NOT every Dream Team manager has the time or patience to study the Stats Centre.
But staying on top of the key metrics often leads to informed strategic decisions.
Class actCredit: Getty
Any gaffer worth their salt knows the value of goals and assists but a good way of predicting future returns is to monitor which players consistently excel in terms of shots on target and big chances created.
At the time of writing, only five assets have registered 30+ shots on target and 10+ big chances created this season.
Morgan Rogers (£5.5m) leads the way having tested or beaten the opposition goalkeeper 32 times and presented team-mates with 14 gilt-edged opportunities.
30+ SHOTS ON TARGET (SoT) AND 10+ BIG CHANCES CREATED (BCC) THIS SEASON
- Morgan Rogers: 32 SoT & 14 BCC
- Enzo Fernandez: 31 SoT & 15 BCC
- Bukayo Saka: 32 SoT & 12 BCC
- Dominik Szoboszlai: 31 SoT & 13 BCC
- Harvey Barnes: 30 SoT & 10 BCC
This select group of midfielders are ultra productive in the final third and show a willingness to take risks in an attempt to unlock defences — set-pieces are also a factor.
Fernandez has performed superbly in attack this seasonCredit: Getty
Chelsea’s No8 is an interesting inclusion as he has occupied deeper, more combative roles in the past.
This campaign, however, Fernandez has frequently been deployed as the most attacking member of a midfield three and even when the Argentina international drops into a double pivot to accommodate Cole Palmer (£5.7m) or Estevao (3.1m), he often arrives late to meet to crosses.
2025/26 is already the best season of his career in terms of tangible output and with the Blues still active in the Champions League and FA Cup, he’s got an outside chance of reaching 20 goals for the campaign.
MOST GOALS AMONG DREAM TEAM MIDFIELDERS THIS SEASON
- 15 – Antoine Semenyo (£5.2m)
- 12 – Harvey Barnes (£4.2m)
- 11 – Enzo Fernandez (£4.7m)
- 11 – Gabriel Martinelli (£4.3m)
- 10 – Morgan Rogers (£5.5m)
- 10 – Dominik Szoboszlai (£5.4m)
- 10 – Bryan Mbeumo (£5.8m)
- 10 – Phil Foden (£4.7m)
- 10 – Pedro Neto (£4m)
- 10 – Anthony Gordon (£4.5m)
Szoboszlai deserves heaps of credit as he’s had to fill in at right-back several times this season, with defenders Jeremie Frimpong (£4.8m) and Conor Bradley (£3.6m) dogged by injuries.
Despite this, the Hungary playmaker ranks first among midfielders with 241 points to his name.
And there’s every chance he extends his lead over the next two Gameweeks as Liverpool are due to face three of the bottom four in the table: Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Wolves.
Does Barnes deserve more minutes?Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
That Barnes belongs to this elite group is hugely impressive because even now he is not a guaranteed starter for Newcastle.
17 of his 40 appearances this season have come as a substitute.
The 28-year-old averages a goal involvement every 164.4 minutes and that rate deserves to be even better as he’s been credited with just two assists from ten big chances created — his team-mates have not made the most of his service.
It will be interesting to see how Barnes fares across the next two Gameweeks when the Magpies will fulfil four fixtures, a byproduct of their Champions League play-off against Qarabag, the first leg of which takes place this Wednesday as part of Gameweek 24.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
