Walker’s assists for Tottenham Hotspur vs Walters’ interceptions for Stoke

Tottenham v Stoke, Saturday 15:00

 

– Jan Vertonghen has enjoyed life at Spurs this season, and maybe no moment more than the winner he scored last weekend against Swansea from Kyle Walker’s free kick.

 

– That was Vertonghen’s first goal in the Premier League, and it had a sense of inevitability as Glen Johnson is the only defender to have had more efforts at goal than Vertonghen this season (Johnson has had 22 to Vertonghen’s 20)

 

– Walker’s assist was his third of the season, having delivered 24 crosses and completed 267 passes in the opposition half this season.

 

– Stoke’s last game against Everton will be remembered more for Fellaini’s head but on Ryan Shawcross than for the football, but Kenwyne Jones will certainly be happy with the game after scoring his first goal in 28 Premier League matches.

 

– It’s perhaps no wonder he has had to wait for a goal this season, as Jones has had to wait for opportunities at goal.  He has had 9 shots at goal in 403 minutes of play this season, averaging one every 44 minutes 47 seconds, or just under one a half. Compare that to his opponent today, Jermaine Defoe has averaged a shot every 23 minutes 8 seconds, meaning he essentially gets twice as many chances for his time on the pitch as Jones.

– Stoke covered 60.53 miles in the game against Everton, and have moved up to second place in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for distance covered as a squad with 1060.1 miles

 

– Many coaches extoll the benefit of having a player who can win the ball back for you in the attacking third, and Jonathan Walters has done more in this area than any other striker in the league this season. Walters has made 34 interceptions so far this season, more than any other forward player.