In crafting an understanding of Japanese winger Junya Ito, plying his trade in Ligue 1 with Reims, the dichotomy between his impressive ball recovery and progressive passing prowess and inefficiencies in front of the net lies at the heart of his game. At 31, Ito is aged like a well-tuned samurai sword - still sharp, still reliable - ranking in the 92nd percentile in ball recovery and mirrored just as impressively in his progressive passing. This combative nature and the ability to launch counter-attacks give him mastery of field dynamics.
However, the tale of this veteran is as much about his failings as it is his strengths. Despite showing a knack for chance creation and offering a staggering 96th percentile in 'expected assists per 90' and 'successful crosses per 90', Ito's goal efficiency languishes at a meager 16th percentile. Similarly, he's just in the top third for 'goal threat,' 'xG per 90,' 'shots per 90,' and 'dispossessed per 90.' Here lies the crux - a creator rather than a finisher. His contributions as an assist maestro are significant, but his limited output of 'goals per 90,' resting at only the 20th percentile, shows weakness in the final third.
Nevertheless, Ito's ball retention, demonstrated by his 38th percentile, and his X-factor of successful dribbles at 66% give him a prime role in the setup rather than the completion. A wizard with his positioning, a warrior in regaining control, yet his lackluster execution still leaves something to be desired - a paradoxical player, caught in a tussle between the yin and yang of his skill set.
Junya Ito Key stats
Junya Ito Shot Maps
Junya Ito Shot Summary
In the 2023-2024 season, Junya Ito took 46 shots, scoring 3 goals. This output came from an Expected Goals (xG) of 4.53, averaging 0.1 xG per shot.
Right Foot: 2 goals from 34 shots. A 5.88% conversion rate. 0.1 xG per shot.
Left Foot: 1 goals from 10 shots. A 10.0% conversion rate. 0.09 xG per shot.
Headers: 0 goals from 2 headed attempts. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.16 xG per shot.
