We are almost halfway into the La Liga season and this one has been a rollercoaster for the big guns. One of the most competitive seasons of recent times, only three points separated the top three going into matchday 17.

We take a look at how clinical the top five teams – Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Real Madrid and Alaves – have been in the following scenarios:

Open play

Corners

Set-pieces (Indirect free-kick)

Direct free-kick

Penalties have not been considered as all teams have a 100-per-cent conversion rate and discussion on the same would be futile.

The criteria used to judge the conversion of the team from different scenarios is their goals-per-shot ratio. This gives us an understanding of the prolificity of the teams with their shots. An inference based on quality of the shots can be arrived at if the ratio of goals to Expected goals (xG) is considered. This graph paints a picture of the quantitative aspect of the same.

Barcelona

As is clear from the graph and obvious to the eyes, the Catalan club are most dangerous in open-play. The likes of Ousmane Dembele, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have opened up most of the defences they have faced this season. The 5-1 thumping of eternal rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou stands out as the highlight of their season and four of the five goals came from open play.

The presence of Messi – arguably the best free-kick taker in the world – makes an argument for why Barcelona are likely to score from direct free-kicks from promising positions.

Atletico Madrid

Although it looks like the Europa League champions have all the traits to hurt a team in set-pieces, especially due to the presence of players like Diego Godin, Diego Costa, Juanfran, the Colchoneros have proved that they are a balanced bunch, who have flexible scoring methods.

Antoine Griezmann scored the only free-kick for Atletico so far and the Frenchman is also a potent at delivering the ball into the box in case of a set-piece. Diego Simeone’s men appear to be a stable lot after a shaky start to the season.

Sevilla

Wissam Ben Yedder, Andre Silva and Pablo Sarabia have been the main source of goals for Sevilla, with Ever Banega chipping in occasionally. The Seville-based side have not scored from a direct free-kick and are most prolific when taking a shot after a string of passes, in open play.

Players like Gabriel Mercado, Daniel Carrico and Luis Muriel renders the team dangerous at set-pieces and corners. The scoring pattern from Sevilla seems sustainable and Pablo Machin can look forward to a good run in La Liga and a deep run in the Europa League.

Real Madrid

Absolutely pathetic. The fact that Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema have had a nightmare of a season so far is further highlighted by the fact that Madrid are the least prolific in open-play among the top-five teams. The fact that Los Blancos have failed to score from a corner, set-piece or a direct free-kick shows how their team-mates have not done well at their job, either.

Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have failed to deliver from direct freekicks. Sergio Ramos – who was at the end of numerous corners and set-pieces in the past few seasons has only scored from the spot so far this season. This model is unsustainable and Madrid are lucky to occupy a spot in the top five.

Alaves

Alaves have been the surprise entrants into the top five this season. Their style of play is entirely different from the rest of the teams in this category. El Glorioso are wasteful in open play, as they tend to shoot from distance.

Evidently, set-pieces are Alaves’s biggest strength and they are better at it than any of the top-four teams. They are equally good at defending set-pieces and have not conceded a single goal from an indirect free-kick. Abelardo has started a revolution at Alaves ever since he took over, at the end of last year. Sustained success for one year certainly makes a case for them being a new powerhouse in La Liga.

Data from whoscored and understat