Overreliance? Aubameyang, Pukki and Watkins dominate team’s goals

Across England’s top four divisions, only three players have more than half of their team’s league goals this season, although there’s a big disparity in their side's season performance.

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s Arsenal side sit third in the Premier League, only one point off of Champions Manchester City, despite relying heavily on the Gabon striker.

Aubameyang’s seven goals have earned Arsenal 12 of their 15 points this season, and in an ever changing starting XI, he’s been the one constant, and the first name on the team sheet.

The 30-year-old is proving that at the top-end of football, relying on your superstar isn’t such a bad thing, just ask a Barcelona side bereft of ideas under Ernesto Valverde, continually playing terribly, only to be saved by Lionel Messi.

The difference between Aubameyang and the other examples in England, is world-class players don’t have many off-days, and if Arsenal continue to dominate, the former Borussia Dortmund front man will continue to score.

That can’t be said for lower league teams, with Brentford’s overreliance on Ollie Watkins causing serious problems. Losing 25-goal Neal Maupay to Brighton in the summer means the pressure has been on Watkins and Algerian Said Benrahma who both netted 10 apiece last term.

Benrahma is yet to score this season, whilst on the other end, Watkins is only three goals from last year’s tally with 30 less games played. A recently consistent Championship side, Brentford are the second lowest goal scorers in the league with nine, but luckily have also conceded the second least, with the same figure of nine.

The difference at this level is Watkins isn’t going to always be the one to rescue his side, despite doing a pretty good job of it already this season. There’s also the disconcerting number of scorers, with only three players netting in 11 games as opposed to Arsenal’s six through eight games. It not only suggests a conservative approach from Thomas Frank, but a lack of attacking coordination from the wings and midfield, as well as being below-par from corners and set-pieces.

Even further down their own league table than Brentford are Teemu Pukki’s Norwich, who sit 19th in the Premier League with just six points from eight games, despite the Finn's six goals.

A very difficult opening to their return to the Premier League saw Norwich put in strong performances against Liverpool and Chelsea despite losing both games either side of a win against Newcastle. Since they’ve lost every game, in all competitions, outside of a stunning home win against champions Manchester City. And in their last five losses Norwich have scored just once.

It points to a much bigger problem at Norwich as Pukki is no longer getting chances to score and show his team can rely on him, even though at this level he’s showed he could have Aubameyang level dependance, looking unstoppable in their wins.

While a mini-injury crisis can be cited, Daniel Farke’s reputation as a superb attacking coach may come under question with only four of his players finding the net.

The Premier League often sees an even-spread in the end of season top scorer charts, so there’s no reason why at this level Pukki can’t be relied upon as the guy to keep Norwich up, but unlike Arsenal’s Aubameyang, and Brentford’s Watkins, if they can’t even get him the ball in the first place, they’ll have no chance.

Highest contribution of team's goals across England's top four tiers in 2019/20:

7⃣8⃣% 💥WATKINS, @BrentfordFC*💥
6⃣0⃣% Pukki, Norwich
5⃣4⃣% Aubameyang, Arsenal

*Ollie Watkins has also scored 100% of Brentford's away goals in 2019/20.#BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/OLbubkftZT

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) October 14, 2019