Stick to What You Know: Are You Sure Your Forwards Should Focus on Defense?

14 Nov Stick to What You Know: Are You Sure Your Forwards Should Focus on Defense?

Introduction

In football, there’s an ongoing debate about the extent to which forwards should engage in defensive duties. Should they primarily focus on scoring goals, or should they also work to win the ball back? At LALIGA, we’ve examined this question to help coaches better plan their strategies. Our analysis of data from the 2023/24 season reveals how positional specialization can optimize performance on the pitch.

Methodology and Normalization

To ensure precise and meaningful results, we considered only players with more than 400 minutes of participation, excluding midfielders due to their hybrid roles between defense and attack. Metrics were normalized using a context-specific approach:

• Offensive metrics (e.g., goals, shots) were normalized by minutes spent in the offensive phase, reflecting player performance during attacking situations only.
• Defensive metrics (e.g., recoveries) were normalized by minutes spent in the defensive phase, capturing their contributions strictly during defensive plays.

This approach avoids distortions and highlights the true impact of each position within the game context.

Key Findings

1. Forwards’ Superiority in Offensive Metrics
   Forwards registered 479% more goals and 291% more shots per minute in the offensive phase than defenders. This underscores their primary focus on creating and finishing plays. Coaches can optimize performance by focusing training and strategy on enhancing these offensive contributions.
2. Defenders’ Defensive Specialization
   In traditional defensive metrics like recoveries, defenders outperformed forwards by 70% per minute during the defensive phase, reinforcing their critical role in protecting the goal.
3. Recoveries in the Final Third
   Forwards excelled in final third recoveries, recording 154% more than defenders. This demonstrates their ability to win the ball back near the opponent’s goal, creating high-pressure opportunities for offensive plays.

Practical Conclusions

This analysis highlights the importance of respecting positional specialization. Forwards should focus on creating scoring opportunities and pressing in key areas, while defenders concentrate on maintaining defensive solidity. By applying these insights, coaches can maximize player performance and enhance their training and competition strategies.