German Bundesliga: Shots on Target guide
With the Bundesliga poised to make its anticipated return this weekend, BettingOdds.com have been doing some research to help you out when it comes to choosing a bet for the action. The increasingly popular shots on target market is where strong value can often be found when placing a wager on an individual fixture, so in this article we look at which players have ranked highest in that particular field prior to the Bundesliga’s postponement in March.
The Top Dogs
It’s no surprise to see the following three names appear at the very start of this list: Bayern Munich duo Robert Lewandowski & Serge Gnabry, and RB Leipzig starlet Timo Werner. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the previous two years, the chances are you’ve heard of these three players in some capacity.
This term, all three have been standout performers in the Bundesliga, with Lewandowski enjoying one of his most prolific goalscoring season’s to date prior to lockdown. The Polish front man has scored 25 league goals for Bayern this season and leads the way in the Bundesliga goalscoring charts; according to the odds, the 31-year-old has a 87.5% chance of winning the top scorer award this time out.
Unsurprisingly, he also leads the way for shots on target this time out (56), while his shots per game (4.7) and shots on target per game (2.2) stats are also head and shoulders above the rest of the players in the German top-flight.
Werner trails Lewandowski in second place, with 48 shots on target this season. The 24-year-old averages 2.6 shots on goal per game (1.9 on target) and bears the brunt of Leipzig’s goalscoring duties every game, therefore his chances of getting shots away on goal are much higher than his teammates. He is a worthwhile inclusion in your SoT bet, though his odds will be extremely short because of his position and track record, which means backing him to have 3 or more per game is where you will find value.
Then there is Bayern Munich wide man Serge Gnabry, who is enjoying a formidable campaign in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The former Arsenal man has scored 11 league goals from midfield this season, recording 33 shots on target so far. The German winger averages 1.7 shots on goal per game (1.3 on target) in the Bundesliga, and always looks to get forward to help Lewandowski in attack. Gnabry’s odds in the shots on target market will be slightly higher than Werner and Lewandowski’s due to the fact that he is a midfielder, so including him to have 2 or more in your bet could be a worthwhile consideration.
Bundesliga midfielders with most shots on target
To increase the odds in your bet, it is worth including a midfielder to have a shot(s) on target. As previously touched on, Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry currently ranks highest for most shots on target for a midfielder this season with 33, followed closely behind by Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus, who has 28 to his name so far. Reus averages 1.1 shots on target per game and is one of Dortmund’s most creative players, so frequently finds himself in shooting positions.
Bayern Munich playmaker Philippe Coutinho has taken the third most shots in the Bundesliga this term with 27. The Brazilian has averaged 2.6 shots on goal per game this season, with 1.08 of those on target. In a side which create as much as Bayern it is no surprise to see the former Liverpool man feature high up on this list - including him in your bet this weekend could prove to be a shrewd move.
Dortmund wide man Jadon Sancho is best known for his superior assisting capabilities, but he has also enjoyed a promising campaign in front of goal this season. The England international has scored 14 league goals this term and was one of the highest ranked midfielders for shots on target prior to the Bundesliga’s postponement. Sancho has averaged 1.04 shots on target per game this time out - backing him to register 2 or more shots on target against Schalke this weekend seems a decent selection.
Bundesliga Defenders with most shots on target
Now, this is where the odds for your upcoming Bundesliga football bet could really increase: including a defender to take a shot on target. Usually, just backing one defender to take 1 shot on target during a match will significantly boost your potential returns; these players could be worth considering...
Borussia Dortmund left-back Raphael Guerreiro is the highest ranking defender for shots on target this season. The Portuguese full-back, who also occasionally operates in midfield, has registered 12 shots on target. That is only one more than both Achraf Hakimi (Dortmund) and Martin Hinteregger (Frankfurt), who have both registered 11 shots on target this term.
Hakimi, like Guerreiro, is an attack-minded full-back who often finds himself in shooting positions in the final third, while Hinteregger is a tall centre-half who has a dominating presence at set-pieces, using his aerial ability to head crosses at goal. Bayern Munich left-back David Alaba and Freiburg's Christian Gunter rank joint-third for shots on target this season - both registering nine prior to the enforced break.
