The Expected Goals Philosophy: A Game-Changing Way of Analysing Football Paperback – November 8, 2019

Brand new to the xG stats, but loved the comparison to other sports and the real life statistics of real players. Makes watching football that much more interesting for me. Highly recommend.

A very thorough introduction into the concept of Expected Goals (xG), it’s history, and how it is applied by football clubs. It has become a much more commonplace stat in just the few years since this book was written, so it’s chip-on-the-shoulder attitude about the use of xG seems a little strong, but I suppose the author was proven right by how familiar the stat is now. The book feels a bit stretched out, with a sense that it was a very good presentation padded to try and make it book length. Still, it was presented very well, gives a thorough coverage of the topic, and was an enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in the subject.

I don't do a ton of reading, but the author's ability to keep my interest caused me to have the book read in a day and a half. It's a very interesting look at football from an analytical perspective without getting a detailed statistics course. If you're looking for a full blown statistics lesson, this probably isn't going to be what you want.

Yes, Tippett does a good job of explaining expected goals, expected assists, the “justice table,” etc. But, this book could have been a pamphlet. Would have been nice if he could have included how the common punter or fantasy player could best utilize this information to their advantage. After the first half, it’s essentially a skim read.

All around great book, incredibly well-written and explains the philosophy simply and through the use of examples as well. Would absolutely recommend.

Sin palabras

I picked up this book out of shear curiosity of xG stats I'd seen on the internet for EPL teams, and having recently watched Moneyball. The book gives a thorough explanation of what the measure is and explores it fairly thoroughly. Although, I do take issue with the author's liberal use of the word "luck" to describe football performances, I'm convinced of the utility of using this important measure when talking about football. I think a lot the author's use of "luck" can be attributed to the inexactness of the xG measurement at this time, and it is something he does talk about but doesn't seem to connect when he does touch on the inexactness in the later chapters.As a former defender, I would've also appreciated a more thorough breakdown of how a statistical approach like this might be useful in showing who the most valuable defenders really are. It seems xG and xA can give you insights into midfielders and forwards, but it seems unclear where defenders lie in this to me.

Great book and insight into what XG is and how it can be used to change the future of the beautiful game.