In-depth player stats: Reading vs Chelsea
Reading v Chelsea, 20:00
Reading came from a goal behind against Newcastle to win 2-1 thanks to a brace from Adam le Fondre.
Le Fondre’s goals took his tally for the season to eight coming from an efficient 32 shots at goal averaging exactly 4 shots per goal. To put that in context, league top scorer Robin van Persie averages 4.39 shots per goal.
Reading had Adam Federici to thank for keeping them in the game up til that point. The Reading ‘keeper made 11 saves during the game, the busiest goalkeeper in the last round of matches.
Mikele Leigertwood has excelled in the role of midfield enforcer this season, winning 62 tackles so far, the joint second highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has also made more interceptions than any other midfielder with 104.
Jobi McAnuff has had an impressive season for Reading, but will be hoping the goals start to flow soon. The midfielder has had 23 shots at goal including 8 on target without scoring, the third highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index
Chelsea will need to put the drama of their League Cup exit and Eden Hazard’s red card behind them and return to concentrating on the Premier League. Their last league outing saw them beat Arsenal 2-1 thanks to goals from Juan Mata and Frank Lampard.
Mata and Lampard now have eight goals each in the Premier League this season, although Lampard has secured his at a rate of one every 116 minutes 53 seconds (the best ratio of any midfielder in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index) compared to Mata’s one every 209 minutes 45 seconds
Bot midfielders boast impressive accuracy in front of goal, with Mata getting 73% of his 41 shots at goal on target and Lampard 68% of this 28 shots.
However, Lampard is unusually yet to register an assist this season, despite having completed 245 passes in the opposition half. In comparison, Mata has 11 assists to his name having completed 689 passes in the opposition half.
Mata completes a pass in the opposition half every 2 minutes 26 seconds on average, the 6th best rating in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, discounting those players who have played less than 500 minutes.