By the Numbers: Callegari, Rampersad and Gagnon-Laparé offer excellent depth at centre of the pitch

Editor's Note: This is part two of a five-part series delving into the statistical profiles of confirmed Wanderers players. Part one is available here.

Head coach Patrice Gheisar's likely been sleeping well this winter knowing he's got three footballing aces at midfield.

Be it former PSG-man Lorenzo Callegari, captain Andre Rampersad or the dependable Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, the Wanderers have a trawler-full of excellent options at the centre of the pitch. Moving forward, Gheisar and his coaching staff will have to decide whether it best to rekindle an old partnership in Rampersad and Gagnon-Laparé — potentially moving Callegari further upfield — or trying to juggle the needs of three players who like nestling in as a No. 6 but can adjust to a No. 8 if needed.

Whatever the solution, the Wanderers have an embarrassment of riches and that's without touching on Aidan Daniels or newcomer Giorgio Probo.

Before you accuse me of homerism or headline scanning canpl.ca, consider this; the rankings and data provided by CPL By the Numbers illustrate that the triumvirate of Callegari, Rampersad and Gagnon-Laparé are amongst the most formidable midfield trios in the league.

A quick introduction to CPL By the Numbers

All of the player cards you're about to see were created by Alex Brazier Rymek, an Ottawa-based writer who analyzes and rates CPL players through statistics. He's been running a database recording statistics on every player in the league since 2020 and publishes his findings and comparisons on his Twitter / X account, CPL By the Numbers. He's also a regular contributor and editor for Capital City Supporters Group.

He's been able to create a model — sourced from his database — which compares a player's per 90 minute actions (goal contributions, shooting, passing, etc.) relative to his peers. These categories are expressed as a percentile rank; a 50% ranking means a player is average but a 100% ranking means a player is the best in the league at that given statistic.

Group statistics are visible on the right hand side of the player cards (taken from a total of 18 individual categories) and all of this information is further distilled to produce a player's Weighted Percentile Average or WPA on the bottom left. A 60 WPA is the typical average for any given season; 65 to 75 is considered good and over 80 is great.

A more detailed description of how the model works is available here.

Player profiles

These statistics shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who watched the Frenchman last season but Alex's model confirms what your eyes witnessed: Callegari's ability to handle and pass the ball ranks top in the league. His 100% ranking for touches and 95.2% for passing (he was also top in the league for pass attempts) all but confirms Callegari's importance to Gheisar' front-footed, possession based system; he is the ball's conduit across the pitch and boy, does he do it with flair.

Looking to his other metrics, Callegari's prowess on both sides of the ball were highlighted in his high chance creation numbers (79%) and tackles and interceptions (74.1%). Wanderers fans were treated to his line-breaking abilities on several occasions last year but none more memorable than the pinpoint lofted through ball he deftly placed at the feet of Riley Ferrazzo against Forge on June 30, ultimately resulting in Dan Nimick's penalty heroics. In the words of sporting director Matt Fegan, that pass is one "less than five per cent of players in North America, forget about the CPL, I'd say in North America or the MLS are going to see." His ability to find teammates in dangerous areas is elite.

But Callegari is not without his warts.

At one point last season, he was on pace for a dizzying amount of yellow cards, earning him a suspension through only five regular season matches due to accumulation. It's safe to say some of this had to do with adjusting to the CPL's level of officiating as he got things under control but Callegari did show his penchant for vigilante justice should he feel wronged. Given his aggressive off the ball style, his 20.4% discipline ranking as per the model is unsurprising. His stature also doesn't lend well to winning duels but he was insulated last season by centre-backs with height thanks to Dan Nimick (6'2) and Cale Loughrey (6'3).

Callegari mostly played as a No. 6 and ended the season partnered with Mo Omar as part of a double pivot. However, throughout the year, we saw him deployed as the lone defensive midfielder in front of his backline and as a No. 8 positioned on the right side of the pitch. As such, the model recognizes him as a central midfielder due to his versatility and his WPA lands him as the 20th best player in the league but the fourth best player at his position according to Alex's model. Although some will be unhappy with this ranking, I think it is not too far off from a holistic standpoint after having stewed in the data.

Make no mistake: Callegari is an elite player and I'd argue he's the most technically skilled player in the league. However, in his first season in North America, he did have a bit of a learning curve as he adjusted to a new club, new teammates and a new continent. It was often hard to remind oneself Callegari was in a transition year given his general panache, award nominations and the eye-watering Cruyff turn he pulled against Atlético Ottawa in his first match for the club.

