One of the best things about being a football supporter and by extension a fan of betting on the sport, is the explosion of statistics in the past few years. Quite simply the beautiful game has now become a numbers game.
Of course, there is no more important number than the amount of goals scored and this will define the outcome of any match. However, there are plenty more facts and figures that can be dissected during 90 minutes of play.
While because of the proliferation of data-driven analysis it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start your research. Thankfully we are now able to point you in the right direction, as we are going to focus on possession, win record, fouls, and plenty more football stats to help with football tips and betting.
A Possession Game
They say that possession is nine tenths of the law and that is certainly is the case when it comes to football matches. Because although having more of the ball does not guarantee victory at the end of the game, it may increase the chances of a team coming out on top.
The more one team has of the ball, the less their opposition can lay claim to it. The more possession a particular side can accumulate, it can usually lead to a greater number of chances being created by their attackers.
Keeping Hold Of The Ball Is Vitally Important
While it is no coincidence that possession-based teams such as Manchester City find themselves operating at the much sharper end of the Premier League table and this all stems from not being in a sharing mood.
Regardless of the competition it always makes sense to look at who is topping the possession charts. Highlight those teams and you should be in a much stronger position when it comes to backing a winner in the win draw win market.
Win, Lose or Draw
While staying in that particular market, there is arguably no greater statistic on offer than a league table. They say that the table does not lie and after the first 10 weeks of the season, it usually tells the truth.
Admittedly using the league table as a barometer for performance in the first six weeks of any campaign can throw up some turbulence and this may catch punters out from time to time. Should you wait another month, this will no longer be the case.
If you see that a team is top of the league and travelling to mid-table opposition, this could serve as the perfect way to squeeze out some value before kickoff. By the same token, if you know that a struggling outfit on the road, you will want to stay clear of any longer odds.
Although the bookmakers may not be the most generous when it comes to pricing up favourites, there can be the odd gem when scouring through the odds. Use the league table to support this and it should reinforce any decisions you are looking to make,
In The Book
There may not be a discipline league table in an official capacity, but you can certainly analyse which teams are unforgiving when it comes to tackling and which outfits can be considered to have a far friendly disposition.
Because although the number of fouls that are given away may seem immaterial, it can actually have a connection to how a team performs across not only 90 minutes of an individual game but also across the season as a whole.
If a team gives away more fouls, they are going to concede more freekicks. That is how this works at its most basic level. However, you give more freekicks away, you give the opposition more opportunities to score.
More opportunities usually leads to a goal at some stage and although the racking up of fouls can seem rather harmless, clubs that are rather hack happy are usually punished in the end and this is something you should be wary of.
Turn The Corner
Another aspect to consider is the number of corners that a team either earns or concedes. If a team is top of the list for the former, then they are definitely worth keeping an eye on. If a team is top of the list for the latter, they are probably worth avoiding.
In a similar vein to possession stats, a team that is earning themselves more corners throughout the season is likely to be of an attacking nature and as we all know, the more you attack, the more opportunities you have to punish the opposition.
Keep An Eye On The Number Of Corners A Team Either Earns Or Gives Away
While from the opposite point of view, if a team is conceding more corners than average, their defence is likely going to be tested on a weekly basis and although they may have some of the answers, they are likely to be questioned when giving away goals.
Which is why if you are uncertain on a team’s capabilities before kickoff, make sure to analyse where they are in terms of corners. Back the teams that get forward, avoid the teams that look like they are going backwards.
An Eye For Goal
Football works by one team trying to beat the other, they do so by scoring a greater number of goals than their opposition. However, from a betting perspective you can also look at the two opposing teams working in tandem.
One of the best ways to do is in the over/under 2.5 goals market and for those who are an overs persuasion, three is certainly the magic number. Which is why it is hugely important to research the number of goals a team has scored throughout the season.
Avoid Backing Teams That Score Fewer Goals
For example, if you are backing a match between two relegation candidates to end in over 2.5 total goals, the chances are that each side has struggled in front of goal and this is why they find themselves in this particular situation.
While you can enhance your chances of victory by analysing their poor attacking records in front of goal and in doing so, flip your prediction to under 2.5 instead. Know where the goals are being scored or not scored for that matter and the likelihood of a winning bet will quickly be increased.
