Azpilicueta
The 24-year-old Spaniard arrived at Stamford Bridge as the backup to Branislav Ivanovic for the right back slot. His versatility in terms of his ability to play on either flank made him a good option as the backup, making him capable of filling in on the left if needed.
However, this season, with manager Jose Mourinho losing faith in Ashley Cole’s ability to put in consistent performances in the Premier League, Azpilicueta has found himself as the Portuguese manager’s first choice for the left-back slot.
Azpilicueta has been the solid and dependable option that Mourino had been looking for and as such, he has made the spot his own ahead of Cole and even the highly-rated Ryan Bertrand. Defensively, the Spaniard has been solid, making 124 clearances, 28 interceptions and 8 blocks in 22 appearances, i.e. an average of 7.3 defensive actions per appearance.
Azpilicueta has won 54% of the 109 attempted tackles and the 56 headed duels, indicating that he is a tough presence at the back for Chelsea. His passing too is decent, with 80% of his passes finding their intended recipient, but it is going forward that he contributes very little. He has created a measly 9 chances in his 22 appearances, but with Mourinho’s defense first approach, Azpilicueta has been at home at left-back so far.
The Verdict
Both the defenders have very similar numbers this season, and both of them have been solid defensive presence’s for their respective sides. Going forward, Flanagan has offered that bit extra to Liverpool compared to Azpilicueta, and his passing too is marginally better than the Spaniard. However, in terms of defensive numbers, Azpilicueta is slightly ahead of the young Englishman.
Considering the primary role of a defender, which is to prevent the side from conceding goals, Azpilicueta’s better numbers in the defensive categories make him a better choice if any one of the two has to be picked.
Stats Via Squawka
PS: The Stats are prior to last night’s games.