🔬 Football Advanced Stats Explained — xG, xA, PPDA & More
📑 Table of Contents
└ Expected Goals xG└ Expected Assists xA└ Progressive Passes└ Possession-Adjusted Tackles Interceptions PAdj└ PPDA Passes Per Defensive Action└ Explore MoreThe stats that separate casual fans from nerds. Welcome to nerd territory.
📊 Expected Goals (xG)
xG measures the quality of chances. Every shot is assigned a probability of being scored based on distance, angle, body part, assist type, and defensive pressure. A penalty is 0.76 xG. A header from 16 yards might be 0.08 xG. If a team creates 2.5 xG but scores 1, they were unlucky. If they create 0.5 xG and score 2, they were clinical but possibly unsustainable.
📊 Expected Assists (xA)
Like xG but for the passer. Measures how likely a pass is to lead to a goal. Kevin De Bruyne consistently has the highest xA in the Premier League because his passes create incredible shooting opportunities.
📊 Progressive Passes
A pass that moves the ball at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal (or into the penalty box). Measures a player's ability to advance play. Toni Kroos was the king of progressive passing.
📊 Possession-Adjusted Tackles & Interceptions (PAdj)
Raw tackles and interceptions are misleading — a team that defends a lot will have more. PAdj normalizes per 90 minutes of defensive action. It reveals who is genuinely good at winning the ball back.
📊 PPDA (Passes Per Defensive Action)
Measures pressing intensity. Lower PPDA = more aggressive press. Liverpool under Klopp had some of the lowest PPDA in Europe. Burnley under Dyche? Much higher — they sat deep.