A Statistical Analysis on Glen Johnson in relation to his Premier League counterparts.
Since his transfer to Liverpool in June 2009 for approximately £17million, Glen Johnson has become one of the most well-recognised right-backs in the Premier League. Despite this, fans across the country have often become dismayed at the apparent lack of defensive nous for Liverpool, and England. According to numerous statistics, this appears to be a case of good performances being lost in television translation.
The above table illustrates the [defensive and offensive] statistical comparisons between Glen Johnson and several of the Premier League’s best full-backs. Despite this article majorly analysing the defensive aptitude, taking into consideration the attacking statistics allows us to more accurately analyse the full-backs as a complete package.
I’ve put some of the key defensive stats into graph form to more visually compare Johnson’s defensive abilities as a whole, rather than analysing each individual stat on its own. This is because the dispute regarding Johnson’s defensive inabilities is around him as a whole.
The above bar chart shows the differences [and similarities] between Glen Johnson and a few other of the Premier League’s best fullbacks. Immediately, you can tell, looking at the names of the other players that there is a large range in terms of ability and in the player’s traits. For example, Ivanovic is famed as being a rock-solid central defender cum right-back. Bringing him into the comparison allows us to compare Johnson to one of the most defensive right-backs in the league. And despite Ivanovic rarely contributing offensively, it seems Johnson has the edge in almost every defensive area – surprisingly much better aerially also.
Then there is the comparison with supposedly one of England and Chelsea’s most reliable players, Ashley Cole. Although the stats reveal that defensively, Cole is a dramatic step below Johnson in terms of ability. The Chelsea star was worse than Johnson in every single defensive area, with Johnson particularly exceeding Cole aerially, with Johnson twice as successful in aerial duels. This suggests that Ashley Cole is actually the full-back England should be worried about.
Despite this though, unfortunately, we cannot simply say that Glen Johnson is one of the best defensive full-backs in the league. A 4-4-2 setup was generally operated throughout the 2010/11 season at Liverpool with the workhorse of Dirk Kuyt stationed in front of Johnson. Compare this to the likes of Ashley Cole (who had no-one in front of him in the narrow 4-3-3 formation of Chelsea, or Bacary Sagna who had the tremendously attacking-oriented Theo Walcott in front of him), shows that the Liverpool system is designed to lift the pressue on Johnson’s defensive game more so than other full-backs’ respective systems.
A large number of experts, amateurs, pundits, and various other knowledgeable football insiders have commented that Johnson does have a lack of defensive nous and ability. When so many of the game’s experts share an opinion on a similar topic, they tend to be right; here, though, the claims have simply been exaggerated. Glen Johnson is no worse a defender than the likes of Ashley Cole or Patrice Evra.
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Categories: EPL, EPL Index Featured Article, EPL Index Statistical Comparisons, EPL Opta Stats, Liverpool
Tags: AFC, Ashley Cole, CFC, english Premier league, EPL, epl opta stats, EPL Stats, Evra, Glen Johnson, LFC, MUFC, Opta Stats, premier league, Premier League Stats, Sagna
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Hi,
Great article highlighting his technical strengths – Johnsons weakness in my view is his indecision on the ball (he has good technical ability and the ability to dribble and ghost past players like no other on occasion – perhaps that gives him too many options and he delays the decision dangerously leading to panic and a poor pass). This wouldn’t be too bad in the opposition’s final third (it seems to this reader – though I have no stats to back that up) but very often this happens in Liverpool’s final third – This is why so many of Liverpool’s fans would love him to be given the more offensie right-midfield role – i.e. where he can do more damage offensively and less damage defensively. The fans see it and sense it – I am sure his colleagues and opposition coaches sense it too which cannot be good.
I have always said people who lack football knowledge fail to se how amazing Glen Johnson is … I Rate him as a top 5 full back World wide!! I once blogged about research I had done comparing GJ to Martin Kelly & John Flannagan & the results showed GJ ahead of them in everything except Flanno was better than him on aerial duels only but by a slim margin. So now I ask myself what is it that makes people say he is not good at defending. Is it his fault that he is better than most forwards on ball control, trickery, pace, dribbling, crossing, scoring with both feet … is it his fault he has more flair than most defenders & looks less rigid, is it his fault he can cross & create assists surely people still crave a defender who smashes the advertising boards after making a needless crunching tackle on a player who is not even goal-bound
In my opinion you’re glossing over the most important stat above, that of goals conceded. I can’t speak for all Liverpool fans but in my opinion the area of Johnson’s game that needs most attention is his position play. I think he is the cause of a lot of goals which are down to him being out of position and this is something you can’t show easily with a number.
Totally agree with the comments although I have myself sometimes fallen into the trap of blaming Glen. The issue is that his indecision is also in tackling or remaining flat footed. Like the goal for Fulham the other week he allowed Danny Murphy to get past him and get a shot off. That should never have happened. I rate him, don’t get me wrong, but I think he can still improve with these little mistakes.
The stats don’t allow for how often he is caught out of position. that doesn’t go down as a lost tackle or duel as he’s not to there to make one. To anyone watches him play it’s laughable to suggest he’s as good a defender as Cole. He’s not nearly as good as Kelly nevermind a player who was there or there abouts best left back in Europe for many years. Johnson makes Carra look like a geriatric when played beside him the last 2 years. Carra is getting on but can still do a job so long as Kelly is at RB.
The stats included here do not take into account position but certain stats tangentially discuss it. For example, total tackles attempted. Or, as Ed uses here, Interceptions. Further, Dribbled Past and Defensive Errors take into account position. For the 2010/11 season discussed above Johnson was Dribbled Past 18 times and committed just 1 Defensive Error. Cole 38/2. Sagna 8/0. Ivanovic 9/3. Evra 23/0. The defensive errors committed by the two Chelsea players are very high but that team committed a very high number last year as a group.
johnson may be an established england right back but, i think KD should start giving games to Martin Kelly who i believe while still young ha s better defensive abilities than johnson, he alis also good very good on overlaping, he is good on the ball,win more long balls ect. they need to start rotating.
Where u get that opinion Will was it straight off sky sports. Carragher legs being gone has nothing to do with Johnson. People blame the lad for everything. Good article by the way.
No, I got my view from watching Kelly playing alongside Carra v Johnson alongside him, and my obsessive discussing of LFC with other fans.
Very interesting read. Personally I think Johnson gets undeserved flack, I think regular injuries have contributed to this. This season he has had a long run in the team and has been a postive contributor to liverpools solid defensive record.