Goals Subtracted (g-): Set piece edition

This past summer we introduced a framework for evaluating the individual contributions of defenders, goals subtracted (g-). We concluded that–while it was a tricky problem, and not one that was obviously made easier even with tracking data–the framework had potential to help control for otherwise unmitigated interrupting g+ value. We observed players on bad defensive teams getting a lot of interrupting value largely because the ball is coming at them all the time, and g- hinted that it might be able to control for this. That article was about measuring open-play defending, and this article is about measuring set-piece defending. If you are unfamiliar with goals added (g+), I would start here with our primer.

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Introducing Goals Subtracted: Where you aren’t but you oughta be

Introducing Goals Subtracted: Where you aren’t but you oughta be

While valuations of offensive actions in soccer are, by no means, perfect, they are still significantly more accurate and meaningful than how we evaluate defensive actions and players’ defensive contributions. In a challenge-accepted moment of weakness, we took a stab at better assigning a Goals Added (g+) equivalent for defense: g- (“g minus”). What we’re about to share will blow your mind reinforce just how hard it is to quantify the value of an individual’s defensive actions, but hopefully I can also entertain you down this rabbit hole we’ve been playing around in for more than a year.

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