PSV are on the path to their 25th Dutch Eredivisie title. The club last won the league in 2017-18 and has a 10-point lead at the top of the table in 2024. Defending champions Feyenoord are the only team near them. PSV players have been in exceptional form, especially, Luuk de Jong. The striker has over 30 goal involvements in the Dutch top division. In addition, Joey Veerman has been a creative force from the midfield. These two are regular starters for their squad. However, there is one more player who also deserves a lot of credit.
United States striker Ricardo Pepi joined the club from FC Augsburg at the start of the season. The 21-year-old moved to Europe in 2022 and is making a name for himself. Pepi has only started in three games across three different competitions. He has 34 appearances to his name, with more than 90% of them coming off the bench.
Pepi’s impact off the bench has been a great one. His goals have carried PSG in tough situations and the team is sitting comfortably at the top of the table. Here are some stats that show why Pepi could be a big name in European football.
PSV’s Super Sub
The data shows the stats of Ricardo Pepif from the Dutch Eredivisie and the UEFA Champions League. Pepi has only spent 688 minutes on the field and netted nine goals. He averages 1.2 goals per 90 minutes. The forward has attempted 27 shots and 14 were on target.
The 21-year-old averages 6.4 touches inside the opposition penalty box. His shooting areas also state the same. Pepi has attempted shots from a close range and has a high xG rate per shot.
This plot Measures the striker’s shot-taking frequency and accuracy, key factors in a prolific goal scorer. Pepi is rated among the best for attempting shots and hitting the target.
This visual evaluates the striker’s efficiency in converting scoring chances into non-penalty goals, an indicator of clinical finishing ability. Ricardo is the best in the business for scoring non-penalty goals. Of his seven league goals, one came from the spot.
The xG rate per 90 and goals per 90 are also on the higher side. The above plot demonstrates the striker’s goal-scoring efficiency by comparing their expected goals to actual goals scored per 90 minutes.
Ricardo Pepi’s link-up play & more
In addition to his nine goals, he has two assists in the current season. The 21-year-old forward has a lot of involvement in the game and that includes creating plays along with his teammates. He averages 21 passes per 90 minutes and delivers 81% of these passes.
In addition to this, the player has made some crucial recoveries inside the opposition half. Some of these have even turned into dangerous recoveries and that is a plus point for the team.
Ricardo Pepi will hope for more starts in the future. He has clearly made a name for himself and is getting recognition elsewhere. PSV might gamble on the player and sell him for more profit. As of now, he is eyeing his first league title.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
