Pascal Gross says it's not all about the stats as he prepares for bigger things

Goals scored, assists provided, miles run, percentage of goals in which he was involved.

Key passes during his final Bundesliga season with struggling Ingolstadt.

Not forgetting that bargain transfer fee.

But Gross himself does not quite see it like that.

The German playmaker, who signed a new deal yesterday, knows how many goals and passes he has contributed.

But he reckons there is more to it than that.

Decision-making is one of the key factors he assesses when he watches his games back in detail.

He listens to the criticism of proud dad Stefan, who attends every game and was there yesterday when he put pen to paper on a contract which takes him until 2022 and is sure to involve an improvement in terms.

Those are factors he will have in mind as he started the process of improving on his debut Premier League season by getting stuck into his annual pre-pre-season camp in France later this month.

Gross has been described as a Moneyball signing by Albion.

But there’s room for human instinct and opinion too.

Asked whether he studied his stats in detail, Gross replied: “No, there are other ways I judge my performance.

“First of all, I’m a player who works very hard for the team, who can pass the ball and create chances.

“My biggest strength is creating chances.

“After every game I watch to see how many chances I created. I watch in general how many passes I made and how I can improve.

“But I don’t really look at numbers so much. Sometimes I get a number from the analyst but I’m not there after every game looking at numbers.

“I watch in general all the time when I have the ball, how my decision-making is and this stuff.”

And maybe he has got it right.

Gross scored several goals but the numbers do not tell you how important so many were.

The first of the season against West Brom when Albion had gone almost three-and-a-half games without breaking their duck.

Followed closely by the nerve-soothing second.

The only goal in what looked a key game to win, at home to depleted Watford just before Christmas to end a barren run for his side.

The point-earning penalty at home to Tottenham to lift spirits after defeat at Selhurst Park.

And, of course, the famous 2.83cm winner against Manchester United to mathematically assure safety.

Key assists came away to West Ham and for the winner at home to Arsenal.

No wonder he enjoyed a rapturous welcome home to Germany from family and friends this summer.

Not to mention footballing mates who might fancy their own move to England.

He said: “They all watched the Premier League and they were very happy for me. I think it was a very good year.

“I think the English League is one people look at and say it is the best in the world.

“For every player it is a good option to come to England if you get a chance.”

Asked how he felt this summer, he replied: “Maybe I was a little bit more tired because it was the first time I don’t have the winter break and we have more games.

“It was a hard season, a long season but I feel good. My body feels good.”

Gross says the night Albion beat Manchester United through his header was the best of his footballing life.

He enjoyed coming up against the big names of the Premier League, including compatriots.

Can they retain the World Cup? And how on earth is Leroy Sane not in their squad?

They were questions for Albion’s star German on his flying visit back to the Lancing training complex to sign his contract.

But, having said he was bound for an exotic holiday in the Seychelles with his girlfriend, he wouldn’t be watching the football, would he?

“Oh yes, I’ll be watching,” he said with a smile. “I think we have a good team but it will be tough. When you have won it before it is hard to do it again, especially with so many good teams.

"So I hope so but I’m not 100% sure. Leroy Sane is one of the big topics at the moment because he played an amazing season in the Premier League.

“Not many people in England can understand this (his omission from the squad).

“For me it is also a very hard decision, but he is an amazing player and it is very hard for him at this moment. But it’s not my decision!”

With that, he was off to resume his holiday. That faraway beach, more time back home – and his own training camp.

Working through June is nothing new of course. The time when players did pre-season to get fit has long since gone.

These days they get, or at least stay, fit for pre-season.

Albion players began their own personal summer fitness programmes this week.

But the fact the man whose prodigious running in matches last term does his own pre-pre-season in the south of France still raised a smile.

Asked for more details, he said: “We go there to train with some players from my agent and we are also friends.

“We have fun but to get ready and to be in good shape “We train together and that’s nice. It’s a kind of holiday but it’s also training.

“I do it every year. They are well known players from Germany. That’s what I always do and I like it to get ready and to feel good when I come to the first training.”