If Callegari continues to build on last year and polishes a few aspects of his game, I expect Alex's model will confirm what the eye-test has said all along: he's a top player in this league.

With the arrival of Callegari and growth of Omar, Rampersad was a bit lost in the shuffle and it took until the halfway point of the season before he found his groove. This can be attributed to several factors, including his frequent call-ups to the Trinidad and Tobago national team and the coaching staff's plans to try him in a more offensive role. The results, unfortunately, left Rampersad on the outside looking in as he struggled to find his role and confidence amidst a new-look Wanderers squad.

Things turned around quickly once Gheisar and company opted to revert back to the tried and true method of having Rampersad as a No. 6, a duty he split with Omar from the mid-season point onwards. And although it may not have been the captain's best year in blue, Alex's model showcases a player who was still very much a force on both sides of the ball. His passing (96.4%) and strength (83.1) stand out as elite skills and the model further paints the profile of a very savvy and dependable defensive midfielder.

In fact, and I confirmed this will Alex himself, Rampersad is likely the most well rounded player in the league given his success in almost every metric.

Looking deeper into his defensive statistics, Rampersad was adept at winning his duels and did well in the air; he drew more fouls than he took and effectively clogged up passing lanes and won the ball back. When you consider how poorly he began the year — a time best exemplified by his inability to score and two costly turnovers during build up plays which ended up in his net — you begin to understand how effective Rampersad was in the second half of the season to finish as the 31st best player in the league as per his WPA.

Covering the day-to-day of the club last season, I could tell Rampersad bore the weight of not converting on his chances. Looking at the model, you can clearly see he not only failed to score despite having several opportunities but struggled to create offensively. His 46.7% chance creation ranking speaks to his lack of confidence; he wasn't able to deliver the ball to his teammates in dangerous areas despite playing closer to goal.

One thing to note is Rampersad played only 1,149 minutes last season or roughly half of what he's used to. There's no doubt he can handle a larger workload heading into 2024 but the question is how will Gheisar deploy his midfielders? The model suggest Rampersad continues to be a steady, well-rounded option and would be a luxury to have on your bench for most clubs. With players reporting to training camp in late February, fans will have to wait and see what awaits the club's longest tenured player.

Fans were rightfully enthusiastic when I reported Gagnon-Laparé was headed back to the East Coast for his second stint with the Wanderers. The signing represents a major coup for the club as the 28-year old Québec-native comes armed with a deadly combination of experience, composure and technical skill; in fact, Gagnon-Laparé has many of the tools Gheisar relies upon to execute on his possession-driven system.

The signing looks like a slam-dunk on paper.

According to Alex's model, Gagnon-Laparé is an elite passer (91.6%), dribbler (93.6%), chance creator (90.4%) and ranks near the top in the league in touches (92.2%). Possession is his game and he does it very, very well. Delving further into his statistics, Gagnon-Laparé does many things well as he also ranks handsomely in interceptions (89.8%) and long ball completions (79.5%). All of these favourable statistics helped the model crown Gagnon-Laparé as the best central midfielder in the league and the eighth best player overall during what can only be described as a tumultuous season for York United. When you consider Gagnon-Laparé battled injury and York's serious off-pitch drama, Alex's model highlights a player who performed exceptionally well during difficult circumstances and may yet have more to give to the Wanderers.

And like Callegari, he isn't without faults.

Gagnon-Laparé is listed at 5'11 but ranked in the 35th percentile for aerial battles. Perhaps due to playing a little farther back, he has a relatively poor foul differential and meagre tackling success rate. Although a gifted passer, he ranks poorly for shot attempts and accuracy; he has yet to score in any of his three CPL seasons and I don't expect him to start filling the net for the Wanderers given his track record.

One of the things not showcased in Alex's model is Gagnon-Laparé's experience. Following the club's roster announcement in December, the Wanderers lost the majority of their leadership core in Omar, Ryan James and Doneil Henry. Gagnon-Laparé's experience — in conjunction with Rampersad's — will go a long way on the pitch for what is still a young squad. He offers a similar yet subtler skillset to Callegari and that is integral for squad rotation and to guard against injuries.

York's loss is Halifax's gain.

Cover Photo Credit: Trevor MacMillan / Halifax Wanderers FC