Football Analytics Bi-Weekly Round-up for Nov 29 - 12 Dec

A lot happens in football analytics that doesn’t fit into our normal articles, but is worth knowing about anyway. The many incredible analysts who put their work up online should be noticed, and we’d like to point out a few pieces you may have missed on a bi-weekly (the one that happens once every two weeks, not twice a week) basis.

Thomas Frank analyzes Brentford's 2-0 win over Arsenal

We’ve written about Brentford FC in the past, and likely will again. They are a sterling example of a club that uses analytics to improve their play. So who better to analyze the play of Brentford FC than their manager, Thomas Frank? In the video he created for The Coaches’ Voice, Frank explains the tactics he used against the Gunners, and the way data underpins the play of the incredible overachiever he manages.

Andy Watson digs into transfer data

The UK football scene, like many other aspects of UK life, has been impacted by the political issues of the last few years. Analytics FC has been running a series about the ways British football is changing. In this piece, Andy Watson examines how transfers have changed so far, and how they are likely to change further.

Matthew Doyle examines your favorite MLS team

Yes, exactly this. Matthew Doyle analyzes the play and prospects of your favorite team, a special piece of analysis for this specific reader. Accepting, however, that you may change your mind as to which team is your favorite, he also examines the rest of them. Using data about their formations and scores, as well as excellently placed gifs, Doyle delivers a state-of-the-club piece for every single club in the MLS.

The Coaches’ Voice looks at Manchester United vs Crystal Palace

Everyone is looking at the changes in Manchester United and drawing their own conclusions, and the always excellent The Coaches’ Voice (so excellent we named them twice) are no different in that regard. They analyzed the first win of the Red Devils under Ralf Rangnick on a variety of levels and came up with some fascinating and terrific insights. Sparing neither coaches nor players from in-depth analysis, the piece looks at many phases of the game and many specific plays to create a cohesive image of it.

Tiotal Football may be redefining how we look at football

Tiotal Football is attempting to find key rules that define the game. They are examining the core questions of the game, asking: Does possession matter? Do players or managers influence the outcome of a match more? He leaves mathematical models out, but does create an interesting piece with more on the way.

Did we miss something? Do you see something for a later round-up? Let us know!