A Battle Between Liverpool And Chelsea’s Inverted Full Backs: Who Wins It?

Flanagan

21-year-old Jon Flanagan has been one of the most impressive performers in the current Liverpool team, and his improvement this season typifies the progress that has been made at the club under Brendan Rodgers. Flanagan burst onto the scene under Kenny Dalglish as a no-nonsense fullback due to the injuries of the more established Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly, and he had since then somehow slipped under the radar last season.

However, this season Flanagan has been outstanding for the Reds and put in performances that have belied his tender age. A right back throughout his career, Flanagan has earned much of recent plaudits by filling in for an injured Jose Enrique on the left.  That he is keeping an experiences defender like Aly Cissokho out of the starting eleven is a testament to the ability and application shown by the England youth international.

In 14 league appearances, Flanagan has made 52 clearances, 23 interceptions and 2 blocks, i.e. an average of 5.5 defensive actions per appearance. His tackling too has been decent with him winning 46% of the 84 attempted tackles, but his short stature and weak frame has made him a vulnerable target in the air, with him winning 45% of 38 headed duels.

Going forward, Flanagan has scored one goal, an absolute corker in the 5-0 win at Tottenham, while he has created 8 chances for his teammates. The only negative for the youngster is that his crossing is not yet up to the level expected of a Premier League fullback, but it is not something that can’t be improved with practice. With 81% accuracy, his passing too is neat and he has shown increasing comfort on the ball which is a key part of Liverpool’s game.

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.