With almost a quarter of the Premier League season already played, the table is starting to take shape in this most unorthodox of seasons. But much like the exciting unpredictability that accompanies a session at your favourite online casino, there are sure to be plenty more twists and turns before the final curtain falls.
Here’s a look at some of the lesser reported and more eye-opening statistics from the first nine rounds of fixtures, alongside an interpretation of what they can tell us about the season so far – and speculation about what clues they might hold for what’s still to come.
Defying expectations
The Expected Goal (xG) metric has been much touted (and much maligned, from some quarters) in recent seasons, but it can offer an informative insight into how far above or below teams are performing against their expectations. Chelsea are the top scorers thus far, with 22 goals to their name, but they come in at only fifth on xG table with 15.18, highlighting how clinical they have been in front of goal.
That’s a swing of 6.82 goals, which is the best in the division. Only Southampton come anywhere near to performing as above expectations as the Blues, with their goals for tally of 17 surpassing their xG tally of 10.43 by 6.57.
At the other end of the table, Sheffield Utd’s miserable tally of just four goals this campaign is 4.66 less than their xG projection of 8.66, which goes some way to explaining why they’re propping up the league at present. Unless Rhian Brewster can step up or Oli McBurnie, David McGoldrick and Billy Sharp can find their shooting boots, a new striker who knows where the net is may be required come January.
The Mendy effect
Much has been made of the embarrassment of riches that Chelsea have in attack, but their most important signing of the summer transfer window could prove to be their acquisition at the other end of the pitch. Since his debut against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup in September, Edouard Mendy has kept four clean sheets in five Premiership games, conceding only one goal in the process (and four goals in 10 games in all competitions).
Compare that to six goals conceded in three matches by his predecessor Kepa Arrizabalaga (and three in one for understudy Willy Caballero) and Mendy’s transformational effect on Chelsea’s defence comes into stark focus. And who was the last keeper that Chelsea signed from Rennes? None other than Petr Čech. Big gloves to fill – but Mendy has proved himself equal to the challenge thus far.
Quarterback Kane
It’s no secret that captain and talisman Harry Kane has been integral to Tottenham’s success thus far this season. But while he’s been the focal point of the Spurs attack for years, this year he appears to have evolved into the team’s heartbeat, as well. No other player in the division can lay a glove on Kane’s creativity stats this season, having set up nine goals and created eight big chances in just nine games.
For comparison, Kane had assisted 20 times in 210 games before this year, with a total of 35 big chances fashioned in that time. In the past (and especially at the start of his Spurs career), Kane was plagued by accusations that he was simply enjoying a “purple patch” which would run out. But having scored over 20 goals in all competitions for six straight seasons and having now added assists to his game as well, Kane has surely proved once and for all that his luck is akin to that enjoyed by only the most successful online slots players – that which is underpinned by determination, hard work and supreme skill.
