Giroud vs Abraham: Comparing their stats for Chelsea

Will Ford

“We’ll have to see [if Giroud will play vs Leeds] – it’s a tight turnaround but it’s four goals in a game. It’s not just his performance but when you play him and utilise his strengths and his speed, there’s a real balance in the rest of the team.”

It’s a decision now likely to be keeping Frank Lampard up at night: Olivier Giroud or Tammy Abraham. It’s one of very few decisions the Chelsea boss has to make in terms of team selection. The first choice goalkeeper and back four are now set in stone, N’Golo Kante is undroppable, as is Mason Mount; Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech are currently in control of the wide spots. Kai Havertz vs Mateo Kovacic is the only other real quandary and one’s selection over the other looks set to be based on the qualities of the opponent – but that’s for another time.

We’ve compared Giroud and Abraham’s relative statistics from the start of the 2019-20 season. First their individual goal contribution stats and the team stats when each of them are starting.

 

Goal contribution stats
Minutes: Abraham 3,734 – Giroud 1,681
Goals: 23 – 16
Assists 8 – 1
Minutes per goal: 162.35 – 105.06
Minutes per goal or assist: 120.45 – 98.89

 

Team stats
Win rate: Abraham 51.1% Giroud 58.9%
Loss rate: 36.2% – 31.6%
Goals per game: 1.4 – 1.79
Goals against per game: 1.1 – 0.95
Points per game: 1.31 – 1.84

 

Pretty conclusive stuff, with Giroud bettering Abraham in every category except assists. Now for more of the nitty gritty. Thanks to WhoScored for the stats, which are all per 90 minutes unless otherwise stated.

 

Further stats
Shots: Abraham 3.47  Giroud 3.71
Key passes: 1.01 – 0.71
Percentage of aerial duels won: 48.6 – 48.4
Successful dribbles: 0.63 – 0.29
Unsuccessful touches: 2.95 – 1.43
Dispossessed: 1.45 – 0.79
Tackles: 0.45 – 0.71
Clearances: 1.24 – 1.07

Most concerning for Abraham and Lampard will be the possession loss stats. They are a damning confirmation of just how superior Giroud is to Abraham in that particular area. This is surely key to the “balance in the rest of the team” Lampard speaks of and the theory is backed by more points per game, more goals for and fewer against. The statistics point to Giroud, but will Lampard?

Will Ford is on Twitter