Rangers have an opportunity to clinch progression in the UEFA Europa League with a midweek clash against Feyenoord. A point would theoretically guarantee Steven Gerrard’s team a spot in the next round of the competition (Daily Record).
With the Dutch side dropping points on the weekend against Groningen in the Eredivisie, Dick Advocaat’s side appear to be there for the taking. The club sit 10th in their league and look well off the pace at the moment (Sky Sports). But what are the statistics behind Feyenoord’s struggling form?
TIF Tactics – A deep dive into Feyenoord’s performances
This season Feyenoord averages 1.71 goals per game, with an xG (expected goals) of 1.77. They pretty much score just as many goals they should falling just below their xG. Their opponent’s xG, on the other hand, is 1.27. The Dutch team concede 1.54 goals, a game, on average. This suggests like they’re defending is a large problem for them. This can also be seen in their league statistics. In 14 games the side of scored 26 goals. But with 25 goals conceded, they are struggling to win matches.
There are similar trends in their last few games. Despite having a slightly higher xG than their opponents, the game finished 1-1. In the previous game against RKC Waalwijk, Feyenoord managed to score three goals, however, had an xG of 4.19. Their opponents managed to score two goals, despite only having an xG of 0.45.
Rangers will be licking their lips at the statistics. The Glaswegian side averages an xG of 2.13 goals per game this season. Their actual goals per game averages out to 2.17. And while their opponents average an xG of 0.82 goals per game, they only managed to score 0.59 on average.
At the end of the day, a football match can go in multiple directions. But by looking at the statistics, Rangers are the favoured team on form. If Gerrard’s high-flying forwards can continue to put multiple goals past their opponents, Feyenoord may not be able to overcome the pressure. Their inability the show defensive solidity in recent weeks certainly plays into Rangers’ hands.
(all data and stats from Wyscout.com, accurate at the time of writing)