we don't shoot enough - stats to prove it....

[shaka's shorts]

It occurred to me on Sat v Arsenal, that if we are going to get out passed, then one thing we need to do is have a crack at goal when we get the chance. We are unlikely to break down top class defences with incisive passing, so our options are get the ball wide (which we do well) or have some shots. In the past Sidwell, Convey, Harper, Shorey etc have all proven they can shoot from distance and on Sat I got increasingly frustrated that we didn't have a go.

Anyway, just been onto the Opta stats and this proves my theory - we have passed the ball less than most teams apart from the long ball merchants and have had the 2nd fewest shots. Our shot accuracy % is good, but we don't have enough attempts. Table below - discuss.....


Team Goals Shots On Target Shot Accuracy Succ Passes
Arsenal 11 106 46 43% 3041
Aston Villa 10 78 39 49% 2223
Blackburn 9 74 34 45% 2197
Bolton 7 49 18 37% 1478
Charlton 5 64 21 33% 1685
Chelsea 13 95 42 44% 2943
Everton 13 68 32 46% 1831
Fulham 8 62 27 43% 1414
Liverpool 9 122 46 38% 2646
Man City 6 91 36 39% 1986
Man Utd 17 119 51 43% 3313
Middlesbrough 8 83 35 42% 2007
Newcastle 6 65 31 48% 1847
Portsmouth 12 92 45 49% 1925
Reading 9 59 28 47% 1460
Sheff Utd 4 70 31 44% 1586
Tottenham 5 82 32 39% 2440
Watford 7 78 33 41% 1176
West Ham 6 71 27 38% 2232
Wigan 7 66 31 47% 1171

[PlasticRoyale]

What we need to do is score more goals than the other team and then i think we would win

[1871 Royal]

What we need to do is score more goals than the other team and then i think we would win

Someone give this guy an award

[MadMac]

What we need to do is score more goals than the other team and then i think we would win

Have a gold star

[HereWeCome]

i was going to start a thread about us not shooting enough but you beat me too it. We just never seem to want to shoot outside the box, Seol's goal apart and the odd few shots, we very rarely try our luck from distance and with players like Seol, Sidwell, Shorey etc who are often in positions where they can shoot and are all capable of doing it, we really need to start doing this more often, after all, you can't score when we're finishing a game with hardly any shots!

On the other hand i can see the positives of this are that our players are looking for the un-greedy option, trying to find the pass or get the ball out wide but sometimes it is necassary for a player to be a bit selfish and have a crack at goal.

[PlasticRoyale]

Sir Stevie has managed a team on a limited budget to a 3rd place top flight finish.

I'm guessing that we've all managed oxf*rd all

[Forbury Lion]

Speak for yourself

A Wenger.

[HereWeCome]

I agree, i'm not saying anything negative about Sir Steve, if he has told the players not to shoot from outside the box too often then who am i to argue i'm mistaken and agree with his opinion. It just always looks like some of the players shy away from shooting from distance and this has been proven in our severe lack of shots on and off target in the last few games.

[E. Andrew]

doyle and lita don't create shots together. doyle and long did no better. we need kitson back or a new plan.

you can't just start shooting.

[E. Andrew]

that is to say, you can, but if it were that easy, someone would have thought of it

[Oddesy2k]

We need Kitson back

[shadesrwrf]

Speak for yourself

A Wenger.

I was going to childishly edit that but then I realised this is The Team forum and we don't do things like that round here.

[Wycombe Royal]

I think those stats show that you don't need to have many shots to be getting good results. Look at Bolton.

[Tilehurst Mike]

We need Kitson back

According to todays Mail, Kitson could need a knee op and if that is the case he could be out for the season. Striker is therefore a must/priority in Jan.

[Harps stay sharp]

I agree.

Before the game when Marcus and Stacky were warming up neither of them could hold the slippery ball.

We should have fired in some low shots at Lemon and then picked up the pieces.

Leroy would have been ideal for this job.

[sheshnu]

I think those stats show that you don't need to have many shots to be getting good results. Look at Reading.

[Hoop Blah]

I think it's pretty difficult to have a shot or make a pass when the opposition have the ball.

Our lack of possession and ability to keep the ball is the under lying problem that explains both stats.

To be honest I hadn't noticed a lack of willingness to shoot from distance but maybe you're right, but it's probably down to not getting a chance to than an instruction to not have a go.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

We just never seem to want to shoot outside the box, we very rarely try our luck from distance and with players like Seol, Sidwell, Shorey etc who are often in positions where they can shoot and are all capable of doing it, we really need to start doing this more often, after all, you can't score when we're finishing a game with hardly any shots!

Shorey of all our players gets in the best positions when he cuts inside. But his total lack of a right foot means he never, ever takes the shot. He also never plays in the runners as this would involve (god forbid) having to dink the ball with his right foot!

Either we need to give him the confidence to shoot/pass with his right foot or we tell him to stop cutting inside, and leave that to convey/hunt.

[Garry Mann]

Shots per goal

Everton 5.2
Reading 6.6
Bolton 7.0
Man Utd 7.0
Chelsea 7.3
Portsmouth 7.7
Fulham 7.8
Aston Villa 7.8
Blackburn 8.2
Wigan 9.4
Arsenal 9.6
Middlesbrough 10.4
Newcastle 10.8
Watford 11.1
West Ham 11.8
Charlton 12.8
Liverpool 13.6
Man City 15.2
Tottenham 16.4
Sheff Utd 17.5

[Joe]

Perhaps reading have been reading this:

THE first time I saw Robert Huth play, he scored. And what a goal it was. From miles outside the box the ball cannoned into the net. From that day, every time Huth got the ball in an attacking position, the crowd shouted “shootâ€