Using data from Wyscout on players that have played over 800 minutes in the Dutch second tier in the 2023/24 season here's four strikers to keep track of.
With the notion of looking for forwards with a penalty box presence I've used the following criteria
• Shots per 90
• Shots on target % per 90
• xG per 90
• Touches in box per 90
Four players stood out above all others in the league. Interestingly all of the four are at the right end of their career making them interesting propositions in the transfer market.
Zacharia Eddahchouri, 23 (Telstar)
The data - Telstar forward Eddahchouri comes out on top of the ratings. Eddahchouri has scored five goals in eleven matches so far this season. Beyond the goals, he is averaging 3.84 shots per 90, only one other player in the rankings averaged over 3 shots per 90! Just over 52% of his strikes have hit the target and he has an xG per 90 of 0.45. Eddahchouri also has the most Touches in box per 90 of anyone in the rankings, a number of 5.07.
The story - Eddahchouri made his breakthrough at Go Ahead Eagles in the 2018/19 season and played for the Deventer club until 2021/22. Eddahchouri only scored once in thirty appearances across those four season at GAE and last season dropped to Haarlem based sided Koninklijke HFC Haarlem in the third tier. The move worked out, Eddahchouri scored seventeen goals in thirty one games and earned himself a move up a division to Telstar. Telstar are struggling towards the bottom of the table with ten points from a possible thirty six. But of the twelve goals they've managed this season Eddahchouri has 42% of them.
Eddahchouri's signed a one year deal but Telstar have an option to extend by twelve months.
The video - Eddahchouri is approx 6ft2 and right footed. There's lots of variety to his goals. Short range headers, clever movement and a strike against NAC Breda where he collected the ball in his own half before driving at the defence, besting a man and unleashing a shot from range with force. In build up play, Eddahchouri favours drifting out to the left flank.
2. Milan Smit, 20 (Cambuur)
The data - Smit's xG per 90 leaps off the page at you - 0.8 per game, way ahead at the top of that metric. Smit has 2.81 shots per 90 with 64% on target with 3.38 touches in box per 90.
The story - Smit is having a breakout season with Cambuur. Eight goals in eleven matches sees Smit sit tied second in the Eerste Divisie top scorers chart, one goal off the top. Smit played a handful of minutes in the top flight over the last two season, four substitute appearances in 2021/22 scoring once followed by three starts and ten substitute appearances in 2022/23, again scoring once. Cambuur are currently the second highest scoring team in the Dutch second tier, Smit one of many goal contributors. Smit is on a deal at Cambuur until 2026 with the club holding a further one year option.
The video - Milan Smit is a tall (approx 6ft3), athletic footballer. Right footed but adept with his left too. Smit sometimes plays from the left as well as centrally.
3. Koen Kostons, 24 (MVV)
The data - Belgian striker, Kostons has 2.78 shots per 90 with 39% on target. Only Smit comes out with an higher xG per 90 with Kostons operating at 0.52. Kostons has 4.46 touches in box per 90.
The story - Koen Kostons has been playing at MVV since 2017/18, leaving for a two season spell at Swedish team Dalkurd in 2022 before returning to Maastricht ahead of the start of 2022/23 season. Last season Kostons topped the assist charts with eighteen across the season as well as eight goals. He's carried that form over to this season and in eleven matches has scored six times, he continues to create too with a further three assists. Kostons is out of contract at the end of this season.
The video - Kostens is approx 6ft and a technical footballer with clever movement. Kostens comes alive in the penalty area with lots of his goals around the six yard box and numerous assists because of smart decision making and calmness when attacking.
4. Michail Kosidis, 21 (VVV)
The data - The fourth player of my list. Kosidis has 2.22 shots per 90, 52% on target with an xG of 0.41 per 90 and 3.53 touches in box per 90.
The story - Greece under 21 international, Kosidis is on loan at VVV from AEK Athens where he is contracted until 2026. Kosidis has made some cameo appearance for AEK but his senior minutes have increased markedly with the loan to Venlo. Kosidis has scored three goals in eleven matches this season, underperforming his xG of 4.97.
The video - Kosidis is a tall (approx 6ft3) right footed player with the profile of a Target Man, often used by VVV to build attacks by him showing for the the ball short into his feet or chest.
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Another player close to making the blog post was Jong Utrecht's Mees Rijk who would've come out fourth had I dropped the minutes played requirements by 90.
Data from Wyscout
Contract details from Transfermarkt
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