We’ve looked at Premier League trends in goalscoring from distance over recent seasons. But what’s happening in the WSL?

In this blog, Game Insights Analyst James Cook investigates past and current data on goalscoring from outside the box in the WSL.

Let’s look at the headline insights.

These headlines showcase some interesting similarities and differences between the leagues.

There is the same proportion of shots taken outside the box in both leagues (33%). However, in the WSL, a higher proportion of goals are scored from inside the box than in the Premier League.

So, how has the data looked over recent seasons?

This shows a trend different to the Premier League. In the WSL, there has been a steady decrease in the proportion of open play goals scored from outside the box – until this season.

Have players been taking more shots from outside the box this season? Have they been getting better at executing shots from distance?

Let’s look at more data to find what might be causing this.

The proportion of shots taken outside the box is decreasing. This has dropped around 10% in the last 9 seasons. The conversion rates are increasing, so we can draw interesting conclusions from this.

• Players are becoming more effective at taking long-range shots.
• Players are making better decisions on when to shoot from outside the box.

So, which players in the WSL need to be able to do this?

Centre forwards and attacking midfielders account for 6 in 10 of goals from outside the box so far this season.

When designing game-realistic practices, ensure central and attacking midfielders have enough repetition of long-range shooting to support technical development. This will allow you to coach your players on the 6 capabilities of shooting from distance.

Consider each capability below…

Coaching considerations

• The WSL insights highlight centre forwards and attacking midfielders scoring the most goals from outside the box. Encourage players in all positions to practice shooting over different distances from the goal through effective practice design.
• Consider your players' age and stage. When coaching younger players, they may not be able to generate as much power on the ball. Remember to consider the distances in your practices to add relevance for players.
• When coaching the 6 capabilities of finishing, encourage your players to notice how far away from the goal they are and how many players are in the way. This will help them make good decisions in games about when it might be best to shoot from a distance.