Guides to understanding football statistics

Learn to read football statistics through examples and understand the limits of every estimate.

• How to analyze corners in football

  Compare team and match corners, sample sizes, opponents and home advantage. Learn what an average can and cannot tell you.

• Shots on target vs total shots: how to read the statistics

  Understand the difference between total shots, shots on target and goals, and compare team and player statistics with the correct sample.

• Football card statistics: yellow cards, red cards and samples

  Learn to compare yellow cards, red cards and card totals by team, with attention to settlement rules, missing data and sample size.

• Probability, decimal odds and sample size in football predictions

  Distinguish observed averages, projections, estimated probabilities and decimal odds. Understand sample size and the limits of football predictions.

• How to analyze a football match with statistics

  A practical sequence for reviewing football matches: teams, recent form, venue, corners, shots, cards, lineups, sample sizes and odds.

• Recent football form: wins, draws and losses

  Read recent football results in context: opponents, venue, competition period and why a winning streak is not a probability forecast.

• How to compare team form across leagues and cups

  Compare official league, cup and international club history with attention to opponents, venue, weighting, season boundaries and sample size.

• Lineups and missing players: how to interpret the context

  Distinguish confirmed and projected lineups, injury reports, missing-player output and how lineup context affects enabled football models.