While Cristian Romero has drawn some criticism for his displays of late, there is data to prove that the Spurs defender is actually still leading the way in many key criteria when it comes to Premier League centre-halves.
Cuti can’t escape criticism
He may be one of the most talented and valuable players in Ange Postecoglou‘s squad, but Cristian Romero has not been immune to negative reactions this season.
The Argentine has been lambasted for his lack of positional awareness throughout the campaign, and it cannot be denied that he has lost his man in the box at least a couple of times in situations that have cost his team dearly in recent weeks.
There have even been calls for Spurs to drop Romero and give Radu Dragusin a chance at the back, but Postecoglou has kept faith with his vice-captain after the international break.
And, judging by the numbers behind Romero’s season so far, that’s the right call.
Romero among the best in the league
Statistical analysis from DataMB looking at centre-backs in the Premier League shows that Romero is still leading the way in a number of areas, and is among the top performers across other key metrics, too.
Romero is top of the pile in the English top flight when it comes to interceptions, making forward passes, and making more incisive, progressive passes.
The 26-year-old comes in second for passes made to the opposing penalty area and deep completions, while he ranks third for passes made into the final third.
Romero is also fourth on the list in the Premier League for centre-halves when it comes to tackles made and for general through passes.
Positives outweigh negatives for Romero
I think it’s fair to say Romero is not at his best right now, and he would probably be the first to admit that. He is displaying a more clumsy and complacent side to his game that we haven’t really seen before, but the value he brings to the team is huge; whether it’s big tackles to break up opposition attacks, or bringing the ball out of defence and finding a key pass, he’s a crucial cog in Postecoglou’s system.