This is the fifth article in a series of articles and videos in the Where Goals Come From project from Jamon Moore and Carl Carpenter.

Data providers and analysts have long talked about successful passing “into the box” and shots that come from it, however, until now, we are not aware of a framework for providing context of how to separate “good, better, and best” of these situations other than location as identified by Expected Goals (xG), particularly one that can be used at all levels of a football club. In our estimation, this does not make the information very actionable for players. Expected Goals on their own do not provide a way of telling us the situation that created a shot.

As we are demonstrating in these “Where Goals Come From” articles, situational context matters a great deal. It’s not just the type of pass, but details such as the direction of the pass, the speed of play, the number of defenders between the ball and goal, the height of the pass, the quality of the reception (first touch), the location of the goalkeeper, and much more.

This is the third article in a series of articles and videos in the Where Goals Come From project from Jamon Moore and Carl Carpenter.

Parts one and two:

• Where Goals Come From - Jamon Moore and Carl Carpenter

• Where Goals Come From: Tactical Progressive Passing Movements - Carl Carpenter

A companion article to this one:

• Where Goals Come From: Passing in the Final Third - Carl Carpenter

In part one, we showed how teams that score more goals per game and per season use progressive passes to set up shots that are more likely to be scored than other types of shots, regardless of league or level in the professional game. Teams that concede fewer goals over time generally start by conceding fewer goals created from progressive passes. To maximize goal differential, clubs should focus on areas that have the biggest impacts.

This is the first article in a series of articles and videos from the Where Goals Come From project from Jamon Moore and Carl Carpenter.

Regardless of philosophy, style, principles, and game model, a club’s on-field strategy should focus on maximizing goals scored and minimizing goals conceded. Goals win points, points are how clubs reach their objectives, and clubs that reach their objectives win fans and make money. The “Where Goals Come From” project is about how to create goals (or prevent them). By breaking soccer down to basics, we aim to provide clubs a clear roadmap to success.