While playing styles and the way teams set about scoring goals differ greatly, the most important things to have in any side is a goalscorer. The quality of a team’s finishing will more often than not be decisive at both ends of the table, evidenced clearly by Southampton’s woes in front of goal this season.No team has picked up fewer points than Saints in the Premier League this season (nine), but only two have attempted more shots. New coach Ralph Hasenhuttl’s priority is clear ahead of the transfer window, but here we look at the teams that have no such concerns right now, counting down the top ten in Europe in terms of chance conversion rate.
10. Manchester City - 14.3 per cent
They may be the best team around right now according to some but Pep Guardiola’s charges don’t trouble the top spots in terms of conversion rate in Europe’s top five leagues. An appearance in the top ten is not to be sniffed at but the finishing of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus haven’t been at their clinical best, with Raheem Sterling the team’s top finisher thus far, scoring with 25 per cent of his attempts in the league.
9. Tottenham - 14.5 per cent
The second best finishers in the Premier League this season, Spurs boast five players with three or more goals this season, with Harry Kane having taken a modest 17.6 per cent of his chances thus far. It’s Erik Lamela that has been most ruthless in front of goal for Pochettino’s men, scoring with four of fifteen attempts (26.7 per cent), while the team as a whole have averaged fewer shots than bottom club Fulham (12.5).
8. Arsenal - 14.8 per cent
England’s best finishers so far this season, the Gunners’ ability to take a higher proportion of their chances than any other Premier League side has been pivotal to their 14-game unbeaten streak. Mesut Ozil has scored three times from just five shots, though it’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s poachers instinct that has been most pivotal under Unai Emery. The Gabonese striker had a run in which he scored with ten consecutive attempts on target, with an overall conversion rate of 27 per cent.
7. Strasbourg - 14.9 per cent
It’s been a very solid season for Thierry Laurey’s side so far, though just how long they can rely on the remarkable finishing of young striker Lebo Mothiba could prove an issue. The South African isn’t even a guaranteed starter for the side but has scored seven goals from just 13 shots (53.8 per cent). That deadly finishing has meant that despite taking the second fewest shots in the league, Strasbourg are the third top scorers.
6. Sampdoria - 15.2 per cent
After a solid start to the season Samp have perhaps regressed to what is a more accurate reflection of their firepower in recent times. Gregoire Defrel has been their most effective finisher this season by way of chance conversion (37.5 per cent), but the Frenchman’s form has dipped substantially, mustering just a single shot over his last five appearances, so veteran Fabio Quagliarella’s resurgence has been crucial.
5. Borussia M.Gladbach - 15.5 per cent
It’s been an excellent season for Gladbach as they approach the winterpause in the Bundesliga, sitting second in the table having scored the second most goals thus far. Alassane Plea and Thorgan Hazard have been the main source of said strikes, with eight apiece, but it’s the latter that comes out on top in terms of conversion rate, scoring with 22.9 per cent of his attempts this season.
4. Barcelona - 16.4 per cent
With 13 more goals than any other team in LaLiga, it’s clear that Barcelona’s problems this season haven’t been in attack. That said, the catalan club are still top of the table in Spain, but the margin could have been far greater were it not for a suspect defence, dropping points in six matches. Of their attacking stars it’s Ousmane Dembele that has been most clinical for the blaugrana this season, scoring six league goals from 26 shots (23.1 per cent).
3. Eintracht Frankfurt - 17.9 per cent
It’s fair to say Frankfurt haven’t really missed former coach Niko Kovac this season, with Adi Hutter’s side sitting fifth in the league and through to the knockout phase in the Europa League with six wins from six. Their success in both tournaments has been down to the strike partnership of Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller in the most part, with the latter scoring nine league goals from just 29 attempts (32 per cent). The quality of the duo’s finishing is further emphasised by the fact that only four Bundesliga sides have mustered fewer shots.
2. Borussia Dortmund - 21.5 per cent
The fact that Dortmund top the table in Germany by seven points is owed to a conversion rate that frankly no other team in the league can come close to and one that their opposition will hope proves unsustainable. The league’s highest scorers by six clear goals only rank equal ninth in terms of shots attempted, and summer signing Paco Alcacer has played a huge role in ensuring that modest shot count has not been an issue. The Spaniard boasts an astounding 55.6 per cent conversion rate, scoring ten of 18 attempts in the league this season.
1. Paris Saint-Germain - 21.5 per cent
PSG may be 13 points clear in Ligue 1 but the shot statistics may well prove that the margin is almost all down to a front three that no other side in the league can come close to. Thomas Tuchel’s side have scored 20 more goals than any other team in the division despite averaging a modest 14.3 shots per game, which ranks second to Lyon’s 16.6. Of the eight players to have scored more than once for the club in Ligue 1 this season, only Angel Di Maria’s conversion rate is lower than 22 per cent, with Edinson Cavani leading the way with 35.7 per cent of his efforts finding the net.
With 13 more goals than any other team in LaLiga, it’s clear that Barcelona’s problems this season haven’t been in attack. That said, the catalan club are still top of the table in Spain, but the margin could have been far greater were it not for a suspect defence, dropping points in six matches. Of their attacking stars it’s Ousmane Dembele that has been most clinical for the blaugrana this season, scoring six league goals from 26 shots (23.1 per cent).
3. Eintracht Frankfurt - 17.9 per cent
It’s fair to say Frankfurt haven’t really missed former coach Niko Kovac this season, with Adi Hutter’s side sitting fifth in the league and through to the knockout phase in the Europa League with six wins from six. Their success in both tournaments has been down to the strike partnership of Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller in the most part, with the latter scoring nine league goals from just 29 attempts (32 per cent). The quality of the duo’s finishing is further emphasised by the fact that only four Bundesliga sides have mustered fewer shots.
2. Borussia Dortmund - 21.5 per cent
The fact that Dortmund top the table in Germany by seven points is owed to a conversion rate that frankly no other team in the league can come close to and one that their opposition will hope proves unsustainable. The league’s highest scorers by six clear goals only rank equal ninth in terms of shots attempted, and summer signing Paco Alcacer has played a huge role in ensuring that modest shot count has not been an issue. The Spaniard boasts an astounding 55.6 per cent conversion rate, scoring ten of 18 attempts in the league this season.
1. Paris Saint-Germain - 21.5 per cent
PSG may be 13 points clear in Ligue 1 but the shot statistics may well prove that the margin is almost all down to a front three that no other side in the league can come close to. Thomas Tuchel’s side have scored 20 more goals than any other team in the division despite averaging a modest 14.3 shots per game, which ranks second to Lyon’s 16.6. Of the eight players to have scored more than once for the club in Ligue 1 this season, only Angel Di Maria’s conversion rate is lower than 22 per cent, with Edinson Cavani leading the way with 35.7 per cent of his efforts finding the net.
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