Joe King

Fairly well known member from Malvern
Jan 24, 2011
12,734
7,596
313
Midlands
I'm an old fart of nearly 72, and definately old school. So can someone explain what the f**k is xg and how is it supposed to aid statistics?
Just seems pointless to me.
 

cornoccfc

Active Member
Jul 10, 2011
1,222
25
148
Northants
Expected goals.

0.95 is missing an open net, from 3 yards.

Interesting stat, but must be looked at in context.

For example last night, could argue after WBA went one up, they didn't particularly chase a second- hence our Xg must have reached 2+
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boicey

Evo1883

Well-Known Member
May 25, 2013
41,956
51,300
313
Coventry
Expected goals.

0.95 is missing an open net, from 3 yards.

Interesting stat, but must be looked at in context.

For example last night, could argue after WBA went one up, they didn't particularly chase a second- hence our Xg must have reached 2+

Your xg would only reach 2 if you created good enough chances to make it reach 2 .
Basically west brom wouldn't have been comfortable surrendering the chances they did
 
  • Like
Reactions: cornoccfc

skybluecam

Well-Known Member
Apr 25, 2015
7,190
9,258
263
I'm an old fart of nearly 72, and definately old school. So can someone explain what the f**k is xg and how is it supposed to aid statistics?
Just seems pointless to me.
For every shot taken in a match, it is compared to a historical dataset of previous shots. If let’s say 20% of similar shots actually went in, that would give that particular shot an xG value of 0.2.

We all know the final score of a match is often not representative of how the game actually went, xG aims to give a more detailed insight into the chances that each team created.

Obviously there are flaws, and context is important. But I think it’s pretty useful.
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2011
42,206
49,603
313
It's just a statistical representation of how well a team is perceived to have played. If your team makes chances most people would say they "played well" and xG just reflects the underlying stats behind that.
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2011
42,206
49,603
313
From last season's Championship 4 of the 6 teams with the highest xG for finished in the top 6. West Brom outperformed their xG rank (11) as did Norwich (8). Cov underperformed our xG rank (7).

In the xG against again 4 of the top 6 had the lowest xG against.

It's all obviously just coincidence though.
 

Evo1883

Well-Known Member
May 25, 2013
41,956
51,300
313
Coventry
From last season's Championship 4 of the 6 teams with the highest xG for finished in the top 6. West Brom outperformed their xG rank (11) as did Norwich (8). Cov underperformed our xG rank (7).

In the xG against again 4 of the top 6 had the lowest xG against.

It's all obviously just coincidence though.
It's bollocks 😉
 

MusicDating

Euro 2016 Prediction League Champion!!
Mar 27, 2011
3,387
3,873
313
You know when you used to come away from a game thinking 'how did we not win that?!' or (more rarely) 'we got away with one there!!'. The xG and xGa is an attempt to statistically verify that.

I quite like the explanation on this site -

 
  • Like
Reactions: Londonccfcfan

Tommo1993

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2019
16,358
15,370
313
It is a really pointless “stat”, I wouldn’t worry about it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joe King

Philosoraptor

Well-Known Member
Aug 7, 2013
5,619
3,067
213
xG in general is like putting forward Die Hard or Die Hard II as the only options for the best Christmas movie of all time.

I know which one I would choose...

 

TomRad85

Well-Known Member
Apr 30, 2018
14,580
24,051
313
I love the way people have this explained to them, numerous times, in many many different ways and they still post “iTs shiTe” etc.

Imagine having that level of mental comprehension, then posting opinions on stuff in the match day threads. Love SBT! 😂
It's definitely a useful stat but I don't agree that underperforming it for a long period of time counts as bad luck like some do. Means we're doing things right for sure but obviously failing at the most crucial part of the game.
 

Jamesimus

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2011
5,691
6,775
313
It's definitely a useful stat but I don't agree that underperforming it for a long period of time counts as bad luck like some do. Means we're doing things right for sure but obviously failing at the most crucial part of the game.
Well that’s the thing, it’s a useful stat!

For us I think it shows underperforming forwards in front of goal, lack of composure etc. There is always going to be an element of luck thrown in there of course, but I don’t think we’re more unlucky than other teams.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2012
64,557
47,888
763
Coventry
It's definitely a useful stat but I don't agree that underperforming it for a long period of time counts as bad luck like some do. Means we're doing things right for sure but obviously failing at the most crucial part of the game.
Who in our team yesterday scores Grant’s chance? None of them, which is why the opposition will continue to score nearly every shot on target while we require 15-20.

