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Soccer Insights Made VisualSummary of the Numbers Game

12082015 Danny Groenenboom

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How to make scientific research made visually

to be used by players and coaches that don’t

know yet ….

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Soccer is a game of

coincidence …. However it is

predictable!

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Soccer is a game of the WEAKEST link

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Based on 43.000 games the underdog still has a 47% chance

to win a soccer match

53

47

Favorites Underdog

Win chance %

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It is not about a long or short

ball …. It is about the right ball

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Scoring on average 2 goals per match gives you more than 50% chance to win

the game

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“Only” 47% of all teams with the most shots on

goal win eventually the game

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So soccer is predictable but also a matter of coincidence,

a game of the weakest link, underdogs have a big chance to win

and shooting a lot on goal does not really help

How about corners?

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The number of goals does not increase

when taking more corners

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1 5Out of Corners leads to a shot on goal

1 9Out of Corners leads to a goal

An average Premier League

team needs 10 games to

score 1 time out of corner

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Is the holy grail …..

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Ball Possession is both attacking as defending really important,

however ……

63

minutes

Average time the “ball”

is in the game

2%

Average % a player

has the ball in his

possession

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More ball possession leads to more

shots on goal leads to more goals

More ball possession leads to less

goals conceded leads to more

games won and less games lost

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More ball possession leads to 4%

more victories

Win rate teams with more ball

possession: 39.4%

Win rate teams with less ball

possession: 31.6%

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Upgrading your best player with 10% results

in the end of the season in +5 points

Upgrading your weakest player with 10%

results in the end of the season in +9 points

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Key take outs to remember …..

Statistics in soccer matter. Use them!

Ball possession is currently most valuable.

Train to master this

Start with upgrading your weakest link in your

team

Take corners short. Spanish style