A field guide to the match stats sheet

Open the Stats tab on any football match centre and you get a list of paired bars. They are easy to scan and easy to over-read. Each row answers one narrow question, and none of them on its own tells you which side played better.

Possession

Possession is the share of the match each side had the ball. Providers calculate it in different ways: some count passes completed, others measure time on the ball. That is why two outlets can show 58% and 54% for the same game. A high number tells you who kept the ball. It says nothing about where on the pitch they kept it.

Shots and shots on target

A shot is any deliberate attempt at goal, including ones that are blocked or fly wide. A shot on target is one heading into the net until a save or a goal-line block stopped it. Every goal counts as a shot on target, so the on-target number can never be lower than the goals scored. If it is, the sheet has a data error and we want to hear about it.

Corners, fouls and offsides

These rows describe the shape of a game more than its quality. Many corners usually mean one side spent long spells pressing high and forcing clearances. Many fouls can mean a physical match, or a side that slows the game down deliberately. Offsides often rise when a team plays balls in behind a high defensive line.

Passes and saves

Total passes rise with possession, so the two usually move together. Not every report publishes passes or saves, so our sheet shows only the rows the official match report includes.

How to read the sheet as a whole

1. Start with shots on target, because that row is closest to the scoreboard.
2. Then look at possession and passes to see who controlled the ball.
3. Use corners and fouls for the texture: was this an open game or a stop-start one?

During a live match the bars update with the score. A stats sheet at half-time can look very different from the full-time version, so check the minute shown next to the scoreline before drawing conclusions.