The worldwide window is over, as Premier League soccer returns this weekend, however the two-week break had supporters reminiscing.
From 2004 to 2016, Barclays was the Premier League’s sponsor.
And in a pattern that has taken over social media, “Barclaysmen” have been picked out as gamers synonymous with that 12-year interval.
Right here, we take a deep dive into Opta information to search out out which gamers have been the precise hallmarks of the Barclays Premier League.
Throughout the 12 years that Barclays sponsored the Premier League, these have been the gamers to try essentially the most pictures with out scoring:
Aleksey Smertin – 61Dietmar Hamann – 60Karl Henry – 56Doriva – 56Graham Kavanagh – 51Dejan Stefanovic – 50Kyle Naughton – 47Christophe Berra -… pic.twitter.com/xWz80AiDn7
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) September 11, 2024
410 – Gareth Barry led the best way with 410 matches performed for Aston Villa, Manchester Metropolis and Everton between 2004 and 2016 – he’s, in fact, additionally the Premier League’s all-time file holder for appearances too, with a whopping 653 to his identify.
James Milner is ready to overhaul Barry this season, although, and 369 of his 637 matches got here on this 12-year span.
178 – Bursting onto the scene as a 16-year-old, Wayne Rooney would go on to develop into one of many biggest goalscorers the division has ever seen.
Beginning his profession with Everton, Rooney joined Manchester United in 2004, the place he received 5 league titles in the course of the Barclays period.
In that 12-year span, no participant scored extra targets than the mercurial ahead, who netted 178 occasions, together with his former United club-mate Robin van Persie (144) second, forward of Chelsea’s Frank Lampard (132).
Rooney wasn’t only a goalscorer. He additionally supplied 88 assists on this period, taking his complete aim contributions tally to 266, 54 greater than the next-best, Lampard (212).
1,430 – Naturally, being the highest goalscorer from 2004 and 2016, Rooney additionally tops the rankings for essentially the most pictures taken throughout that interval, with 1,430.
Rooney’s most prolific season got here in the course of the 2011-12 marketing campaign, when he netted 27 Premier League targets, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to cease rivals Manchester Metropolis from lifting their first top-flight title since 1968.
Midfielder Lampard (1,118) is subsequent on the checklist for pictures, with Van Persie (963), Jermain Defoe (939) and Steven Gerrard (919) subsequent.
95 – What about creativity?
In the case of assists, there have been no higher on this time span than Cesc Fabregas, who laid on 95 targets throughout spells at Arsenal and Chelsea.
Apparently, although, Gerrard (767) led the best way for possibilities created, with Lampard (759) additionally coming in forward of Fabregas, although it’s value noting the Spaniard frolicked away from the Premier League after leaving Arsenal for Barcelona.
43 – In the case of headed targets, you received’t be shocked to see that six-foot-seven-inch Peter Crouch led the best way, with 43.
Crouch represented Aston Villa, Southampton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Spurs and Stoke in the course of the Barclays period, changing into well-known for his lanky body and talent within the air.
He ‘heads’ the checklist by 12 targets to former Everton ahead Tim Cahill, who scored 31 targets together with his head regardless of being three inches below six foot.
30 – Having come near having essentially the most targets within the Barclays period, Lampard tops the checklist for essentially the most targets scored from outdoors the field throughout its 12-year timeframe.
Identified for his unbelievable knack of being in the suitable place on the proper time, Lampard’s potential each in and out of doors the field made him one of many deadliest midfielders the division has ever seen.
Strikes towards Norwich Metropolis, Fulham and away at Goodison Park are standouts, with the Englishman usually discovering the again of the web when pulling again his cultured proper foot.
11 – Whereas James Ward-Prowse leads the best way for essentially the most free-kick targets scored within the Premier League, Sebastian Larsson may simply be the true embodiment of a Barclaysman.
The previous Arsenal, Birmingham Metropolis and Sunderland midfielder scored 11 direct free-kick targets between 2004-05 and 2015-16, yet one more than five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Morten Gamst Pederson, who have to be one other candidate for the final word Barclaysman.
That being mentioned, who had essentially the most direct free-kick pictures? It wasn’t any of the above. As an alternative, it was Lampard, who tried his luck 173 occasions, scoring on 9 events.
486 – Charles N’Zogbia. Keep in mind him?
A star for Wigan Athletic, N’Zogbia accomplished 486 dribbles throughout his time within the division. Surprisingly, Glen Johnson, a full-back, was the subsequent finest with 481, forward of Eden Hazard (463).
Remarkably, although, Ronaldo is available in at fifth, and that’s regardless of solely enjoying in 5 of the Barclays seasons. He accomplished 449 dribbles in complete, a median of two.7 per recreation.
1,107 – Jussi Jaaskelainen, the baby-faced Finn, made 1,107 saves within the Barclays period, which places him forward of Mark Schwarzer (1,018) and Tim Howard (1,014).
Petr Cech, in the meantime, was the goalkeeper to maintain essentially the most clear sheets (178).
Throughout the 12 years that Barclays sponsored the Premier League, these have been the gamers to be given essentially the most playing cards:
Lee Cattermole: 91 (84y 7r)Gareth Barry: 88 (83y 5r)Wayne Rooney: 74 (72y 2r)Kevin Nolan: 71 (67y 4r)Joey Barton: 69 (63y 6r)Scott Parker: 63 (60y 3r)Kevin… pic.twitter.com/z4Ls4gKwnW
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) September 12, 2024
48 – Now time for the unfortunate statistics in the course of the Barclays period. Throughout his spells with Arsenal and Man United, nobody struck the woodwork greater than Robin van Persie.
Regardless of netting 144 targets in his 280 Premier League appearances, rating 14th on the all-time checklist, the Dutchman may have been among the many prime 10 scorers to play within the division had it not been for the crossbar and posts.
Van Persie additionally squandered essentially the most massive possibilities (80), although Sergio Aguero (78) was scorching on his heels.
910- Out on his personal by three, former Aston Villa, Man Metropolis and QPR defender Richard Dunne is the unlucky man to have scored essentially the most personal targets between 2001-02 and 2012-13, with 10.
Throughout his time within the Premier League, the Republic of Eire did handle to attain extra targets on the proper finish, ending his profession in 2015 with 11 top-flight strikes.
