Brighton’s Knockaert vs Huddersfield’s Ince: Stats Comparison Shows Why Knockaert Is Winning The Race
Having taken a look at two key defenders from Huddersfield Town and Brighton, it’ll be worth taking a look at two very similar players from the front end of the pitch.
Both Tom Ince, a summer signing from Derby County for Huddersfield, and Anthony Knockaert – who was a key reason Brighton gained promotion, play as very modern right-wingers. Both are left-footed, love to wander inside of the wing and have a keen eye for goal, instead of simply looking at themselves as a supply line for the strikers.
Both sides have 15 points in the league and are within 3 goals of each other in an attacking sense. However, both are low-scoring at this point and have battled for points instead of winning them, with the kind of flowing football which could show these two players off a lot better. Here are some stats about their play:
| Anthony Knockaert | Tom Ince | |
| Minutes played | 740 | 990 |
| Shots* | 1.2 | 2.5 |
| Goals | 1 | 0 |
| Dribbles* | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| Fouled* | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| Passes* | 28.5 | 23.0 |
| Crosses* | 0.9 | 0.3 |
| Key passes* | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| Through balls* | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Assists | 1 | 0 |
| Offside* | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Dispossessed* | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| Bad control* | 1.1 | 1.8 |
| Pass completion rate | 83.4% | 77.5% |
*Per game
Given that he has played more minutes, one could argue that up to this point Ince has had more of a chance to impress and get into his Premier League groove, though not by much.
The former Derby man has not managed a single assist or a goal, despite letting off twice as many shots per game as the Belgian winger. They are both fouled at the same rate and Knockaert has managed one goal so far.
Knockaert also passes the ball much more often – 28 times per game to Ince’s 23. In fact, he does this despite completing more dribbles when compared to Ince. Additionally, the Brighton player completes those extra passes more often too, while controlling the ball better. He gets dispossessed only half as many times as Ince. This points to the fact that Knockaert gives the ball to his opponents a lot lesser.
These stats show Knockaert as the better player up to this point, in my opinion, which is perhaps backed up by their respective averages on Whoscored.com given that he shows 6.95 (from 10) with Ince at 6.53.
I would never wish to sound negative about a player, and I hope Ince goes on to have a big career. However, the fact is that there was a gross over-reliance on him at Derby County in the Championship last season and he has had his chance to impress in the Premier League before. Knockaert is winning this particular race so far.