'Shane Duffy's historic campaign': 16 of the most astonishing individual player statistics from the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership

The most eye-catching advanced statistics involving players in the Scottish top-flight this season.

Shane Duffy has been dominant in the air this season for Celtic. Picture: SNS

James Tavernier has a combined 20 goals and assists in the Scottish Premiership this season. It’s an incredible tally for a number of reasons, but mainly because he’s a RIGHT-BACK!

There is only one non-Old Firm player in the top 9 for expected goals + expected assists per 90 minutes – and that’s St Johnstone’s Israeli striker Guy Melamed. Hibs’ Kevin Nisbet is the other player in the top 10.

The four most consistent shooters per 90 minutes in the top flight are all Celtic players: Leigh Griffiths, Odsonne Edouard, Mohammed Elyounoussi and Ryan Christie.

Celtic also have the three players who have taken the most shots from outside the area in Christie, David Turnbull and Callum McGregor.

Odsonne Edouard has struck the target with over 50 per cent of his efforts on goal. However, he is neither the only player to do so nor the leader in that category. That honour belongs to Motherwell forward Devante Cole.

Four of the top five players who’ve had the most headed attempts on goal are forwards. The other, and current leader, is Rangers centre-back Connor Goldson (23).

Aberdeen striker Callum Hendry (on loan from St Johnstone) has the worst percentage of shots hitting the target in the entire league (24.14).

Rangers have both No.1 and No.2 for the players who’ve attempted the most crosses: Tavenier and leader Borna Barisic.

While the Croatian ranks fairly high for crossing accuracy, he is far from the most accurate this campaign. That title belongs to St Johnstone’s left-back Callum Booth, who finds a team-mate with a cross an astonishing 52 per cent of the time.

Of all the full-backs in the league, only five have averaged more than one shot assist per 90 minutes. Those are Tavernier, Barisic and Nathan Patterson of Rangers, Greg Taylor of Celtic, and Hamilton left-back Scott McMann.

Kristoffer Ajer (3) has been caught offside more times than Mohamed Elyounoussi (1).

Though there are obviously other flaws to his game, Celtic’s Shane Duffy is the league’s most dominant player in the air and it’s not even close. The Irishman has been successful on 83.24 per cent of his aerial duels. In second place is Ross County’s Coll Donaldson with 74.66. In fact, Duffy is the only Scottish Premiership player to have a success rate over 80 since Wyscout started tracking the statistic in 2015/16.

Hamilton spoiler Hakeem Odoffin leads the league in both interceptions and shots blocked. No other player appears in the top 5 of both.

Combative Aberdeen favourite Lewis Ferguson is both the league’s most fouled player and the one who has committed the most fouls.

Hibs midfielder Jackson Irvine is the king of through passes. He has attempted the most per 90 minutes (2.94) by some distance and has the second highest success rate.

Benjamin Siegrest has faced the most shots in the league. With 170, the Dundee United custodian has faced 14 more attempts than second place Ross Laidlaw, but has conceded 15 fewer goals than the County keeper.

- All statistics come via Wyscout.com

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