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1. TAMMY ABRAHAM (8.7)
Minutes: 73
Touches: 23
Passes: 9/11
Shots: 2**/3
The first two are on the board. Here’s to the next two, and the next two, and the next two, and then next...
2. MASON MOUNT (8.3)
Minutes: 89
Touches: 58
Passes: 32/39
Shots: 2*/5
Take-ons: 2/4
Tackes: 3
Fun fact about Mason Mount: only Ashley Barnes has taken more shots (13) in the Premier League than him (12). The kid’s a work in progress, that’s undeniable, but he’s doing the Lampard thing better than just about anybody but the man himself. Mount is on pace for 152 shots in the Premier League, which is more than Mohamed Salah’s league-leading 137 last season, and which would even beat Lampard’s total from 2009-10 (141) — though still would fall short of Frank’s frankly outrageous 2008-09 numbers (175).
3. MATEO KOVAČIĆ (7.3)
Minutes: 90
Touches: 82
Passes: 47*/58
Shots: 0/1
Take-ons: 6/6
Fouls drawn: 3
Tackles: 6
Tammy and Mason may have taken the headlines, but the quiet man enabling their successes was this man in the middle. It might be oxymoronic to claim that a £40m player flew under the radar, but in this case, that’s precisely what’s happening — though it’s hardly a unique situation for excellent midfielders who do not stand out with their goalscoring. Even N’Golo Kanté took a few years to get his proper recognition, and Kovačić isn’t quite on that level. But he’s close, and that makes my heart happy.
Most take-ons completed after GW3 of the 2019-20 Premier League season:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 25, 2019
• Nicolas Pépé (12)
• Mateo Kovacic (12)
• James Maddison (11)
• Wilfried Zaha (11)
A new name at the top. pic.twitter.com/vkn8fG0anu
vs. NORWICH CITY (PL, A, W 3-2)
EXCEPTIONAL (9.0+): —
EXCELLENT (8.0-8.9): Abraham (8.7), Mount (8.3)
GOOD (7.0-7.9): Kovacic (7.3)
AVERAGE (6.0-6.9): Emerson (6.9), Pulisic (6.8), Azpilicueta (6.6), Christensen (6.5), Jorginho (6.3), Zouma (6.1), Giroud (6.1, sub) Arrizabalaga (6.0)
POOR (5.0-5.9): Barkley (5.7), Alonso (5.6, sub), Willian (5.4, sub)
BAD (4.0-4.9): —
TERRIBLE (3.0-3.9): —
OVERALL
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