Emmanuel Adebayor vs Olivier Giroud: Who wins this stats battle?

Olivier Giroud

The most eagerly anticipated date in North London’s football diary, this Sunday’s derby clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, comes at a point at which both clubs may be feeling a little punch drunk after having fallen out of form in the Premier League and having been humbled in Europe.

With Liverpool having sauntered off into the distance on the back of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez’s fireworks, in the process having established a sizeable goal difference, Spurs more realistic hope of snatching a top-four spot is at the expense of Arsenal, who are six points clear with a game in hand.

Giroud & Adebayor Comparison Matrix

Never far from the headlines in this fixture, Emmanuel Adebayor is key to the hosts’ hopes of a first win against the current top four sides this season, while Olivier Giroud might hope that the Lilywhites previous form against the league’s elite – which has seen them ship 22 goals in six matches – will give him plenty of sights of goal.

As both will likely to take to the pitch as lone strikers, the two men will play a huge role in determining which team’s fans claim the bragging rights.

Adebayor Goals Scored

In terms of raw firepower, Adebayor is the in-form player of the pair, having netted eight times since he was brought in from the cold by Tim Sherwood. Giroud has 12 league goals to the Togolese forward’s eight, but Adebayor has scored them at a rate of 0.61 per 90 minutes, compared to the Arsenal player’s 0.48.

This prolificacy is based on his superhuman conversion rate, which currently stands at 40 per cent – over double Giroud’s 18.5 per cent. Adebayor’s shot accuracy, meanwhile, is 70 per cent, again far better than the Frenchman’s 40 per cent, and if Spurs can provide their frontman some decent ammunition, he could win them the game. Of course, that’s only if their defence avoids playing too many passes to the opposition.

Other than the occasional dalliance with two strikers, Sherwood has generally played Adebayor as a lone forward in recent weeks, and the responsibility to hold the ball up that comes with that role has proved more difficult for the Spurs’ man than it has for Giroud, who has spent the whole season by himself in Arsenal’s frontline.

Giroud Duel Success

Giroud has won an excellent 51 per cent of his 206 headed duels throughout the season, compared to Adebayor’s 33 per cent of 81, demonstrating his value to the Gunners as the focal point round which their multitalented midfield can rotate.

This excellent support play is also reflected in the seven assists Giroud has garnered, a tally only four players in the Premier League can better this season.

Adebayor has set up just three goals this season, but it should be noted that he is actually creating more opportunities per 90 mins than Giroud with 1.69 to the Frenchman’s 1.13.

The shortfall can be explained by Spurs’ awful finishing this term. The Lilywhites have created 328 chances in the league – 25 more than Arsenal – but have scored just 37 goals, 15 fewer than their local rivals. Sherwood’s side have put just 45 per cent of their shots on target compared to Arsenal’s 55 per cent and if it isn’t Adebayor taking the shot, opposition manager’s can often relax.

In sum, Adebayor’s form over a shorter period has been better than Giroud this campaign in terms of both finishing and creating chances, but even if he outshines the more industrious Frenchman on Sunday it might not matter if his teammate’s profligacy continues.