From Joselu to ‘Comandante’ Morales, the resurgence of teams that exceed the scoring average of their starters

Days pass, minutes become a burden on the players’ backs and, most importantly, their legs. That’s when coaches assign ‘a priori’ secondary players from the bench in a primary role, jumping onto the pitch to give the game some meaning. 180 degree rotation and they try to create a sudden reaction in the field that removes the obstacle when gunpowder is scarce. This is the worst or the best These shock absorbers exceed the average of their main competitors. But they are still substitutes.

And not only that, they also have probably the most appreciated but expensive quality in a footballer: versatility, the ability to adapt to any position in a matter of minutes and, of course, the ability to act effectively in front of goal. It ends in ‘9’ and vice versa. An equation that football players like Joselu, Abdón Prats, Morales, Memphis, Álex Berenguer or Vitor Roque.

Joselu and Memphis, the capital’s superheroes

Looking forward real Madrid He landed at Valdebebas aware of the secondary role he would have to face in the team. Carlo Ancelotti. With the pressure of pain wait for Mbappe and the departure of the old Benzema Spanish He arrives ready to show why he was the third-leading scorer in LaLiga last year. Karim And Lewandowski. Thus, the former white young actor made it clear that not only small places shine. Scored 12 goals in 1445 minutes. Averages to evaluate these numbers 0.74 goals every 90 minutesarguably much more rodrygowith the same goals and 2,400 minutes (0.45 every 90 minutes).

And this is important not only because he raises the average of his opponents, but also because of how decisive his goals are. So he came off the bench to equalize the score 2-1 in the derby. Last 16 rounds of the cup at the Metropolitano. From there Championsbecause he also knows how to make a comeback in European events (23) before that Union Berlin or scoring in the 94th Naples inside bernabeuThe player who takes distance after 3-2. Joselu does not believe in his primary role even as a starter. It was clearly visible in front of the Colosseum. Getafe. A goal was all he needed to score his first goal hat trick While he was alone against David Soria in the white club, he opted to provide an assist to Vinicius, who missed against the blue goalkeeper. As if that wasn’t enough, the born Real Madrid supporter and naturally self-critical striker was born out of the process of renewal he emerged from. nachos, karvajal And Lucas Vazquez, He does not hesitate to apologize to the Bernabéu crowd when he scores after his previous mistake. You can’t ask for more.

A few kilometers away, in the west of the capital, Memphis Depay once again breathed new life into the scoring records after several months in a coma. Dutch football player started the season by scoring a goal Scored two goals in his first three matcheshowever, he suffered a muscle injury in September that kept him off the field. But shockingly, Memphis was the spark that lit the fire as Atletico turned into ashes. 7 goals in 702 minutesFive of these have been in the last seven matches, with an average of almost one goal (0.9) scored every 90 minutes. And it’s all thanks to the resurgence the player experienced in the Cup, with a double against Lugo and against Sevilla cementing a solid rebuild in LaLiga. So the Dutch exceeded the average Alvaro Morataaccumulated 19 goals in 2,177 minutes (0.7 every 90 minutes)

Vitor Roque, culé roar

There’s no better way to explain why he was baptized in Brazil ‘Tigrinho’ He said that by scoring his first goals with Barça, he brought three points to a team that was drowning in a sea of ​​tears. Already on its debut Gran Canaria Stadium He entered the field with 12 minutes left and came close to scoring his first goal with his pass. Joao Felix. Two weeks later, after the resignation was announced Xavi’s, Vitor Roque He played the obnoxious role of his coach by coming from the bench to the opposing team. osasun It was not another boring match for the Catalans, as it ended with a score of 1-0.

I already made friends with the target, it was time to attack Mendizorroza and try to blow another short game that ended in a 1-1 draw at half-time. The only thing missing from a Barça team that some had a hard time understanding was 18 years and 10 minutes and the desire to give it their all. Fermin, Laminated Yamal And Vitor Roque They are the only people who can bring back the smiles in the stands in the match where the Brazilian player scored his first double. FC BarcelonaTo reaffirm that the only thing that enlivens the matches in Montjuïc today is the leadership and energy of Xavi’s “children”. There are already two goals in 127 minutes. More than one goal every 90 minutescompared to 0.38 inch joao FelixLewandowski’s 0.53 or 0.36 raphinha.

Berenguer ‘gives orders’ in purest Morales style

When Inaki Williams went to the African Cup GhanaHis brother Nico, Sancet And Guruzeta They said goodbye to their loyal allies with proven hierarchy. Appeared in second place Alex BerenguerNico has remained in the background since Williams’ emergence. protagonist basque derbyHe scored the two goals that decided the match in San Mamés. He had already shown in the Cup at the beginning of January that his goal-scoring instinct was not lost on the bench, scoring another pair of goals in 24 minutes against Eldense in a match where the Alicante team looked to make a splash but were met with solidity. The disgusting rojiblanco, who is already used to scoring two points at a time.

His last great performance was last Wednesday’s match. Copa del Rey semi-final first leg inside Big cityHe made Nico’s absence forgotten with the goal he scored from the penalty. The player has proven to be a reliable alternative to any of the Williamses left and right. and even ‘9’ if Guruzeta disappears. average Berenguer throws Five goals in 1,059 minutes. Or the same, 0.42 points every 90 minutes. Below two tenths, 0.34 Inaki WilliamsHe has the record of scoring 9 goals in 1,904 minutes.

like one’s own citizen Joselu said goodbye Spanish, morales He did the same with Levante a year ago. He was buried on the bench in the first months of the season, Villarreal striker changed after Marcelino’s forced goal. ‘El Comandante’ scored nine goals this season season. Morales broke the league record by making 19 shots and scoring six goals in the league championship. Average 0.32 goals per shot.

With the ‘9’ of the yellow submarine scoring a goal almost every 90 minutes, there is nothing to envy his starting teammates. Gerard Moreno The average per match is 0.64. Hat-trick against Osasunareturn goal barça on sale or before Seville After the first 1-0 rojiblanco. It all boils down to three words: speed, precision and the composure to always answer the targeted call.

Abdón Prats, king of trophies

he reached majorca They reached the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey and faced relegation against Girona, who were also flirting with the top spot. He was a fan of the Balearic team since he was little. Abdon Prats He took his team to the Cup semi-finals after scoring the double he “always dreamed of”, as he stated in the preview. So that the striker One of the best socks of this seasonWith only 11 goals 1,344 minutesHe scores an average of 0.7 goals every 90 minutes.

With Muriqi Unable to play in the last eight matches played between the League and the Cup due to injury, Abdón Prats was the team’s top scorer with nine goals, five in the league and four in the Cup.Even though he was a substitute player Leaguebecause he only started eight games.

All in all, most likely, barring injuries to their main rivals, the six will appear as substitutes in their team’s next matches, turning the spotlight to their teammates. They will not be in the starting 11, but they will do so with the medal hanging. Super heroes And more importantly, arguably better than the headlines. Eternal substitutes, monopolists of so-called things garbage minutes, but if you know how to take advantage of it, they can be turned into minutes of victory. Let them tell you.