Being clinical in football is a crucial part of a strikers game. Although scoring plenty of goals in the primary target, taking up valuable chances in a game for a shot that doesn't end up as a goal can only be deemed as wasteful.

The best strikers should not just be rated on how many goals they score, but also how many goals they score to the shots that they attempt. Of course there's midfielders who rarely shoot, but if they score every time they do have a shot instead of picking a pass, then they are certainly not wasting any opportunities for others to score.

We're now twelve games into the Premier League season and there has been a record amount of goals scored. So at this early stage of the season, who are the top 5 most clinical players in the Premier League?

Sergio Aguero is currently the top goalscorer and Diego Costa has been in fine goalscoring form, but who's the most prolific player in the Premier League?

The following statistics are worked out by dividing the amount of goals scored by an individual, divided by their average shots per game.

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5th - Mohamed Diame & Steven Fletcher - 3.75 shots per goal

Hull's new boy and Sunderland's goal poacher are forced to share the 5th place spot after performing identically thus far. The two players haven't wasted many opportunities and although Diame plays in a midfield role, he's managed to notch up 4 goals thus far, as has Fletcher.

The Scotland international has been unfortunate with injuries in the past but he has proved that he can score goals at the highest level when he gets a bit of fortune, and for a striker to not waste opportunities by shooting on sight, he should be helping his team. Although if he's prolific maybe they would like a few more shots and goals from him.

4th - Nacer Chadli - 3.5 shots per goal

Tottenham's belgian midfielder is finally finding his feet in the Premier League and he has been nothing short of prolific so far this term, taking just 3.5 shots to score each of his 6 league goals.

The midfielder is the club's top goalscorer so far, and although Pochettino would like more assists than goals from his midfielders, I don't think he would like to imagine how his team would be doing with Chadli.

A good fourth place for Nacer, but it's early days in the season, can he continue his form in front of goal?

Mile Jedinak - 3.25 shots per goal

Yet another midfielder in the list, and the Crystal Palace captain is only included thanks to his prolific ability from set pieces. The Australian rarely gets forward in general attacks for The Eagles, yet the defensive midfielder has four goals to his name.

After 2 successful penalties, and a wonderful free-kick against Liverpool, Mile has just one goal from open play and that was a header from a corner - he rarely shoots but when he does he scores.

Some would say that penalties surely shouldn't count, but it still has to be converted and that requires a shot!

2nd - Leonardo Ulloa - 3.2 shots per goal

Signing a 28-year-old from the Championship should rarely warrant a fee as large as Leicester paid for Ulloa in the summer, but the clinical Uruguayan is proving that he is worth every penny.

Having just over 3 shots per goal scored, the striker is the second most clinical player in the Premier League. With 5 league goals to his name he's the clubs top scorer. He's still undoubtedly a costly signing but as long as he gets enough shots away, he will keep bagging numerous goals for Leicester City.

There's only room for one more, and we've not seen either Aguero or Costa yet - who's it going to be?

1st - Diego Costa - 2.9 shots per goal

The only player in the Premier League who has a ratio of below 3 shots per goal and it happens to be the second highest scorer in the league. The Spaniard/Brazilian may have cost a hefty £32m but having scored more goals than games played in the Premier League thus far, he's a bargain.

The 26-year-old is prolific at taking chances but he's also scoring a bag full of goals. An incredible start to life in the Premier League for Costa and he doesn't show any signs of stopping.

Only one player has scored more than Diego, and that's Sergio Aguero - however the Argentinean is far more wasteful, taking 5.3 shots per goal scored.