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xGenius
- Author
- James Tippett
- Narrator
- Simon Darwen
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 1 August 2024
- Run Time
- 9 hours 3 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Association football (Soccer), Sports teams and clubs, Sports governing bodies, Probability and statistics, Data science and analysis, Knowledge / Information / Data economics, Data mining
- Rating
- 4.0 (1 review)
What to expect
'Eye-opening. An essential read for any football fan' – Jamie Carragher
A new, expanded and super-charged guide to Expected Goals (xG) analysis from the bestselling author of The Expected Goals Philosophy.
The concept of Expected Goals – or xG – has changed how we understand football. Every fan will have heard of xG, many will understand what it is, but few will know exactly how it’s being used by football teams to improve their chances of winning matches.
xGenius explores the interplay between analysis, tactics, and decision-making. It seeks to put the sport of football under the microscope with the aim of getting closer to the ultimate truth of what makes players, managers and teams successful. What, ultimately, wins football matches.
Packed with examples from the Premier League and beyond, xGenius shows how xG and other performance analysis tools are helping answer previously unanswerable questions. Were Brighton the unluckiest team in recent history? What is ‘The Timo Werner Paradox’? How many titles did Liverpool deserve to win under Jürgen Klopp? Is Son Heung-Min the greatest finisher in the modern era?
xGenius demonstrates how clubs and coaches are using data as a major tool to improve performances on the pitch. It reveals how xG helped Brighton and Brentford transform themselves into established Premier League clubs, and how such analysis was integral to Liverpool and Arsenal’s renaissance in recent years.
As teams have realised the importance of amassing high xG numbers, the average shot distances in Europe’s major leagues have plummeted, dead ball situations have become ever more important, and players who are able to accumulate large xG volumes have become increasingly valuable. Clubs have developed new systems, formations and strategies as they strive for ‘big chance creation’.
xGenius shows how top-level football analysis is being carried out by the very best in the business. The insights explored in this book will change the way you watch football.
Critics Review
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Eye-opening. An essential read for any football fan.
Jamie Carragher
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I get it now! A concise and witty explanation of xG ... a brilliant read.
Kevin Day, author of 'Who are Ya?' and The Price of Football podcaster
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A fascinating, entertaining delve into the science behind the magic ... accessibly insightful to those of us who lean more towards romanticism.
Daniel Gray, author of 'Saturday 3pm'
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An interesting insight into how analytics is currently being used by clubs...
Stefan Szymanski, author of 'Soccernomics'
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Fascinating and convincing explanation and analysis of this complex subject. This book will revolutionise how fans understand the game.
Dr Kevin Moore, National Football Museum Director
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This xG way of thinking has changed the way fans view football. Forever.
David Sumpter, author of 'Soccermatics'
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xGenius opened my eyes to a different way of thinking ... This book will play a vital role bringing xG closer to the mainstream.
David Jones, Sky Sports presenter
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All I talk about is xG nowadays, mainly thanks to this book. As someone who is big into analytics in my own sport, it’s been fascinating to learn about how data impacts football. The insights in the book and learnings about xG are incredibly interesting, and it’s something I really would love my own club Sheffield United to take on board more than they have in the past!
Matt Fitzpatrick, English professional golfer
User Reviews
Book 4.0
Narration 4.0
-
4.0 4.0
A very accessible book on xG. It's rather simple in the beginning to the point it can feel rather patronising, especially when I suspect the people most likely to read this will already have familiarity with xG. However the second half is a bit more interesting when it discusses the metrics beyond xG that other clubs have developed.
I feel the writing style to be fairly accessible, which is impressive when you consider it's the awkward starting point of focusing on an idea rather than personalities or a story. However there is humour, plenty of examples of recent history and offers anecdotes to make sure it doesn't feel too abstract.
One draw back is the reference points and the nature of the quickly developing field of football analysis can mean this book might age pretty quickly. However reviewing in the present it's a solid book worth readingjbarn 2026-08-21
Details
- Author
- James Tippett
- Narrator
- Simon Darwen
- Duration
- 9 hours 3 minutes
- Release Date
- 1 August 2024
- ISBN
- 9781399411585
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Association football (Soccer), Sports teams and clubs, Sports governing bodies, Probability and statistics, Data science and analysis, Knowledge / Information / Data economics, Data mining
- Rating
- 4.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 4.0(1 review)
Synopsis
Bloomsbury presents… xGenius: Expected Goals and the Science of Winning Football Matches by James Tippett read by Simon Darwen 'Eye-opening. An essential read for any football fan' – Jamie CarragherA new, expanded and super-charged guide to Expected Goals (xG) analysis from the bestselling author of The Expected Goals Philosophy.The concept of Expected Goals – or xG – has changed how we understand football. Every fan will have heard of xG, many will understand what it is, but few will know exactly how it’s being used by football teams to improve their chances of winning matches.xGenius explores the interplay between analysis, tactics, and decision-making. It seeks to put the sport of football under the microscope with the aim of getting closer to the ultimate truth of what makes players, managers and teams successful. What, ultimately, wins football matches.Packed with examples from the Premier League and beyond, xGenius shows how xG and other performance analysis tools are helping answer previously unanswerable questions. Were Brighton the unluckiest team in recent history? What is ‘The Timo Werner Paradox’? How many titles did Liverpool deserve to win under Jürgen Klopp? Is Son Heung-Min the greatest finisher in the modern era? xGenius demonstrates how clubs and coaches are using data as a major tool to improve performances on the pitch. It reveals how xG helped Brighton and Brentford transform themselves into established Premier League clubs, and how such analysis was integral to Liverpool and Arsenal’s renaissance in recent years.As teams have realised the importance of amassing high xG numbers, the average shot distances in Europe’s major leagues have plummeted, dead ball situations have become ever more important, and players who are able to accumulate large xG volumes have become increasingly valuable. Clubs have developed new systems, formations and strategies as they strive for ‘big chance creation’.xGenius shows how top-level football analysis is being carried out by the very best in the business. The insights explored in this book will change the way you watch football.
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