The outline for this article is going to be:

• If you’ve heard about or looked at xG in the past but either 1) didn't see its utility or 2) didn't know how to make it useful, we want to help with these scenarios in this article and upcoming articles.

• xG is always improving, so regardless of what you saw or read about a few years ago, it is much better now at evaluating individual shots because of better and more data.

• Not all xG values from various sources are equal because there is not equal access to the data points and data volume, and because data providers, clubs, and analysts have varying ideas on how to value shots and optimize their models.

• There are other stats and metrics that are not talked about as much as xG but can also be very useful in addition to or along with xG. Some may be better suited to your audience.

• xG helps us answer the quality question about a shot, and we'll be talking about improving shot quality utilizing xG and other tools throughout this season. Without xG, shot quality becomes highly subjective and experiential.