Last week’s article on the lowest-scoring team in each of Europe’s top five divisions had us thinking. Rather than do the obvious and analyse the top scorers in each of the leagues, WhoScored picked out those clubs who are racking up the goals almost in spite of themselves.
Here, we focus on those teams who are defying the odds and finding the net with regularity despite a lowly number of goal attempts per game. For their respective clubs, the likes of Ivan Klasnic, Rodrigo Palacio and Lukas Podolski are proving to be worth their weight in gold right now:
Bolton Wanderers
Only three teams have averaged less shots in the Premier League than Bolton. With 13 shots per game, Owen Coyle’s side just edge Aston Villa and Blackburn (both with 12) and Stoke City, with just 10 attempts per game over the first eleven rounds of matches.
With just three wins on the board, in addition to eight defeats, the Trotters sit third bottom of the table but in terms of goals scored, they are the sixth most prolific club in England’s top-flight, with 18 goals so far.
There’s little doubt as to who the most prolific goalscorer at the Reebok has been this season. Ivan Klasnic has netted 5 times from six starts and three substitute appearances and with 4 assists also to his name, the Croatian has played a part in 9 (or 50%) of his side’s goals.
A strong start to the season saw him score in the first three games, netting against the likes of Man City and Liverpool, despite his side tasting defeat in both games. A three-match suspension after a red card at Norwich disrupted his campaign and after coming off the bench three times since his return, Klasnic was installed to the first team to devastating effect last time round.
A 5-0 home win over Stoke saw him score twice and assist 2 goals in the Reebok rout, underlining his importance to Coyle’s side. From 1.8 shots per game, or 16 in total, his 5 goals mean Klasnic has scored with every 3.2 attempts. Compare this to fellow-forward Kevin Davies, who also averaged 1.8 shots per game over ten appearances and scored just twice- an average of 1 goal per 9 attempts and it’s clear just how lethal the Croatian has been this season.
Levante
Two back-to-back defeats prior to the international break have failed to take the shine off Levante’s sensational start to the season. A run of seven straight wins had previously propelled Levante to the top of La Liga and while their recent couple of losses has dropped them down to fourth, they still sit just two points off Barcelona in second place.
Only Getafe (10) and Santander (8) have averaged fewer shots per game than Levante’s 11, though a look at their goals scored, shows they are the joint-third in the table. Only Real Madrid and Barcelona have scored more than Levante’s 17 so far, with the giant-killers on a par with both Valencia and Athletic Bilbao.
In keeping with the team spirit that has seen them soar so highly, Levante have a few players to thank for their goal contribution. Top scorer Juanlu has played in every one of their eleven games, with ten starts to his name. Averaging 2.2 shots, the left winger has scored 5 times- an average of a goal every 4.8 shots.
Arouna Kone has scored 3 times (including the winner against Real Madrid) and produced 2 assist. With an average 1.8 shots over his ten games, he’s found the net with every 6 attempts. Ruben Suarez also deserves a mention- he has made just 2 starts, with eight appearances from the bench, but has also scored 3 goals. Averaging 1.5 shots, he has found the net once every 5 shots.
The goals have dried up of late, though. The two recent defeats have failed to produce a single goal for Levante, though the fact that they are not overly-reliant on any single player is definitely a positive thing.
Genoa
Alberto Malesani’s side sit just four points off the relegation places after an indifferent start to the Serie A campaign. Their form has taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks- after picking up seven points from their first three games, Genoa have won just one of the last six, leaving a record of three wins, three draws and three defeats from their nine fixtures so far.
They’ve been fairly shot-shy in front of goal, too; just 12 shots per game, a figure better than only two other teams, Chievo (11) and Siena (10) to date. A look at their number of goals, however, suggests they’ve been fairly clinical when it comes to finishing- only four teams have scored more than their 13 goals.
