Perceptions of Football Analysts Goal-Scoring Opportunity Predictions: A Qualitative Case Study

Abstract

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This study aimed to understand the way tactical football analysts perceive the general match analysis issues and to analyze their tactical interpretation of the predictive models of conceded goal-scoring opportunities. Nine tactical analysts responded to the semi-structured interviews that included a general section on the match analysis and a specific one on the results of a study on goal-scoring opportunities conceded by a Spanish La Liga team. Following their transcription, the interviews were codified into categories by the two researchers using Atlas Ti® software. Subsequently, frequency count and co-occurrence analysis were performed based on the encodings. The content analysis reflected that analysts play a crucial role in the analysis of their own team and that of the opponent, the essential skills to exercise as a tactical analyst being “understanding of the game” and “clear observation methodology.” Based on the case study of the conceded goal-scoring opportunities, the major causes and/or solutions attributed by analysts in some of the predictive models were the adaptability of the “style of play” itself according to the “opponent” and “pressure after losing.”

Keywords

• match analysis
• coaches
• qualitative research
• style of play
• tactics