Comparing Christian Eriksen's 2014/15 Stats to His 2013/14 Numbers

Christian Eriksen's arrival at Tottenham at the tail end of their summer splurge in 2013 was not given the significance it deserved. 

The best player in the Eredivisie and one of the most exciting talents to have emerged from that football factory in decades, Eriksen was signed for a steal. He was one of three players whose signatures were confirmed on the same day and arrived for a reported £11 million fee. 

On that day, Erik Lamela garnered the most attention while the signing of Romania captain Vlad Chiriches was a curiosity that sucked the oxygen away from Eriksen. 

The former Ajax maestro is now probably Spurs' most valuable player. 

Despite the astronomical hype around Harry Kane, his transfer value probably remains below the little Dane. 

Hugo Lloris, too, is certainly a major asset for Spurs, but there is a ceiling on the transfer values of goalkeepers, and if he does leave, it will likely be for far less than Eriksen would command. 

In his debut campaign in England, Eriksen scored 10 goals and added 12 assists. 

This term has seen a curious fall in his assists to just five. However, he has scored 10 Premier League goals.

He has also made eight more appearances despite being largely rested throughout Spurs' European campaign.

Seeing his goalscoring tally rise is undoubtedly pleasing, but of more interest is the effect of those goals. 

"Without his nine league goals, Tottenham would have 13 fewer league points." ESPN's analysis of Eriksen in February is particularly pertinent to this examination of his statistical impact.

Last season, Eriksen scored a brace against Southampton that secured three points, a late equaliser against West Bromwich Albion and the eventual winner against Manchester United (in a 2-1 win) when Spurs already led 1-0. 

That is four points, seven if we're being generous, that Eriksen personally delivered in 2013-14; around half his tally already this season. 

Squawka took a very different route to arrive at the same conclusion. Their player performance rating, a score derived from an algorithm that grades actions, executions, outcomes, positions and pitch areas is complex, but it too shows that Eriksen's performances are far ahead of those he delivered in the last season.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

According to Squawka, Eriksen's performance score rose from 596 (or roughly between Michael Dawson and Andros Townsend in Spurs' 2013-14 squad) to 792 which places him as Spurs' best performer. This analysis places Eriksen over 100 points clear of even Kane. Byzantine the methods may be, but they leave a fairly obvious conclusion.  

It is interesting to note that WhoScored's rating system gives Eriksen a lower grade for his second season in England. This is probably a result of the reduction in his output of assists.

Christian Eriksen has scored as many Premier League goals as Robin van Persie in 2014-15. Van Persie's form has taken a calamitous dive this season, but that remains a surprising fact. 

Only 12 players have scored more goals than Eriksen. Of those only one, David Silva, can be described as a midfielder. 

That is probably the most significant statistic in terms of his contribution to Spurs' season. Of their 55 league goals, Eriksen has scored 18 percent, which is a huge improvement on his 12 percent last season. 

The Mirror compared Silva and Eriksen in January last year and predicted that the Dane would begin to score at an accelerated rate. Six of his 10 goals in all competitions that season came after the article was published. That adds credence to their second prediction, that Eriksen will reach the level of Mesut Ozil and Silva in time. 

In 2014-15, Eriksen has grown as a player and left his mark on more matches. His development has been captured by the statistics, but it is evident to any viewer who will see a more rugged and determined player after nearly two years in England. 

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

According to Transfermarkt, Eriksen's value has risen 50 percent since joining Spurs, and the majority of that increase has come in his second season. 

That may ultimately be his most significant statistic for Tottenham. If Spurs fail to reach the Champions League in the next year or so, Eriksen, who has never been shy about his vision for his own career, will seek a bigger club. 

Whether he stays or moves on, Eriksen has proven to be an excellent player that is well on the way to proving that he is among the world's best players in his position.

If he hasn't done so already.