The main reason I don't like the stats you provided is because the depend on the quality of team they are playing in. A DM is going to have lower stats playing for a Barcalona than he is playing for someone like Place or Sunderland.
He was playing for Rennes in France who finished between 9th and 6th for those seasons mentioned. So not too dissimilar to Liverpool in that time frame. Certainly not a possession advantage. If anything it would be the opposite.


