Tech in Football: How Premier League Clubs Are Leveraging Data Analytics
In football, data analytics is not exactly a groundbreaking, new piece of technology, however, the use of it has significantly increased over the last decade, with many more clubs seeing the benefits of it first hand. As a result, it has almost created a new role in football, with clubs now adding data scientists, performance experts and even analysts to their employ, who are paid specifically to break down the numbers and provide an illustrative picture. This is a tool that also comes in useful for measuring fitness and even the recruitment of players, with many scouting departments, more often than not, successfully relying on this technology.
Indeed a lot of the top clubs have started to use this technology over the years, which also highlights a significant gulf in terms of the resource gap between these and those with a smaller profile. Manchester City, Chelsea and even Liverpool have relied on such data metrics over the years, to great success, which has reflected on the pitch and trophy cabinets.
DEAL DONE: Liverpool have signed Mohamed Salah from Roma for £35m on a long term contract. 🔴🔥 pic.twitter.com/Od1IErcjek
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) June 22, 2017
Speaking of Liverpool, this analytical approach has reflected great success stories, such as Liverpool’s acquisition of Mohamed Salah in 2017. While he struggled previously in the Premier League with Chelsea, following his continued development in the Serie A with AS Roma, data analysis suggested he was an ideal fit for Liverpool’s playing style – something which then, manager Jurgen Klopp was quick to recognise. This decision, which was considerably influenced by data, paid off handsomely, and as a result, it inspired a new era of data-driven decision-making in football.
Match Preparation And Tactics
It should also be noted that data analytics is also having a positive effect on match preparation, such as the analysis of past games and opponents. As such, these metrics include a blow-by-blow account of every passage of the game, such as possession, passing lanes, shooting accuracy and considerably more.
As such, it has meant that, certainly the top clubs have witnessed great success over the years, which could well be part of the reasons for the increasing gulf between the ‘top 6’ Premier League sides and those below them, perhaps with fewer financial resources. This technology can even help with tactical adjustments and, it is no secret that Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola and his backroom staff are big fans of this.
Player Performance And Health Monitoring
Arguably, this is a huge factor and very important use of data analytics, because football clubs need to know that their players are operating at peak condition. As such, many employ the use of things like wearable technology and GPS trackers in training sessions. This can help to translate in games, giving managers an edge as to what and how much players are capable of.
It can also assist in the prevention of injuries, because clubs are reliably informed of the capacity that players have, giving coaching departments an idea of when they need to rest, but also how long they can keep going in games while giving 100 percent.
Fan Engagement And Commercial Strategies
Interestingly data analytics is not only used on the pitch, but can also transform how clubs engage with their fans and optimise their commercial strategies. With the vast amounts of data generated through social media, ticket sales, and online interactions, clubs can gain deep insights into their fan base.
One big advocate of this is Arsenal, who since the build of their new stadium, have embarked on a strong and strategic commercial campaign. The use of such data analytic tools has helped them to be able to focus their marketing campaigns with more personalised content for the right type of fans, in order to help drive sales.
Challenges And Ethical Considerations
It is evidently clear that data analytics have very useful benefits in football and, as a result, these clearly reflect in terms of measurable success. However, a major concern remains about that of data privacy and how clubs are using the data that they collect, in addition to the safeguards that they have in place to protect a player’s statistics.
As a result, there is an ethical responsibility to make sure that these do not fall into the wrong hands.
The Future of Data Analytics in Football
The future of data analytics in football looks promising, with continuous technological advancements set to deepen its impact. As a result, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, if not already, are expected to play a significant role, offering more sophisticated predictive models and real-time analysis.
In addition, relationships between football clubs and tech companies are likely to increase. Companies specialising in data analytics, AI, and wearable technology will likely be keen to partner with clubs to help develop solutions that help to increase performance.
As technology continues to evolve, so will its integration into the sport, regardless of whether it is at the highest level.
Certainly, there is a lot of potential in the future for data analytics to become even more effective as technology continues to develop. There is no doubt that it works and it could well see more clubs follow in the footsteps of those clubs that have been successful with some of their decisions, aided by this technology. Case in point: Salah to Liverpool and what followed.