16/17 season statistics: the attack

Stats, stats and some more stats on Hertha’s passage through the 16/17 season.

Any who believed that the summer break would cause boredom is mistaken. Between transfer speculation and international fixtures, Hertha have the space and time to reflect on the season that has just passed. In that vein, we have assembled some of the most important and interesting facts from the season’s 34 matchdays.

In this first part of the series, the focus is Hertha’s strength at home and in their offensive play. The capital city club clinched one point fewer this season (49) than last (50), the home form was improved within that. Dardai’s team picked up 37 points at the Olympiastadion, the fourth best of any team at their home grounds through the campaign. The best were Bayern München with 43 from a possible 51. While the strength at home was not to be questioned, Hertha were let down by their away form, particularly with the nine consecutive losses on the road towards the end of the season. The record number of away defeats in sequence belongs to SV Darmstadt 98 with 13, although it was away against Darmstadt that BSC broke their negative run, winning 2-0 in their final away game of the season.

On top of taking the majority of their points at the Olympiastadion, Hertha also scored 65% of their goals (28 of 43) in the capital, and they were prevented from scoring just once all season, on Matchday 14’s 1-0 loss against SV Werder Bremen. With twelve home wins, Dardai’s boys managed three more home wins than the previous season.

Anotherarea where the team excelled was decisiveness in front of goal. Up until the winter break, they needed an average of just seven shots per goal. They were also effective when it came to taking the big chances, with 31 ‘good chances’ resulting in 19 goals, an overall level of 61%. Only Werder Bremen’s 66% had a better overall level. Vedad Ibisevic was a potent attacking threat through the year, accounting for twelve of the 17 goals scored by Hertha’s strikers while playing in the role – Julian Schieber chipped in with three while one of Solomon Kalou’s seven came while playing in the middle, and Sami Allagui added another.

Another area where the team excelled was decisiveness in front of goal. Up until the winter break, they needed an average of just seven shots per goal. They were also effective when it came to taking the big chances, with 31 ‘good chances’ resulting in 19 goals, an overall level of 61%. Only Werder Bremen’s 66% had a better overall level. Vedad Ibisevic was a potent attacking threat through the year, accounting for twelve of the 17 goals scored by Hertha’s strikers while playing in the role – Julian Schieber chipped in with three while one of Solomon Kalou’s seven came while playing in the middle, and Sami Allagui added another.

The midfield and defence recorded an overall increase in contributions to goals. Where the Hertha midfielders of 2015/16 contributed 17 assists, the 16/17 offering claimed 25, with an overall 43 direct contributions to goals. Similarly, there was also an increase in the number of headed goals scored, rising from six in 15/16 to ten in 16/17. The most dangerous player from headed opportunities was Kalou, who scored three.

One of the standout differences between the two seasons was the threat Hertha posed from set pieces. Hertha scored 15 times from set piece situations in 16/17, marking an increase of four. The unquestionable free kick expert was Marvin Plattendhardt. The Germany international found the net three times thanks to his wand of a left foot – only FC Bayern and FC Ingolstadt had more success from direct free kicks. Three of the five goals directly from free kicks were scored by Plattenhardt.

The midfield and defence recorded an overall increase in contributions to goals. Where the Hertha midfielders of 2015/16 contributed 17 assists, the 16/17 offering claimed 25, with an overall 43 direct contributions to goals. Similarly, there was also an increase in the number of headed goals scored, rising from six in 15/16 to ten in 16/17. The most dangerous player from headed opportunities was Kalou, who scored three.

One of the standout differences between the two seasons was the threat Hertha posed from set pieces. Hertha scored 15 times from set piece situations in 16/17, marking an increase of four. The unquestionable free kick expert was Marvin Plattendhardt. The Germany international found the net three times thanks to his wand of a left foot – only FC Bayern and FC Ingolstadt had more success from direct free kicks. Three of the five goals directly from free kicks were scored by Plattenhardt.