When it comes to long passing accuracy, the ability to change momentum and turn defense into attack or simply switch wings, no one is more accurate than Mosua Dembele of Tottenham, leading the Premier League in this category among players who have attempted more than 100 passes for 35 yards or more.
Dembele is followed by Joe Allen, who hasn’t been exactly a riveting success for Liverpool, especially because he was usually used in a position he’s not suited for – the defensive midfielder, while his stronger attributes are play-making and distributing the balls, long or short.
But numbers tend to change reality a bit. Both Allen and Dembele have barely crossed the 100 mark. Steven Gerrard might be considered the best passer just on sheer volume. He has attempted nearly 400 passes for this range, completing 77.1% of them, placing him 15th in that aspect. Daniel Agget, also from Liverpool, follows with 86 out of 113, a 76.1% success rate.
Michael Carrick is often considered a master of the trade: He is 20th in the league, completing 74.6% of his long range passing attempts. Teammate Paul Scholes, retiring again at the end of the season, is in the top 10 (although attempting about half the passes Carrick has), with a 84.1% accuracy gauge. Frank Lampard is also in the top 20, but has attempted less than third of Gerrard’s numbers, completing 75.2% of his long range passing.
Best long pass (more than 35 yards) accuracy**
| Player | Long Passes Attempted | Successful Long Passes | Long Pass Accuracy (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mousa Dembele | 108 | 99 | 91.67 |
| Joe Allen | 116 | 104 | 89.66 |
| Mikel Arteta | 199 | 176 | 88.44 |
| Ki Sung-Yueng | 195 | 172 | 88.21 |
| Paul Scholes | 132 | 111 | 84.09 |
| Yaya Toure | 198 | 164 | 82.83 |
| Santi Cazorla | 215 | 175 | 81.40 |
| Giorgos Karagounis | 111 | 90 | 81.08 |
| James McArthur | 150 | 121 | 80.67 |
| Leon Osman | 129 | 103 | 79.84 |
| Jonathan De Guzman | 174 | 136 | 78.16 |
| Gareth Barry | 108 | 84 | 77.78 |
| Matija Nastasic | 107 | 83 | 77.57 |
| James McCarthy | 205 | 159 | 77.56 |
| Steven Gerrard | 393 | 303 | 77.10 |
| Daniel Agger | 113 | 86 | 76.11 |
| Frank Lampard | 117 | 88 | 75.21 |
| Adel Taarabt | 115 | 86 | 74.78 |
| Steve Sidwell | 107 | 80 | 74.77 |
| Michael Carrick | 260 | 194 | 74.62 |
** Player must have attempted at least 100 long passes to be included on the list
(Via Daily Mail)