There are not many ‘natural finishers’ in the Premier League today. The days of players like Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robbie Fowler, and Andy Cole seem to have passed. So, which Premier League players have struggled in front of goal this season?
We will explore this today using xG as our reference. Players from Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, and Leeds United are included in this list. Can you guess who they are?
For those unfamiliar, ‘xG’ stands for ‘expected goals.’ It represents how many goals a player is expected to score based on the quality and number of their shots. This metric helps analyze players’ finishing skills.
Jean-Philippe Mateta
Jean-Philippe Mateta started the season strong with Crystal Palace and earned a spot in the France national team. However, he has scored only three Premier League goals since the start of the year, partly due to injury issues. In his latest match, he scored twice, helping Palace win 2-1 against Newcastle United.
Overall, Mateta has netted ten goals in the league this season with an xG of 13.81, resulting in a goals to xG ratio of -3.81.
Kevin Schade
Kevin Schade, a natural winger, has a surprisingly high xG score of 11.16 this season.
He has found the net seven times this season, which is respectable for a winger, but less impressive when compared to his xG. His goals to xG ratio stands at -4.16 this season.
Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins is another name you might expect to see here. This season hasn’t been his best; he has scored only nine goals. Last season, he netted 16 in the Premier League, and while he could still reach or exceed that number, it appears unlikely.
He has received plenty of service, showing an xG of 13.19, which gives him a goals to xG ratio of -4.19.
David Brooks
David Brooks has the lowest xG rating among these players, sitting at just 5.65. This raises questions about his position on this list.
Upon examining his goal tally, the situation becomes clearer—Brooks has only scored once for Bournemouth this season. This marks a disappointing year for him, as he is known for his skill on the wing but has struggled with goal-scoring.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has received a lot of praise this season, but that might be exaggerated. Considering his xG to goals ratio, these accolades may not be fully justified.
He has scored ten goals in 29 league matches, which isn’t a poor performance, but he certainly could have done better. With an xG of 15.73, his goals to xG ratio is -5.73, which isn’t ideal for a leading striker.