Shonan Bellmare finished the J1 League 2022 season 12th in the league standings. After winning the J2 League back in 2017, this was their best finish in the J1 League. This season, the team has made a positive start to their campaign by staying undefeated in the first three matches. The team started the campaign with a 5-1 win over Sagan Tosu. This win was followed by consecutive draws. One of the key elements in their early success is the 26-year-old striker, Yuki Ohashi. He has four goal contributions to his name and has already equalled his tally from last season. We look at some of the stats of the player that show why he can turn out to be an asset in Shonan Bellmare’s run to a top-half finish.
An early success in front of the goal
Yuki Ohashi has spent 189 minutes on the field for Shonan Bellmare. His team plays with two strikers at the top. Ohashi is one of them and his touch map shows that the player likes to cover the whole playing area in the final third.
Yuki Ohashi has scored three goals in the current season and has surpassed his last season’s tally of two goals. The 26-year-old has converted all his on-target shots. By looking at the above xG map we can observe that Ohashi has found space just outside the six-yard box. He has taken 11 touches inside the opposition penalty box and averages more than five touches inside it.
Massive improvements from last season
Last season, Yuki Ohashi scored two goals in 1011 minutes spent on the field. He attempted 35 shots and had an accuracy rate of 31.4%. His xG map from the last season shows that the player lacked that finishing touch in front of the goal. He missed four chances from inside the six-yard box, and these could have been converted into goals. The xG per shot was also a bit lower than what he had this season. Overall, the striker improved his finishing and took better positions in the penalty box.
The creative side
Yuki Ohashi has provided an assist this season. Last season, the player had two assists. The above pass map shows all the 46 attempts he made this season. These included seven passes to the final third and six to the penalty box. The passes attempted by him were either for spreading the play or he attempted them to find a teammate in goal-scoring positions.
Betting analysis
Yuki Ohashi has been the top goal-scorer for his side. His inclusion in the team will lower the odds rate. As per the 1×2 betting odds, Shanon Bellmare’s odds will rise against tough opponents and lower against weaker ones. The over lines are also expected to thrive if we look at their current form.
The 26-year-old has made a positive start to the season. He has helped his side to take five points from the first three games. Shonan Bellmare have fought relegation since their promotion. This time they are looking like a team on a mission and aim for a top-half finish.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
