Alright, folks, gather ’round, let me tell you about my little adventure with tracking Ben Yedder’s stats this season. I’ve always been a bit of a stats nerd, and I love seeing how players develop over time. So, I decided to take a deep dive into Ben Yedder’s performance.
Getting Started
First thing I did was to figure out where to get the data. There are tons of sports websites out there, but I wanted something reliable and comprehensive. I tried a few, but ended up bookmarking a couple that seemed to update regularly and had detailed match reports. I made a simple spreadsheet to keep track of things – nothing fancy, just dates, opponents, goals, assists, and any other notes I found interesting.
Tracking the Data
Every week, I would check the match results and update my spreadsheet. Some weeks were easy – Ben Yedder would score a hat-trick or have a standout performance, and those were the fun ones to record. Other weeks, he might have been quieter, or maybe even missed a game due to injury or rotation. But I kept at it, making sure to record everything meticulously. I also started noting down things like the formation Monaco played, who else was performing well, and any tactical changes the coach made. It sounds a bit much, but it really helped me understand the context of his performances.
Some Observations
- Consistency: One thing that jumped out at me was Ben Yedder’s consistency. Even in matches where he didn’t score, he was always involved, making runs, creating chances, and just being a general nuisance for defenders.
- Goals:
- This guy knows how to find the back of the net! I was particularly impressed with his finishing. He seemed to score all types of goals – headers, volleys, one-on-ones, you name it. I remember one match where he scored a brilliant curling shot from outside the box. That one had me jumping out of my seat!
- Link-up Play: Ben Yedder isn’t just a goal scorer, though. His link-up play with his teammates was also top-notch. He has a great understanding with his fellow attackers and often dropped deep to collect the ball and start attacks.
The Payoff
After a few months of this, I had a pretty solid dataset. I started playing around with the numbers, calculating his goals per 90 minutes, his shot conversion rate, and other fun metrics. It was fascinating to see how his performances evolved over the season. There were ups and downs, of course, but overall, he had a really impressive campaign. It’s clear why there are rumors about Saudi clubs being interested in him. Scoring 15 goals in 22 matches across all competitions for Monaco is no small feat. I also found out that he won the UNFP Player of the Month award in December 2019, which is pretty cool. I guess my little project confirmed what everyone already knew – Ben Yedder is a top-class player.
Wrapping Up
This whole experience was a lot of fun for me. It might seem like a lot of work to some, but I enjoyed every minute of it. It’s not just about the numbers, though. Tracking Ben Yedder’s stats gave me a deeper appreciation for his game and the effort he puts in every week. It made watching Monaco’s matches even more exciting, as I had a personal investment in seeing how he performed. I think I’ll keep doing this for other players too. Maybe next season I’ll pick a young up-and-comer and see how they develop. Any suggestions? Let me know in the comments!
