Performance analysis in football today plays a crucial role in the development of players and team strategies. At the top level of the game, what may separate the winning team from the losing team is detailed feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent.

Coaches have recognized the necessity of in-depth feedback, requiring greater and greater specificity into their player and club performances. In response, companies have emerged focussing on meeting the needs of the top coaches in the world.

Prozone Sports has emerged as a world leader in performance analysis in football, providing in-depth performance insights to many of the biggest clubs in the world game.

I recently interviewed Simon Edgar, marketing manager at Prozone, about performance analysis at the top level of European football.

"In the 2008-09 English Premier League season as an example, 30% of all goals scored were from a set piece. Set Plays represent the nearest movements in a match that can be aligned to a closed skill and as such significant amounts of time on the training ground is dedicated to the execution of defending set plays. Prozone can be used by the coaching staff and players to help set play preparation prior to matches but also to review positives and negatives of previous performances."

1.How did Prozone identify analytical tools that would be valuable to managers and coaches?

We have always worked closely with leading coaches to understand the specific requirements and aid the development of the specific products.

2.What are the most popular current performance analysis products for which clubs rely on Prozone?

PROZONE3 is used by 15/20 clubs in the FAPL and 50% of those in the Championship. PROZONE3 requires an installation of 8-10 cameras in the stadium to capture the movement of all 22 players (+officials) during the 90min game.

MATCHVIEWER is used by the remaining 50% of clubs in the English championship as well as a number of US collegiate teams including West Virginia Mountaineers and Rochester. Analysis is derived from the broadcast feed and is used by many clubs for their post-match analysis (where an installation isn’t present) and opposition analysis for scouting purposes.

3. Do current popular products differ from popular products of 2000 or 2004? If so, does this indicate simply technological development, a change in the strategic focus of managers or have new types of performance analysis influenced football strategy?

The products are continually evolving as the understanding of how analysis can impact the coaching process increases. Manchester City FC now employ 7 full time performance analysts to work across generic themes – Post Match Analysis, Pre-Match / Opposition Analysis, Player Recruitment, and Player Development.

4.How are your tools applied in day to day training? Can you give an example of this (for example, if a team is preparing to play against Fernando Torres (player x), what types of player data/tendencies would you search for and how would your product enable you to do this?).

On a day to day level the Prozone products and services play a critical part in both the pre-match preparation and the post-match reflection in modern day football. To use the example given of preparing to play against a key figure in the opposition, the MATCHVIEWER and TREND products would be heavily utilized to deliver the required performance insights.

By using the interactive distribution maps built within the MATCHVIEWER analysis section, you can accurately gain a picture of where the key player you are looking at receives each of his possessions. Through this same section, you can also assess the distribution for any of the players on the field of play. You would have the option of viewing the information in tabular form if this better suited your requirements.

Using Prozone TREND, you would then be able to delve deeper into the statistics and accompanying video clips to determine whether the performance you have been viewing is an accurate depiction of his ‘usual’ performance.

Using MATCHVIEWER and TREND in conjunction with the club’s own scouting reports provide the modern day club with every level of possible information available to devise an winning game plan.

5.Which types of defensive tendencies are popularly studied via Prozone (ie. If a defender can more easily be beaten on his left side; if a player has positional weaknesses; if a team has a set-piece blind spot)?

- In terms of defensive analysis, Set Play's are high on the agenda. In the 2008-09 English Premier League season as an example, 30% of all goals scored were from a set piece. Set Plays represent the nearest movements in a match that can be aligned to a closed skill and as such significant amounts of time on the training ground is dedicated to the execution of defending set plays. Prozone can be used by the coaching staff and players to help set play preparation prior to matches but also to review positives and negatives of previous performances. Prozone can help not only with the execution of set piece strategies but also provide detail on the most likely patterns the opposition will have as well as where goals have generally been scored from.

- In open play, Prozone can be useful for many facets of defending. PROZONE3 would allow for a 2D full representation of all 22 players on the pitch and as such the movements of the defenders can be monitored either individually or as a unit, as well as how they are linked to the attacking opponents. How high or deep the defensive line is, how they react to short and long balls, do they play the offside rule.

Our in depth interactive coaching tool codes every single touch of the ball and so every touch and movement of defensive play can be analysed at the touch of a button, instantaneously e.g. does a player favour his right or left side, where does he mostly receive the ball, where does he mainly distribute the ball to and to whom. How and where are interceptions, clearances, and tackles made together with the number of headers made. These insights can be viewed statistically or graphically all with the ability to link straight to the video.

6.Can you describe the general differences in the use of performance analysis products across England, Spain and Italy?

England set the benchmark in terms of usage. Many of Spain’s top clubs use some form of performance analysis, but not to a level comparable with the Premier League. [That is] with the exception of Real Madrid who have an outstanding Sports Science Centre. AC Milan are one of the leading Italian clubs [for performance analysis].

Testimonials

"At Real Madrid our ambition is always to be at the forefront of this science, a goal best achieved utilising the most accurate and detailed performance data available. The Prozone system has proven its excellent capabilities in this field and its flexibility to turn data into unique, valuable insight." - Valter Di Salvo, Former Head of TEC Real Madrid

"The benefits given [by Prozone] to scouting a team on general and specific opposition performances are unsurpassed." - Mark Hughes, Manager Manchester City FC

"The Prozone system provides a dynamic and unique insight into the team’s performance. Prozone have continually provided Arsenal with a product and service of great reliability, consistency and expertise." - Arsene Wenger, Manager Arsenal FC