The EFL Championship 2022–23 season is one of the most competitive leagues in the world this season. Burnley leads the group and are likely to end the season as the winner. They are being chased by a lot of clubs, with Sheffield United and Middlesbrough having the upper hand. This means that the playoff spots are still up for grabs for the nine teams sitting behind them at the league table. One of the teams that have recently entered the race is Coventry City. They are on a nine-match unbeaten streak, thanks to their striker Viktor Gyokeres. The 24-year-old has already passed his goal tally from last season, and his recent form has kept his side in contention of making it into the top six. We now look at some of the stats from the last nine games that show why Gyokeres is the go-to man for his side.
Goal-scoring consistency
Viktor Gyokeres has played 38 matches in the EFL Championship this season. He has scored 18 goals and provided two assists. The last nine games have been a bonus for his side as well as for the player. He has six goals and four assists to his name. The above viz shows the touch map of the player from the last nine games. It can be observed that the Swede likes to stay on the right side. He averages 5.21 touches inside the opposition’s penalty box per 90 minutes this season. However, in the last nine games, he has taken 61 touches, and the average number of touches has been over six per match.
Viktor Gyokeres had a brief spell of seven games without a goal. He then returned to form and scored six goals in the last nine games. The above viz shows the xG map of the player in the last nine games. Gyokeres has taken 37 shots (40.5% accuracy) and averages four shots per match. This average is way better than his overall average of 2.93 shots per 90 minutes. Gyokeres’ ability to take touches inside the penalty box has opened space for him in the 18-yard box. This has allowed the striker to score more goals.
The creative side
Viktor Gyokeres has shown creativity by providing eight assists. Of these eight assists, four came in the last nine games. The striker has provided 21 shot assists, and two of the passes on the edge of the six-yard box have been easily converted.
The 23-year-old has the ability to make progressive runs and dribble past the defenders. Viktor Gyokeres makes 3.13 progressive runs and attempts 9.04 dribbles per 90 minutes with a 49.6% success rate. In the last nine matches, he has made 28 progressive runs, with most of them coming from the left side. The Swede has also enjoyed a bit of success with his dribbles and that has allowed him to penetrate the opposition box often. Gyokeres has even won some fouls in the final third and a penalty for his side. He has shown signs of hunger to score goals and create a few for his teammates.
Betting analysis
As per the 1×2 betting odds, Coventry City’s xG rate will be lower against weaker opponents. Their recent unbeaten run makes them the favourites to win the match. As for the over/under goals, the over goals are expected to thrive when Gyokeres is playing on the side.
The 24-year-old is one of the best strikers in the EFL Championship. His consistency on the field is likely to take him to a bigger club next season. Coventry City have relied heavily on him, and the striker has contributed to scoring more than half of the team’s goals this season. Gyokeres will look to continue this run and take his side to the playoffs.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
