Damning stats expose what went mistaken for Erik ten Hag at Man Utd

On the finish of a draining afternoon in east London, Erik ten Hag miserably concluded: “[In] soccer, the very best workforce would not at all times win.”

Manchester United’s soon-to-be sacked supervisor had two main gripes after watching his aspect toil to a 2-1 loss at West Ham United’s London Stadium on Sunday afternoon in what conspired to be his ultimate sport answerable for the membership. When Ten Hag wasn’t wailing in opposition to the “injustice” of Jarrod Bowen’s match-winning stoppage-time penalty, he was bemoaning the quite a few scoring alternatives squandered by his gamers.

“We now have to attain,” the Dutch coach fumed, “we created so many possibilities, we should always have been two or three targets up.” Sadly for Ten Hag, the sight of his forwards fluffing their traces was nothing new.

Anticipated targets (xG) is a well-known idea in soccer by now which gives an estimate of what number of occasions a mean workforce could be anticipated to attain primarily based on the standard of possibilities they create. Evaluating a workforce’s xG with their precise purpose tally affords a tough evaluation of how environment friendly both sides has been on the sharp finish of the pitch. By this metric, United are the Premier League‘s most wasteful outfit.

In response to Opta‘s estimations, Manchester United have had pictures price between 14 and 15 targets. But, their precise tally stands at a depressing eight in 9 league video games. Not because the 1973/74 marketing campaign have United mustered as few targets at this stage of a top-flight season. Ominously, they had been relegated that yr.

Alejandro Garnacho kickstarted the wayward taking pictures present by clattering an effort off the crossbar throughout the opening two minutes of Sunday’s loss to West Ham. It was the third time the Argentine has been denied by the woodwork this season – extra usually than another participant within the division. Diogo Dalot was responsible of essentially the most obvious miss, shanking the ball excessive and huge of an unguarded West Ham purpose within the first half, however Bruno Fernandes has been United’s most power wrongdoer.

The out-of-form skipper has rattled off 28 pictures this season – together with 5 in opposition to West Ham – and is but to attain a league purpose. No scoreless participant within the division can match Fernandes’ swollen shot depend or his xG tally, which stands at 2.5. Summer time arrival Joshua Zirkzee has additionally been notably wayward in entrance of purpose this time period.

The worst Premier League finishers – 2024/25

Nonetheless, for all the criticism which could be rightfully directed at United’s poor finishers, they’ve been undoubtedly unfortunate this time period.

xG gives an estimate of every shot in the meanwhile simply earlier than boot makes contact with the ball. Submit-shot xG (PSxG) lives as much as its identify and takes into consideration the pace and trajectory of every strike after it has been struck. PSxG affords a clearer image of every workforce’s ending skill and a goalkeeper’s shot-stopping high quality. United have come up in opposition to a glut of impressed performers.

No workforce within the Premier League has seen the opposition goalkeeper stop extra targets than Manchester United. Based mostly on the standard of every shot on track, United have been denied between 5 and 6 targets by their opponent’s primary.

West Ham’s 39-year-old custodian Lukasz Fabianski rolled again the years on the London Stadium, rebuffing 4 pictures, together with a very spectacular reflex cease to disclaim Casemiro on the cusp of half-time. Fulham’s Bernd Leno carried out nicely within the opening day defeat and Emi Martinez needed to be at his finest to safe a 0-0 draw for Aston Villa earlier this month.

Manchester United’s former participant, Dean Henderson, pulled off a slew of miraculous stops to maintain a clear sheet for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in September. “It is a straightforward abstract,” Eagles boss Oliver Glasner admitted post-game, “we wanted an incredible goalkeeper, and we had an incredible goalkeeper.”

Ten Hag might have accomplished with some nice finishers – or a change of luck – however had neither earlier than he was lastly given his marching orders. The Crimson Devils now discover themselves and not using a everlasting supervisor, slumped in 14th place and already 12 factors adrift of league-leading Manchester Metropolis.

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