Stats behind the left-backs keen to impress Pompey boss

THE BATTLE to become Pompey's first-choice left-back has officially begun.Â
Pompey left-back Lee Brown.Pompey left-back Lee Brown.
Pompey left-back Lee Brown.

Dion Donohue, Brandon Haunstrup and summer signing Lee Brown all reported for pre-season training yesterday.

The trio are scrapping it out for a starting berth in the Blues' League One curtain-raiser against Luton on August 4. 

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It's set to be a close contest and all three are up for the challenge.

Pompey left-back Lee Brown.Pompey left-back Lee Brown.
Pompey left-back Lee Brown.

Donohue and Haunstrup both impressed during various stages last season, while Brown arrives having registered more than 250 Football League appearances for Bristol Rovers.

Using stats from analysis company Wyscout, we've compared how all three performed last term.

And it was youngster Haunstrup who was most active defensively.

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Although he played fewer minutes (1302) than Donohue (2763) and Brown (3002), the Waterlooville ace was involved in 8.35 defensive duels per match when on the pitch. 

However, it was Donohue who had the best success rate when involved in battles across the back line with a percentage of 22.67.

Haunstrup (21.95) was just behind, while Brown only came out on top in 17.8 per cent of his challenges. 

It was also the Blues academy product who averaged the most interceptions.

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In total, Haunstrup recorded 72 throughout the campaign at an average of 4.89 per game '“ more than Donohue (4.04) and the former Rovers man (3.62).

However, Brown proved a lot stronger in the air than his new team-mates. The ex-QPR ace won 61.02 per cent of his aerial duels. Donohue (46.17) finished second in the category, while Haunstrup (29.51) was a significant way behind. 

Jackett also demands plenty from his full-backs going forward.

In terms of their passing success rate, there wasn't much that separated the trio. Donohue (39.61) shaded it ahead of Brown (37.56) and Haunstrup (36.58).

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But the new signing was the least profligate when hitting long passes. Brown attempted on average  5.78 each game, successfully completing 46.11 per cent of those. 

Of the 6.45 long balls Donohue averaged per match, 41.41 per cent found its intended target.

Haunstrup's accuracy was much lower than his team-mates, though, with just 26.51 of his 5.63 long balls bearing fruit.Â