A few soccer analytics articles that I finally read
I have had these articles stuck in tab-purgatory for quite awhile, but I’m glad to have finally read them. These bright fellows are moving the ball forward and I wanted to highlight them — so they can sit in your tabs for a week err — to spread the good word.
Expected goals is passé, now check out these expected passes and the attached dashboard. I might quibble that this is the one area that you’d absolutely need tracking data to get better numbers, but interesting nonetheless.
I have been to the Opta Pro Forum in 2015. I was there in spirit in 2016, thanks to Tom Worville communing my soul through my poster. Didn’t have a chance to go for 2017 (weddings are expensive and so too are flights to London), so I was glad to read up on the review of this year’s festivities. I do wonder if there is room for a “virtual” forum for some of these presentations. Another idea for another time.
From the beginning of the ‘16/’17 Premier League season, Bunkering Burnley was certainly a narrative to follow. They had pulled off some amazing results, despite looking pinned in. Perhaps they are doing it on purpose? Mark Thompson surely seems to think so and has the data AND the video to back it up.
Whenever Gerry Gelade speaks or writes, one ought to listen. He gives us a good reminder that using analysis to find relationships in sports is important, but finding the “why” in the numbers is extremely valuable. Knowing that a team has better shot numbers is favored is good to know, but finding out how to create shots is (literally) the goal.
Speaking of creating shots: What if you could create more valuable set pieces?
“The problem is of course is that if analytics can bear all political metaphors, it can bear none.” — Richard Whittall on the idea that analytics could be political… and finds that it’s unlikely.
That’s it for now. Finally to dig into some win percentage articles to write one of my own… it’ll probably come out in time for the next large upset.
