Close
Stats 06 April 2023, 06:43

Why does AS Monaco have the most decisive bench in the top flight?

Why does AS Monaco have the most decisive bench in the top flight?
By scoring their 12th goal this season in Ligue 1 via a substitute, against Strasbourg (in a 4-3 win), the Principality club confirms that it has the most decisive bench in the league. Here's the proof in numbers, thanks to Stats Perform.

Edan Diop made a big impression last weekend! Not only did he score his first goal in an official match with the first team at the age of 18, the third in the Monegasques’ victory over RC Strasbourg (4-3). But he also built on the statistic that Philippe Clement’s side has the best bench in Ligue 1.

A 12th goal scored by a substitute

On at half-time against the Alsatians at the Stade Louis-II, the midfielder trained at the Academy, who signed his first professional contract last summer, scored what was the 12th goal by a Monegasque substitute this season. Here’s the data provided by our partner Opta, which the official Ligue 1 Uber Eats website shared thanks to Stats Perform.

We created chances, with two goals scored and decisive players off the bench again. This is a great strength! (...) Every week, every match, there is a lot of competition and therefore as many players likely to start. My goal is to find the right formula for each match.
Philippe ClementAfter the win in Ajaccio

The most decisive bench in the top flight

With 12 goals now scored off the bench, AS Monaco are well ahead of their closest competitiors, namely Lens (9), OGC Nice and Troyes (8). But it’s even more striking when you add assists to this tally, since seven assists have also been created by these “super subs” since Matchday 8 in Reims (a 3-0 win). By this measure the bench has scored nearly 20% of the 61 Monegasque goals in the league, and have been involved in nearly 20 in total, when assists are also considered (12+7).

The post-World Cup effect

This also shows the importance of the entire squad, evidenced by the Club being in  second place in the ranking of the most prolific teams in the top flight, since the return from the World Cuphaving won 30 points (with a +13 goal differential). Moreover, nine goals were scored by substitutes over this period (as well as four assists), more than any other team in the five major European leagues, added Opta.

Twelve players have been decisive

In all, twelve players have already contributed to a goal off the bench this season: Minamino (1 goal, 1 assist), Boadu (2g), Vanderson (1a), Golovin (1g, 1a), Volland (2a), Ben Seghir (2g), Ben Yedder (1g), Jakobs (1a), Embolo (3g), Matsima (1g), Diatta (1g) and Diop (1g). Among them, Breel Embolo is the player who has had the most impact, with three goals scored off the bench, making him the third-most decisive Ligue 1 player in this field, behind only Lens’ Loïs Openda and Nantes’ Mostafa Mohamed (4).

On Sunday, it was Kevin Volland who had two assists, including one for Youssouf Fofana against Strasbourg to make it 4-2. When one looks at these numbers, it’s plain to see that matches aren’t won and lost only by the starting eleven! 📊