This overview of all the statistics relating to players in the division is doubly useful. On the one hand it can help you to prepare Tactics for games against league opponents. On the other, it should enable you to assess potential signings.
You can alter the player stats you wish to view by clicking the View drop down menu and selecting a category. To filter out certain player positions you can hit Filters to reveal a new window in which you can uncheck and tick options to select the side and positions you wish to view.
The stats can be broken into three categories: general, team and specific stats. The general stats - namely appearances, goals, penalties and assists - relate to how many appearances, and key contributions, outfield players and goalkeepers have made in the season to date. The team stats (team goals, team conceded, team won and team lost) show how a player's side has faired while he's been in the team. The remaining specific stats give a precise indication of the key contributions a player makes, enabling you to look at measures to counter him in the Tactics screen.
Tactics
A glance at the many player stats screens will help you to build up a picture of your opponents' strengths and weaknesses. Of particular note from a tactical point of view are the team-based group of stats, which show what a player brings to a team. If a certain indivdual is an ever-present in a club's winning performances, for instance, you'd be well advised to create a strategy to counter such an influential force. If a player is successfully delivering a string of assists you may want to look at closing him down with tight marking to cut down on the time he has to make key passes.
Of course, raw stats alone won't tell you everything - you'll need to ask your scout to examine a team and even look at Player attributes and their mentality profile to get a full picture of the teams you're facing. It's also worth examining how the team plays as a unit, which can be gleaned at a glance from the Team Stats menu.
The screen also serves to put your own players' performances into perspective - in itself a crucial tactical tool. After all, if you're managing a top side and you don't have a striker in the top echelons of the division's goalscorers it may be time to look at altering the way you play or even drafting in a player that can deliver goals.
Scouting
Another key use of the Player Stats screen is as a quick scouting device. If you've spotted players through your scouting or by conducting a player search (see Search: Players) you can examine their performance compared to other players in the league.
This is an ideal way to look beyond a player's stats to see exactly how they perform in the heat of competitive play.
While some of the star players may be out of your reach in terms of finances or your club's reputation (see Information), you could look at lower leagues and use the player stats screen to identify top players who could cut it at your level of the game. Real-life is littered with examples of cash-strapped teams looking to the top players from a division below to come into their squad, hoping that the player will be capable of making the step up in class.