Smarter Scouting - Profiling Players Beyond the Position Group

Modern football has evolved from defined positions to functions and principles players perform within different tactical systems. Smarter Scouting is a new video series that explores how clubs can use advanced data to easily identify player profiles that go beyond traditional position labels.

In each episode, we highlight a position group and uncover the key archetypes that exist within it - combining physical, technical, tactical, and contextual insights to show how data brings clarity to complex roles.

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This article is also available in Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese. 

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This episode explores the evolution of the modern centre-back, contrasting two key profiles: the Ball-Playing Centre-Back and the Physical, Aggressive Centre-Back. We’ll highlight their main differences and how SkillCorner data can reveal players suited to each profile.

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The Ball-Playing Centre-Back 

A defensive playmaker, involved in build-up, able to break the opposition by passing through the first line of pressure as well as the rival midfield, inside the opposition defensive shape. Off the ball, the Ball-Playing Centre-Back is constantly looking for spaces to receive, either below the ball line or following the action forward 

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To quantify and evaluate the various functions and behaviours, we used the following metrics belonging to our Physical and Game Intelligence data:

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(Information on the normalization method for each metric is provided at the end of the blog) 

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• Possessions in Build-up (P30 TIP): number of possessions in the Build-up phase - typically occurring in the team's own third of the pitch, while the opposing team is applying pressure or is positioned very high.
  
  
• Pass Attempts Through First Line (P30 TIP): number of times a player attempts a pass to a teammate positioned beyond the first line of the opposition’s pressure.
  
  
• Pass Attempts Through Second Last Line (P30 TIP): number of times a player attempts a pass to a teammate positioned beyond the second-last line of pressure, typically the midfield.
  
  
• Dropping Off Runs (P30 TIP): number of runs towards the team in possession’s goal to open a passing angle.
  
  
• Support Runs (P30 TIP): number of runs originating behind the player in possession trying to engage in offensive play.  

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The Physical and Aggressive Centre-Back 

A fast, explosive athlete able to keep pace with the quickest forwards, tracking them back and facing 1 vs 1 situations. A player who regains the ball directly and has great anticipation and positioning, able to slow down the opposition and turn dangerous situations into organized defense. 

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Relevant metrics: 

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• PSV-99 (99th percentile Peak Velocity): maximum sustainable and repeatable speed of the player.
  
  
• Time to Sprint: The shortest time taken by the player to accelerate to sprinting speed (25 km/h). Crucial for assessing a player’s ability to accelerate quickly and effectively during gameplay.
  
  
• Recovery Press Engagements (P30 OTIP): number of times a defender runs backward to apply pressure to the ball-carrier. Typically occurring during defensive transitions.
  
  
• Direct Disruption or Regain %: percentage of total On Ball Engagements - defensive actions where the player engages the ball-carrier while out of possession - that result in either a direct ball recovery or an interruption of the opposition’s play, even if possession is not ultimately regained.
  
  
• Stop or Reduce Possession Danger %: share of total On Ball Engagements - defensive actions where the player engages the ball-carrier while out of possession - that effectively limit or neutralize the threat posed by the opponent’s possession.

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Normalization methods:

• P90: average per 90 minutes - highlights what a player would achieve if they played a full match, allowing fair comparison across players with different playing times.
  
  
• P30 TIP: per 30 Minutes Time in Possession - shows performance as if every player had the same 30 minutes of team possession within games.
  It levels the playing field, so you can compare players fairly even if some teams are more or less dominant.
  
  
• P30 OTIP: per 30 Minutes Time out of Possession - reveals performance as if every player experienced the same 30 minutes without the ball during matches.
  It makes comparisons fair, so you can evaluate players even if some spend more or less time defending.

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