This year’s Premier League is one of the league’s most surprising editions in decades, with rising Leicester defying expectations while Chelsea struggle near the bottom of the table. On the podium, as Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez leads the Foxes to new heights, Mesut Ozil’s consistency has led Arsenal to the top of the league, with both players distinguishing themselves as the league’s most influential game changers.

The wizard and the underdog, the David and the Goliath, both are having amazing seasons, with potential PFA Player of the Year nominations in view. But which has been the league’s best performer? The numbers they’ve amassed over the season’s first half can help answer that question.

SEE NOTE: The top five players through the first half of the Premier League season.

The passing numbers

Ozil has shown a better passing game, making nearly twice as many forward passes as the Algerian, yet he’s also made three times as many backward passes, as well. However, looking at other passing numbers, we can see a difference in mindset. 63% of Mahrez’s passes are made in an attempt to make an offensive move, against a 53% for Arsenal’s playmaker. That may help explain the players’ different completion percentages. Ozil’s is at 89%, with Mahrez having a relatively low 72% accuracy.

The passing numbers can be interpreted in two ways. Either Mahrez tries more risky offensive passes or he spends a lot of time on the wing, playing in positions where completing passes could be more difficult. Either way, Ozil’s passing numbers are out of Mahrez’s league. The German playmaker is the best passer in the league, with twice as many chances created as Mahrez.

But one other passing number needs to be considered: average pass length. Mahrez’s average pass length is at 17.22 meters, 2.22 meters higher than Ozil’s. More crosses? More risky, long balls? This certainly explains, or at least justifies, Mahrez’s lack of accuracy. It also means we can amend our conclusion:

Mahrez, as a prolific and a skillful winger, has an attacking mindset that sets his passing accuracy to a low level. Ozil, attempting more forward passes than backwards passes, is a way more balanced player. In the end, Ozil gets the point for better passing.

SEE MORE: Confidence breeds success for Ozil and Arsenal.

Scoring goals

In goal scoring, Mahrez clearly betters Ozil. Though Ozil has scored only three times, Mahrez has 13, with all of his goals coming inside the area (including four penalties). Mahrez is also known for his step overs and his body feints, skills that help him get into the box and score with his usual finishing skills. But Mahrez is also known for his magical left foot, a foot that helped him to score 10 times, with only one coming from his right foot (the two others being headers).

Although Mahrez scores 0.8 goals per game, he attempts “only” 3.03 shots a game, a pretty good number compared to world-class finishers in other leagues. In comparison, Ozil shoots at 1.4 times per game, having the same shot accuracy as Mahrez’s 67%. Although we might say that this is a good number as well, it is a function of his skill set. Ozil does not finish a well  and does not attempt as many shots as Mahrez, being more a “clean finisher” and not trying to shoot too much in his attacking midfielder role. Mahrez has better shooting and finishing skills, thus attempts more.

Preventing goals

Looking at the defensive and physical side of the game, Mahrez seems to lead by a few miles. With a higher tackling accuracy and a 61% takeons percentage (Ozil with 58%), Mahrez does win more tackles than Ozil. He does provoke a lot more fouls as well, almost twice as many as the German, but that can be explained by the Algerian’s amazing dribbling numbers. Also, surprisingly, Mahrez has a 26% aerial duels winning percentage, more than double Ozil’s 11% despite Ozil being nearly two inches taller.

Finally, Mahrez has 1.3 interceptions per game, more than twice Özil’s rate, not to mention Ozil has not blcoked shot this year. Mahrez has blocked three. Mahrez is also leading in number of clearances (15 to eight), a surprising total for a winger like Mahrez, considering he plays as more of an attacking-minded winger.

SEE MORE: Riyad Mahrez is the engine behind Leicester’s table-topping success.

Remember the differences in playing style

Claudio Ranieri’s fast and fluid counter-attacking game definitely has a huge impact on the numbers. Not retaining possession and attempting riskier passes are some of the characteristics the Foxes’s style, as we can see in their 43.4% possession per game. Wingers tend to play a lot more crosses and through balls, which also influences Mahrez’s numbers. As a team, Leicester have the lowest passing success rate in the league. Arsenal has the league’s best.

But with a strong midfield like Arsenal’s, it is hard to have impressive defensive statistics, as the team’s possession means fewer chances to accumulate numbers. Every game, Leicester have 3.4 more tackles, concede 2.4 more shots and make 3.6 more interceptions than Arsenal. Leicester have a lot to deal with when defending compared to Arsenal, who have many defenders and midfielders capable of retaining possession and clearing the ball with assurance when needed.

