The Growing Importance of Football Analytics
From the origins of data analytics in football to FC Liverpool’s dominance, we explore how stats and algorithms are changing the Beautiful Game.
31
May
03
Jan
Wonderkids: Dejan Kulusevski
Dejan Kulusevski has burst onto the scene this season as one of the most exciting Under-20 players in Europe, with 4 goals and 7 assists in 17 appearances for Parma,… Wonderkids: Dejan Kulusevski
10
Aug
Wonderkids: Federico Chiesa
Federico Chiesa is one of the most divisive young players in Italy and a particularly interesting case of study: while his physical development so far has been very good and… Wonderkids: Federico Chiesa
19
Apr
Top heading players in European football
Headings require three key skills: a good timing, jumping reach and coordination. In the top 5 leagues, three forwards stand out for their heading skills: Giroud (Chelsea), Pavoletti (Cagliari) and… Top heading players in European football
11
Apr
Bend it like Beckham: the top free-kick takers in Europe
Who have been the best free-kick takers in Europe over the past five years? Lionel Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? According to our research, neither of the two. After analysing all the free-kicks taken in… Bend it like Beckham: the top free-kick takers in Europe
09
Mar
The Vitruvian Goalie: A deep dive into the goalkeepers’ stats
Goalkeepers save 69% of the opponents’ shots on target, on average. The save ratios differ greatly depending on whether the shots are taken inside or outside the box (60% and 85%, respectively).… The Vitruvian Goalie: A deep dive into the goalkeepers’ stats
22
Feb
Wonderkids: Nicolò Zaniolo
The first impact and the fast-growing influence of Nicolò Zaniolo onto Di Francesco’s Roma surprised many, in Italy and abroad. Zaniolo, 19-year-old, has shown to be tactically very versatile. The… Wonderkids: Nicolò Zaniolo
10
Sep
Player salaries in the Italian Serie A (2018/19)
We analysed the contractual details of all the 548 players of the Italian Serie A (‘ISA’) and then aggregated the data by team, by role, by country and by age.… Player salaries in the Italian Serie A (2018/19)
14
May
Ball possession in European football (part 3)
Final part of our trilogy of posts dedicated to ball possession in European football. We look into the recurring build-up patterns of four top European teams: Barcelona, Man City, Napoli… Ball possession in European football (part 3)
30
Mar
Masters of passes (2018 edition)
We analyse two categories of midfielders, the playmakers and the assist-makers. Regarding the first group, Verratti (PSG) displays the highest number of accurate passes per match in Europe, while Arne… Masters of passes (2018 edition)
