Deji Elerewe was voted the Stacey West readers’ Man of the Match following Lincoln City’s goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers at Sincil Bank.
The Imps didn’t have to withstand periods of pressure from the visitors, as another determined defensive display ensured we recorded a second successive Championship clean sheet after the 1-0 victory at Bolton Wanderers.
Elerewe finished comfortably at the top of our player ratings with an average score of 8.65. Ryley Towler was second on 7.73, with Conor McGrandles, Callum Elder and George Wickens completing the top five.
The 22-year-old played the full 97 minutes on the right of City’s back three and produced an outstanding display. He combined physical strength with good anticipation, repeatedly stepping in to stop Blackburn attacks before they could develop into clear opportunities.
Bars are scaled to the best figure in this match, and each rank is against the players who actually registered that stat — "3rd/12" is third of the twelve who managed one. This is a within-match ranking, not a league-wide one, which a single match cannot give. Radar axes are scaled the same way, and are left out for goalkeepers, whose near-zero attacking figures would draw a meaningless dot.
Graphic stats may differ from Wyscout
Deji Elerewe v Blackburn Rovers in numbers
Elerewe’s performance was built around his dominance in the duels, as per his Wyscout numbers. He contested nine across the match and won eight of them, giving him an exceptional success rate of 89%.
That included a perfect return from his defensive duels, winning all four of the contests he faced. He was almost as impressive in the air, coming out on top in four of his five aerial challenges.
Those numbers were particularly important against a Blackburn side that looked to test City’s defensive structure throughout the afternoon. Elerewe’s ability to compete physically helped us deal with direct balls, while his pace allowed him to cover spaces behind the rest of the back line.
However, his performance was about more than simply winning challenges. The centre-back recorded six interceptions, more than one every 16 minutes, as he consistently read the danger and moved into the right positions.
He also made five clearances and recovered possession 15 times, including twice in the Blackburn half. Eleven of those recoveries came from situations in which City had lost the ball, underlining his role in preventing turnovers from developing into more dangerous attacks.
Elerewe did all of that without committing a foul or receiving a card. For a defender involved in so many physical contests, that was another indication of how well he judged his challenges.
Composure in possession
There was also plenty to admire about Elerewe’s work with the ball. He completed 35 of his 45 passes, giving him an accuracy rate of 78%, while registering 61 actions overall and completing 45 successfully.
His long passing was less consistent, with two of seven attempts finding a teammate, but he did complete his only attempted cross. That showed his willingness to step forward from the back and try to contribute to City’s attacking play when space became available.
Elerewe also recorded one effort, a header which might have brought a goal, although it did not test the Blackburn goalkeeper. That effort carried an expected goals value of 0.20, suggesting it was a reasonable opportunity despite failing to hit the target.
There were 11 losses of possession, but only two came inside our own half. That distinction is important, particularly for a centre-back, as it shows that most of the risks he took came in areas where Blackburn were less likely to punish us immediately.
It was ultimately his defensive contribution that defined the performance. Blackburn were unable to find a way through City’s back line, with Elerewe, Towler and Elder all featuring prominently in the readers’ top five.
Readers’ top five
The margin of Elerewe’s victory reflects the quality of his display. Towler and Elder also impressed, while Wickens helped us secure another clean sheet, but the former Bromley defender was the standout performer at the heart of the defence.
Winning eight of his nine duels, making six interceptions and recovering possession 15 times demonstrated the scale of his influence. It was a commanding performance from Elerewe and one that ensured City emerged from a demanding Championship contest with another valuable point.
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