Stats Analysis: Teams Whose Games Lack Goals

Having analysed Europe's most entertaining sides to watch in terms of goals per game (both scored and conceded), WhoScored has decided to take a look at the other side of the coin and the teams whose games have been considerably less goal-filled.

While the entertainment of a game does not solely balance on the number of goals during its course, we have looked at the sides that one may want to avoid if that’s what you are after. It should also be stressed that having a tight defence will aid in a teams inclusion in this piece, which is of course not something to be frowned upon, but we're glory hunting here and we start in England, and a very particular area of the country at that.

Premier League

The vast majority of those who live on Merseyside have either red or blue blood, but their beloved Liverpool and Everton haven’t been repaying the fans in terms of goals this season. The rivals' games have both seen a total of 49 scored between themselves and their opponents, with Everton's tally of just 23 scored placing them just above their neighbours in our leaderboard.

The fact Tim Cahill only scored his first goal of the season last week and Louis Saha scored just once before a bemusing switch to Tottenham on deadline day is the main cause of their inclusion, with Baines, Osman and Vellios all still top scoring on 3. A lack of goals has meant that Moyes' side have had to be resolute at the back thus far, conceding just 26 goals to help them rise to 10th in the league, despite only 2.13 goals being scored in their, and Liverpool's, matches this term.

The Reds' struggles in front of goal - though not as severe as their fierce rivals - have been equally, if not more, surprising. Many would point to the suspension of Luis Suarez but the Uruguayan had netted just 5 times from 81 shots before his ban, with Craig Bellamy now on 6 having attempted just 29 strikes in comparison. Therefore, Liverpool rarely romp to victory but their defensive record is second only to leaders Man City, conceding 21 and leaving them in the hunt for that 4th placed Champions League spot.

Serie A

Italy's Serie A has been bemoaned for an apparent lack of entertainment and an over emphasis on defensive tactics for years but one only need look at the most recent gameweek from the league to see that the tides are changing. Despite this, the country's elite league does possess the team with the fewest goals seen, either scored or conceded, in their games in Europe's top 5 leagues, though it may come as a surprise to know that that team is Fiorentina, with just 1.85 scored on average in their encounters.

The Viola have scored just 20 goals this season, with exactly half coming from their young magician Stevan Jovetic, who has added goals to his game off the back of a lengthy injury lay-off. Only Alessio Cerci (3) and the now sold Alberto Gilardino (2) have scored more than a solitary goal this term, with Delio Rossi hoping that Juve flop Amauri can add some much needed firepower. Rossi's side is, however, built upon an excellent defence, with only the unbeaten Juventus conceding fewer than their tally of 17.

In terms of sides that have neither scored nor conceded goals in reasonable amounts, one need look no further than Siena, whose goal difference of -1 comes having scored 21 and conceded 22. In turn their games average 2.15 goals between the sides, with goals from midfield the real issue for the 17th placed team.

La Liga

Only one team in Europe has scored fewer goals this season than Granada's 14 (Cesena - 13), so it comes as no surprise to see them lead the way for the worst entertainers in Spain in terms of goals scored and conceded per game. The newly promoted side has, however, somehow managed to linger just above the relegation zone for much of the season, despite no player in their squad netting more than twice thus far.

There is no doubt that if they are to keep their place in La Liga their decent defensive record will be the reason. It is clear to see that keeper Roberto has been a key player this season, with his rating of 7.21 from WhoScored way above any other in the squad. All of their 6 wins this season have been by a single goal and it looks like their campaign could go right to the wire, much like many of their matches thus far.

Perhaps the biggest decline in entertainment in terms of goals this season has occurred at Sevilla. Under Gregorio Manzano last season there were more goals in an average game for the Andalucians than an average Barcelona game (123 - 116), but this season that figure has dropped from 3.24 per game to 2.15 per game under Toral. They have scored just 21 times, with only the bottom 6 clubs in the league scoring fewer, and the new manager is certainly under pressure.

Bundesliga

Kaiserslautern are some way down on the rest of Germany's top-flight when it comes to goals per game, with just 2 in an average match involving Marco Kurz's side. They have netted just 15 goals and find themselves in the relegation play-off place with just under half of the season to play. There record of conceding just 23 goals will be key to the Red Devils' survival, with only title chasers Munich, Dortmund, Gladbach and 8th placed Hoffenheim letting in fewer.

While the aforementioned champion wannabes have scored goals aplenty, Hoffenheim have struggled to do so, netting just 20 this season in a reasonable campaign thus far. The fact that just 4 of the 20 players who have played a part this season remaining at the club have scored tells the story. With no discernible centre-forward to rely on following the sale of Vedad Ibisevic, Holger Stanislawski has put his faith in on loan Wolfsburg striker Srdjan Lakic, who himself hasn’t netted this term.

Ligue 1

The second lowest record when it comes to goals scored and conceded combined per game belongs to French club Brest who, in the sale of main striker Nolan Roux, have cut firepower from their squad rather than adding to it this January. Having played 21 games, scored 20 goals and conceded the same amount they are the draw specialists in Europe with a massive 12. In all of their league matches this season, only once have either side scored more than 2 goals in a game, coming in a 3-1 home win over Lorient in October.

Francis Gillot's Bordeaux side have rarely wowed this season either, with only 4 sides scoring fewer goals than their 22 and only 5 conceding fewer than the 23 they have let in thus far. In les Girondins' last 10 matches, 10 clean sheets have been kept of a possible 20 between the competing sides, and goals have generally been hard to come by for the Bordeaux fans.

Simply put, if you want to see a glut of goals go to Blackburn not Liverpool, go to Genoa not Florence and more obviously, go to Madrid not Granada!