I have already explained the concept of xG (Expected Goals) metric in one of my latest posts and examined overperformers and underperformers among forwards from the last season. So, if you are not familiar with the xG metric or you don’t understand the chart below, make sure you read those two articles, where everything about this topic is explained.
Now let’s look at the overperformers and underperformers among midfielders from last season. Again, I used understat statistics about Expected Goals and Expected Assists. In the chart below, there are displayed two variables: Expected Involvement (xG+xA) of selected players and their actual involvement.
Overperformers
Eden Hazard had hand in 31 of Chelsea goals, but Expected Involvement suggests, that it should have been less by 7,13. However, he has been known as a great finisher and he has been overperforming his Expected Involvement in almost every season. Christian Eriksen also overperformed his xI by a great margin: 6,46, as well as his teammate Son Heung-Min by 5,67. Sane’s involvement was higher than his xI by 4,92, and Zaha’s by 3,11. All other above the blue line overperformed their xG by less than 2.
Underperformers
Three midfielders in this group who underperformed his xI by more than two. Based on this metric, Mohamed Salah should have been involved in 2,26 goals more. David Silva underperformed his xI by 4,24 and Bernardo Silva by 2,83.
Source: understat
