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CASTROL EDGE RANKINGS ANALYSIS
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March 12 2010
Ibrahimovic and Higuain key to La Liga success
The February 2010 Castrol Rankings show Barcelona's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain will determine the final outcome of the La Liga title race.
Castrol has applied the same expertise they apply to the development of their oils to create the Castrol Rankings – using objective analysis and highly advanced technology to measure every pass, every tackle and every single move of over 2,000 players and games from Europe’s top five leagues over the last 12 months.
Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has held onto top spot after overhauling his Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo last month. Yet while both players are clearly central to their clubs’ hopes of success at home and in the Champions League, the Castrol Rankings show Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gonzalo Higuain are running into form at exactly the right time and may prove the difference in the push for honours.
The Swede has scored the opening goal in six games this season, a joint La Liga high, while Barcelona have won 10 of the 11 league games in which he has scored. Barca have won 85% of games with the Swede in the side compared to 50% when he is missing.
Higuain, meanwhile, has broken into the Castrol Rankings top 20, moving up 17 places to 14th thanks largely to an impressive strike rate that has brought 16 goals in 14 league starts this season.
The secret of the Argentine’s success in front of goal is down to his ruthless finishing.
Barcelona boast nine players in the Castrol Rankings top 50 compared to Real Madrid’s two, although Kaka’s rise from 118th to 66th suggests that this could soon increase to three.
Castrol Ambassador and 1998 FIFA World Cup™ winner Marcel Desailly said: “It’s hard to describe Ibrahimovic and Higuain as support players but their efforts can be overlooked because of the focus placed on Messi and Ronaldo.
“However they are both key to their team’s hopes of winning the title. Ibrahimovic has grown since he moved to Spain and has proved a more than adequate replacement for Samuel Eto’o. When he is on form he gives the impression that he expects to score – and more often than not he does.
“Higuain has provided Real Madrid with the kind of goal threat they had when Ruud van Nistelrooy was at his best and is getting better all the time.
“Messi and Ronaldo will have a big say in the title race, but neither can win it on their own. The run-in will be decided by which team can collect the most points when they are not necessarily at their best and that’s when goalscorers like Ibrahimovic and Higuain become invaluable.”
The Castrol Rankings also provide an insight into the contenders in Europe’s other top leagues.
In England, the Premier League title race is turning into a three-way battle between Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal with the Castrol Rankings suggesting that Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney and Andrey Arshavin will be the key players.
Chelsea striker Drogba, up two places to 6th, has struck 19 goals in 23 league games and has had the most shots in the Premier League this season (53) despite missing the whole of January while on international duty at the African Cup of Nations.
Rooney is up one place to 8th after scoring 23 league goals for Manchester United in the most prolific season of his career. He scored six goals in February including two against AC Milan at the San Siro.
Arshavin (13) is leading the way for Arsenal after scoring 13 goals and providing six assists in the last 12 months. The Russian’s link with Cesc Fabregas (31) could be key to the Gunners’ hopes as five of Arshavin’s eight goals this season have come from Fabregas assists.
Arjen Robben (9) and Sami Hyypia (10) have broken into the top 10 this month reflecting Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen’s standing as Bundesliga title contenders, along with Schalke 04.
Bayern winger Robben is enjoying a new lease of life following his move from Real Madrid, scoring eight league goals, providing five assists and completing more dribbles than any other player in the German league.
Hyypia (36) has revitalised his career after a move, and his switch to Leverkusen from Liverpool has helped Jupp Heynckes’ side to keep 11 clean sheets this season with the defender winning 83% of tackles and making 110 clearances.
Schalke’s main hopes rest with striker Kevin Kuranyi who has risen 51 places to 108th after scoring 12 goals and providing five assists this season.
The two Milan clubs are fighting it out for supremacy in Serie A with striker Diego Milito the key man for Internazionale after moving up 37 places to 111th on the back of his 15 goals and three assists in the league this season.
Milito also scored the opening goal in the Champions League victory over Chelsea this season and has found the target with all seven of his shots in the competition so far.
City rivals AC Milan aren’t represented in the top 100 but striker Marco Borriello is rising rapidly, climbing 332 places last month. The former Genoa forward has scored nine league goals this season with Milan winning on each occasion he has found the net.
The French league is the tightest of all Europe’s five top leagues, although Bordeaux appear to be favourites with their cause led by Yoann Gourcuff (42) who has created more chances (81) than any other player in Ligue 1.
Lyon could emerge as the main challengers backed by keeper Hugo Lloris who is now the top ranked Ligue 1 player after rising 30 places to 24th. The French number one has saved 78% of shots faced in the last 12 months, the best ratio in the top-flight.
Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has held onto top spot after overhauling his Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo last month. Yet while both players are clearly central to their clubs’ hopes of success at home and in the Champions League, the Castrol Rankings show Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gonzalo Higuain are running into form at exactly the right time and may prove the difference in the push for honours.
Ibrahimovic has enjoyed an outstanding first season with Barca following his move from Inter Milan last summer and has jumped 21 places to 11th in the latest Castrol Rankings.
The Swede has scored the opening goal in six games this season, a joint La Liga high, while Barcelona have won 10 of the 11 league games in which he has scored. Barca have won 85% of games with the Swede in the side compared to 50% when he is missing.
Higuain, meanwhile, has broken into the Castrol Rankings top 20, moving up 17 places to 14th thanks largely to an impressive strike rate that has brought 16 goals in 14 league starts this season.
The secret of the Argentine’s success in front of goal is down to his ruthless finishing.
Higuain has the best shots to goals ratio in Europe’s top five leagues, converting 41% of his attempts on goal in La Liga this season, and has scored on average every 74.6 minutes. By comparison, Messi has scored every 99.2 minutes and David Villa every 117.9 minutes.
Barcelona boast nine players in the Castrol Rankings top 50 compared to Real Madrid’s two, although Kaka’s rise from 118th to 66th suggests that this could soon increase to three.
Castrol Ambassador and 1998 FIFA World Cup™ winner Marcel Desailly said: “It’s hard to describe Ibrahimovic and Higuain as support players but their efforts can be overlooked because of the focus placed on Messi and Ronaldo.
“However they are both key to their team’s hopes of winning the title. Ibrahimovic has grown since he moved to Spain and has proved a more than adequate replacement for Samuel Eto’o. When he is on form he gives the impression that he expects to score – and more often than not he does.
“Higuain has provided Real Madrid with the kind of goal threat they had when Ruud van Nistelrooy was at his best and is getting better all the time.
“Messi and Ronaldo will have a big say in the title race, but neither can win it on their own. The run-in will be decided by which team can collect the most points when they are not necessarily at their best and that’s when goalscorers like Ibrahimovic and Higuain become invaluable.”
The Castrol Rankings also provide an insight into the contenders in Europe’s other top leagues.
In England, the Premier League title race is turning into a three-way battle between Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal with the Castrol Rankings suggesting that Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney and Andrey Arshavin will be the key players.
Chelsea striker Drogba, up two places to 6th, has struck 19 goals in 23 league games and has had the most shots in the Premier League this season (53) despite missing the whole of January while on international duty at the African Cup of Nations.
Rooney is up one place to 8th after scoring 23 league goals for Manchester United in the most prolific season of his career. He scored six goals in February including two against AC Milan at the San Siro.
Arshavin (13) is leading the way for Arsenal after scoring 13 goals and providing six assists in the last 12 months. The Russian’s link with Cesc Fabregas (31) could be key to the Gunners’ hopes as five of Arshavin’s eight goals this season have come from Fabregas assists.
Arjen Robben (9) and Sami Hyypia (10) have broken into the top 10 this month reflecting Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen’s standing as Bundesliga title contenders, along with Schalke 04.
Bayern winger Robben is enjoying a new lease of life following his move from Real Madrid, scoring eight league goals, providing five assists and completing more dribbles than any other player in the German league.
Hyypia (36) has revitalised his career after a move, and his switch to Leverkusen from Liverpool has helped Jupp Heynckes’ side to keep 11 clean sheets this season with the defender winning 83% of tackles and making 110 clearances.
Schalke’s main hopes rest with striker Kevin Kuranyi who has risen 51 places to 108th after scoring 12 goals and providing five assists this season.
The two Milan clubs are fighting it out for supremacy in Serie A with striker Diego Milito the key man for Internazionale after moving up 37 places to 111th on the back of his 15 goals and three assists in the league this season.
Milito also scored the opening goal in the Champions League victory over Chelsea this season and has found the target with all seven of his shots in the competition so far.
City rivals AC Milan aren’t represented in the top 100 but striker Marco Borriello is rising rapidly, climbing 332 places last month. The former Genoa forward has scored nine league goals this season with Milan winning on each occasion he has found the net.
The French league is the tightest of all Europe’s five top leagues, although Bordeaux appear to be favourites with their cause led by Yoann Gourcuff (42) who has created more chances (81) than any other player in Ligue 1.
Lyon could emerge as the main challengers backed by keeper Hugo Lloris who is now the top ranked Ligue 1 player after rising 30 places to 24th. The French number one has saved 78% of shots faced in the last 12 months, the best ratio in the top-flight.
