Latest advanced Premier League stats for Brighton's starting XI revealed

As we're nearly at the halfway stage of the Premier League season, let's take a look at the side's underlying numbers so far this campaign.

The stats below were taken from fbref.com.

Maty Ryan

Unfortunately for the Brighton veteran it's a less than impressive stat, which may indicate as to why he has been dropped and replaced with 23-year old Robert Sanchez.

Post-Shot Expected Goals (PSxG) is expected goals based on how likely the goalkeeper is to save the shot. Ryan's PSxG is -3.2 goals, meaning he has conceded 3.2 more goals than he was expected to this season. This means he has been unlucky, poor, or a mix of both.

Robert Sanchez

Sanchez has been impressive so far this campaign since first entering the fray against Spurs at the beginning of November. The Spaniard has a positive PSxG of +1.2, meaning he has stopped 1.2 goals from going in that he was not expected to keep out.

Positive PSxG numbers suggest better luck or an above average ability to stop shots.

Tariq Lamptey

Lamptey is a real threat and his pace is one of Brighton's biggest weapons.

Looking at his goal creating actions (GCA) stats - which records the two offensive actions leading up to a goal such as a dribble, pass or drawing a foul - Lamptey produces 0.41 GCAs on average per 90 minutes, which is the second highest in the squad, just a fraction below Trossard's 0.44 GCA per 90.

To put that into context, Brighton record 1.82 GCA on average per 90, which means Lamptey is involved in 20 per cent of Brighton's GCAs each match. So when he's not in the team a fair chunk of attacking threat is missing.

Looking at his progressive distance - a metric which looks at how many yards a player carries the ball up the pitch towards the opposition's goal - Lamptey is the second most effective progresser of play in the team. The young Englishman on average per 90 progresses 171 yards up the pitch, second only to Adam Webster's impressive 248 yards per 90.

Lamptey is also the top interceptor of the ball in the team, making 1.33 interceptions on average per 90 minutes.

Lewis Dunk

The captain has been more solid of late after a bit of a shaky start to the season.

Dunk has made the most ball recoveries on average per 90 minutes this season with 13.4, meaning he's a good reader of the game and quick to react to win possession.

Adam Webster

Webster is a progressive passer of the ball, playing on average per 90 mins 5.38 passes into the final third, which is the highest in the team.

He is also a good carrier of the ball. Webster progresses 248 yards up the pitch on average per 90 mins, this is Brighton's best progressive distance player by some way, with Lamptey in second (171).

Ben White

Nothing too stand out for White in terms of stats, it's more of a solid all round contribution - not surprising given he's been played in multiple positions under Potter.

On average per 90 mins Brighton have picked up 0.88 points when White has played.

Solly March

Arguably Brighton's best player this season. According to WhoScored.com he is Brighton's best, recording an average 7.10 out of 10 rating from the website so far this campaign.

March's attacking output down the left wing can be quantified by numerous metrics.

On average per 90 mins he completes 2.2 successful dribbles, the most in the team.

He plays two passes into the penalty area on average per 90 mins - marginally behind Trossard and Gross, two naturally creative players.

He's the most prolific crosser in the team, playing 4.1 crosses on average per game.

And he also plays 4.66 progressive passes on average per 90 - a metric which looks at high passes up the pitch which moves the team closer to the opponent's goal.

March's defensive work is also solid and backed by stats.

He has the most blocks in the team on average per 90 mins, making around five in total each game. He is also one of the more successful tacklers in the team, making 1.71 on average per 90 minutes.

Yves Bissouma

Best successful tackler in the team, recording 2.2 on average per 90 mins.

Second most successful dribbler of the ball on average per 90 mins with 1.7.

Third highest passer of the ball into the final third, with 4.5 on average per 90.

Adam Lallana

Highest in the team for passes which created a shooting opportunity for a teammate, with 2.5 of these passes on average per 90 minutes.

One of the best pressers in the team, completing 16.4 pressures on average per 90 mins - something he was very good at during his time at Liverpool.

Leandro Trossard

Has the highest in the team for goal creating actions on average per 90 mins, recording 0.41 of these each game.

Plays the most passes to switch the play, with 3.4 cross-field balls on average per 90.

Second in the number of key passes - a metric which records a pass that leads directly to a shot - on average per 90 (2.11).

Most assists (3).

Neal Maupay

Brighton's highest scorer (6).

He is under-performing his expected goals, which is 7.4, by 1.4.

The most accurate shooter in the side with 0.97 of a shot on target on average per 90 minutes.

Danny Welbeck

Brighton's joint top scorer (2).

Has 0.87 of a shot on target on average per 90.

Team stats

According to Understat.com's expected points (XPts) table - which uses expected goals for and against data to judge a side's position in the league - Brighton sit in seventh place on 26.57 XPts.

This means Potter's men have been one of the unluckiest teams in the league this season, underperforming by a massive 12 points.

Brighton have accumulated 25.74 xG this season, but have only scored 21, which is an under performance of just over four goals.

Potter's side have also racked up an expected goals against figure of 20.66 but have conceded a whopping seven more than expected (28).

This helps us understand why for all Brighton's good performances they sit in 17th place. Goals change games, goals pick up points. And Brighton are missing their chances up front and conceding soft goals at the back.

But, judging on the stats, the team should eventually regress to the mean and start picking up some more points and at the same time play attractive football.