Celtic outgun Man City as they make 'danger zone' top 10 while Aberdeen outperform the rest of the world
New data shows that Celtic are getting it right at both ends of the pitch.
While an unbeaten Premiership season so far and a Cup Final spot booked are big indicators that the Hoops are bang in their stride, research from the CIES Football Observatory proves that that Scottish champs are statistically one of the most threatening teams on the planet, while limiting the opposition's clear sights at their own goal to create a devastatingly effective 'danger zone gap.'
The CIES boffins have looked at 63 leagues around the world and calculated the average number of shots taken in the zone (the central rectangle of the penalty area), and the number conceded, to work out the gap. They have also figured out the gap between points achieved per match and the number expected. Celtic score highly in both, but title rivals Aberdeen are top of the world when it comes to exceeding expectations.
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The Hoops are eighth in the world for the gap between danger zone shots taken to those conceded, with a score of +5.36, which is better than Man City, Bayer Leverkusen, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, who score just ahead of Rangers.
However, it's the Dons who lead the way in points achieved compared to points expected. Jimmy Thelin has overseen a remarkable transformation at Pittodrie and the Dons have matched Celtic point for pint, currently sitting second in the table on goal difference only. Their score of +1.58 points per match puts them top of the overachieving charts, ahead of RB Leipzig