Detailed Analysis on Clean Sheets of EPL teams

   BMM will sharing few interactive data in this article. We have done some analysis on team performances from game week 1 until game week 7. The main focus is on shots conceded per game and clean sheets.

   Before that we need to understand what is the meaning of "clean sheets",
clean sheets is a team effort to avoid conceding any goals during an entire match. To keep a clean sheets, all players must working together from goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, and also strikers. In modern football, the team effort when defending from conceding any goals also known as "defensive tactical discipline".


BMM : Shots conceded per game

  Above is the details data from game week 1 until game week 7 for all EPL teams. We can see in details the number of Shots Conceded Per Game, and number of Goals Conceded for home and away match. At the end of table there are the number of clean sheets recorded by each team.


   Goal scored are related to the number of shots, so is it the number of shots conceded per game are related to the number of goals conceded, and the number of clean sheets? We separating the teams by colors for the top 10 team and the lower 10 team, I think you can get the answer, but let's count the number.


Teams from 1 to 10
Shots conceded per game: Average 8.1 - 12.6
Total goals conceded: 73 goals
Total clean sheets: 22


Teams from 11 to 20
Shots conceded per game: Average 12.9 - 23
Total goals conceded: 123 goals
Total clean sheets: 8


   Now we got the clear answer, we can see the big different here, total goal conceded by the teams that conceding a lots of shots are 123 goals that is 50 goals more than the top 10 teams.


   Next did you spot any abnormalities in the table? There are 4 teams with major abnormalities, the team with lower shots conceded per game Liverpool still no clean sheets, and Manchester City with only one clean sheets. The other 2 teams are from the team with the highest shots conceded per game, Bournemouth and Burnley that already recorded with 2 clean sheets.


   So what happened to these 4 teams? first lets look at Liverpool and Manchester City. There are 2 major reason why they cannot keep a clean sheets. The first reason is because of new players still not get the mutual understanding with the team. Remember we mention earlier that is required team effort to keep a clean sheets. New member in both teams are Karius, Matip, Stones, and Bravo. They will get better in the next few game weeks and that will increase their effort to keep a clean sheets.


   The second reason was the attacking tactical approach by the coaches, we already known that Pep Guardiola and Jorgen Klopp are very popular with possession football where the main target is to keep the ball in control as long as they can and the full back will pushing forwards and playing the ball in the opposition area. But this tactic will be fully effective when all the players get better understanding between them and that also can reducing the number of individual mistakes.


  Now for Bournemouth and Burnley, based on BMM review these 2 team had a very good mutual understanding between all players, the line-up already stick together for long period of time and not much changing during the transfer window. So this will resulting a strong defensive tactical discipline in the squad where they try to block as many shot as they can, and not allowing the opposition to shots from 6 yard box. Let's look at the stats for Burnley vs Arsenal in GW 7, Arsenal managed 18 shots to Burnley goal area, 8 are off target, 7 are blocked, and only 3 are on target. The only 1 goal scored by Arsenal is the only shot inside Burnley six-yard box. From total 12 shots inside the penalty box by Arsenal, only 2 are on target.


   Another reason is because of the on-form goalkeepers, A. Boruc and T. Heaton, two goalkeepers who made lots of save in the last 7 games. Bournemouth and Burnley will need both of them to keep consistent especial during the home game where both of them only conceding 3 goals until now.

 

   The conclusions and the key points we can take from above review are:

 

Will increase the potential to keep a clean sheets

• Team effort to avoid conceding any goals during an entire match.
• Shots conceded per game are related to the number of goals conceded, and the number of clean sheets.
• Strong defensive tactical discipline in the squad.
• The on-form goalkeepers.

 Will reduce the potential to keep a clean sheets

• New players still not get the mutual understanding with the team.
• Attacking tactical approach by the coaches.

 So for our Fantasy Premier League squad, if we are targeting the clean sheets points, take a look at the top 10 team in above table, but be careful with Liverpool and Manchester City, maybe we need to put a little patience because they have strong stats that can bring them to keep a clean sheets soon. Not to forget that Bournemouth and Burnley stats that showing they have the potential to keep a clean sheets especially for home game.

Note:
1. Data and stats are based on GW1 until GW7 EPL 2016/17 team performances.

See also:
FPL Potential Captain GW8
EPL Team Chances for GW8
EPL Difficulty Table GW7-12
FPL Wildcard Tips: The best prospect for next 6 game weeks