The Stats Zone App Guide: Part I - How to analyse a match
I've never understood why people who say "the result is all that matters" bother to watch a match, it's a total waste of their time. The process matters. Did the result reflect the game? Which team created the most chances? How did each team play? Were there any stand out performers?
The depth of data in Stats Zone may seem intimidating at first, but it also provides great ways to get a quick grip of these types of questions without being overwhelmed. Below I'll walk through how I use the app to get a quick feel for how a match went or is going - spending 10 to 30 seconds on each or just a couple of the below will give you infinitely more understanding of a match than just the score and scorers.
The icons on the timeline show when goals were scored, penalties missed, cards issued and substitutions made. The next level of detail shows every shot in the match represented by a vertical line (blue for on target, red for off target, grey for blocked just like on the chalkboards) and the blue graph line running horizontally shows the possession percentage at each stage.
Already from this top level data we get a useful snapshot - did one team dominate possession? Did a team take shots or score when they had more possession or against the run of play? Does it look like substitutions or cards in the match made a difference in terms of goals/shots/possession? Did the goals all happen at a specific time of the match? Was it 3-0 before it was 3-3 or who led in the match, when and for how long?
After scanning the timeline, it's useful to jump to the Key Events to get a bit more detail.
For goals, Stats Zone provides information on whether goals were scored from a set piece, regular play or a fast break and other information such as if it has been designated by Opta as a "Big Chance" (a situation where a player should reasonably expected to score). The buildup chalkboards also show if goals were scored at the end of an intricate passing buildup from the back, a direct pass beyond a slow defence or maybe from a cross on the wing of a weak full back.
There's also detail on what cards were awarded for (including fouls, dissent, time wasting, dives, persistent infringement, professional fouls and of course unforgivable excessive celebrations), whether substitutions were tactical or due to injury and how much injury time was played at the end of each half.
If you want to know who scored, you've got lots of places to turn to. If you want to know how they scored, you'll go to Stats Zone.
Next up, the shots chalkboard. This shows where shots were taken from, whether they were a free kick or penalty (a square at the base of the shot), a header (a triangle) or a normal open play shot (a dot). The quantity and location of shots taken together provide an interesting story into the quality of the shots - did a team take a lot of shots but all from outside the penalty area? Did a team have lots of shots around the six yard box but not score? Were the goals scored from unlikely positions?
Looking down to the stats themselves - the "Big Chances" stat gives another layer to who might have deserved to win the match and the Top Players list shows which players continually missed the target and who was efficient in front of goal.
The chalkboards instantly give you a look at whether this was a match dominated by one team or more balanced. Equally, it informs whether teams played direct or short, whether they were reasonably balanced across the width of the pitch or focused on one wing and how often they managed to pass the ball into good attacking areas.
Glancing at the "Attacking Third" and "Inside Penalty Area" stats gives even more detail on that and (coupled with your knowledge of the quantity and quality of shots taken) you have a clear idea of the type of attacks each team was able to construct.
5. Player Influence, Attack, Defence and Fouls
Flicking through each of these screens fills out the picture - which players were most involved? How much and where did each team attack from? Were all their defensive actions deep and near the penalty area or did they also try to win the ball back in the opposition half? Did they foul much at all? If so, where?
Taking a minute or two to glance through some or all of the above is obviously not going to replace watching a match - but it will give you a great starting point to discuss and explore the performances of teams and players further. And if it's a match you've been watching it might challenge some of the ideas you have about who "deserved to win" - can you justify your opinion against the facts?
The result is not all that matters.
Read more posts from The Stats Zone Guide here.
