Jack Wilshere v Tom Cleverley: Who is better?

Now, I hate comparing these two players. I think it’s a very boring argument as both players are very good English players who really do have a bright future for their country and respective clubs. But in an attempt to break the myth, I have contradicted myself and compared the two lads, but as a means to hopefully show that both players are different and have different strengths and weaknesses.

Stats

Green =best, Red = worst

Stats via EPL Index

Observations

-          Wilshere has played less games than Cleverley: This is a key point to initially make, as it will have an effect on some of the stats, such as the number of passes and the amount of actions a player makes on the pitch.

-          Poor Tackling Department: In all honesty, both players aren’t great in this area. Both players struggle to get an average of 80% across the tackling sectors. However, Cleverley edges it, thanks to his won tackle success percentage, but I do think both players really could improve in this area.

-          Wilshere more prone to lose the ball: Cleverley’s ball retention stands out rather boldly compared to Wilshere’s. The Arsenal number 10 has lost possession 12 times and has been dispossessed 16 times in comparison to the United man’s 6.

-          Cleverley’s  the more accurate passer: Wilshere runs Cleverley close in terms of pass accuracy. The stats suggest both are very able passers of the ball and their passing range is very diverse. Although the Man United midfielder is in front,  I think this could be due to two factors, firstly, Cleverley playing more games and secondly, the United player is a bit more cautious with the ball in comparison to Wilshere (the next observation will clear this up)

-          Wilshere comes in his own in the creative aspects: Jack Wilshere really shows his quality in this area of the analysis. The Arsenal boy creates more chances, makes more successful dribbles, and gets more assists than the United lad. If I come back to the point I made in the last observation about Cleverley being more cautious on the ball, I think the creative statistics suggest caution too. Cleverley has seen a hell of a lot of the ball when he has played, however, the fact he has only created 9 chances, in a team which often dominates games is hugely concerning. It implies that Cleverley is either being told to keep things ticking over or he is unwilling to make that decisive pass to open up the opposition. But let’s talk a little more about Jack Wilshere.  His dribbling stat completely overshadows Cleverley’s dribbling record, what this shows to me is Wilshere has that determination to not only beat his man, but he also has that desire to open up play. What makes Wilshere such a classy player is his ability to pass the ball effectively, but with the same token, he has great feet and lovley composure which assist him in creating chances.

Conclusion:

The grim reality is, these stats don’t prove anything conclusive. They don’t, I’m sorry. The reason for this is because both players cancel each other out. Cleverley is better defensively, while Wilshere is better going forward. While in terms of passing, both players are pretty close.  But who knows, maybe in the future, one will storm ahead of the other, but at the moment, both players do seem pretty even. The reality is, whoever you prefer out of the two, it comes down to taste.  Though, one thing these stats indicate is both players have their own qualities and strengths. What’s positive about this is that both players cover a number of bases. As a neutral and being from England, I think England fans should be very happy they have both players at their disposal, as the two players can complement each other, both can pass, both have great on the ball intelligence and both are hard working footballers too. 

(Stats from EPL Index, stats taken on: 12/011/13 )