Burnley appointed former Manchester City captain, Vincent Kompany as their manager at the start of the season. They got relegated to the EFL Championship following a disappointing season in the English Premier League. The managerial appointment turned out to be a big positive as they are ranked at the top of the league table and have a three-point lead. One of the reasons behind their success is the recent form of the team and a few players. Manuel Benson is one of the players who has made a difference for Burnley. The 25-year-old made a move from Royal Antwerp FC in the summer and his cameos off the bench have proved to be one of the difference makers for the Clarets. We now look at some of the stats that show how the Belgian has become a super-sub for his side.
Manuel Benson has featured in 18 EFL Championship matches and has started in only six matches. The 25-year-old has managed to score five goals in his first season in England and also has three assists to his name. Playing as a right-attacking midfielder, he is ranked highly among other players playing in the same position in the EFL Championship. The above viz shows the percentile rank in comparison to the other right-attacking midfielders in the league. Benson Manuel’s attacking stats have been on point, and he is ranked highly for goal contributions, shots, dribbles, and touches inside the opposition penalty area. The player’s possession stats have also been excellent. He is ranked high for delivering dangerous passes, and this has led to three assists for the player.
The super-sub
Manuel Benson plays on the right wing for the Clarets. He likes to stay wide and make full use of the width of the field. The 25-year-old is Burnley’s third-highest goal scorer. Manuel Benson has taken 25 shots this season for an average of 2.87 shots per 90 minutes. The wide player has managed to hit the target with a 36% accuracy rate. The first viz shows the overall shot map of the player. We can observe that 13 shots have been attempted from outside the penalty box. He has taken the majority of the shots from his preferred right side and targeted the opposite end of the goalpost.
The second image shows the shot map of the last six matches. Benson Manuel has scored five goals in these matches, with three coming off the bench. The 25-year-old managed to take almost 80% of his shots in these matches.
The creative side
The Belgian player has been used as a winger by the former Belgian defender. This is mainly because of the skillset that Manuel carries with him. The 25-year-old averages 12.28 dribbles per 90 minutes and has a 57.9% success rate. The above viz shows that Benson Manuel has completed some important dribbles inside the opposition’s penalty box. His crosses have also been a key part of his attacking display. He averages 6.66 crosses per 90 minutes and has a 32.8% success rate. One of the crosses has even resulted in an assist.
When compared to the last season, Benson Manuel made 34 appearances and scored five goals along with six assists. The above viz shows the shot map of the player in Belgian’s First Division. The shot zones have been a bit similar but the conversion rate is a bit low when compared to this season.
Why should Manuel Benson play regularly?
Manuel Benson and Nathan Tella are the two players competing for the same spot. Nathan Tella has been a regular starter and has six goals and an assist in 19 EFL Championship matches. The above viz shows the comparison of two players. In the attacking department, Manuel Benson has better attacking stats than Nathan Tella. Nathan Tella has given some more defensive contributions, but the Belgian is more of an attacking threat. Vincent Kompany will also look at the player’s current form and hope that he delivers more.
Manuel Benson has been a super sub for Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. He has scored the majority of the goals after coming off the bench. The player has made an impact and helped his team earn a few points. The 25-year-old will be looking for a regular spot on the team and hopes to contribute more.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
