Premier League goal of the week - round 9 rankings

 

It’s goal of the week time in the Premier League once more, with some memorable strikes to look back upon from gameweek 9. As ever, each goal is rated out of 5 based on the quality of the finish, difficulty of the chance and quality of the build up.

The finish relates to the shot alone, the difficulty of chance is based upon the goalscorer’s overall task, from when he receives the ball to when and where he shoots from, and the build up entails any passing or dribbling move leading up to the final shot at goal.

The following are our rankings based upon the average score of all three categories, with the highest score for the finish, followed by the difficulty gaining the advantage in the event of a tie.

1) Sofiane Boufal (vs West Brom) - Finish 3 / Difficulty 5 / Build up 5

The finest individual goal of the season so far, without any shadow of a doubt, Sofiane Boufal’s solo strike against West Brom will take some beating. It lit up a predictably uneventful affair and was a goal worthy of winning any game.

Picking up possession deep in his own half from a loose Rondon touch, the Moroccan managed to wriggle away from his initial marker in relatively scrappy fashion but the rest was majestic. Once he’d turned and was running at defenders they couldn’t get near him, with the fact that two Baggies players ran into one another while trying to stop him emphasising his dazzling dribble. When he did get into a shooting position, the trickster shifted the ball onto his right foot superbly before slotting home with a neat finish into the bottom corner.

 

 

2) Pedro (vs Watford) - Finish 5 / Difficulty 4 / Build up 2

In yet another action packed game, Pedro got the ball rolling in an eventual 4-2 win over Watford with an absolute stunner. It came from a short corner - wrongly awarded one should add - before Hazard eventually pulled the ball back to the Spaniard just outside the box. Spotting an opportunity to find the top corner under little pressure, the former Barca man curled a first time, right footed effort in off the far post to leave Heurelho Gomes with no chance. The finish couldn’t have been any better, but the lack of build up means the Spain star finishes second to Boufal for gameweek 9.

3) Andrew Surman (vs Stoke) - Finish 4 / Difficulty 3 / Build up 4

In what was a massive game for Eddie Howe’s side, Bournemouth picked up a first away win of the season at Stoke courtesy of a superb start to the match. Working the ball impressively down the right flank, Adam Smith picked out Lys Mousset with a lofted ball down the line before making an excellent, darting underlapping run that was found by Jordon Ibe, before the full-back cut back for Junior Stanislas. His lay off was met by the onrushing Surman from the edge of the box, who picked out the bottom corner with his second impressive strike of the season having failed to score over the entirety of the previous campaign.

4) Wayne Rooney (vs Arsenal) - Finish 4 / Difficulty 4 / Build up 2

While Everton eventually fell to another crushing defeat, the Toffees took a shock lead over Arsenal courtesy of a fine finish from that man Rooney. A familiar foe to the Gunners, the former United man threatened to haunt Arsene Wenger once more after finding the far corner of the net from distance to make the most of Idrissa Gueye’s tackle on Granit Xhaka.

 

 

5) Alexis Sanchez (vs Everton) - Finish 4 / Difficulty 3 / Build up 3

The icing on the cake of what was a fist away win of the season for Arsene Wenger’s charges, the Gunners perhaps left there best goal of five until last. Monreal’s chipped ball into the box was flicked into Sanchez’s path exquisitely by Aaron Ramsey before the Chilean proceeded to run across the width of the box before burying his finish back across Jordan Pickford and into the far corner.

6) Jose Izquierdo (vs West Ham) - Finish 3 / Difficulty 4 / Build up 3
7) Michy Batshuayi (first vs Watford) - Finish 3 / Difficulty 3 / Build up 2
=) Harry Kane (first vs Liverpool) - Finish 3 / Difficulty 3 / Build up 2
=) Mikel Merino (vs Crystal Palace) - Finish 3 / Difficulty 3 / Build up 2   

 

BEST GOALS OF THE SEASON SO FAR

 

1) Sofiane Boufal (vs West Brom)
2) Charlie Daniels (vs Man City)

=) Antonio Valencia (vs Everton)

3) Fernandinho (vs Stoke)

=) Fabian Delph (vs Palace)

=) Maya Yoshida (vs Stoke)

=) Pedro (vs Watford)


*Constants

Penalty difficulty is always 2

Goals direct from dead balls always carry a build up score of 1

Goals converted indirectly from corners/free-kicks score a build up of 2

Premier League goal of the week - round 9 rankings