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Top 5 Final Third Passers 2012/13 | Stats Comparison

Creativity is a crucial element in any successful side so it won’t surprise you that the five players who made the most final third passes (FTP) last season came from top six clubs. These players are Santi Cazorla (1265 FTP); David Silva (973 FTP); Juan Mata (929 FTP); Steven Pienaar (890 FTP) and Eden Hazard (874 FTP).

Final Third Passers

People will expect to see the three Spanish number tens leading the way with their defence opening through balls being a common sight in Premier League matches. Hazard is also seen as a similar type of player but Pienaar is a wide midfielder so is slightly different to the other four. However with Leighton Baines playing the aggressive role he does, it allows the winger to drift inside more which would explain why he is becoming a more important creative force.

Players With The Most Final Third Passes 12/13
Players With The Most Final Third Passes 12/13

As well as making the most final third passes, Cazorla has a useful pass completion rate in the final third of 82% which highlights how dangerous he is when he gets into attacking areas. The Spaniard created a chance 96 chances for his team mates. This means every 13.2 final third passes the play-maker created a chance for his side, this is impressive considering the amount of passing Arsenal do in and around the final third.

For Manchester City, David Silva has always been heavily relied upon to provide the service for their strike force. His final third pass completion rate was lower than Cazorla at 79%. However he was more potent with his passes as he created more chances with 104 which came with every 9.4 final third passes. This could reflect on City’s more clinical style of play, plus Silva would have been operating further up the field than his compatriot.

The final Spaniard in the top five is Juan Mata who had a final third pass completion rate of 78% which is lower than both of his International team mates. The Chelsea playmaker managed to create 95 chances for his side which came with every 9.8 final third passes. This is a better rate than Cazorla but is still behind David Silva. The Chelsea number ten plays the furthest forward out of the top five final third passers which is shown in his superior goal tally.

The shock inclusion in this group is South African Steven Pienaar who has a final third pass completion rate of 77% which is worse than all three Spanish players. The wide midfielder created 82 chances which were produced every 10.9 final third passes which is an impressive ratio for a player who was deemed not good enough for Tottenham. Since his return to Goodison Park, he has really turned his career around and he is now among the most creative players in the Premier League.

The fifth attacking passer is Eden Hazard who managed to match Cazorla in terms of final third passing accuracy with 82%. He trailed the other four in terms of chances created as he only managed to produce a reasonable 65 chances. These came every 13.4 final third passes which is only just behind Santi Cazorla’s rate. The Belgian may have created the least chances as his main talent is his dribbling ability rather than his passing. Also as this was his first season in England, these stats are likely to improve in the future as he gets used to the physical style of the English game.

After looking at the stats closely, David Silva is the deadliest in the final third as he creates chances at a better rate than the other four midfielders. However all these players excel in different areas in the final third. Santi Cazorla dominates the ball incredibly well in the final third while Mata is a big goalscoring threat as can be seen last season when he netter 12 goals. Hazard is the best dribbler of the lot which explains why he has created less chances than the rest as he often instigates attacks before the final ball. Finally Steven Pienaar is a good all rounder when it comes to the final third as shown with his chances created and passing stats.

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