Footballers missing the target is a bad thing, right? Not necessarily. Increasingly, off-target shots — especially near misses — are being used to identify players who have a potential level of finishing expertise that isn't reflected in their goals tally. @thom-harris.bsky.social bit.ly/4lnleoN - ThreadSky

theathleticfc.bsky.social • 6 days ago

Footballers missing the target is a bad thing, right? Not necessarily.

Increasingly, off-target shots — especially near misses — are being used to identify players who have a potential level of finishing expertise that isn't reflected in their goals tally.

@thom-harris.bsky.social

https://bit.ly/4lnleoN

Comments

joebrmd.bsky.social•6 days ago

The levels of glazing is crazy. Trying to make out that people that are not great finishers are any but bad bad at finishing

jon89.bsky.social•6 days ago

If most of their shots are well off target then they're obviously a poor finisher but if there's a lot of near misses, especially from difficult chances then small improvements could result in a much higher number of goals. Scouts have to consider this when looking at a players potential.

joebrmd.bsky.social•6 days ago

Most of moratas misses are very close, he's never improved. Most of Leaos are very close, if anything he's got worse. Nani was the same. Of course players can improve, they're just as likely to never improve and maybe even get worse

jon89.bsky.social•6 days ago

Where's the data on that? I'm not sure how closely scouts were monitoring it when they were all young players. This is about potential, so it's identifying young players who could get a much higher output with a small improvement.

joebrmd.bsky.social•6 days ago

Feel free to play the game on Data alone you'd make a horrible manager

jon89.bsky.social•6 days ago

Nobody has said the game should be played on data alone.