West Ham star beats Barcelona duo Lamine Yamal and Raphinha to be ranked first in list of players who turn low-probability shots into near misses

West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen has beaten Barcelona stars Lamine Yamal and Raphinha to top spot in the list of players whose off-target shots have value. The England international has been a key performer for the Hammers in recent seasons, performing consistently in spite of their struggles in the 2024-25 season, in particular.

The Athletic carried out an analysis of players in Europe's top four leagues to determine which players managed to cause problems with their shooting, even when they did not score. In the data dating back to the 2022-23 season, Bowen came out on top with a value of 9 on his off-target shots.

Barcelona duo of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha closely followed behind with values of 8.7 and 8.6, respectively. Yamal's numbers are remarkable, seeing as he is only at the start of his professional career and only appeared briefly in the 2022-23 season.

The trend from the analysis indicates that these attempts off target are mostly near-misses that show a player's shooting skill. This means that players who have such high values can be predicted to invariably improve in their shooting on target and possibly score more goals.

Lamine Yamal scored 18 goals for Barcelona this season, including just nine in LaLiga, despite appearing to have mastered the art of cutting in and shooting. The data shows that the 17-year-old can be expected to improve greatly in his shooting as his career progresses, and this will arm him with a great weapon in the future. The youngster is already a frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or after an impressive season, but the knowledge that he can do so much more will excite Barcelona fans.

Barcelona coach issues warning to Lamine Yamal over future

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has sent a warning to rising star Lamine Yamal ahead of what is expected to be a big future for him. The Spanish prodigy enjoyed a hugely successful season with the club, helping them win the domestic treble.

Following the conclusion of his first season in charge, Flick was interviewed by the club's official magazine. He reflected on some topics, including the genius of Yamal and how he plans to help the youngster. He said (via Forbes.com);

"He’s 17 years old, we have to help him. So far everything is fine. If he wants to play the next 15 years at the highest level he needs to train very well and prepare mentally as well. He’s smart. Not everything is about enjoyment, you also have to work, and players with their talent must do it."

Lamine Yamal is currently embroiled in a scandal with regards to his private life, particularly with regards to his dealings with older women. His private life aside, the youngster is widely expected to be on the podium when the Ballon d'Or is handed out in September.

Edited by Sulayman Salahudeen