Furthermore, Leicester attempt in average 70 long balls per game versus Arsenal’s 49 (lowest in the league). Arsenal also try 510 short passes per game (league highest), which is almost twice bigger than Leicester does. It’s even more reason why Mahrez’s passing numbers (and Leicester’s players’) might pale in comparison to numbers from an Arsenal winger or attacking midfielder.

Conclusion

While Ozil’s passing game has been beneficial to Arsenal, Mahrez laps him defensively and in scoring, with more tackles, interceptions and goals. He also has the Premier League’s highest combined goal-assist total, with 20.

Statistically, Mahrez is definitely PFA Player of the Year material, but some numbers may outweigh others . Who do you think is the most qualified player to win the award?

Statistics are as of December 30^th, 2015 (Squawka, WhoScored). Per game metrics used are defined as per 90 minutes numbers. Parts of this analysis were made using Squawka’s Comparison Matrix.

Be it for their performances, progress or new places in U.S. men’s national team’s fans hopes, here’s our team of Americans that stood out last week:

GK – Tim Howard (Everton): The veteran U.S. international has been doing quite well in the last few weeks. Howard was part of Monday’s 1-1 draw at home against Crystal Palace, a result that helped Everton to move one point back of Liverpool and four points away from a European qualification spot in the Premier League.

LB – Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach): Playing in midfield for Borussia Moenchengladbach (though we’ve slotted him into defense here), Fabian was man of the match in one of the biggest surprises of the Bundesliga season. Gladbach claimed a 3-1 win over league-leading Bayern München thanks in part to a goal and an assist from their in-form U.S. international. Player of the week without a doubt.

CB – Geoff Cameron (Stoke City): Stoke’s last three games at the Brittania Stadium (against Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester City have all ended in wins and clean sheets. Cameron appeared in all three, and on Saturday, he was in midfield against one of the best teams in England. As with Johnson, we’ve slotted him into another of his positions, defense – the spot he’s trying to win at international level.

CB – John Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin): Being a defender and scoring does not usually go together, yet when you have Brooks’ combination of strength and heading ability, you can be almost as impactful offensively as defensively. This weekend, Brooks’ second half goal gave to Hertha Berlin a win against Leverkusen, allowing his team to claim fourth place in the Bundesliga.

RB – Travis Brent (Almere City): A former defender for Portland’s academy and a California-native, Brent has spent the last two seasons adapting to Dutch soccer without not getting much playing time. However, after appearing in both of his Almere City’s Eerste Divisie matchups last week, he might slowly be winning time at a club he inked a new deal with a few months ago.

SEE MORE: 11 teenagers U.S. soccer should keep on its radar.

CM – Gedion Zelalem (Glasgow Rangers): The young prodigy has been receiving a lot of criticism recently, especially from Rangers fans criticizing his in-game choices. However, he seemed to appear more intelligent this week as he was involved in the build-up of most of the Rangers’ dangerous moments in a 4-0 trashing against Dumbarton. Zelalem’s assist was his second of the season.

CM – Emerson Hyndman (Fulham): As mentioned a few weeks ago, Emerson is one of America’s brightest talents, and likely the future of the US men’s national team midfield. On Saturday, Hyndman earned his first minutes of the season, coming on as a second half substitute in Fulham’s 3-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

CM – Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes): Playing on the right wing during a matchup of teams without high hopes this season, Alejandro delivered a nice assist to Argentinian Emiliano Sala in a 1-1 draw at GFC Ajaccio. The point helped Nantes move to a comfortable 11th place in the Ligue 1 table.

LW – Julian Green (Bayern Munich II): Green is racking up the goals as he plays for Bayern’s second team in the German Regionalliga, including a quite good one this weekend against Unterhaching. Receiving a low cross in the area while totally unmarked, Julian used a soft finish to post his eighth league goal of the season – a strong start which should definitely help his quest to earn time in the Bundesliga.

SEE MORE: Top 20 viewing audiences for USMNT games in 2015.

CF – Mario Rodriguez (Borussia Moenchengladbach II): Gladbach player, Mario has enjoyed a decent start to the season, posting forr goals and three assists in 14 games. This weekend, he scored an important goal in Regionalliga to help the Gladbach’s second team post a 3-0 win at Rot Weiss Ahlen.

RW – Shawn Barry (Frankfurt): It was an interested outing for Barry, with FSV Frankfurt winger helped his team beat 1860 Munich and secure 10th place in the 2. Bundesliga, who earned a yellow card in his 10th start of the season. Thanks to a converted first half penalty, Frankfurt were able to claim a 1-0 victory in Munich, with the Florida-born wide man going 90 minutes on FSV’s flank.

When attention turns to the US men’s national team each international break, many young American players abroad get forgotten. But some of them are making interesting progress, as well as showing great personality.

