Look, let’s get one thing straight right off the bat. I am not some football whiz-kid with all the slick terminology, picture-perfect lighting, and an immaculate studio setup like those high-budget productions. And hey, guess what? I definitely don’t possess the encyclopedic knowledge of your favorite football pundits either. I’m just an ordinary bloke who’s crazy about football and enjoys throwing out a few observations here and there.
In fact, the nature of my day-to-day job is such that I get paid to discover problems in a bunch of pictures. So, brace yourself, because what I’m about to say may make you as squeamish as watching Damion Lowe play (insert laugh out loud here).
Right then so, Damion Lowe, the loose cannon.
In my opinion, when you label someone as such, you are saying that person is uncontrollable, unpredictable, and intent on creating damage. But is that true for Nana?
I like to focus on numerical data, simply because it is the most objective way of analysis. I’ll try not to use extravagant coaching jargon and complex statistical terminologies, not that I know them anyway. Without further ado, allow me to present you with an objective set of statistics about Damion Lowe.
Over the last 7 seasons, at the club level, Damion Lowe has been sent off 3 times. THREE red cards. In that same period, he received 40 yellow cards equating to 5-6 per season. Now, the yellow cards tally can be skewed because a player can receive a yellow for many different non-playing reasons during a game.
Over the past 365 and ¼ days, Damion Lowe has consistently performed at a highly commendable level, ranking in the 90th to 95th percentile among center backs in terms of tackles and interceptions made per 90 minutes. To provide a clearer understanding of his defensive capabilities, here are his statistics from the past year in the MLS, calculated per 90 minutes of gameplay:
- Tackles – 2.1
- Total Duels won – 4.7 (59%)
- Ground duels won – 3.1 (57%)
- Aerial duels won – 1.6 (63%)
For comparison, here are his numbers for the Group Stage of Gold Cup 2023:
- Tackles – 3.0
- Total Duels won – 9.0 (75 %)
- Ground duels won – 6.0 (71 %)
- Aerial duels won – 3.0 (86 %)
Obviously, those are selected numbers from a multitude of metrics. However, in my opinion, these are fundamental figures one would expect from a center back. These numbers indicate that Damion Lowe is consistently successful most of the time. Though his style may not be aesthetically pleasing and his tackles may not appear as elegant as those of your favorite player, Virgil Van Dijk, the numbers speak for themselves. Damion Lowe consistently accomplishes his job, and ultimately, that is the most important factor to consider.
Conclusion: Damion Lowe, the so-called loose cannon, the ever-controversial walking red card, is nothing more than a figment of imagination created by those who lack the willingness to understand and appreciate his playing style and profile. The repetitive and baseless accusations against him are merely products of preconceived notions and biased expectations. It is high time that we rise above the noise of misinformation and recognize Damion Lowe for the talented athlete that he truly is.
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