Striker Van Bergen increasingly clinical: 'You don't need to shoot hard into the corner'

Van Bergen has scored six goals this season for FC Groningen after working on his finishing technique and shot placement.

Thom van Bergen is making significant progress with his finishing for FC Groningen this season, already reaching six goals after last year's nine-goal tally. The striker has been focusing on improving his conversion rate, which was a point of discussion last season when his expected goals significantly outpaced his actual output.

Van Bergen explained his development in an interview, noting that he initially believed scoring in the Eredivisie required powerful shots into the corner. He has since learned that technique and placement matter more than pure power. "If you just shoot as hard as possible, you often shoot straight at the keeper," he said. "But if you hold back a bit, you can give the ball some effect and have many more options."

The 24-year-old has been dedicating extra time both during and after training sessions to develop these automatisms and find different ways to score. His goal for this season is to reach double figures.