Adding to Gedion Zelalem, Emerson Hyndman, DeAndre Yedlin and others, here is a starting XI of under-19 players that could add to the youth sections of men’s national team.

GK – Benjamin Machini: Nicknamed “Benji,” Mallorca B’s backup goalkeeper is already familiar with Spain, having played the last season at CE Constancia in lower leagues. Holding both Swedish and American nationalities, Benjamin could become an interesting goalkeeper, considering he is one of the only Yankees in Spain. Definitely one to watch.

LB – Niko Hämäläinen: Of Finnish descent, Niko is a strong fullback, regularly starting for Finland’s U21s and a rotation defender for Queens Park Rangers. With only two appearances — a few weeks ago on loan to League Two’s Dagenham & Redbridge as well as an appearance for the club in League Cup against Charlton — the youngster has a lot to prove, but he still has lots of time to improve and get a spot in QPR’s starting XI.

CB – Niall Mason: Having grown in the academies of continental giants such as Real Madrid and Al Sadd, then for English sides Blackburn Rovers and more recently Southampton, Mason (left, above) is is already Aston Villa’s under-21 starting center back despite being only 18 years old. Capable of playing on the right side of the defense but also as a defensive midfielder, the English-born defender has played six times already for Villa in the under-21 Premier League. He has followed a strong curriculum that could eventually lead him to a spot in the American youth teams.

CB – Ken Gipson: It seems like young players of American descent are developing quite fast in Germany lately, especially this one. Gipson, a former German under-16 international and Stuttgart player, earned a move at Leipzig earlier this year. Being one of the key players in the reserve team, the young man has spent the last two 2.Bundesliga match days on the starting lineup of Ralf Rangnick’s Red Bulls.

RB – Corey Anton: At the age of 16, Corey Lee stands 6-foot-1 and is a rotation player for Kaiserslautern’s U17 team. Having made his way through the FCK academy for three years, the right back is celebrating his fourth season at Kaiserslautern in the greatest of ways, scoring twice in nine games. Though he is averaging less than 45 minutes per game, both of his goals were scored earlier this week (against Freiburg, Nov. 14th) in only 25 minutes.

LM – Panagiotis Armenakas: Australia. Greece. United States. These three countries were playing at the last World Cup, and this young 19-year-old can claim all three of these nationalities. Udinese’s winger has played four times for the club’s Primavera squad, scoring once against Milan’s youth. Missing three games due to international commitment with Australia’s under-18s and being a former Greece’s under-17 winger, Panagiotis has yet not made his choice on the country he will defend. Yankee? Aussie? Gladiator?

DM – Justin Toshiki Kinjo: The Japanese-American defensive midfielder has already played nearly 1200 minutes for TSV Munchen’s reserve teams in all competitions. Justin has been starting at the defensive midfielder’s spot for the last six competitive games and has increasingly shown great character and determination on the pitch. Will his hard work lead to an eventual appearance for the first team?

AM – Timothy Tillman: Formerly one of Greuther’s Furth most promising youngsters, the 16-year old playmaker (above, right) moved to Bayern’s youth academy in late August for €500,000. He has been worth the money, providing three goals and three assists for the Bavarians’ U17 side. Starring in 11 games and getting regular call-ups for Germany’s under-17 team, Timothy is definitely one of the most interesting wonderkids eligible to play for the US.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1kIMGnG6NU

RM – Devante Parker: At 19 years old, the skillful and talented right winger born in Wiesbaden, Germany, has made his way through the youth academy of FSV Mainz. Now one of the biggest prospects of the team and the strong man of the reserves (14 games, two goals and two assists) playing in third tier, the youngster has earned himself a call-up with Germany’s under-19 squad as well as a small minute against Hoffenheim in September. Hopefully there will be more to come.

ST – Jordan Siebatcheu: Born in Washington 19 years ago, Jordan has been one of the nicest surprises for Reims this year, netting three goals and delivering two assists in less than 400 minutes, mostly spent coming off the bench. With a golden generation coming for France and fewer spots available on the Bleuets’ youth national teams, Jordan might get himself a call-up on the next US 23-player roster, if he confirms his spot on Reims starting lineup.

ST – Dylan Alexis Romney: On Aug. 4, Inter confirmed the loan of the French-American youngster to Savona FBC in Italian third tier. But this loan has not the best of experiences, producing only three minutes played in two appearances for a side that is now 18th in Lega Pro. Hopes of an eventual promotion are almost dead, but Dylan still needs to impress the coach. He has been on the bench for all of the games (except matchday four), and if he eventually grabs the chance he is offered, the Yanks might have a new jewel in their player pool.