[Albion] Thoughts on that missing killer instinct

[Hugo Rune]

Despite 6 games unbeaten in the Premier League, we are still missing a player with that killer instinct in front of goal.

We used to have it with Murray & Groß & sometimes Duffy & Izquierdo but Potter has not been blessed with any player regularly taking their chances.

I notice many other teams do, especially in the top half.

Man City have it with many players.

Leicester have it with Barnes, Vardy & Madison.

Man Utd have it with Rashford, Cavani, & Fernandes (amongst others).

Liverpool have it with Salah, Mane & Jota.

Chelsea have enough quality in the team, Mount is their man at the moment.

West Ham have it with Soucek & Antonio

Everton have it with Richarlison, Jamie & Calvert-Lewin

Villa had it with Watkins, Grealish & El Ghazi

Spurs have it with Kane & Son

Leeds have it with Bamford, Harrison & Raphinha

We don’t have anyone you can rely on to put the ball in the net.

Is it just that we don’t have the quality of players who can score goals regularly?

It’s cost us a place in the top six in Potter’s second season. I wonder what we can do about this over the summer?

 

[timbha]

So how much £ did the above combinations cost? I suspect the reason most of them are in the top 6 is because they score the most goals!!!

 

[albionalex]

It’s cost us a place in the top six in Potter’s second season.

Pardon?

 

[blue-shifted]

Pardon?

I'm not sure the fella is exaggerating

 

[Hugo Rune]

Pardon?

We’re top six on aggregate xG for and against.

 

[Sheebo]

Pardon?

I think the XG table, if you go with that sort of thing, had us 5th! So it’s not as crazy as it sounds. I think we’re a top 10 team in the making but I agree with OP we need that player or 2 who are reliable in front of goal. Tonight was largely down to the keeper though I feel.

 

[albionalex]

We’re top six on aggregate xG for and against.

And how does xG translate to points?

 

[Weststander]

And how does xG translate to points?

By having an Ings or a Vardy.

 

[Hugo Rune]

And how does xG translate to points?

Remarkably well for most other teams funnily enough.

https://understat.com/league/EPL

 

[albionfan37]

Totally agree we need to get two quality strikers in the summer £70 mil for the pair clear out the dead wood and we will have a chance to challenge top 6

 

[vagabond]

I think the XG table, if you go with that sort of thing, had us 5th! So it’s not as crazy as it sounds. I think we’re a top 10 team in the making but I agree with OP we need that player or 2 who are reliable in front of goal. Tonight was largely down to the keeper though I feel.

It’s absolutely not an exaggeration from Hugo. Certainly top 10 could have been possible this season.

We have drawn 11 times this season. No one else has drawn as much, and I think it’s not an exaggeration to say we were the better team in nearly all these draws.

If we only converted almost half of those draws to wins we’d be top 10. Fine margins indeed.

 

[Machiavelli]

My thoughts is that it's the most difficult, expensive thing to achieve. Everything else is in place.
My thoughts are also that this is the most well organised, exciting team we're likely to see in the stripes.
We add in killer instinct, and we'll be devastating. It'll have to happen all over the pitch though.

 

[Swansman]

Some of the players you mention are known within their groups of fans to be perennial missers as well.

Its also difficult to measure "killer instinct" as it probably doesnt exist in reality.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Its lack of quality, simple. Both in supply and finishing. The rest is excellent. The unbeaten run is largely down to a superbly marshalled defence and confident approach play from Trossard, Mac and Bissouma. Too many wrong decisions being taken in forward positions is letting us down badly.

 

[albionalex]

Remarkably well for most other teams funnily enough.

https://understat.com/league/EPL

Obviously not, if we're top six on aggregate xG for and against but 15th in the real league table.

It's far too simplistic to look at the xG and say we should be top 6. For example, we could have 20 shots with an xG of 0.1, so our xG would be 2, whereas the other team could have two shots with an xG of 0.5, so an xG of 1.

 

[Hugo Rune]

It’s absolutely not an exaggeration from Hugo. Certainly top 10 could have been possible this season.

Most teams are in a similar place in the xG points league to where they are in the real one.

The top four under performing sides are:

Brighton “12 points below xG par” (6th)
Sheff Utd “10 points below xG par” (20th)
Fulham “8 points below xG par”. (18th)
Chelsea “4 points below xG par”. (2nd)

 

[vagabond]

Obviously not, if we're top six on aggregate xG for and against but 15th in the real league table.

It's far too simplistic to look at the xG and say we should be top 6. For example, we could have 20 shots with an xG of 0.1, so our xG would be 2, whereas the other team could have two shots with an xG of 0.5, so an xG of 1.

Well of course the real league table is the most important. But xG is a pretty good reference point as to how well a team is performing. I’m not really sure how you can disagree with that.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

Running a tight defensive ship means you just need one or two quality moments, You can spend £40m on a striker but at the end of the day a MacAllister header could have won us the three points tonight. Fine margins.

 

[Sheebo]

Some of the players you mention are known within their groups of fans to be perennial missers as well.

Its also difficult to measure "killer instinct" as it probably doesnt exist in reality.

I did think that too. As I said before, most fans will say their team is wasteful in front of goal and certain players can’t finish - its a classic football fan gripe with their team - it’s a narrative with many...

 

[albionalex]

Well of course the real league table is the most important. But xG is a pretty good reference point as to how well a team is performing. I’m not really sure how you can disagree with that.

I'm not disagreeing with that. I'm disagreeing with saying we should be top 6.