutes and 51.3 minutes respectively) and with Gerard Deulofeu now likely to be sidelined for the season, Cleverley – who bagged a goal and assist at the weekend – looks in pole position to benefit.

Aside from Cleverley, the only featured player to have found the net – Ramiro Funes Mori – is suspended for the first match (lei & sun) of the Toffees’ double Gameweek 37, underlining just how frustrating Everton have become in terms of Fantasy potential.

Liverpool

Daniel Sturridge is far and away the most impressive performer on show amongst Jurgen Klopp’s side ahead of the home encounters against Watford and Chelsea.

Handed a sixth start in seven league outings against Swansea on Sunday, the Reds frontman has produced 21 attempts on goal in his last four outings – more than any player in the Premier League –and has bagged three goals and an assist. Sturridge is second only to Harry Kane for efforts on target (nine to ten) despite playing 48 minutes less.

Philippe Coutinho’s threat from the centre of the park is also in evidence. The Brazilian’s 18 attempts leads the way amongst midfielders, though only six of those have arrived inside the box compared to Sturridge’s 11, with two goals from just four shots on target. Coutinho’s 13 chances created is comfortably better than any team-mate, though having started just two of the last five, he’s been far more prone to Klopp’s domestic rotation policy.

Like Coutinho, Adam Lallana has also started just two of the previous five league fixtures and, as such, his appeal remains very limited – particularly if the Reds overcome Villarreal on Thursday. Nonetheless, his seven attempts on goal and nine key passes, in addition to 21 touches in the box – more than Coutinho and Roberto Firmino’s 17 – highlights his threat in just 228 minutes’ pitch time.

Firmino has produced an attempt on goal at a far slower rate (37.3 minutes to 14.4) than Coutinho and managed only four key passes, though the pair are neck and neck for efforts in the box and attempts on target. The former has, however, seen two big chances come his way – that’s the same as Sturridge and superior to Coutinho’s zero. Firmino has started four of the last five, however, and has looked less prone to rotation.

Full-back pair Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno have started just two of the last four matches. Although the latter’s output has been far superior, with a goal and three assists to Clyne’s four blanks, their underlying numbers are very similar. The duo are neck and neck for key passes, with seven apiece, and whilst Moreno only just edges it for total attempts (seven to six), Clyne has offered greater threat from close-range.

James Milner didn’t make the cut in our table as he’s produced just two shots on goal in his last four league outings. The summer signing from City has created 12 scoring opportunities, though, which have earned him four assists in that period.

Man United

Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard are joint-top for shots on target (four) ahead of United’s trips to Norwich and West Ham.

The latter two are also tied at the summit along with Marcus Rashford for attempts inside the box (five), with the latter managing a total of eight attempts to Martial’s five.

Rooney, meanwhile, is top for overall attempts (12) but his shift into central midfield in a 4-1-4-1 set-up means that all but one of those efforts have arrived from distance. Indeed, a deep-lying role has seen him manage a mere seven touches inside the box compared to Martial’s 30 touches in the penalty area – that’s top for the Red Devils, despite his berth on the left flank.

Rooney’s recent return from injury means that both Lingard and Juan Mata have been utilised as a sub in one of United’s last three, with their consistency of starts now more in question than before.

Elsewhere, Marcos Rojo’s five attempts and four key passes suggests he could flourish over the upcoming clashes, though it’s worth noting that the Argentine played only one of his side’s two fixtures in double Gameweek 34 as a result of Louis van Gaal’s rotation.

Norwich

Robbie Brady has produced more shots on target than any Norwich player over his last four league outings.

Although he’s managed just an assist over that period, the Republic of Ireland international has also managed eight attempts on goal and seven key passes and is shaping up to be a key figure ahead of back-to-back home outings against United and Watford.

Dropped to the bench for Saturday’s trip to the Emirates, Dieumerci Mbokani has offered the greatest close-range threat – eight of his nine efforts have arrived in the opposition box, whilst a total of seven key passes is the equal of Brady.

Nathan Redmond return to the starting XI for the first time since Gameweek 30 last weekend and also has the numbers to suggest he’s one to watch. His total of nine attempts is joint-top here despite playing a mere 184 minutes, though he’s mainly been restricted to efforts from distance, with just two shots and four touches inside the box. At a time when the Canaries have failed to score in their last three, Redmond’s eye for goal could also emerge as key to their survival bid.

