Which midfielders lead the way for shots on target and big chances created this season?

DREAM TEAM managers should be keeping track of which players rank highly for shots on target and big chances created this season.

Not only do assets earn one point for each of these acts as defined by stats gurus Opta, these metrics give a good indication of which individuals are likely to be among the most prolific goalscorers and assist providers in the long run.

Not every gaffer has the time or patience to trawl through the Stats Centre so here we’ve collated the top midfielders in regards to shots on target and big chances created.

Dream Team

Surprisingly productive[/caption]

Most shots on target and big chances created among Dream Team midfielders 2023/24:

• 41 – Phil Foden (30 shots, 11 chances)
• 41 – Bruno Fernandes (26 shots, 15 chances)
• 39 – Jarrod Bowen (30 shots, 9 chances)
• 39 – Cole Palmer (29 shots, 10 chances)
• 36 – Bukayo Saka (23 shots, 13 chances)
• 32 – Anthony Gordon (21 shots, 11 chances)
• 30 – Martin Odegaard (22 shots, 8 chances)
• 28 – Moussa Diaby (21 shots, 7 chances)
• 27 – Raheem Sterling (17 shots, 10 chances)
• 26 – Enzo Fernandez (22 shots, 4 chances)

The first thing to note is that, when ranking players with equal combined totals, we’ve prioritised shots on target as goals are worth more points than assists.

Foden leads the way having been among Manchester City’s most-threatening players this season.

Interestingly, the England international has played predominantly as the most-advanced midfielder, the role usually occupied by Kevin De Bruyne (£6.2m).

Now that the Belgian superstar is fit and available again, will Foden’s minutes dip or will he simply revert to a wide forward role?

Surely Pep Guardiola will recognise that the 23-year-old is too good to leave out on current form?

19 goal involvements and counting this seasonGetty

It will come as a surprise to many Dream Team bosses that no midfielder has registered more shots on target plus big chances created than Fernandes this season.

In the key creative metric, only Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) boasts a higher tally among all players than Manchester United’s captain.

It may not seem as if the Portuguese midfielder is among the best players in his position this season but the stats don’t lie – his team-mates simply aren’t making the most of his creative output.

For comparison, Fernandes has five assists from 15 big chances created while Pedro Neto (£3m) has ten assists from just five big chances created.

When everything clicks for Fernandes, he truly is a top-tier Dream Team asset.

It’s no surprise to see Bowen rank so highly, particularly for shots on target, as he’s essentially played as a centre-forward more often than not this term.

He’s followed closely by Palmer, who has emerged as an excellent value-for-money option over the last two months or so.

Rex

‘Cold Palmer’[/caption]

There is a perception among some onlookers that the Chelsea youngster is overly dependant on penalties but 29 shots on target suggests he offers plenty of threat from open play as well.

Looking further down the list, Diaby and Fernandez are intriguing inclusions as they’ve both scored just five goals from 21 and 22 shots on target respectively, indicating their finishing hasn’t been precise enough in key moments.

Compare that to Mohammed Kudus (£4.9m), who has scored nine goals from 13 shots on target this campaign.

Sterling makes it three Chelsea representatives in this list, more than any other club.

The Blues have created more than their fair share of chances this season but for a long while they were blighted by wastefulness.

However, just one defeat in their last seven fixtures and 16 goals scored in that time represents a significant uplift – they’re now just one point off the European places.

Gaffers certainly shouldn’t underestimate Chelsea assets but it’s clear Palmer is the optimum selection among them.

Keep track of shots on target and big chances created as the season progresses.

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