In the last few weeks Chelsea’s form has dipped and as such people are looking for players to blame, now that Saloman Kalou is a near outcast in the squad it is time to revert back to disliking our good old reliable right back Jose Bosingwa. Ignoring the sarcasm in the last line, Bosingwa started the season well, scoring a blinder against Norwich and looking the Jose Bosingwa of old, before injuries.
However in recent weeks with games against Arsenal and Genk he has looked particularly suspect and as such Chelsea fans are either looking at the option of a new right back in January or having the much loved Branislav Ivanovic, a reliable defender who can play right back as well as centre back, to revert back to right back where he played for most of last season. However is playing Brana at RB restricting him as a defender or a good thing for the team as a whole as it stabilises our defence? Although using Ivanovic’s statistics for the whole of last season is somewhat unfair in comparison to Bosingwa’s statistics for this season it still gives us an indication of both player’s individual strengths and weaknesses at RB.
As we can see Bosingwa so far this season has actually got better defensive statistics compared to Ivanovic’s stats for last season, obviously it’s harder to have good statistics for a longer period of time however it is clear Bosingwa isn’t as bad a defender as most make out based on statistics alone.
He’s won 59% of ground 50-50’s compared to Ivanovic’s 57%, he has also won 69% of aerial 50-50’s while Brana achieved 61% last season. His tackle success rate is 86% compared to 83% as well as him losing the ball less frequently and making more interceptions. Not bad for someone who apparently can’t defend, although the statistics favour Bosingwa there has to be context. Firstly, as already mentioned, it is harder to have consistently good statistics over a longer period of time, secondly, statistics only tell half of the picture, Bosingwa looked suspect against Arsenal and Genk and problems came from that right hand side and thirdly Ivanovic played at centre back on occasions during last season. Although it would be too early to write Bosingwa off completely as a right back many will feel that he shouldn’t be first choice, many argue that his delivery as an attacking right back is suspect and this is where Ivanovic’s statistics compare much more favourably.
Ivanovic had a pass completion rate of 82% compared to Bosingwa’s 77%, in open play he has a rate of 85% while Bosingwa so far this season has had a 82% rate. The most telling statistic though for Chelsea fans is the cross completion rate, Ivanovic for the whole of last season had a 24% completion rate while Boswingwa has only had an 16% completion rate. As a very attacking right back Bosingwa really should have a better crossing rate and this is a big gripe that Chelsea fans have, if he can’t defend and not produce quality balls in to the box then why do we consistently play him?
The ball that Ivanovic supplied to Lampard for the goal against Blackburn last weekend showed that Ivanovic, to an extent, can produce better balls in to the box then Bosingwa, he supplied a wonderful ball for Anelka in the loss v QPR when the Frenchman had a gilt edged opportunity and missed. Ivanovic is arguably a better attacking right back and Bosingwa the better defensive right back based on these statistics, strange considering the reputations that both have, highlighting that statistics, although useful, don’t tell you the whole picture.
Overall Chelsea fans would rather have Ivanovic than Bosingwa as a right back, he is defensively consistent and is also good going forward although not providing the same attacking presence as Bosingwa does. However, saying this, the statistics show that Bosingwa isn’t as bad defensively as everyone makes out, he was superb at the very beginning of the season and as such should really be given a chance at Chelsea, when fit and on form, he is a rather good attacking full back.
