Brentford's poor start can be put down to a lack of ruthlessness in both boxes and the statistics show the Bees to be an outlier in the Championship.

The west Londoners have taken the most shots (75) and had the most on target (30) but have ended up with just five goals, which is around the average goals scored per team.

While 48 games is a small sample size, it takes, on average, four (3.9998 to four decimal places) shots on target for a side to score a goal and 12.5 shots to find the net.

The Bees have needed six to be heading into the net to actually cross the line, which is the third worst in the division behind Preston (eight) and Sheffield United (nine).

Dean Smith

Ipswich have the best record for shots on target to goals, scoring nine of their 11 with Wolves in second, scoring seven of their 12.

The most average team when it comes to goals per shots is Derby, who have scored four goals from 16 efforts on target.

The Bees have conceded the most goals, which is surprising as they have faced relatively few shots on goal with 34. Middlesbrough have faced the fewest on 31.

19 of those efforts have been on target, which is the worst ratio in the division with more than one in two efforts being on target.

Opponents have needed less than four shots to score past Dan Bentley, while Preston at the other end of the scale, have conceded one from 40.

The stopper: Dan Bentley in action against Southampton

Indeed, the Bees stopper has only made 10 saves with the ball going in, which is one more than he's conceded. That being said, there was very little Bentley, as an individual, could have done about any of the goals.

The only worse record is Millwall's Jordan Archer who has conceded six of the 11 shots he's faced.

Cardiff, who have conceded just once, have the best record when it comes to conceding for every shot on target, being beaten once with eight efforts on target.

Ipswich have the second best record, conceding four from 25, which perhaps suggests that the Tractor Boys have been as lucky as the Bees have been unlucky. They've faced the most shots in the division with 83, 25 of them being on target, but have only conceded four goals. This is in tune with the average shots being actually on target.

Shout: Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy

Derby's east Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest are the average team when it comes to conceding goals to shots on targets, shipping six from 27.

While it will be cold comfort for Brentford fans looking at the league table, these statistics will surely become more uniform over the course of the season and, as it does, the Bees will move higher up in the league table.

The three teams with the best goals per shots on target ratio

Ipswich

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Nottingham Forest/Bolton Wanderers

The three teams with the worst goals to shots on target ratio

Preston

Sheffield United

Brentford

The three teams with the best shots on target faced to goals conceded

Preston

Cardiff

Ipswich

The three teams with the worst shots on target faced to goals conceded

Millwall

Brentford

Norwich