The workload and recovery methods of England’s young players dominated the headlines during the last international break. Now, data collated by EA SPORTS FIFA 15 Ultimate Team has shown that the new generation of England players has plenty of gas in the tank, with the under 25’s matching their older counterparts for workrate so far this season.
Data provided by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the official player rating index of the Barclays Premier League, has shown that:
• West Ham’s Stewart Downing has covered the most ground in the England squad with 114.9km in the league this season
• Downing is also the only player over 25 to have recorded more than 600 sprints (603)
• Raheem Sterling has completed the most sprints of any England player with 664
• James Milner has clocked the highest average speed this season at 7.75km/h
The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index tracks players every moment they are on the pitch, with total time, total distance, average distance per 90 minutes, total sprints, average sprints per 90 minutes and average speed all being included in this analysis.
The data shows that the older a player gets, the more carefully they manage their workrate to conserve energy, covering large distances across 90 minutes and with a high average speed. Meanwhile, the younger, more explosive players like Raheem Sterling engage in more high-intensity activity, while the older players such as Stewart Downing and Michael Carrick are distributing their workload more evenly.
The data also shows that England players more than match up to their international Premier League counterparts, with Jordan Henderson outrunning Nemanja Matic and Stewart Downing keeping pace with Yaya Toure.
AVERAGE DISTANCE PER 90 MINUTES – including U25s & 25s and over
Manchester City’s James Milner is reknowned for his tireless workrate and the data sees him top for greatest average distance per 90 minutes. Wayne Rooney also makes the top 5 with an average distance of 10,574m per 90 minutes, showing his appetite for work has certainly yet to wane despite his 100th cap approaching this weekend. Jordan Henderson has run the greatest distance and played the greatest number of minutes in the top 5 in this category this season.
| Player | Age | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) |
| James Milner (Manchester City) | 28 | 612 | 78965 | 11612 |
| Adam Lallana (Liverpool) | 26 | 433 | 54480 | 11324 |
| Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd) | 29 | 738 | 86705 | 10574 |
| Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) | 24 | 984 | 114450 | 10468 |
| Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur) | 23 | 177 | 20365 | 10355 |
TOP AVERAGE SPEED
This is a parameter which illuminates a player’s intensity of work rate whilst on pitch and once again, City’s Milner tops the pile with an average speed of 7.75km/h this season. Manchester Utd’s Michael Carrick also makes the top 5 with an average speed of 6.90km/h whilst patrolling the middle of the park for the Red Devils.
| Player | Age | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| James Milner (Manchester City) | 28 | 7.75 |
| Adam Lallana (Liverpool) | 26 | 7.55 |
| Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd) | 29 | 7.05 |
| Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) | 24 | 6.98 |
| Michael Carrick (Manchester United) | 33 | 6.90 |
MOST SPRINTS PER 90 MIN
Sprinting is the category where the work rate of the younger members of the England squad is revealed. Raheem Sterling has completed, on average, 61 sprints every 90 minutes he’s been on the pitch. Out of our top 5 he has also been asked to play the greatest number of minutes, clocking up 975 minutes this season, showing that despite having the most playing time he has still managed to consistently hit top gear in matches.
| Player | Age | Time (min) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min |
| James Milner (Manchester City) | 28 | 612 | 489 | 72 |
| Adam Lallana (Liverpool) | 26 | 433 | 331 | 69 |
| Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur) | 23 | 177 | 128 | 65 |
| Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) | 19 | 975 | 664 | 61 |
| Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal) | 25 | 713 | 484 | 61 |
ENGLAND STARS vs INTERNATIONAL COUNTERPARTS
That’s how the England squad stack up against each other, but how do they fare against the rest of the world? Comparing players by position, England’s stars have shown themselves a match for anyone in terms of work rate.
CAHILL vs KOMPANY
Although he has played one more game this season, Gary Cahill nonetheless outstrips Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany for both average distance covered per 90 minutes as well as his average speed.
| Player | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Gary Cahill (Chelsea) | 28 | 11 | 1063 | 106464 | 9014 | 342 | 29 | 6.01 |
| Vincent Kompany (Manchester City) | 28 | 10 | 970 | 93815 | 8705 | 310 | 29 | 5.80 |
HENDERSON vs MATIC
Jordan Henderson just about keeps pace with perhaps the most dominant defensive midfielder in the league in Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic. Although he just falls behind on average speed, the young England midfielder completes on average eight more sprints per 90 minutes than Matic, testament to his all-action style.
| Player | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) | 24 | 11 | 984 | 114450 | 10468 | 618 | 57 | 6.98 |
| Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) | 26 | 11 | 1062 | 129133 | 10944 | 573 | 49 | 7.3 |
DOWNING vs TOURE
Competing at the tip of the midfield diamond, Downing has been revitalised at West Ham this season, matching Ivorian powerhouse Yaya Toure across the board, particularly in average speed and average distance covered per 90 minutes.
