The problem with stats, is that while it might say he makes the most interceptions, it doesn't tell you many of those are interceptions after he just gave the ball away in the 1st place. Passing stats don't discount any passes made 2 yards back to the the centre back. I mean, Phil Neville used to regularly come out high up in passing stats.
I don't judge any player on stats unless the stats highlight something worthwhile, shots on targets, goals, save percentages, cleansheets, etc. Even assists can be useless as pointed out before. A simple pass on the halfway line before someone dribbles past 4 and smashes a goal in from 20 yards counts the same as someone dribbling past 4 and laying it on a plate for a striker 5 yards out.
I judge players more on what I see on a regular basis. And for me, Gueye has flattered to deceive for a long time. He doesn't stand out in any meaningful way, other than how positionally he is an absolute liability. He runs a lot, but with no intelligence, just like a headless chicken. Even Joey Barton spotted it.
People go on about how good he is as a DM, but I have lost count of the amount of times other teams waltz straight through our midfield, or how many times we are outnumbered at the back. Like the 2nd goal on Sunday. Where was Gueye then? They had 3 men in our box, we had Kenny on his own.
Other top DMs like Vieira, Keane, Makelele, etc, even Carsley, they made it harder for other to teams to score. Gueye does not do that. He doesn't have that presence that other teams dread. He doesn't have the ability of an Arteta or a Pienaar. He doesn't read or control the tempo of a game like a Barry. He doesn't even have a physical presence like Fellaini.
He just runs a lot and often takes far too long on the ball as well.
Id honestly sooner have Mccarthy, but he is just never fit enough for long enough. People go on about the fact he doesn't pass the ball forward. But what he does do is play it safe and simple, keeps the ball moving and leaves the rest to better players around him. If Gueye did that, he might actually improve the team and his own game.
