Westwood or Dawson? – What the stats say about Sheffield Wednesday’s stoppers…

Cameron Dawson has played 24 Championship games (2079 minutes) in 2019/20 compared to Westwood’s 14 (1250 minutes), but while the 24-year-old was recently handed a new contract at Hillsborough, his 35-year-old teammate is on the verge of entering into the final year of his deal in S6.

With 34 goals conceded and eight clean sheets, the Owls have won 37.5% of the league games in which Dawson has played – losing nine of them – while Westwood’s stats see him conceding 15 and keeping four clean sheets with a win percentage of 35.7% as the Wednesday lost six games in which he played.

In terms of goals conceded, the two shot-stoppers are both relatively close to their xCG, and while Westwood does pip it with 0.86 goals conceded from a 0.94 expected goals conceded, he’s dealt with more shots on goal in general (4.22/3.57) and made more saves per 90 minutes (2.82/2.7) than his colleague.

Meanwhile, Westwood has been more dominant in the air – winning 100% of his aerial battles compared to Dawson’s 83.3% - but has been dribbled past one more time than the younger stopper (3/2) and has a lower long pass accuracy (63.6%/67.4%).

Dawson (per 90):

Conceded Goals - 1.4

xCG - 1.42

Shots against - 4.22

Saves - 2.82 (50.9% with reflexes)

Long passes - 11.72 (67.4%)

Short passes - 7.16 (98.1%)

Clearances - 0.4

Dribbled past – 2*

Fouls – 0*

Key passes – 1*

Aerial duels won – 5* (83.3%)

Westwood (per 90):

Conceded Goals - 0.86

xCG - 0.94

Shots against - 3.57

Saves - 2.7 (44.2% with reflexes)

Long passes - 12.78 (63.6%)

Short passes - 6.28 (99.8%)

Clearances - 0.8

Dribbled past - 3*

Fouls – 2*

Key passes – 0*

Aerial duels won – 6* (100%)

Both have made individual errors that cost the team goals in 2019/20 in their respective runs between the sticks, and fans will be very interested to see who Monk opts for when – or if – the 2019/20 season resumes next month.

*season total