This document summarizes various soccer statistics and insights. It finds that underdogs have around a 47% chance of winning a match. It also discusses that having more ball possession leads to more shots on goal, fewer goals conceded, and a higher win rate. Additionally, upgrading the weakest player on a team may provide more benefit than upgrading the best player.

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Soccer Insights Made Visual
Summary 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 