20 Abr Beyond Shooting: Identifying Two-Way Impact in Attacking Players
Rethinking how we evaluate offensive players
In professional football, attacking players have traditionally been assessed through metrics directly linked to their offensive output, such as goals, assists or total shots. While these indicators remain essential, they provide only a partial view of player performance, particularly in a game that is increasingly defined by transitions and collective behaviour across phases.
Modern tactical demands require attacking players not only to contribute with the ball, but also to actively participate when possession is lost. In this context, understanding how players behave out of possession becomes critical for both performance analysis and recruitment processes.
The objective of this analysis is therefore to move beyond a unidimensional evaluation of attacking output and to explore the relationship between offensive production and defensive involvement in players with an attacking profile.
Methodological framework
The analysis presented in this study is based on data from LALIGA EA SPORTS 2025/26 season, up to Matchday 31. All performance metrics have been calculated using cumulative player data within this period, ensuring a representative sample of competitive match activity while maintaining consistency in contextual factors such as team style, match demands and player roles.
To ensure comparability across players competing in different tactical contexts, both offensive and defensive metrics were adjusted relative to the phases of play in which they occur.
Offensive production was measured through open play shots per 90 minutes in possession, which allows us to control for differences in team playing styles and possession dominance. This approach ensures that players are evaluated based on their frequency of involvement during attacking phases, rather than the absolute number of opportunities generated by their team.
Defensive involvement was captured through a Defensive Implication Index, constructed using a combination of variables including pressures, recoveries, defensive actions, duels, tackles, interceptions and high-intensity defensive efforts. All variables were normalized per 90 minutes out of possession and subsequently standardized using z-scores, ensuring that each component contributed equally to the final index.
This dual normalization—by phase of play and by statistical distribution—provides a robust framework for comparing players operating under different tactical conditions.
A two-dimensional perspective on player performance
By combining offensive production and defensive involvement into a single analytical framework, it is possible to classify players into four distinct profiles based on their relative positioning with respect to the sample average:
- Players with high offensive production and high defensive involvement
- Players with high offensive production but low defensive involvement
- Players with low offensive production but high defensive involvement
- Players with low offensive production and low defensive involvement
This classification allows for a more nuanced understanding of player roles, revealing behavioural patterns that are not visible when analysing each dimension in isolation.
Identifying two-way attacking profiles
Particular attention is given to players located in the quadrant combining above-average shot volume and above-average defensive involvement. These players represent a highly valuable profile within the modern game, as they are capable of contributing significantly in both phases.
In order to quantify this dual contribution, a Two-Way Index was calculated by averaging the standardized offensive and defensive metrics. This index provides an integrated measure of player impact, capturing their ability to sustain performance across phases.
The players leading this ranking include:
A. Rebbach, Fermín, Lamine Yamal, Mastantuono, Ez Abde, Ramazani, Olmo and Raphinha, among others.
Interpreting the results
The analysis highlights that high offensive production does not necessarily imply low defensive involvement. On the contrary, several players are able to maintain a high frequency of shots while also contributing consistently when their team is out of possession.
At the same time, the data reveals heterogeneity within this group. Some players stand out due to exceptional defensive metrics combined with solid offensive output, while others achieve their position through very high attacking volumes complemented by adequate defensive participation.
This distinction is particularly relevant for recruitment and tactical planning, as it allows clubs to differentiate between profiles that may appear similar when assessed through traditional metrics.
Practical implications for performance and recruitment
From a practical standpoint, this approach provides several advantages for clubs and technical staff.
First, it enables the identification of players whose behavioural profile aligns with high-intensity game models, particularly those based on pressing and rapid transitions. Second, it helps to detect potentially undervalued players who contribute across phases but may not stand out in conventional statistics.
Finally, it supports more informed decision-making in squad construction, facilitating a balanced composition of attacking units by avoiding the accumulation of players with limited defensive contribution.
Conclusion
The increasing complexity of the game demands a more comprehensive approach to player evaluation. Assessing attacking players exclusively through their offensive output risks overlooking critical aspects of their contribution to team performance.
By integrating offensive and defensive dimensions into a unified framework, it becomes possible to identify players who not only generate attacking opportunities, but also actively contribute to the team’s defensive structure.
In a context where transitions and collective organization are decisive, these two-way profiles represent a key competitive advantage.