Worst finishers in the Premier League this season: Jackson tops first list

Sarah Winterburn
Nicolas Jackson and Bruno Fernandes have both missed a lot of chances this season.
Nicolas Jackson and Bruno Fernandes have both missed a lot of chances this season.

We can all point and laugh at footballers who cannot hit barn doors, but what does the science say? We take a look at the xG to see how many goals a footballer should have scored in comparison to how many he has managed.

Kai Havertz was the worst finisher of 2022/23 so of course Arsenal spaffed a load of money on him this summer. So there is hope for this lot…

 

10) Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace)
xG: 0.9
Actual goals: 0

Crystal Palace’s player of the month for August (after two Premier League assists) but absolutely not because of his finishing; he has taken 12 shots in four games and somehow only hit the target three times.

 

9) Matheus Cunha (Wolves)
xG: 1.9
Actual goals: 1

Really should have scored v Manchester United and will certainly be mighty relieved to have got off the mark v Crystal Palace, even if it was a consolation. The Brazilian has never scored more than seven league goals in a season.

 

8) Abdoulaye Doucoure (Everton)
xG: 1.9
Actual goals: 1

Guilty of a glaring miss v Fulham on the opening day, the Malian did at least redeem himself against Sheffield United. But he is pretty much playing as a 10 in this Everton side so much more is expected.

 

7) Fabio Silva (Wolves)
xG: 1.0
Actual goals: 0

The second Wolves player on this list but the one who shows the most promise. The boy (he is still only 21) just needs some confidence.

 

6) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
xG: 2.1
Actual goals: 1

Had a free header v Tottenham and somehow sent it over the bar. That’s not unusual as he has hit the target with only a quarter of his efforts this season. Manchester United need better.

 

5) Pedro Neto (Wolves)
xG: 1.2
Actual goals: 0

Entry No. 3 for Wolves, who really did throw the kitchen sink at Manchester United on that opening weekend only to come away with absolutely sod all.

 

4) Neal Maupay (Everton)
xG: 1.4
Actual goals: 0

Absolutely astonishing effort, this. He only played 11 minutes, took five shots, had four of them saved, and then got shipped off on loan to Brentford. Sean Dyche was having none of that.

 

3) Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)
xG: 1.4
Actual goals: 0

Taken 10 shots and the only one that hit the target was his penalty saved by the West Ham goalkeeper. That’s what £100m-plus buys you in 2023.

 

2) Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
xG: 1.8
Actual goals: 0

Far from the best start to the season for Watkins, who scored three times v Hibs in Europe but is not yet off the mark in the Premier League. He has already missed three Opta-defined Big Chances, and the only man below/above him on that metric is this fella…

 

1) Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
xG: 3.0
Actual goals: 1

Really, really poor miss from Jackson v Nottingham Forest, which pretty much sums up his Chelsea spell so far. That was the latest of six Big Chances he has missed in just four games. Ouch.

F365 Features Nicolas Jackson

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