Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week:
🔷 Fernandez's runs reminiscent of Lampard
⚪ Why Kudus is thriving under Frank
🔥 Everton's new-found attacking flair
🔍 A player to watch this weekend
Fernandez channelling Lampard?
Enzo Fernandez rarely misses a game for club or country but his suspension from Argentina's fixtures against Venezuela and Ecuador gave him some time off during the international break. It could prove precious given the demands of his role at Chelsea. He showed signs of fatigue during their 2-0 win over Fulham.
The 24-year-old shoulders a heavy workload in terms of the running he is asked to get through as well as the volume of minutes he plays. Premier League tracking data since the start of last season shows he covers more ground than any other Chelsea player.
It is a consequence of a positional change last term, when he was pushed further forward and asked to contribute at both ends of the pitch. His box-to-box industry has helped maintain balance in Chelsea's midfield. It has also become an offensive weapon.
Fernandez is Chelsea's top scorer and top assister since January with a combined 18 goal involvements. One of his most recent, the close-range strike in Chelsea's 5-1 thrashing of West Ham, highlighted a key attribute he has brought to his new role.
The goal, dispatched from Estevao's cut-back, came from one of 22 runs making Fernandez an option for a cross this season.
No other Premier League player has made more than 15 such runs in the opening three games of the campaign, with Fernandez's new team-mate Joao Pedro next in the rankings. The numbers highlight a talent for arriving in the box at the right time in the style of another player who wore Chelsea's No 8 shirt in Frank Lampard.
Fernandez almost scored a second goal in similar style against West Ham, when, early in the second half at the London Stadium, he blazed a shot over from 12 yards out having accelerated away from James Ward-Prowse to latch onto Pedro Neto's square pass.
Fernandez has a long way to go to reach the heights of Lampard, of course. But his late runs into the box, like those of the Chelsea legend, are made more difficult to defend against by the fact they often start from as far away from goal as the halfway line.
They require intelligence as well as athleticism.
In the example below, during Chelsea's win over Fulham, Fernandez anticipates Estevao's first-time flick to release Joao Pedro on the right, beginning his sprint towards goal before it even happens and bursting beyond Fulham's midfield line untracked to take up a dangerous position for the subsequent cross.
The trigger for Fernandez's runs is usually one of Chelsea's wingers receiving the ball in a wide position, as in the example below against Crystal Palace, when Fernandez darts towards the centre of the box as Estevao runs onto a through-ball near the left-hand touchline.
The cross never came on that occasion, with Estevao instead checking back onto his right foot, but Fernandez makes his runs knowing they will not always be found and they are not unique to this season. Last term, he ranked behind only Raul Jimenez and Dominic Solanke in the Premier League for cross option runs.
They have become an established feature of his game, in other words, helping to vindicate Enzo Maresca's decision to give him more attacking licence as opponents struggle to get to grips with it.
Expect to see more of the same when Fernandez, refreshed from some rare time off, faces Brentford live on Sky Sports on Saturday.
Stability helping Kudus thrive
While Chelsea increasingly look to Fernandez for attacking inspiration, their London rivals Spurs have two new outlets in Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons. The latter could make his debut for the club live on Sky Sports against West Ham on Saturday; the former has already shown what he can bring.
Kudus can expect a hot reception at the London Stadium having become the first player to move between the two clubs since Scott Parker in 2011 but he returns to his former club having made a bright start for Spurs, who paid £55m for his signature.
At a time of upheaval off the pitch with the departure of Daniel Levy as chairman, Kudus has benefitted from some stability on it, playing exclusively on the right flank in his first three appearances having been used in a dizzying array of roles by West Ham last term.
Kudus felt his form suffered as a result of the changes to his position under Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter at West Ham. But following a strong pre-season with Spurs, he has already become a key part of the side's attack, adding a new dimension with his one-on-one ability and creativity on their right flank.
The 25-year-old has attempted more dribbles than anyone else in the Premier League so far this season. There were two assists in the 3-0 win over Burnley and he also ranks top among Spurs players for chances created, expected assists and fouls won.
Spurs hope Simons will help share the creative load. But Kudus is also benefitting from working with a manager in Thomas Frank and technical director in Johan Lange who have built up a detailed knowledge of his game since his time in Denmark with Nordsjaelland.
"We have known him for many, many years," said Lange in a recent interview with the Spurs website. "We knew this player has all the attributes to be a fantastic offensive player in the Premier League. We have already seen him having a great impact in the team, so let's just cross our fingers this will continue."
Are Everton the new entertainers?
Kudus is not the only in-form attacker facing his former side this weekend. Elsewhere on Saturday, Jack Grealish comes up against boyhood club Aston Villa having contributed four assists in Everton's back-to-back victories over Wolves and Brighton.
He appears to have rediscovered the form that set him apart at Aston Villa but the Manchester City loanee is just one part of a style transformation taking place under David Moyes.
With Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyler Dibling also added to an attack which already features the maverick brilliance of Iliman Ndiaye, Everton suddenly have an abundance of attacking flair.
It characterised their displays against Brighton and Wolves, both of which featured slick team goals involving all three of Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, and it can be seen in the numbers too.
Everton are scoring more goals, attempting more dribbles and making more final third passes this season. They have gone from making the fewest through-balls in the division to the third most.
It all adds up to a level of attacking threat far beyond last season's. It promises plenty of entertainment in the campaign ahead too.
Player Radar: Who else to keep an eye on
Marcus Tavernier was mostly used as a winger in his first three seasons at Bournemouth but continues to shine in central midfield having been moved by Andoni Iraola at the end of last term. Will his good form continue against Brighton on Saturday?
Live Radar: What's on Sky this weekend?
Saturday brings a double header as West Ham host Tottenham in the 5.30pm kick-off before Brentford's meeting with Chelsea at 8pm. Both games are live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 5pm.
On Super Sunday, Burnley host Liverpool at 2pm with Alexander Isak expected to make his debut, before Manchester City take on Manchester United at 4.30pm. Both games are live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event, with coverage starting at 1pm.
The last column before the international break was ahead of the curve, outlining Dominik Szoboszlai's importance to Arne Slot before he went on to show it with his match-winning display for Liverpool against Arsenal.
Starting this season, Sky Sports' Premier League coverage is increasing from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games this season will be shown live on Sky Sports.
