Opta Jury: Arjan De Zeeuw
The latest subject of the Opta Jury is Wigan's rock-like defender Arjan De Zeeuw.
There was much jubilation at Wigan's Robin Park base in the summer when it became known that prodigal Dutchman Arjan De Zeeuw was returning to the Lancashire club.
His two-year spell at Portsmouth was ended after a falling-out with erstwhile manager Alain Perrin, and when it became known that his former club were interested, De Zeeuw leapt at the chance.
While no-one can be sure whether De Zeeuw is feeling schadenfreude or not this season, he will be delighted to see his current club tucked in sixth place, while Portsmouth face a lengthy - and increasingly expensive - fight to stay in the top division.
Nonetheless, a comparison of De Zeeuw's stats from this season and last shows that he has maintained his defensive capabilities but failed to keep his attacking menace at the JJB Stadium. He bagged three goals for Pompey in 2004-05 but has yet to score in his second spell with The Latics.
| Season | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Club | Portsmouth | Wigan Athletic |
| Appearances | 32 | 20 |
| Minutes On Pitch | 2,757 | 1,745 |
| Goal Attempts | | |
| Goals | 3 | 0 |
| Shots | 17 | 7 |
| Shooting Accuracy | 29% | 29% |
| Chance Conversion | 18% | 0% |
| Passing | | |
| Goal Assists | 0 | 1 |
| Pass Completion % | 70% | 68% |
| Defending | | |
| Tackles Made | 112 | 52 |
| Tackles Won % | 84% | 75% |
| Blocks | 53 | 24 |
| Clearances | 377 | 265 |
| Interceptions | 21 | 23 |
| Discipline | | |
| Fouls | 26 | 25 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
De Zeeuw's power and presence in the defensive line is something that has illuminated his career and he has been the main barrier between the opposition and Wigan's goal this season.
Indeed, only five Premiership players have made more defensive clearances than De Zeeuw this season, one of them being his former chum Dejan Stefanovic at Portsmouth.
| Player Surname | Team | Total Clearances |
| Yobo | Everton | 323 |
| Stefanovic | Portsmouth | 310 |
| Upson | Birmingham City | 279 |
| Hreidarsson | Charlton Athletic | 272 |
| Ferdinand | West Ham United | 268 |
| De Zeeuw | Wigan Athletic | 265 |
De Zeeuw's leadership skills are harder to quantify but there is no doubt that he is now a vital member of the Wigan team and his experience will be necessary in the second half of the season.
His degree in medical science has yet to be put to good use but there is little danger of The Latics needing major surgery in their attempts to survive in The Premiership. Much of the hard work has already been done.
Has De Zeeuw been a hit, a miss or is the jury still out? Send us your views.