A high % of our goals seem to come from the times where endlessly crossing it in the box pays off. We don’t score many other ways.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Jul 11, 2011
70,149
73,221
813
Coventry, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
It's definitely a useful stat but I don't agree that underperforming it for a long period of time counts as bad luck like some do. Means we're doing things right for sure but obviously failing at the most crucial part of the game.

It show you where you’re going wrong to some extent. How many chances and of what quality are you creating or conceding.

So much of our issues are confidence it seems. Scared to pass quickly, scared to make a run, scared to try a difficult pass, scared to take a shot, scared to take a man on. Either that or we are unique in having a squad at this level that can’t do anything but a five yard pass in front of the opposition.
 

Mucca Mad Boys

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2012
15,378
10,766
313
Coventry
It's unbelievable how much we are underperforming it this season
The goals we concede are just criminally soft. The latest of many this season was WBA’s second last night.

If we don’t concede that goal, there’s every chance we rescue a goal and laud the team for a positive performance and result. But no, we gift wrap far too many soft goals and it’s sickening to watch.
 

Mucca Mad Boys

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2012
15,378
10,766
313
Coventry
Basically if we scored from half of our chances the same as everyone does against us we’d be 3rd in the league

xG doesn’t take game state into account and because we spend so long chasing games, it will have the effect of skewing our xG upwards and xgA downwards.

We don’t need xG / xgA stats to see just how poor our defending is at times. This is something FL really needs to address. I don’t trust Lati nor Binks so the only person left is Kitching.

I’d happy watch dross football if it meant us winning games 1-0.
 
Last edited:

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Jul 11, 2011
70,149
73,221
813
Coventry, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
xG doesn’t take game state into account and because we spend so long chasing games, it will have the effect of skewing are xG upwards and xgA downwards.

We don’t need xG / xgA stats to see just how poor our defending is at times. This is something FL really needs to address. I don’t trust Lati nor Binks so the only person left is Kitching.

I’d happy watch dross football if it meant us winning games 1-0.

Are we unique in chasing games though?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Evo1883

quinn1971

Well-Known Member
Mar 31, 2013
3,587
2,889
163
xG doesn’t take game state into account and because we spend so long chasing games, it will have the effect of skewing are xG upwards and xgA downwards.

We don’t need xG / xgA stats to see just how poor our defending is at times. This is something FL really needs to address. I don’t trust Lati nor Binks so the only person left is Kitching.

I’d happy watch dross football if it meant us winning games 1-0.
same as 👍 just start winning a few
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mucca Mad Boys

robbiekeane

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2016
9,219
10,050
263
It's definitely a useful stat but I don't agree that underperforming it for a long period of time counts as bad luck like some do.
i don’t think anyone is saying it just means we’re unlucky. I think it just shows when you are creating chances that on average should be scored
 

CovValleyBoy

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2024
745
654
143
xG doesn’t take game state into account and because we spend so long chasing games, it will have the effect of skewing are xG upwards and xgA downwards.

We don’t need xG / xgA stats to see just how poor our defending is at times. This is something FL really needs to address. I don’t trust Lati nor Binks so the only person left is Kitching.

I’d happy watch dross football if it meant us winning games 1-0.
I'll never get over him deliberately smashing the ball into the roof of our net at the family stand end.
 

Mucca Mad Boys

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2012
15,378
10,766
313
Coventry
What’s that compared to others?

Genuine Q. Curious how much of an outlier we are in terms of conceding first/conceding early.
Only Hull and Plymouth have conceded first more often than us. When we score first, we tend to do well!

 

MusicDating

Euro 2016 Prediction League Champion!!
Mar 27, 2011
3,387
3,873
313
These two stats on the BBC Hull preview are pretty bonkers. 3 more home games to go yet as well 😬 -
  • Coventry have conceded 32 home league goals in 2024, their most since 2015 (also 32), last conceding more in 2013 (38).
  • Their average goals conceded per game on home soil in 2024 is their worst (1.68) since their first ever year in the English Football League in 1919 (1.73 per game).
 

Hobo

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2013
15,921
9,457
313
Coventry
So much bollocks that the best teams in the world pay huge amounts of money to study it in unbelievable detail?

Yes but they contextualise it. As you say study it with the benefit of the details rather than just band an xg figure randomly about.

Perhaps you would prefer to scrap the traditional league table and have an xg table instead?
 

Users who are viewing this thread