Jose Enrique v. the Premier League Revisited

By: Noel | December 15th, 2011

There has been some talk of late about Jose Enrique’s form, and in particular there have been questions asked as to whether that form has dipped after a flying start to the season saw him make a strong case for being the league’s best left back—and possibly even its best fullback. Previously we looked at his numbers for the club after the first eight games and felt that as he was the only player to be clearly amongst the top three in both attack and defense, those numbers appeared to fully support the idea that he was the best in the league.

However, since that time many have felt there has been a dip in his overall level of performance. Which isn’t the same as suggesting he has been poor, but with a handful of key defensive errors to point to there has been a suggestion that lately he hasn’t quite been living up to those lofty standards he set at the start of the season. On the other hand, some might argue that it is little more than familiarity leading to a realisation that, like any player, Enrique isn’t perfect. That perhaps those minor shortcomings existed all along, only people were too caught up in the things he was doing well to notice them in the beginning.

No matter the case it seems valid to ask if, after supporting that he was the best left back in the league after eight games, the numbers show that Enrique’s form has indeed fallen in recent weeks. So, has his form actually dipped? Or has his play in fact remained largely the same, and does any shift in opinion have more to do with how people are now watching him than in how Enrique is playing?

Though the assists tally hasn’t been added to in recent weeks, Enrique’s crossing and chance creation statistics have remained the best in the league. Still, when one looks at his offensive numbers, there seems one clear marker that may explain why he’s had trouble getting called up to the Spanish national side: His passing simply isn’t as accurate as what is found amongst left backs at the other Premier League clubs challenging for a top four finish.

Still, what were Enrique’s biggest strengths and weaknesses when Liverpool has possession remain the same as early in the season: He creates a lot of chances, whips in more crosses and is better than most at having them find a teammate’s head, and his passing isn’t quite at the level one would hope for.

In defence the story, in what will be a surprise to some, also remains the same: Enrique isn’t being challenged in the air compared to most other left backs, leaving it almost impossible to judge his effectiveness in that category, but on the ground he remains arguably the best in the league. Certainly when considering his slightly above average success rate when it comes to 50-50 ground challenges alongside the clear advantage he has over other left backs when it comes to winning tackles and stopping players one-on-one, it’s hard to find another player in his position that even comes close—and that goes for the second half of the season so far just as much as it did for the first.

Perhaps, then, it really is that familiarity is to blame for the feeling that Enrique’s game has suffered in recent weeks. Certainly being caught unaware against Chelsea played a key role in their leveler, though Glen Johnson later won the game for Liverpool on that day. But on the whole at least, the numbers suggest that what Enrique’s contributing in both attack and defence hasn’t changed much since he was a near-universal pick as Liverpool’s top performer of the early going. In fact, outside of a need to improve his passing numbers, it appears fairly clear that Jose Enrique remains the best left back in the league.

Note: All included left backs have played a minimum of 1000 minutes so far this season except for Arsenal’s Andre Santos and Kieran Gibbs. All averages are calculated by combining these two players’ statistics into a theoretical “Arsenal Left Back” alongside the numbers for Cole, Clichy, Evra, Taylor, and Ekotto.

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Category: Miscellaneous, Premier League, Season Review, Team News

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Luis Suarez dentist

As an early News Year resolution I will give it a break!

Instead I will try and write all the positives I can think of regarding Downing, starting right now......................... :)
Redarmy

I think Enrique having less of an impact in recent games is more down to the emergence of other players which is kinda spreading the impact around a little bit, with the team appearing more balanced. At the beginning of the season it was Enrique charging down the left playing in Suarez over and over again, which was probably more exiting to watch but somewhat onedimensional. Now you see Adam taking more control in the middle, Johnson goin forward on the right and commanding the ball etc...
Waiting for Sterling

Through this on-going war between stats and real impact, I think that real impact is winning in terms of how we see him in games of late. In those early games, Jose would dominate the left side to the point that we didn't even need a winger. He contributes enough crosses whether in-form or not to have an inverted that cuts in.

The real problem is that he hasn't impacted the game enough lately. The assists show for that even if it's because we can't finish (yea it's two, but those are results and he should've had more.) He just hasn't taken the left side as his own anymore with Maxi and Suarez using it for open space and Jose not demanding the ball with his runs. Downing hasn't been there either and even though at times it seemed they got in each others way, they did link up and create space for each other.

Take Norwich for example (I think it was): the stats don't show his runs through the middle at the end of the game to create some sort of forward movement that he decided no one else was doing. When Jose's in-form he just looks more positive on the ball and it seems like every time he gets it something good is going to happen (much like Luis.) During the "second-half of the first half of the season" Jose just seemed to be invisible in the teams attack going forward.
Red2death

I think he's suffering from 'Lucas syndrome'. ie. He's a great addition to the team, but his impact is quite invisible to the naked eye. Just like Lucas.

