Manchester United & Barcelona top Europe's shooting list
According to the statistical analysis by the International Football Observatory (CIES), the two giants have the best figures of the big five leagues.
The International Football Observatory (CIES), has prepared a report on the percentage of success facing the goal of the football teams of the five major European leagues. In the study they compared the total number of shots taken by teams with the number that were on target. They also included the average distance from goal of those efforts.
United and Barça on target from distance
Manchester United have proven to be the most accurate when shooting at the opposition goal. Almost half of their shots (48.6%) have ended up on target. The team now led by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - previously by José Mourinho - has totalled 383 shots, of which 186 found a place between the posts and under the bar. Interstestingly, the average distance of their efforts has been 17.8 metres, over a metre outside the 16.5m penalty area.
Second on the list is LaLiga champions Barcelona. Ernesto Valverde's side have tried their luck a total of 393 times this season and seen 190 of them reaching their target, a rate of 48.3%. They too match the 17.8 metres average shooting distance of The Red Devils.
Among the other Spanish teams in the top 20, Girona came in fourth position with 45.8% of their efforts on target and Huesca in 17th with 42.3%. Notable by their absence are Atlético and Real Madrid.
The 20 clubs based on 'shots on target' (big five European leagues)
| Place | Team | Country | Shots* | On target | Percentage | Av. distance (m) |
| 1 | Manchester United | England | 383 | 186 | 48.6 | 17.80 |
| 2 | Barcelona | Spain | 393 | 190 | 48.3 | 17.80 |
| 3 | Borussia Dortmund | Germany | 307 | 142 | 46.3 | 16.80 |
| 4 | Girona | Spain | 240 | 110 | 45.8 | 18.50 |
| 5 | Liverpool | England | 406 | 185 | 45.6 | 16.60 |
| 6 | Hertha Berlín | Germany | 257 | 116 | 45.1 | 16.60 |
| 7 | PSG | France | 411 | 185 | 45.0 | 16.50 |
| 8 | Bayer Leverkusen | Germany | 341 | 149 | 43.7 | 17.80 |
| 9 | Eintracht Frankfurt | Germany | 268 | 117 | 43.7 | 16.50 |
| 10 | Bayern Munich | Germany | 395 | 170 | 43.0 | 15.80 |
| 11 | Tottenham | England | 369 | 158 | 42.8 | 17.40 |
| 12 | Manchester City | England | 483 | 206 | 42.7 | 16.60 |
| 13 | RB Leipzig | Germany | 329 | 140 | 42.6 | 16.50 |
| 14 | Sampdoria | Italy | 292 | 124 | 42.5 | 18.60 |
| 15 | B. Mönchengladbach | Germany | 297 | 126 | 42.4 | 18.00 |
| 16 | Wolfsburgo | Germany | 281 | 119 | 42.3 | 17.20 |
| 17 | Huesca | Spain | 291 | 123 | 42.3 | 18.80 |
| 18 | Hoffenheim | Germany | 386 | 163 | 42.2 | 17.30 |
| 19 | Fortuna Düsseldorf | Germany | 280 | 118 | 42.1 | 18.40 |
| 20 | Arsenal | England | 347 | 146 | 42.1 | 16.90 |
*Data collated 1 July 2018 to 6 March 2019
*Datos comprendidos entre el 1 de julio de 2018 y el 6 de marzo de 2019.
**Distancia media en metros
Ajax likely to hit a barn door with a banjo
Outside of the five major leagues, it is Los Blancos' recent conquerors Ajax who have the highest percentage of hitting the target. More than half of their efforts in the Eredivisie (50.4%) need an intervention to prevent a goal.
Of course, hitting the target is one thing, scoring goals is another. A quick comparison of United's Premier League total against that of their neighbours Man City shows a deficit of 21 goals (58 vs 79).