Defensive Transition: Shifting My Lens From Attack to Defense

If you were to look at almost any event from an attacking/in possession lens, you will likely come to a different answer to the question “why did that happen?” than if you viewed that event through a defensive lens. I’ve been trying to change my perspective recently, and this article documents some of my thoughts.… Read More Defensive Transition: Shifting My Lens From Attack to Defense

Moving Towards Better Data Analysis of Defensive Play: One Proof of Concept – Pressures

This is a first step towards trying to get a better view of defenders and defensive skills using event data. I examine ball receipts under pressure and subsequent actions to see if attackinng-player-focused event data can be used as a proxy for defensive actions… Read More Moving Towards Better Data Analysis of Defensive Play: One Proof of Concept – Pressures

Shogi And Football: The Japanese Version of Chess And Its Copious Parallels to The Beautiful Game

Article by Ben Griffis We widely use chess as a metaphor for soccer tactics, and the mere idea of a person playing chess invokes a romantic air of strategy and wisdom. Recently, Louis Vuitton ran an ad featuring Messi and Ronaldo playing chess—likening their careers to that of a chess match, where each player is… Read More Shogi And Football: The Japanese Version of Chess And Its Copious Parallels to The Beautiful Game

Dissecting the USA’s Defensive Block & Pulisic’s Free Defensive Position: How the US Defended England’s Buildup

England and the USA played to an energetic and exciting 0-0 draw in the 2nd Group Stage match of the 2022 World Cup. This article examines the USA’s effective defensive block tactics that stifled England’s buildup, diving deeper into Christian Pulisic’s asymmetrical positioning.… Read More Dissecting the USA’s Defensive Block & Pulisic’s Free Defensive Position: How the US Defended England’s Buildup

Paul Bismarck Tabinas: Iwate Grulla Morioka’s Raw, Attack-Minded Wing Back – Data and Video Scouting

Paul Bismarck Tabinas is a young Japanese wing back who loves running with the ball and is very dangerous in the air. In this scouting report we’ll look at lots of data and videos to see who he is as a player, his strengths and weaknesses, and if the wing back position is his best fit.… Read More Paul Bismarck Tabinas: Iwate Grulla Morioka’s Raw, Attack-Minded Wing Back – Data and Video Scouting

Introducing “Passing Danger Index”: Measuring The Immediate Danger A Player’s Passes Pose to Opposing Back Lines

Article by Ben Griffis What players tend to pose the most immediate danger to the opponent’s defenders and goalkeeper with their passes? This is the question I’m looking to (begin to) address with a new metric I rather non-creatively term, Passing Danger Index, or PDI for short. The idea behind this is to see which… Read More Introducing “Passing Danger Index”: Measuring The Immediate Danger A Player’s Passes Pose to Opposing Back Lines

Latvia’s 2022 Virsliga Comes Down to the Wire: Previewing The Title-Seeking Teams’ Matches

The 2022 edition of Latvia’s top flight, the Virsliga, will be decided on the final match day. This article previews the match, offering several key data visualizations and analysis on what we could expect from both matches and what it means to the title race.… Read More Latvia’s 2022 Virsliga Comes Down to the Wire: Previewing The Title-Seeking Teams’ Matches