Shots on target
A shot on target is an attempt that would have ended up in the net without the intervention of the goalkeeper (or a last defender on the line). Goals count as shots on target; a shot that hits the post or bar without going in, or goes wide, is not on target.
Shots on target separate genuinely dangerous attempts from mere shot volume. Divided by total shots, they give the accuracy rate (shots on target ÷ shots), which reflects how precise a team or a striker is. A shot blocked by a defender who is not the last line of defence is usually classed as a « blocked shot », not as a shot on target.
The conversion rate completes the picture: goals ÷ shots, or goals ÷ shots on target. Over one match these figures swing wildly; over a season, a conversion rate far above average often signals a return to normal, because exceptional finishing rarely lasts.
Shots on target have a limit: they say nothing about the quality of the chance. A tame 30-metre effort straight at the goalkeeper counts the same as a one-on-one. That is why they are cross-checked with xG, which weights each shot by its probability of being scored. Exact definitions also vary slightly between statistics providers.
Example
A team has 15 shots, 6 of them on target, and scores 2 goals: accuracy 6 ÷ 15 = 40%; conversion 2 ÷ 15 ≈ 13% of shots and 2 ÷ 6 ≈ 33% of shots on target.
How Elofoot uses it
In the AI analysis, Elofoot's server calculates each team's expected shots and shots on target from their actual averages, adjusted for the match's expected goals (xG), and indicates which team is more likely to have the first shot. Shot volume also feeds the playing-style indices (directness, tempo).
Frequently asked questions
- Is a shot that hits the post on target?
- No. A shot that hits the post or bar and stays out is not on target, since it would not have gone in without any intervention. If it goes in off the woodwork, it is a goal, and therefore a shot on target.
- Does a goal count as a shot on target?
- Yes. Shots on target include goals and shots saved by the goalkeeper or cleared off the line by the last defender.
- What is a good shooting accuracy?
- In the major leagues, a team gets roughly one shot in three on target on average. A clearly higher rate over time points to a precise attack or shots taken from good positions.
See also
Go further
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