Move Over Messi: Comparing Cissé With The World

Not long after Papiss Cissé's ball-bending, mind-bending second goal in the victory at Swansea, I ran across something embedded in a post on the Toronto-based Soccerworld blog called the Castrol EDGE Rankings, billed as "the world's first 12 month rolling rankings system based on the actual performance of every football player across Europe's top five leagues." The post featured a statistical comparison through February of the top six forwards in the Castrol rankings. It was entitled "Why Messi Is Number One." When I saw those stats and that title, I laughed. Because Cissé, since arriving in the Premier League, is blowing Lionel Messi and the other strikers on the Castrol list out of the water.

Let's add the obvious disclaimer: Cissé has had only eight appearances thus far in England. But let's also disclaim the disclaimer: Eight appearances isn't that few. Cissé now has more than 20 percent as many minutes in the Premier League as Messi had at the time of the ranking in all competitions this season. Statistically, 20 percent is a large sample - large enough to draw fairly confident conclusions about the whole, just as only five matches were enough to draw fairly confident conclusions about this season back before Newcastle hadn't "played anyone yet." Nothing is certain, but it would be surprising, after nearly 600 minutes, if Cissé's performance thus far turns out to be a fluke. Especially when his performance has grown steadily more impressive throughout those minutes.

The numbers turn more astonishing with every match. Cissé, after converting the only two official chances Newcastle managed all day against a Swansea club doing its best Arsenal impression, is netting a seemingly impossible 43 percent of his scoring opportunities. Messi ranks first in the world at 30 percent - nearly a third behind Cissé's current rate. Were Cissé to maintain that over anything close to a season, it would likely be the most incredible display by a striker in soccer history. Cissé, Messi and Mario Gomez are the only strikers in the five major European leagues hitting the target with two-thirds or more of their shots, and as we've noted before, shot accuracy appears to be the primary mark of a world-class striker. Overall Cissé is scoring slightly more frequently than the Barca star's 1-per-68-minute pace that prompted Pep Guardiola to say last month, "Messi's the best, he's unique. There's no one like him."

We shall see if Cissé can keep up this pace or anything like it. This much is certain: What we've seen so far from Cissé, not just in terms of goals but his total game, ranks with any striker, any time, ever. Here's hoping everyone associated with Newcastle United, from the fans to the management to the Senegalese strike partner who has had to cede a significant share of the ball and spotlight to this remarkable talent, fully appreciates what is transpiring, however long it lasts.

Comments

[Toon69]

Can I just add that Messi is also playing for 1 of, if not the biggest club in the world with several dozen other world class stars to make him look even better, where as Cisse is playing with players such as Simmo, Willo, Gutherie, Raylor etc etc who most people outside of the PL would never have heard of before, so Cisse's records is even more enhanced by who he plays for and with imo....

Moce over Messi, you're now No2 in the world.... lol

[Bob]

How dare you suggest that Simmo and Willo aren't world-class stars. #lolbackatya

[miller]

silly mentioning them in the same breath, you could take away all messis goals and hed still be the best player in the world by a distance

[JP...from The Rock]

2 different types of players but an interesting read nonetheless. I truly believe that in Cisse we have next seasons top scorer. He will only improve with time. He is currently averaging a goal every hour more or less. Impressive to say the least. The rest of the premiership had better beware because Newcastle's new goal machine,the new number 9, Cisse is coming to get ya!
A shout out to Demba Ba as well as without him we wouldn't be where we are now.

[Dave From Newcastle]

Apparently after today and the goal I have yet to see, another black and white striped assassin has lept past Messi. Cheers to HBA on a wundergoal that I will need to see when I get home tonight and fire up the DVR.

[MnToonArmy9]

Haven't watched the match on DVR, yet, but Demba needs to simmer down. Understand you want to play every minute...but...

(1) When a team is winning, and we are, you don't get to pout on playing time.

(2) We all know that Cisse is getting more space because Demba is out there.

(3) As a manger you ride the hot hand...and right now he's wearing #9...not #19. Don't worry Demba, you'll get a few more before the end of the year. If we are in Europe next year, you won't be coming off at 65 minutes. Enjoy the rest on your knee now.

[Dave From Newcastle]

If Demba is pouting maybe he is auditioning for a role with City next season...

I get why he's cranky, however- for the first few months of the year he was doing what Cisse is doing now and the casual observers have been forgetting about that.
Ameobi has always been an effective closer as we saw again today.

Pardew's big challenge now will to keep this momentum going with the almost 2 week break before the next match.

HWTL!

[rob]

http://newcastle-united-fc.blogspot.com/

more videos from Newcastle match

enjoy!

[Mathew]

Didn't you guys liken HBA to Messi in an earlier article? He's no Messi, two different positions, different roles - Cissee is a light footed Shearer and Messi is a skinny Maradona!
I'd also consider HBA more like Ginola or at least the potential to get to that level. I can only hope.
Let's hope Newcastle can close the deal and put something together next year for some silverware while we have all this talent in Black and White!!