Luis Suarez the Creator
In many respects Suarez’s creative ability is what is setting him apart as one of the best players in the Premiership. In regards to other strikers he is not only matching or scoring more in terms of goals, but he is also creating more. Again when compared to the other top forwards this season, Suarez is far and away the most creative. Creating a total of 30 chances in ten games, with two assists, Suarez on average creates a chance every 34 minutes with only the likes of the top midfield play-makers able to boast better statistics in this respect. For example, van Persie has only created 15 chances to Suarez’s 24 with 3 assists in total, yet only creates 2.0 chances per game to Suarez’s 2.4. In comparison, Ba does not equate in the creativity ranks. He has only created 6 chances in total this season and no assists with 0.75 chances created per game.
Compared then to Rooney and Tevez, strikers in the same vein, Suarez is again on top. Tevez and Rooney have only created 8 and 14 chances respectively, totalling at 2 and 1.8 chances created per game, and although they have created more assists, 5 and 3 respectively, in open play all 3 players have created 2 assists, Tevez and Rooney profiting from delivering free-kicks from wide or dangerous areas which Suarez does not take, but Gerrard does.
To further show his importance through creativity, Suarez must be compared to the midfielders for which creating chances is their game. Mata and Silva, for example, have created fewer chances this season, whilst Suarez has created more assists than Silva and is equal on assists with Santi Carzola. Although it must be shown that the latter 3 midfielders chances created per game and chances created per minute are considerably higher than Suarez’s, Mata, Silva and Carzola have created 2.75, 4.2 and 3.6 chances per game this season, for Suarez to be creating more chances and assists whilst scoring more goals (Suarez is joint second and third in the overall goal-scoring and creativity table for this season) is a considerable achievement.
Liverpool FC
Finally, Suarez’s influence can be seen when taking a thorough look at Liverpool FC. When compared to team-mates it shows just how significant Suarez actually is. Only Gerrard can boast stats which are in comparison to Suarez yet cannot offer the same prowess when it comes to goals scored with only one goal this season.
Liverpool’s most important players after Suarez and Gerrard have very little to contribute; Sterling has created 18 chances with no assists and 1 goal, Allen 7 chances and Nuri Sahin 4 chances, 1 assist and 1 goal. Of course Liverpool’s inability to score is widely noted and so Suarez not only has to score goals, but create the chances for when his team-mates actually do pitch in.
Summary
As the stats show there is a very convincing argument for Luis Suarez being regarded as the most influential player in Premier League today. He creates goal at a rate similar to those such as Mata, Silva and Carzola and also scores goals at a rate similar to, or better than those who are considered the best in the league, van Persie, Rooney, Tevez and Aguero.
In addition, whereas van Persie, Ba, Tevez, Mata, etc can rely on others to create and score goals, Suarez does both for himself in a team void of goals and creativity. To pigeon-hole him as a lesser player due to some perceived valuation from last year, or even for circumstances which have occurred over the past season and a half he has been a Liverpool player is something which must be avoided.
As the statistics show, for now he is the most complete and influential player in the Barclay’s Premier League and if he can continue this form he will be surely not too far away from that mantle come the end of the season.
All of the stats from this article have been taken from the Opta Stats Centre at EPLIndex.com – Subscribe Now (Includes author privileges!) Check out our new Top Stats feature on the Stats Centre which allows you to compare all players in the league & read about new additions to the stats centre.
