El Centrocampista
Home / Latest / STATS ANOTHER STORY – Things aren’t what they seem for La Liga striker

STATS ANOTHER STORY – Things aren’t what they seem for La Liga striker

Tomer Hemed is a six foot, 24 year old Israeli striker who plays for Real Club Deportivo Mallorca in Spain’s La Liga.

He is a strong forward, who moves well without the ball. He is football smart and the biggest signing by Mallorca this summer. Hemed is also one of the most curious players in La Liga statistics-wise, and has a relative importance for Mallorca.

A quick look at the Hemed stats and you may be amazed to find that the striker has scored 33% of all Mallorca’s goals this season, and has been involved in 40% of the other goals his team has scored.

All this, despite only playing half the minutes this season – 766 out of 1530.

Hemed not only leads his replacement Víctor Casadesús in goals by five to four despite playing 233 fewer minutes, he also leads Mallorca and has scored the same amount of goals than the rest of the team, without including Víctor.

The Israeli has scored five goals with only eight shots on target for an amazing average of a goal every 1,6 shots on target.

That looks great on paper doesn’t it?

It looks very impressive, however when you take a deeper look at his stats slightly different story emerges. All five of Hemed goals have come from the penalty spot. So, subtracting the penalties, Hemed has shot on target only 3 times this season, despite playing half the season!

He also has hit target only 34,8% of his shots (8 out of 23), so, once again subtracting the penalties that will give you 3 out of 18 shots  for 16,6% of shots on target per effort, that would be the second worst average amount La Liga strikers with a minimum of 10 shots.

However, Hemed ability to score penalties have been appreciate in Mallorca, even though he hasn’t scored from any other place, Tomer has been perfect from the spot and only Cristiano, with seven, has scored more penalties than Hemed.

Also, all five of the striker penalties have come in matches where Mallorca have drawn, four times they were even the last goal of the match including a injury time strike against Valencia to secure a 1-1 draw.

Considering that points don’t sail in bunches to the island all four draws have been important for Mallorca.

Also despite rather weak numbers as a striker, the importance of Hemed can be measure by Mallorca’s performance went he is on the pitch. In the aggregate category (goals scored minus goals conceded when a player is on the pitch), Hemed leads his team with a plus 2, together with Michael Pereira, while 17 players from Mallorca have a negative aggregate.

Despite playing half the minutes this season, Mallorca have scored nine of their 15 goals with Hemed on the pitch (five coming from the Israeli himself) with an average of a goal every 85 minutes when he is playing compared to a goal every 127 went he is on the bench.

Hemed also scored twice in the amazing Cup comeback against Real Sociedad and no they weren’t penalties, actually the first goal came with a scream of “Golazo!” from the entire stadium as Hemed long range shot found the net.

Mallorca will have the task of holding back Real Madrid in their la liga encounter tonight, a challenge by no means easy. however Caparros, always an intriguing coach, may have just read the stats and start Hemed.

Then who knows, maybe Tomer Hemed’s calmness from the penalty spot may just prove crucial…

__________________________

Follow me on twitter at @javierjotah

 




Follow us and get La Liga news right in your feed!

Already a fan?