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Leon Britton | Architect of Swansea City Masterclass | Opta Stats

But I shouldn’t have worried, because there was one factor I was overlooking that only became clear as the game developed. For Pogrebnyak and Johnson to exploit any potential confusion in the new Monk / Caulker partnership, they would need the ball, and thanks to a truly astonishing performance from midfielder Leon Britton, they hardly ever saw it. In fact, Pogrebnyak saw the ball 25 times, Johnson 19, but in carrying out his defensive duties, patrolling the area in front of his central defensive pairing, Britton enjoyed an amazing 100 passes, completing 96 of them. Astonishing.

Leon Britton has been a star performer many times this season, but in 90 minutes yesterday afternoon, the diminutive midfielder probably enjoyed his most influential game of this fantastic début season in football’s premier division, that set the very foundations for Swansea’s superb 3 – 0 victory.

Watching Britton throughout the game is an education in itself. From minute one, he makes himself available for any of his teammates who are in possession of the ball. Whether that is from keeper Michel Vorm, either of his central defenders or full backs, Britton is always available. In fact, the most telling statistic of his game was that of his 96 completed passes, only 14% of them were backwards, suggesting that where possible, Britton likes to start things. I don’t think there is a statistic yet for the amount of space a player makes for himself in order that he can help out players under pressure with the ball, but if there was one, Britton would head that list too. He is simply perpetual motion personified.

So far this season, Britton has made 1,688 passes – one of the highest in the division – and has completed 1,573 of them, that’s an amazing 93% (Editor’s Note: Highest in the league too.). Such is his importance to Swansea, and in particular the possession game they have almost pioneered under Brendan Rodgers, Britton has helped Swansea to attempt 15,561 passes this season, an average of 536 per game, completing 13,250 of them. Only Manchester City can top that completion figure. Those statistics are a complete vindication of Rodgers’ pass and move approach to football at the top level.

But maybe the most telling statistic of all in relation to Britton relates to his clearances. A question. Bearing in mind that this sublime footballer earns his living in the rough and tumble area just in front of the back four where, often, last ditch tackles or clearances into row Z are a staple for many a defensive midfielder, how many of Leon Britton’s 1688 passes this season do you think have been long ball clearances? Twenty? Fifty?

No, Just two. That is mind-boggling.

Next Page: Further Britton analysis…

Davebrayley
Davebrayley
David Brayley is a freelance sports writer from Swansea who specialises in comment based columns across the whole spectrum of professional sport. He is also a published author having written "There's Only Two Tony Cotteys" with former Swansea City footballer and Glamorgan and Sussex cricketer Tony Cottey. David also visits schools to inspire and engage young children into literacy, and his book published in 2010, "Believing is Achieving", was hailed in educational circles for the impact it had in raising literacy standards with Year 6 children.
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