Lesson 1 · Where goals come from
Everything in this course comes from one piece of work: 3,175 open-play goals, coded one by one, across the Premier League, the A-League, three World Cups and three European Championships. Not opinions — patterns.
Distance is destiny. Roughly nine goals in ten are scored within 23 yards. Shots from further out mostly feed the goalkeeper’s confidence.
of goals are scored inside the penalty area. ~90% within 23 yards of goal.
Smith 2016 · Table 4.64 · n = 3,175 goals
Corners, free kicks, penalties and long throws account for about 28% of all goals — worth their own session. This course is about the other 72%: open play.
of all goals come from set plays. Everything else here is about the other 72% — open play.
Smith 2016 · Table 4.65 · n = 3,175 goals
…is not where goals are scored — it’s how the ball gets into that small piece of grass against eleven organised opponents. That’s a question about zones, and about angles.
⟡ Drag any player. The board is always live.