Depends on what you call interception? You think intercepting the ball is done by a single player? Winning the ball back in the times of Guardiola was a team tactic. Not a player role. And before saying that was Guardiola, and shouldn't be viewed as a model, well, in defense, he kind of did usual stuff. Pressing, blocking passing options, things that are normal for any team who wants to defend in another way than just put 10 men behind the ball in a low block, which I guess you can say it means normal defending these days (Zidane, Valverde, Mourinho, Simeone, Allegri, all use this).
Back to what is an interception. Consider this scenario:
If say Arthur presses a player, or he cuts down his best passing options by off the ball movement and intensity (which are his best attributes, and why he is subbed at min.60 mark, man runs a lot and closes a lot of passing options for the other team), and Rakitic gets the ball, the merit for winning the ball is not Rakitic's alone, but also Arthur's. Somewhere in those stats you like to post, that is lost.
In possession football, an interception, or turn of possession vs top teams is usually a 3-part job (or more). Hence the old and true saying, turned into a cliche, that football is a team sport. Every aspect of football is done as a team.
1) pressurize the ball carrier so that he has to make a passing decision
2) cut down the main and best passing options by way of smart positioning and intensity
1 and 2 done right makes the ball carrier do one of these two actions:
a) recycle possession, which is basically a form of giving the passing initiative to another player, but a player who is positioned worse than him, which is still a gain for the defending team (the one trying to get the ball back, intercept it as you call it)
b) make the pass in bad conditions (as in marked teammates, passes with low chances of completion, fancy dribbles etc), and those bad conditions basically mean very high chances of losing the ball.
everytime b) happens (and will happen if the defending team applies 1 and 2 the right way) we get to:
3) get the ball back when the pass is made into an area that you control.
The player who gets the 3) part is the one who is credited by stats as the one who got the ball back, but in most cases the players involved in 1) and 2) are equally important.
Arthur is often involved in the 2) part. No credit whatsoever.
A player like Vidal is a monster because, due to his athletic abilities, aggression, and defensive quality can do both 1) and 3) at the same time.
What do ball winners actually do that is so valuable? They press the player who has the ball in such a good way, that the player already panics and turns the ball. Takes time away from them singlehandedly and forces them into mistakes.
The 'stats illusion' is that a stat defines a purpose (scoring a goal, making an assist, making an interception), but it ties that purpose to a single player, who gets the stat. But in fact, there is a whole sequence of events who make the purpose achievable. And the guy who gets the stat, while having a very important contribution, is not the only factor.
You think and say things as if a game is made of 11 individuals who play next to each other and all bring up their individual game. But in many systems, especially in the positional possession system, the football is not like that. Which is why you have issues understanding and appreciating for players who connect the game and bond the passes together, or players who are good at using movement and position to defend, not muscles and tackles. Watch what the Brazil manager said about Arthur, that he is a facilitator, who connects his teammates with his passing and movement. Makes them reach each other better while playing possession football. You just don't care for this type of football, something odd for a Barca fan, but while not caring for it you blame players for things you don't understand (because you don't care).
lol
