West Ham United have severely struggled in front of goal in the Premier League so far in the 2022/23 Premier League season.
In their first 15 games, they have netted just 12 league goals so far this season, a record that only beats three sides in the top-flight, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are among the four sides below the Hammers in the table.
While West Ham do possess the joint-fourth best record in the league in defence, the same cannot be said in attack. Jarrod Bowen, Gianluca Scamacca, Michail Antonio and Said Benrahma are all joint-top scorers for West Ham in the league with two each, but 49 players in the league all have more goals than the West Ham quartet.
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Data from FBref suggests that West Ham should have scored 18.6 goals using their expected goals (xG) data so far this season, 6.6 more than they have and an under performance of 64.5%.
West Ham are one of only six sides in the table who have had an underperformance to their xG value in front of goal. Aston Villa (10.6%), Everton (120%), Nottingham Forest (39.1%), Wolverhampton Wanderers (86.3%) and Southampton (13.1%) are the other sides to underperform, according to FBref, with only Everton and Wolves having worse underperforming percentages.
Not just in the squad collectively, but individually, there has been a serious issue in front of goal. Last season’s top scorer Bowen has only scored two goals, but has a xG value of 4.3, an underperformance of 115%. Scoring 2.3 goals fewer than his xG value, Bowen has the joint-fifth biggest drop off alongside Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. Only Leeds United’s Patrick Bamford (-4.1), Brighton and Hove Albion forward Danny Welbeck (-3), Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus (-2.7) and Brighton winger Solly March (-2.6) have worse.
Another player said to have significantly underperformed in front of goal is Tomas Soucek, who has an xG value of 2.5 but has scored just once in the league. Said Benrahma and Gianluca Scamacca have both had minor underperforming values, as have Declan Rice and Kurt Zouma. Lucas Paqueta has an xG value score of 1.3, but has not scored. Michail Antonio has performed exactly to his score, with Pablo Fornals (+0.4) being the only overperformer.
It sums up the major issues in front of goal so far this term, but there will be hope that after scoring eight goals in three mid-season friendlies, West Ham can rediscover their scoring fortunes from last season.
After 15 games last season, West Ham were on 13 more points than they currently have and had scored 16 more goals at this point last season.
West Ham United players’ XG data in the Premier League as per FBref (actual number of goals)
Jarrod Bowen 4.3 (2)
Tomas Soucek 2.5 (1)
Said Benrahma 2.4 (2)
Gianluca Scamacca 2.1 (2)
Michail Antonio 2 (2)
Declan Rice 1.4 (1)
Lucas Paqueta 1.3 (0)
Kurt Zouma 1.1 (1)
Pablo Fornals 0.6 (1)
All other players 0.5 or lower (0)
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