25/04 - 20:00
Crewe Alexandra are the joint-top scorers in League Two this season and currently sit third in the table after an impressive start to the season. With a flood of talented young players coming through the ranks at Gresty Road, the future looks bright for Alex...and they're definitely not shy of hitting the target.
We checked in with Tom from fan account Crewe Analytics for an in-depth look at the Railwaymen's shooting stats this term.
After 19 games in this season’s League Two, Crewe Alexandra are one of the most improved teams in the Football League compared to their exploits last season.
Since David Artell's team reverted to a 4-3-3 formation in the second half of last season, results have been far better, despite little turnover in their young squad.
The players still in Crewe’s squad account for 72.4% of the total minutes played by all their players last season. It is clear, therefore, that their Improvement has come from the individual growth of players and an increasingly grooved tactical approach.
Hot shots
This improvement is most evident in the team’s shot data. The team’s 109 shots on target lead League Two (and are joint 3rd with Peterborough in the top 4 tiers, behind only Man City and Leeds). These shots have led to 32 goals, which also jointly leads League Two.
To take shots you first have to create shooting opportunities. Crewe’s biggest strength is in the variety of their build-up play - they have creativity all over the pitch.
📈 @crewealexfc in League Two (2019/20):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) December 5, 2019
💥 Joint-most goals (32)
💥 Most shots on target (109)
💥 Most accurate passes (8134)
💥 Most key accurate passes (137)
💥 Most corners won (144)#CreweAlex pic.twitter.com/eZJyjjC2Eh
Fullbacks Perry Ng and Harry Pickering progress the ball into the final third through direct passing and running; deep-lying midfielder Ryan Wintle smartly stitches play together and switches the ball between the full backs; while ‘miniesta’ Tom Lowery combines agile dribbling with a keen eye for a through ball or cross.
Less involved in build-up but equally talented, inside forward Charlie Kirk leads the team in shots with 42. Adept at cutting inside from the left wing onto his favoured right foot, Kirk is also allowed license to stay forward and provides a counter attacking threat, especially late in games.
All these players are home-grown academy players, are aged 23 or under, and will surely play at a higher level than League Two in coming years (whether with Crewe or elsewhere).
Power allied to technique
However, Crewe’s approach isn’t solely focused around young, technical players. Chris Porter, their veteran target-man, has been a crucial ingredient to their attacking play. Bringing in teammates through hold up play, and frustrating defenders (and sometimes his own fans) with his physical and often clumsy aerial challenges,
Porter provides a natural ‘Plan B’ for Crewe. His 36 shots have yielded him eight goals, including three headers and two goals inside the six-yard box. His journeyman career is set to continue with the Alex, with talk of a new contract in the offing for the 35-year-old.
A customised approach
A last string to the Railwaymen’s bow is their willingness to adapt their shooting to their opponent. Crewe’s manager Artell has increasingly referred to analysis of opposition in interviews, and it is clear this season that his young side are learning from this.
The best example of this is a recent game against Morecambe. Having identified how low their opponent’s defensive block is during their analysis, the players spent time working on shooting from range during training in the week before the game.
Previously to facing Morecambe, Crewe were focused on putting the ball in the box first; their 165 shots from inside the box lead League Two. For Morecambe, this plan changed.
😩 Crewe have never won any league title since they were founded in 1877.
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) October 21, 2019
🤞 But the current crop of Railwaymen are on course to become club legends after these stoppage-time goals kept them top of @SkyBet League Two! @crewealexfc @charliekirkx #CreweAlex @therailwaymensg pic.twitter.com/zzProFJShy
According to plan
During the game, the team pulled the trigger earlier, more regularly, and often through a crowd of bodies. The result was Crewe taking 33 shots to Morecambe’s 10, and a 5-0 demolition.
Despite having a massive 15 shots blocked, Crewe committed to the plan, knowing that the mess of bodies would work to their advantage. Two of their goals were long shots deflected in by defenders, with the ball moving too late for the Morecambe goalkeeper to reach. With three more Crewe shots hitting the woodwork, the 5-0 score probably flattered their opponent. The plan had worked.
As football has become smarter and more data-driven, long shots have gradually decreased in frequency, with teams understanding concepts such as Expected Goals (xG) better than ever. Shooting has increasingly become understood as a lottery, where the only certainty is ‘the closer to goal the better’.
However, Crewe Alexandra show that by having an adaptable approach, a creative team, and plans for each opponent, shooting doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark.
For more fantastic content on the Railwaymen give Crewe Analytics a follow...
EFL Statement.#CreweAlex https://t.co/6UqkNQQGZW
— Crewe Alexandra F.C. (@crewealexfc) December 5, 2019
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Paul Green 44' (o.g.) Callum Ainley 90' |
