What is Goal Expectancy (xG) in Soccer: Shots and Goals
Chapter from the book:
Uluç,
E.
A.
&
Yıldız,
M.
(eds.)
2023.
Current Approaches in the Field of Sports Sciences II.
Synopsis
Goal is an essential part of football and the most enjoyable element of the art of football. To win championships and matches, to enjoy the game or to increase excitement for the match, teams must score one more goal than their opponents. Aware of this, the technical staff carry out field studies on how to score more goals. Analysts who are part of the technical staff or support the staff from outside provide support to the team on this issue from outside the field. Such studies have increased in the last 20 years. When the literature on goal formation is reviewed, it is seen that goals come from around the penalty area, from a set play or as a result of fewer than 4 passes (Wright et al., 2011). While there are studies in the literature on goal formation, there are not many studies on expected goals (xG). However, understanding xG means understanding the areas where players will position themselves on the field for a goal, the points where they will shoot or the areas where they will pass. Teams that can reflect the xG statistics obtained on the field will be closer to scoring because coaches who understand xG eliminate positional differences and create a style of play in which full-backs are positioned like midfielders and center backs move forward more. In football, everything is about scoring more goals because the best feeling on the football field is caused by shooting and scoring.