Malesani has one man to thank in particular for this haul- Rodrigo Palacio. The Argentine has netted 5 times from his nine starts and has also produced 4 assists, meaning he’s played a part in 9 (or 69%) of his side’s goals.
Palacio was quick out the blocks this term; his first five games produced 5 goals and 3 assists as Genoa offered plenty of promise as the season began but he’s faltered over the last few fixtures. No goals and just a single assist has seen his influence dim considerably- it’s no coincidence, then, to see just one win in their last four as their star striker struggles to regain form.
Palacio’s stats are identical to Klasnic (above). He’s also averaged 1.8 shots over his nine games, with 5 goals meaning a goal every 3.2 shots. His striker partner Andrea Caracciolo, in comparison, has managed just 6 efforts over his seven appearances, finding the net just once, with an average 0.9 shots- much may depend on a return to form for Palacio as to how Genoa’s season will pan out.
Sochaux
Only bottom of the table Ajaccio (9) have mustered less shots than Sochaux’s 10 per game. Second bottom Nancy have also averaged 10, though thanks to superior finishing, Sochaux have scored double the number of goals (20 to 10) and only 2 goals less than the likes of third-place Lille.
Indeed, in terms of goals scored, Sochaux are sixth in Ligue 1, with only the top five teams overall finding the net more often. Poor form at the back, though, means they have shipped 25 goals and with 4 wins and 5 draws from thirteen games, they sit in 11th position.
It’s been a team effort, when it comes to grabbing the goals, though there are two or three players in particular deserving of WhoScored’s attention. Sochaux’s dazzling winger Ryad Boudebouz is their top scorer, with 5 goals to date. Playing in every one of his side’s thirteen games so far, he has averaged 1.8 shots, finding the net with every 4.6 attempts.
Modibo Maiba has led the line in the 4-2-3-1 a total of eight times and is the side’s main goal threat, with 2.6 attempts per game. Grabbing 4 goals, he has found the net with one of every 5.2 efforts. Edouard Butin has filled in on either wing in addition to up front and has also been integral to Sochaux’s goal returns. From a total of ten appearances, he has averaged 1.2 shots and scored on 3 occasions- an average of 1 goal every 4 attempts.
With such clinical finishing up front, its clear Sochaux have the potential to climb the table further. That aforementioned tally of 25 goals conceded, though, is the third-worst defence in France’s top division. Tighten up at the back, then, and the future looks promising.
FC Cologne
With 5 wins and 16 points after 12 rounds of Bundesliga matches, FC Cologne sit just 3 points off 6th-place Hannover. Further analysis of their stats, however, suggests their ability to pick up the points has been down to some clinical finishing.
Cologne have averaged a mere 7 shots per game- easily the worst of any team in Germany’s top division. Given that the next-worst tally is 11 (Hertha Berlin and Wolfsburg) and it’s fair to say they’ve hardly been creating the chances. Nevertheless, when in front of goal, they’ve been exceptionally clinical- 20 goals so far sees them the fifth-highest scorers in the table, despite their lowly number of efforts.
One player has stood head and shoulders above any other when it comes to sticking the ball in the net- Lukas Podolski. From a total of eleven appearances, he has scored 9 times and also produced 4 assists- this means he has played a part in 13 (or 65%) of his side’s goals.
Playing in either attacking central midfield or up front, it doesn’t seem to matter- Podolski will find a way to put the ball in the back of the net. His last seven games have seen some sensational form- 8 goals and 3 assists is indicative of his importance to Cologne.
Averaging 2.5 shots per game, he has found the net with every 3 attempts on goal- an outstanding demonstration of clinical finishing. Compare this to Milivoje Novakovic, the only other Cologne player to manage more than a shot per game. The Slovenian has managed 1.7 attempts per game over his seven appearances and scored twice- an average of a goal every 5.5 attempts. Still impressive, undoubtedly, but it pales into insignificance against the stats of Podolski.
Podolski is the star of Cologne. His finishing has always been good but this year it is great. He s been around so long and still only 26 years old.