Total Football Analysis

We have now reached the point in the 2024/25 Premier League Season where early season variance is starting to balance out and underlying data is becoming more predictive and useful when it comes to assessing how teams are performing. This is typically the case once we come out of the second international break of the season and we start to move towards the end of the calendar year. This is where resources and websites like Sportsmonks really come into their own as we can use their advanced and underlying data in order to get a more solid prediction on what the Premier League is going to look like come the end of the season. Sportsmonks have their own models that allow them to calculate xG in for each team, and each player within those teams, to some depth. This xG model can then be used to create a model to calculate expected points (xPoints) for each team in the league and xPoints is often a metric that can provide accurate insights into overall team performances. In this article we will use the xPoints model from Sportsmonks to look at three of the key storylines that we can expect to see as the Premier League enters the business end of the season. This data can often provide interesting context to the matches that we are watching every weekend.

“Attack wins games, but defence wins championships” is a famous quote from one of the best football managers of all time: Sir Alex Ferguson. While strikers often grab the spotlight, solid defensive play drives long-term success. In this guest blog from Total Football Analysis, we’ll use Sportmonks data to highlight the Premier League’s top defensive performers this season. From Arsenal’s resilience to Manchester City’s possession-based approach, discover how these teams are shutting down opponents. Ready to dive into the stats? Let’s get started.

Does more possession mean more wins? Football is a sport full of twists and turns, and while it might seem like controlling the ball is the key to success, the reality is far more complex. In this blog, in cooperation with Total Football Analysis, we explore whether dominating possession really leads to more victories, using data from the English Premier League 2024/25 season. From examining high-possession teams like Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, to diving deep into expected goals (xG) data, we’ll uncover the fundamental factors that drive success on the pitch. Read on to find out if possession truly equals performance!

With the season ending in both the English Premier League and the Dutch Eredivisie, the worst kept secret in football was eventually made official as Liverpool announced that the former Feyenoord coach Arne Slot would be the man to take over from the departing Jurgen Klopp as the club’s new head coach. In this blog, we will analyse the xG factor: Why Arne Slot is the perfect fit for Liverpool based on xG data.