Up until last season, it was hard to tell what effect Lucas actually had on the game, if any. Same with Jose - he used to be more prominent, and recently, for reasons unknown (to us fans at least), he's faded more into the background. That's where stats come in to show he's still as effective, just less 'visible'.

I'm guessing we'll continue to struggle to see what impact 'quiet' Enrique has on our attack until he's gone. That's fine by me.

Now someone please do the same analysis for Carroll and show that he's actually 'quietly effective' and not just plain inferior to his alternatives. At least for now.
Geoff Twentyman

A bit of news that you may have already covered - David Villa broke his leg in the World Club Championship;, so whether the rumours were true about us being in the hunt for him or not, he won't be solving our need for goals now.... poor lad - I hope he recovers soon.
Ryan

Given his poor form the past month or two at Barcelona, I think this could officially rule him out of the Euros next year, which means Torres has to get back in form. What a perfect reason for the Daily Mail to think he's coming back to Liverpool.

We might have just traded David Villa rumours for Fernando Torres rumours.
Ryan

Ade C. from the Spanish National Team Offside should take a look at this, and forward it to Mr. Del Bosque. There isn't a more experienced Spanish leftback playing for a top-level club in the starting XI. Why Enrique hasn't gotten a single minute on the Spanish National team is absolutely redunkulous. Del Bosque chooses to throw random rightbacks and young upcoming leftbacks to fill the hole left by Capedvila.

I usually wouldn't be suggesting that Liverpool players should go play for their country and get injured, but with Enrique's clean injury record and tireless work ethic, I would be totally for sending him to absorb the powers of the best midfielders in the world.
Luis Suarez dentist

Perhaps what's holding back Enrique (great player that he is) Is his passing. If the stats can be trusted (always debatable) then passing is his weakest point, and if there is one thing Spain excel at it is passing.
Ryan

True, but I don't think the stats on that can fully be trusted, like you said. I've seen quite a few times in the games where a lack of communication between him and Downing results in a bad pass. Your pass completion can only be as good as the ability of those receiving them. Iniesta, Pedro, and Silva (the main 3 left wingers) track back enough to always offer themselves for a pass. Plus, I highly doubt the 20 ish 21ish year old leftbacks Del Bosque has been playing are in anyway exceptionally better at passing.
Luis Suarez dentist

That's a fair point as well. Also the quality chasm between anybody Spain play on the left wing and the £20 million misfit that we employ there is huge.
Ryan

I wouldn't go as far as to call him a misfit, but ya, he's no John Barnes.
Red2death

You're just saying that because you like black wingers. Shame on you. Go join Suarez in the dock, you racist. Patrice Evra spits on you.
Luis Suarez dentist

If only we had a John Barnes or a Steve McManaman in this team right now. A winger who beats players, can score and create, a winger who when they get the ball you expect something to happen.
CheekyFellow

So that's that then.
Luis Suarez dentist

One thing you have forgotten to mention is how impressively Enrique covers Downing (no goals, no assists!)
Ed

Ok, it's cute and quirky and your calling card or whatever, but now it's just sort of become an annoying, divisive thing, so maybe let's give the parentheses a break.

Thanks.
Luis Suarez dentist

Hey don't blame me!

All we need is just 1 goal or assist from Downing and it will go!

So blame him (which is kind of my point).

Oh and i'm always cute! ;o)
Ed

Yeah, it's on him to score and get an assist, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're obligated to parenthetically reference it every time you talk about Liverpool.

And I ultimately don't really care, and I certainly appreciate the light-hearted tone you've maintained in the face of others saying something, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little grating. As is the lack of goals and assists.
Geoff Twentyman

it's like pulling teeth.....
Geoff Twentyman

do you see what I did there?
Waiting for Sterling

LSD (not cute, not funny) ;)

Just kidding, we still love you.
Ryan

Hardly.
alex_snow2

shaddap!
CheekyFellow

Ah, here we are!
purify_the_body

Enrique is the greatest. If the stats don't back that up, I'd rather keep Enrique and get new stats.
ejbauer11

Thanks for the post, Noel. Enrique is the business, and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have back there at the moment. Given he wasn't the most heralded of signings, I think he's been unfairly criticized in recent weeks as the luster of his earlier, unexpected MOTM performances gave way to unreasonable expectations that he'd bomb down the wing and notch assist after assist (imagine that finishing some of those crosses would have people less worried about a dip in form). Here's hoping the man gets the song he deserves in the next month (though I hear there's a Kop chant for him, haven't been able to find a clip; someone on the other side of the pond want to confirm?).
matt

ask and ye shall receive. awesome work again, many thanks.