On the face of it, you would be forgiven for thinking that Rotherham are a side lacking a playmaker. They’re a side who are not overly fussed with keeping the ball since their promotion back to the Championship, this is highlighted in their average possession stats where they’re 19th and averaging little over 43%. Twin that with the 67.5% pass accuracy, the second worst in the division, the average of 6.6 key passes a game does not come as much of a surprise. If you’re not on the ball and not producing the adequate amount of key passes, then shots will come at a premium, Rotherham have the worst shot per game ratio in the Championship with 8.9 shots a game. Nevertheless, they are 17th in the table due to their efficiency in-front of goal and incredibly score in the top-half for goals scored, despite that average shot count. They are currently three points above the drop-zone and have become something of a yo-yo team in the last few years. Any chance they have of avoiding relegation back to the third tier will rest firmly on the shoulders of Daniel Barlaser.
Barlaser is a product of the Newcastle United academy and after several loan spells at Rotherham, Accrington and Crewe. His switch to the South Yorkshire outfit was made permanent in October 2020, signing a three-year deal. That contract he signed is important to this post, as it has not been improved, meaning he runs out of contract in six months time. Middlesbrough are already said to be targeting the player and Blackpool were also interested back in the summer. This season Barlaser has really upped his game, producing two goals and six assists from 22 league games. Those six assists in particular have matched his tally for the season before in League One.
Above you can see a screenshot taken from FBRef, which compares Barlaser to other players in similar divisions. These players are always compared to players who play the same position. In this comparison, Barlaser is being compared to other central midfielders who play in divisions such as the Championship, Brazilian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie and Portuguese Primeira League, among others.
Barlaser plays in both central midfield but also a more reserved role of defensive midfield in a 4-3-3 system. All goals and assists made this season have come from a deeper position on the field (source: WhoScored.com). There are many stats here which immediately jump out and they’re almost all to do with his passing, though there will be a caveat later.
Initially we can look at the assists, where per 90 mins he is producing 0.29 assists. This catapults him within the 96th percentile of central midfielders and in terms of xAG he is in the 98th percentile. On inspection of his game, it is quite clear that his main strength is a well-weighted pass. His ability to play the ball onto a run of an attacker is something that has served Rotherham well, especially in the last two seasons.
In addition to direct assists or direct passes that lead to shots on goal, he is also proficient at shot-creating actions, this could mean the pass before the expected assist for example. Again, the weighted passes into onrushing wingers and wing-backs is something that is spotted time and time again in clips. His patience on the ball in waiting for the right moment and well disguised passes are also a key feature of his game. Per 90, Barlaser is creating on average 3.96 shot-creating actions a game. As mentioned before, Rotherham are averaging the least amount of shots in the division per game at just 8.9. Therefore, Barlaser is creating just under half the chances with his passing and is vital to the side from a progressive perspective. For shot-creating actions he scores within the 93rd percentile.
We need to mention the outball. Despite not being able to hold onto the ball much, ex-manager Paul Warne and new boss Matt Taylor do encourage a play out from the back style. Barlaser is often dropping back to collect the ball from his central defenders, turning and making plays. This is illustrated in his progressive passes stats, where he plays 5.35 per 90 mins, landing him within the 88th percentile. For a side, who are not blessed with much flair or attacking talent, being able to facilitate those attackers the best he can is really important. The chances they are creating must be of some value as despite shooting the least in the division, they are in the top-half for goals scored.
Finally, the caveat because there is one outlier in the data here. For pass completion, Barlaser ranks in the 6th percentile, which is extremely low. At just 70% pass completion per 90, it could be that Barlaser currently feels too much creative responsibility and is potentially trying too hard with his passing and attempting too many Hollywood balls.
In summary, if Barlaser were to join another Championship club in the summer, a side with better players around could well suit him and not being the only playmaker in the side would also encourage some more thoughtful play. Below is a clip from a game earlier this season where he notched three assists in one game, take note of the passes for the second and fourth goals.
Statswise FC 