The is famend for that includes a number of the world’s most deadly aerial threats.
Many gamers all through historical past, together with Peter Crouch, Alan Shearer, and Tim Cahill, have left their mark within the air. As we strategy the top of 2024, it’s time to spotlight the top-performing passers within the competitors because the starting of the 2023/24 season.
This rating relies on their Squawka Rating and contains solely these gamers who’ve performed not less than 2,000 minutes.
10. Amadou Onana
The only participant on the present listing who has transitioned between golf equipment because the 2023/24 season started. Beforehand a part of an Everton group going through relegation challenges, he moved to Aston Villa, a membership competing within the Champions League. Onana has scored twice for Villa, each occasions with a header. He additionally netted the same purpose for Everton final season. The truth is, throughout this era, solely 13 gamers have scored extra targets within the Premier League by way of this implies.
9. Ethan Pinnock
Pinnock has scored 4 targets for Brentford because the begin of the 2023/24 season. Unsurprisingly, the towering centre-back has efficiently breached the defences of Chelsea, Luton, Wolves, and Manchester United along with his head. It’s noteworthy that solely 4 gamers within the Premier League have recorded extra headed targets than him throughout this era, with three of these gamers primarily centered on attacking roles.
8. Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Standing at 6 toes 2 inches tall, Calvert-Lewin possesses a notable vertical leap that makes him a formidable presence in aerial conditions at each ends of the pitch. His top and leaping skill show advantageous for Everton, notably throughout defensive set items like corners.
Though he has scored solely two headed targets through the specified timeframe, he ranks second when it comes to photographs taken from headers, averaging 1.16 per 90 minutes. This statistic signifies that whereas he’s ceaselessly concerned in aerial makes an attempt, he might battle with producing ample energy or discovering the optimum angle to problem the goalkeeper efficiently.
However, he excels in profitable aerial duels, main the group with a median of 5.41 per 90 minutes, underscoring his effectiveness in contributing to offensive and defensive performs.
7. Cristian Romero
When he isn’t incomes yellow playing cards, Cristian Romero has proven to be a major problem for Tottenham’s opponents, particularly throughout attacking corners. Lionel Messi has dubbed him the most effective centre-back within the recreation. For the reason that begin of the 2023/24 season, Romero has scored 4 headed targets.
6. Erling Haaland
Given the unbelievable variety of targets Erling Haaland has scored because the starting of final season—39 targets—it’s placing that roughly 10% of these have come from headers, particularly contemplating his tall, lanky body. However may he have scored extra headed targets? Notably, he has registered the best variety of header makes an attempt, averaging 1.24 per 90 minutes. Moreover, he boasts the best post-shot anticipated targets (xG) of 0.17 per 90 minutes, a statistic that measures the standard of ending. Moreover, his headed anticipated targets stand at 0.21 per 90 minutes, which is the best amongst all Premier League gamers throughout this era.
5. Ollie Watkins
Crew: Aston Villa
Squawka Rating: 87%
Ollie Watkins has emerged as a formidable aerial specialist, showcasing his expertise by scoring the joint highest variety of headed targets (8) because the begin of final season. This spectacular achievement highlights his skill to excel within the air, as 32% of his complete targets have come from headers. Moreover, Watkins ranks fourth amongst all Premier League gamers when it comes to headed anticipated targets, underlining his constant menace in aerial duels and his knack for locating the web along with his head.
4. Kai Havertz
Having demonstrated his aerial prowess at Chelsea, it isn’t stunning to see Kai Havertz rating this excessive. The multifunctional Arsenal ahead has scored 4 headed targets because the begin of final season. This success may be attributed to his clever motion attacking area contained in the field and his glorious timing when getting on the top of crosses. Nonetheless, it’s his total aerial recreation that continues to impress, as he constantly wins aerial duels and makes essential headed clearances, additional solidifying his worth to Mikel Arteta’s group.
3. Joao Pedro
Brighton ahead João Pedro is at the moment in nice kind, boasting the second-highest post-shot anticipated targets (post-shot xG), a metric that assesses the standard of ending. His post-shot xG stands at 0.17 per 90 minutes, which is considerably decrease than his total anticipated targets (xG) of 0.51. This discrepancy signifies that he usually converts troublesome probabilities successfully, inserting the ball in harder-to-reach areas of the goalkeeper’s purpose.
2. Gabriel
Crew: Arsenal
Squawka Rating: 89%
Arsenal have discovered an excellent mixture with the Premier League’s main set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, and one of many league’s most prolific aerial finishers. For the reason that starting of final season, Gabriel has distinguished himself as the highest defender in scoring from headers, averaging 0.13 targets per 90 minutes. His spectacular efficiency locations him in direct competitors with a number of the league’s strikers, as solely three gamers at the moment surpass him on this particular side of attacking contribution.
1. Chris Wooden
A headed purpose from Chris Wooden appears virtually inevitable as of late, because the Kiwi striker has scored a joint-high of eight targets this fashion because the begin of the 2023/24 season. There’s a sense of effectivity in his efficiency, as these eight targets have come from 24 headed makes an attempt, giving him a hit charge of 49%. Wooden’s efficiency metrics reveal that he averages 0.17 post-shot anticipated targets (xG) per 90 minutes from his headed efforts, additional underscoring his effectiveness on this side of his play.