In praise of Sandro
While some herald the return of Scott Parker, the Brazil midfielder has been shining in his absence. Adam Bate looks at the statistics that show Sandro has earned the right to be considered Tottenham's first-choice enforcer.
Wednesday 16 January 2013 13:15, UK
Adam Bate look at the stats that show the Brazilian is more than a replacement for Scott Parker.
In a recent Daily Mail article, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp was asked to pick his Premier League XI to take on the best of La Liga. Redknapp opted for Tottenham midfielder Sandro in the holding role. Cue mass incredulity in the comments section. But while the Brazil international had to wait for his opportunity at White Hart Lane, the evidence is now clear - the 2010 signing from Internacional has developed into a top-class defensive midfielder. The statistics are remarkable. No player in any of Europe's five major leagues has made as many interceptions as Sandro. It is the hallmark of an intelligent holding midfielder. But the 23-year-old also has a more combative element to his game too. He ranks fourth in the Premier League for number of tackles as well. It means that for combined tackles and interceptions he stands clear of the rest in European football.| Most Interceptions in Top Five European Leagues - 2012/13 | ||
| Player Name | Team | Number |
| Sandro | Tottenham | 80 |
| Neto | Siena | 78 |
| Blaise Matuidi | PSG | 70 |
| Morgan Schneiderlin | Southampton | 66 |
| Giuseppe Biava | Lazio | 65 |
| Aurelien Chedjou | Lille | 64 |
| Heiko Westermann | Hamburg | 64 |
| Oliver Sorg | Freiburg | 63 |
| Dario Dainelli | Chievo | 62 |
| Jan Vertonghen | Tottenham | 61 |
| Ignacio Camacho | Malaga | 61 |
