Athletic Club have been relying on a rotating cast of forwards since the retirement of Aritz Aduriz, without ever really finding a comfortable balance, but if one player has been asked to carry out the role more than any other, it is Inaki Williams. This season he has been returned to his original position on the right wing, and with it, he has improved dramatically.
Often it has been noted that his greatest defect is his lack of a clinical touch in the final third, but with his move back out to the flank, he is seeing less of the ball, but has been far more effective with it, as per Marca.
His record total of goals in La Liga is 14, but just 14 games in and he is nearly halfway to that total on six, while he has also contributed three assists. As per the numbers, Williams is taking fewer shots but from much better positions, registering an expected goals figure of 0.12 per shot.
“The wing is not new for him, although it is further from the goal. He knows he has fewer obligations in disputes in the long game, and on the flank he has more space for his runs, which are very powerful,” as per Ernesto Valverde.
With the move back out to the wing, Williams has struck up a stronger relationship with Oihan Sancet, who has given him 39 passes, 10 of which have resulted in shots for Williams, as was in evidence with Sancet’s assist for Williams against Girona. The 29-year-old is averaging a goal every 206 minutes, and is well on his way to surpassing his total from last season.
He is taking more shots per game, and his goals per shot ratio (0.15) is the second-highest in his career compared to 0.17 in 2019. Not only that, his defensive numbers have also improved, and he ranks in the top 4% for his position in terms of ball recoveries and interceptions.
The problem on the horizon is that he could miss 5-6 weeks in 2024 to go to the African Cup of Nations with Ghana, which would require a rethink for Valverde. However it appears he is once again getting the best out of Williams.
