Teams | June 6, 2019 at 03:33 PM

The season in numbers

From aerial beasts and penalty kings to set-piece specialists: herthabsc.de have put the 2018/19 season under the microscope and compiled some interesting facts and figures.

The second half of the 2018/19 season has not left Herthaner with the best of footballing memories. In retrospect, however, there are some positive aspects hidden away: the best goal haul for twelve years, the fastest player in the league, or the most big chances created out of the last five seasons, to name a few. Herthabsc.de brings you a comprehensive round up of all the interesting stats of the season.

Almost in keeping with tradition at the capital city club, Hertha followed a more than satisfactory Hinrunde with a below-par performance in the second half of the season, but with regard to the style of play, several things changed. Pál Dárdai adopted a considerably more offensive strategy than he had in his previous years at the club: Over the course of the season, his side witnessed 106 goals – the most since the turn of the millennium (110). Of these 106, the Blue and White stripes netted 49, the biggest goal haul for the club since 2006/07 (50). Led by our top goalscorer Ondrej Duda (11 goals, 6 assists), the midfield proved particularly clinical, scoring a total of 25 goals between them – the fourth best midfield goal return in the league.

Hertha needed 397 shots to reach their 49-goal mark. Despite a conversion rate well below average, the capital city club has not seen so many attempts on goal in a single season for over ten years. There was also a significant increase in big chances created, compared to previous season – with 54, the Hertha players sit above the league average for the season. In game situations where there was no passing opportunity, the Berlin boys tried to go solo, which worked a treat: Four goals from solo efforts stretching over 20 metres is the second best record in the Bundesliga. Further proof of the team’s attack-orientated style of play is their strength on the counter attack: After just nine goals on the break over the previous two seasons combined, Hertha accumulated eleven in 2018/19 alone. Most notably, the whole team contributed to this quick transition play: The eleven goals from 44 counterattacks were scored by eight different players.

"The team improved their game and developed well, particularly our pressing game and our counter attacks – but we do practice these transitions day in day out," said the Hertha coach looking back on the season. Not only in goal attempts from counters did the Old Lady set an example in the 2018/19 campaign; proportionally speaking, Hertha created more headed chances than every other team in the league. Just under 23 percent of all goal attempts were headers – 90 in total. Only Bayern München, Hoffenheim and Mainz created more heading opportunities. Vedad Ibišević led the way in the air for Hertha with 22 headers.

Set-pieces were a further recipe for success, with almost 27 percent of Hertha’s goals coming from dead ball situations – above average compared to the other 17 teams, as are the 13 goals from set-pieces. Aside from four goals from free-kick, Hertha scored four penalties, maintaining a 100 percent record from the spot. Of the last 22 penalties in the Bundesliga, Hertha have converted an impressive 21. Corners proved fruitful for the Berlin club as well: 146 in total resulted in 53 shots on goal over the course of the season, for an average of less than three corners per goal attempt. Five of these found the back of the net, a conversion rate no better or worse than the league average. Marko Grujić scored three goals from corners, a joint league high with Leipzig’s Willi Orban.

Lukas Klünter also tops a Bundesliga ranking: With a top speed of 35,4 km/h against Hannover 96, the versatile defender was the fastest player of the season, despite the Hertha players being generally quite low down the league rankings of ground covered and intensive runs. This relatively low standing has its reasons, however: As has been the case in previous seasons, Hertha’s defensive work is mostly orientated around zonal covering, rather than chasing down the opposition. Appropriate to certain game situations, this allowed the team to deliver some impressive statistics over the course of the season. The Hertha fans can now start anticipating how these numbers will develop in 2019/20.

by Hertha BSC