Like Mbokani, Steven Naismith was also utilised as a sub last time out – after serving up a goal and assist on his debut in Gameweek 23, the Scot has since served up just a single assist. Jonny Howson has assisted two of Norwich’s three goals over the featured period and is arguably the only player in our Canaries table likely to play from start to finish in both their matches over the double.

Sunderland

The stats immediately underline just how crucial Jermain Defoe will be for the Black Cats’ pair of home matches against Chelsea and Everton.

Priced at 5.3, Defoe has produced 15 of his side’s 49 shots over their last four matches and fired 13 of Sunderland’s 29 efforts inside the box –as a result, he’s scored two of the Wearsiders’ four goals. Compared to other forwards, only Andy Carroll has managed more close-range efforts, whilst Defoe’s 15 shots is fourth most impressive amongst all frontmen.

Patrick van Aanholt’s threat from defence is also on many managers’ radars ahead of the double. The Dutchman’s seven attempts on goal is more than Wahbi Khazri’s five down the left had side, whilst he also betters the winter signing for chances created, by three to two. Van Aanholt’s seven shots is ranked joint-top with Alberto Moreno amongst all defenders over their respective last four, highlighting the eye for goal that’s already seen him net five times.

Fabio Borini’s threat seems to have tailed off in recent weeks. Whereas Defoe produced eight attempts in the 1-1 draw at Stoke on Saturday, the Italian failed to produce a single effort before being replaced just before the hour mark. Eight efforts and six shots inside the box is still a decent threat but his classification as a forward ends his appeal when compered to Defoe.

Similarly, Khazri’s single shot inside the box and mere two key passes is hardly enticing – indeed, the new boy has failed to make it past the hour-mark in two of the Black Cats’ last three.

Watford

As evidenced in the weekend comeback win over Villa, Troy Deeney offers the greatest goal threat ahead of Watford’s trips to Liverpool and Norwich.

When compared to strike partner Odion Ighalo, the Hornets skipper has produced almost twice the number of shots (nine to five) and has fired all nine efforts inside the box to the Nigerian’s four, though Ighalo has seen more touches (29 to 26) in the opposition area.

Jurado catches the eye in the centre of the park. Despite failing to pick up any points in the last four, he’s been named in the first XI on each occasion and has created 11 scoring chances for his team-mates and fired seven attempts on goal. Although just one of his attempts arrived inside the box, the 5.3-priced winger matched Deeney for shots on target, with four apiece.

Aside from that trio, the rest of our featured players remain a rotation risk. Ben Watson has a goal and assist in his last four, though was benched for the second match of double Gameweek 34 as Flores shuffled his pack to cope with the busy schedule. Both Almen Abdi and Jose Holebas started two of the last four and scored a goal apiece, whilst forgotten man Stephen Berghuis has emerged from the bench in each of the last two to supply an assist on both occasions.

West Ham

Despite failing to get amongst the goals in the 3-0 win at West Brom, Andy Carroll’s threat remains highly impressive.

In terms of shots inside the box (15), the big Geordie leads the way for West Ham and, indeed, all forwards, whilst a total of 16 attempts is double the number of every Hammers player aside from Dimitri Payet (nine). Carroll, who has produced five goals, an assist and seven bonus points over this period, whilst amongst all strikers, only Harry Kane (ten), Daniel Sturridge and Sergio Aguero (both nine) have bettered his eight efforts on target. With six key passes also to his name, that 6.5 price tag seems great value for money ahead of the home encounters against Swansea and United.

Payet’s close-range threat is minimal when compared to Carroll, with only two of his nine efforts arriving inside the box. The Frenchman’s creativity remains crucial, though – 13 key passes is easily superior to any team-mate and second amongst all midfielders.

Elsewhere, Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate’s recent turnaround in fortunes is highlighted. The duo are on a par with Manuel Lanzini for overall attempts (six), though have been far more accurate than the Argentine despite their roles in the double-pivot. Noble has scored with four of his five attempts on target, whilst Kouyate – who has managed five efforts in the box – has delivered a goal and two assists over that period. Indeed, the latter’s 19 touches inside the box underlines his upturn in close-range threat.

Although the Upton Park side have scored 11 times over the last four, both Lanzini and Michail Antonio have failed to register a single shot on target between them, with the latter’s threat trailing off as a result of his shift to right-back. Indeed, fellow full-back Aaron Cresswell is neck and neck with Antonio for shots (four) and key passes (five) and has produced a goal and assist, compared to the former Forest man’s pair of assists.