Posts thwart Ritchie to a high degree
MATT Ritchie is one of the most unfortunate players in the Premier League this season – with only one player in the division hitting the post more often than him.
Ritchie has been as steady and reliable as ever for Newcastle United this season, with the winger contributing six assists thus far.
He’s yet to add the 16 goals he netted last season – although he’s come desperately close on three occasions.
And on two of the occasions that a Ritchie shot struck the woodwork the Magpies ended losing the match by a single goal. Just an inch more accurate and Newcastle might be two points better off at this stage, which would have seen them two places higher in 11th.
Those two missed opportunities came in the defeats to Bournemouth and then Everton, while his third strike which rattled the post came in the pre-Christmas victory over West Ham.
In the Premier League this season only Harry Kane has hit the woodwork more often than Ritchie. The Tottenham striker has been denied by bar or post on five occasions.
However, those five times equal only 6% of his overall shots this season.
For Ritchie, it’s 14% of his overall shots – the joint second highest percentage in the top flight.
Bournemouth’s Jermain Defoe is the most unfortunate this season, also hitting the woodwork three times – 15% of his efforts.
Joining Ritchie on 14% are Jordan Ayew (three shots off the woodwork), Juan Mata (two), Manolo Gabbiadini (two), James Ward-Prowse (one) and Pedro Obiang (one).