It’s easy enough to spot which players are in a purple patch, but is it possible to spot a player before they hit form?
By looking at which players have taken the most shots since their last goal (minimum three goals scored this season) we can see who is potentially due a goal.
While taking shots is not an accurate indicator of quality, by analysing the data it is possible to pick out a couple of players who may be flying under the radar.
We need to talk about Kevin
Kevin De Bruyne is a classic case of a player who has a lot going for them, despite a lack of end product at present.
The Belgium playmaker has chanced his arm 23 times since his last goal, but that was only seven appearances ago for the 29-year-old, who was absent with a hamstring injury for a period.
De Bruyne has managed to provide assists during his goalless spell, and with Manchester City cruising to the title, he will likely have plenty more chances to score.
For a player who is known for his creative qualities, if KDB starts adding goals to his season he would be difficult to ignore – last season he notched 13 goals and 23 FPL assists.
Hell for Saints
While De Bruyne missing chances is a luxury Man City can afford, the goal droughts of three Southampton players could not have come at a worse time.
With the Saints winless in nine games – scoring just five goals in that period – three players make our top 10: Che Adams, Jannik Vestergaard and Stuart Armstrong.
Adams might look like the most appealing of the three, with the forward having taken 17 attempts since his last goal in gameweek 12, but his Threat scores have been far from impressive.
If you’re willing to chance your arm however, Vestergaard looks surprisingly promising at the back.
The defender has taken 12 shots since his last goal, but with three goals already this season and a price tag of just £4.7m, he could be a risk worth taking.
Best of the rest
While our top 10 is comprised of players with at least three goals this season, what about the rest?
Burnley’s Phil Bardsley has taken a whopping 94 shots since his last goal in the Premier League – even at £4.4m, the fact he has just two FPL points this year suggests a goal isn’t forthcoming.
Elsewhere, Aleksandar Mitrovic at Fulham has had the most shots since a goal of any player to have scored in the Premier League this season, with 42 efforts.
The Cottagers’ frontman notched a brace against Leeds in gameweek two, but it proved to be a false dawn.
One viable option however might be Wolves midfielder Leander Dendoncker, who scored four goals last season.
He has taken the most shots of any player yet to score this campaign, with 27 – at just £4.6m he would probably be your cheapest midfielder, and could surprise rivals if one or two shots fly in.
