Within Arrigo, the possibilities for creating and developing advanced football metrics are truly extraordinary. One of the most insightful sets of metrics, redefining our understanding of the game by integrating tracking and event data, is Packing.
Through its sophisticated methodology, Packing Metrics serve as key indicators for evaluating game vision, focusing on a team’s or player’s ability to bypass defensive lines through forward passes or ball carries.
Driblab Methodology: Packing Zone and Involvement Zone
The concept of Packing is based on identifying which defensive players have been bypassed by a pass or ball carry. To achieve this, Driblab defines two key zones using its own proprietary method. One measures how many players are positioned between the ball and the goal, while the other identifies only those defenders actively involved in the action, disregarding those too far from the play
- Packing Zone: Includes all players positioned between the passer and the receiver in relation to their distance from the opponent’s goal. Players within this range are considered potentially bypassed.
- Involvement Zone: Identifies the defensive players who can directly influence the play or intercept the pass. This ensures that only relevant defenders are analysed.
Intersection Zone: Maximum Precision in Identifying Bypassed Players
To accurately determine which players have been bypassed by a pass, Driblab applies an intersection criterion between these two zones: only defenders who are simultaneously in both the Packing Zone and the Involvement Zone are considered truly bypassed.
This approach ensures a precise and contextualised measurement of a pass’s effectiveness, filtering out players irrelevant to the action and fairly crediting the passer for breaking defensive lines.
Breakdown of Packing Metrics
With this methodology in place, we have developed a comprehensive suite of metrics, adding depth and objectivity to player evaluation. These Packing Metrics, available in Driblab PRO (with ball-carrying metrics to be introduced at a later stage), are also accessible via our API.
Each metric offers valuable insights into a team’s or player’s ability to disrupt opposition defences. Among the most notable are:
- Bypassed Players - Total number of players bypassed by a pass.
- Bypassed Defenders - Total number of defenders bypassed by a pass
- Player-Bypassing Passes - Passes that bypass at least one opposing player.
- Defender-Bypassing Passes - Passes that bypass at least one defender.
- Bypassed Players per Pass - Average number of players bypassed per pass.
- Bypassed Defenders per Pass - Average number of defenders bypassed per pass.
- Through Balls - Passes that break the opponent’s last defensive line.
- Line-Breaking Passes - Passes that bypass intermediate defensive lines.
- Lines Broken per Pass - Average number of defensive lines bypassed per pass.
Importance and Application in Advanced Analysis
The development of Packing Metrics provides a precise and impactful method for evaluating the quality of ball distribution in attacking play, significantly enhancing player analysis and data-driven decision-making in scouting and recruitment.
With coverage of 65 competitions worldwide, Driblab equips clubs, analysts, and coaches with a cutting-edge tool to measure the influence of players and teams in ball progression and attacking play.
The ability to bypass defensive lines is a fundamental aspect of Footballing IQ, reflecting a player’s vision, precision, and decision-making. Now, these advanced metrics are available to football professionals seeking a competitive edge through data-driven insights.
