David SumpterThe geometry of shootingA key principle in my approach to football analytics is to make sure that all data is related back to the game itself. We should never…5 min read·Aug 14, 2023--2--2
David SumpterWhy we have to be modest about football analyticsFootball is not baseball. Football is not basketball. Football is not American football. And football certainly isn’t cricket. Football is…6 min read·Aug 14, 2023----
David SumpterWhat are Expected Goals and what do they really tell us?I am going to explain what expected goals are, how they can be used to measure performance, and why we should be careful in the way we…5 min read·Jul 24, 2023----
David SumpterThe art of finding the right numberWhenever we see a TV program or film about statistics in sport there is nearly always a scene where we are shown a wall of numbers…4 min read·Jul 24, 2023----
David SumpterThe analytics behind the perfect penaltyAfter the 2016 summer Olympics, where gold-favorites USA crashed out after a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals against Sweden, the US…4 min read·Jul 24, 2023----
David SumpterThe three zones of footballThe game of football is simple. If you have got the ball, keep it within your team. If you are near the ball, but one of your teammates has…4 min read·Jul 24, 2023----
David SumpterThe 87 minutes which determine how good is a player“What do you do during 87 minutes when you do not have the ball? That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not” — Johan…4 min read·Jul 24, 2023----
David SumpterCreating the patterns of play that win matchesFootball analytics isn’t just about numbers. It is about creating the patterns of play that win matches. Here, we look at how coaches can…6 min read·Jul 24, 2023----
David SumpterWhy international co-operation benefits all involvedThis article originally appeared in Swedish in Svenska Dagbladet.6 min read·Jul 5, 2023----
David SumpterThe most mathematical of sports?At the Barca Sports Technology Symposium, I had the honour of chairing a session about taking data into the field in sports. The three…5 min read·Jun 14, 2023----