| Player | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Stewart Downing (West Ham Utd) | 30 | 11 | 1060 | 114975 | 9762 | 603 | 51 | 6.51 |
| Yaya Toure (Manchester City) | 31 | 10 | 890 | 97676 | 9877 | 224 | 23 | 6.59 |
STERLING vs NAVAS
In the battle of explosive wingers, Raheem Sterling is evenly matched with Manchester City’s Jesus Navas. The workload on the young Liverpool star has also been much greater this season, yet he has still managed an excellent 61 sprints on average per 90 minutes, compared to Navas’ 67.
| Player | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) | 19 | 11 | 975 | 105364 | 9726 | 664 | 61 | 6.49 |
| Jesus Navas (Manchester City) | 28 | 10 | 610 | 71102 | 10491 | 457 | 67 | 7.00 |
BERAHINO vs COSTA
Chelsea’s Diego Costa has taken the Barclays Premier League by storm since arriving at Stamford Bridge in the summer, however Saido Berahino has been having a similarly impressive season, his average speed whilst on pitch at 6.18km/h being higher than Costa’s, an impressive feat given that the Spaniard is known as one of the hardest working strikers around.
| Player | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Saido Berhaino (West Bromwich Albion) | 21 | 11 | 1042 | 107313 | 9269 | 608 | 53 | 6.18 |
| Diego Costa (Chelsea) | 26 | 9 | 787 | 77350 | 8846 | 504 | 58 | 5.9 |
Want to select your own team of hardworking superstars? Pick, manage and play as your own team of stars in EA SPORTS FIFA 15 Ultimate Team. Find out more at www.easports.com/uk/fifa/ultimate-team #FEELTHEGAME
ALL ENGLAND PLAYERS’ DATA
| Goalkeepers | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Fraser Forster (Southampton) | 26 | 11 | 1062 | 45136 | 3825 | 22 | 2 | 2.55 |
| Joe Hart (Manchester City) | 27 | 10 | 970 | 40695 | 3776 | 27 | 3 | 2.50 |
| Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion) | 31 | 10 | 958 | 38751 | 3641 | 40 | 4 | 2.42 |
| Defenders | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Leighton Baines (Everton) | 29 | 11 | 1074 | 110311 | 9244 | 584 | 49 | 6.16 |
| Gary Cahill (Chelsea) | 28 | 11 | 1063 | 106464 | 9014 | 342 | 29 | 6.01 |
| Calum Chambers (Arsenal) | 19 | 10 | 858 | 95646 | 10033 | 435 | 46 | 6.69 |
| Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton) | 23 | 11 | 1061 | 111766 | 9481 | 656 | 56 | 6.32 |
| Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal) | 25 | 8 | 713 | 75105 | 9480 | 484 | 61 | 6.32 |
| Phil Jagielka (Everton) | 32 | 11 | 1074 | 105578 | 8847 | 362 | 30 | 5.90 |
| Luke Shaw (Manchester United) | 19 | 6 | 557 | 60240 | 9734 | 337 | 54 | 6.48 |
| Chris Smalling (Manchester United) | 24 | 5 | 346 | 36812 | 9575 | 161 | 42 | 6.38 |
| Midfielders | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Ross Barkley (Everton) | 20 | 4 | 285 | 31878 | 10067 | 131 | 41 | 6.70 |
| Michael Carrick (Manchester United) | 33 | 2 | 150 | 17254 | 10352 | 59 | 35 | 6.90 |
| Stewart Downing (West Ham Utd) | 30 | 11 | 1060 | 114975 | 9762 | 603 | 51 | 6.51 |
| Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) | 24 | 11 | 984 | 114450 | 10468 | 618 | 57 | 6.98 |
| Adam Lallana (Liverpool) | 26 | 6 | 433 | 54480 | 11324 | 331 | 69 | 7.55 |
| James Milner (Manchester City) | 28 | 9 | 612 | 78965 | 11612 | 489 | 72 | 7.75 |
| Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) | 21 | 11 | 703 | 77358 | 9904 | 461 | 59 | 6.61 |
| Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) | 19 | 11 | 975 | 105364 | 9726 | 664 | 61 | 6.49 |
| Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur) | 23 | 5 | 177 | 20365 | 10355 | 128 | 65 | 6.89 |
| Theo Walcott (Arsenal) | 25 | 2 | 29 | 3026 | 9391 | 16 | 50 | 6.31 |
| Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) | 22 | 8 | 500 | 56558 | 10180 | 269 | 48 | 6.79 |
| Forwards | Age | Games | Time (min) | Distance Covered (m) | Avg. distance per 90 min (m) | Sprints | Avg. Sprints per 90 min | Avg. Speed (km/h) |
| Saido Berhaino (West Bromwich Albion) | 21 | 11 | 1042 | 107313 | 9269 | 608 | 53 | 6.18 |
| Rickie Lambert (Liverpool) | 32 | 9 | 215 | 23574 | 9868 | 130 | 54 | 6.59 |
| Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd) | 29 | 8 | 738 | 86705 | 10574 | 392 | 48 | 7.05 |
| Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) | 23 | 10 | 793 | 83036 | 9424 | 512 | 58 | 6.28 |
