I have recently read an article by Opta about the ‘Opposition Analyst.’
A very interesting article looking at the evolution of the role through the ages!
It references the recent opposition training ground spying by Leeds United (‘Spy Gate’) and it also shows how video analysis has generally become much more of an easier task with the evolution of technology in this digital age.
Who knows where this digital age will take us!
Decisions made on the pitch by players are sometimes made directly from this opposition analysis. I’m sure there are lots of examples!
(Please feel free to reply to this post and share your examples!)
A few spring to mind…. Remember these?
De Bruyne placing the ball under the wall with a free kick, based on if ‘they normally jump’.
Pickford writing the penalty information on the water bottles to decide which way to dive. An example set expertly by Hockey hero Maddie Hinch in their gold medal winning Rio 2016!
The article also shows an opposition report on a player from 26/07/79 – Crewe vs Stockport.
And he didn’t hold back on the No.11! Wow!
Overweight, No Pace, Cannot Run ,,,,,
Nowadays, not only do we have powerful video analysis software like Nacsport, but also a wealth of data supplied by companies like Opta, Instat, WyScout etc., providing data that can be utilised to further understand the opponent, with both qualitative and quantitative research and presentation deliveries.
With even a Nacsport Basic Plus licence (which costs £470 (+vat) for a lifetime licence), you are able to build your own key moments using a template but also import data from elsewhere.
It’s called cross – platform sharing and may be easier than you think! Read about it here.
Remember to share with us if you have been on the journey as an analyst to this digital age or have some examples of when opposition analysis has paid off! (Posted on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn)
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