Set yourself up on Statzpack

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Uploading your team badge/crest

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Adding a New Game

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Adding a Customised  or Tailored Action Set of Stats

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Using the Matrix Analysis /  Excel Export Function

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Gameshare – sharing your soccer stats with your team and supporters

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I was struck by how open Mondays night game was, and how there seemed to be so much space when attacking (particularly for Man United, and particularly towards the end of the game).    Gary Neville mentioned that the pitch is really big at Old Trafford in his recent biography, and anyone who has been lucky enough tovisit it will tesify it is a large field.  This made us want to investigate…. according to this website (though dated in 2007.. gives us an idea):    http://soccerlens.com/premier-league-pitch-sizes/3683/     – it’s the second-biggest pitch in the league… in fact, it’s 786 square yards bigger (by area) than White Hart Lane where Tottenham, the defeated team play!  Spurs ground is small, close, intimate – probaby more theatre than the Theatre of Dreams.  I don’t think it’s a coincidence that United tend to drop off rather than press when they’re not in posession, and are so effective on the counter-attack using all that space with quick decisive, youthful, direct attacking soccer. 

Soccer Standards?

And this to a US sports coach may seem odd, where standard field sizes are more defined, for example American football fields are a set  360 by 160 feet.  Rugby league is played on a field 112-122 by 68 metres. In Rugby Union (yes there are two variants) the field of play on a pitch/field is as near as possible to a maximum of 144m long by 70m wide. In Lacrosse, the field of play is 110 yards (100 m) long and 60 yards (55 m) wide.) 

The length of a full-size soccer pitch must be between 100 yards (90 metres) and 130 yards (120 metres) and the width between 50 yards (45 metres) and 100 yards (90 metres). It is not allowed to be square.  These dimensions apply everywhere in the world.   The pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer sides are called touchlines. The other opposing sides are called the goal lines. The two goal lines must be between 45 and 90 m (50 and 100 yd) and be the same length.  The two touch lines must also be of the same length, and be between 90 and 120 m (100 and 130 yd) in length.  However, in international matches, the goal lines must be between 64 and 75 m (70 and 80 yd) long and the touchlines must be between 100 and 110 m (110 and 120 yd).   Still, there’s a lot of allowance there for size differences of a soccer field. huge differences. 

Lets take Field Hockey for example, a similar sport to Soccer where 11 players per team are on the field at one time, typically on grass – okay, with a few more sticks of course.  Their governing body dont allow for any misunderstanding, as laid down by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in the “Rules of Hockey”.   As follows:

 The pitch is a 91.40 m × 55 m (100 yd × 60 yd) rectangular field. At each end is a goal 2.14 m (7 feet) high and 3.66 m (12 ft) wide measured from the inner sides of the posts and crossbar, and an approximately semi-circular area 14.63 m (16 yd) from the goal known as the shooting circle (or D or arc), bounded by a solid line, with a dotted line 5 m (5 yd 6 in—this marking was not established until after metric conversion) from that, as well as lines across the field 22.90 m (25 yd) from each end-line (generally referred to as the 23 m lines) and in the center of the field. A spot 0.15m in diameter, called the penalty spot or stroke mark, is placed with its centre 6.40 m (7 yd) from the centre of each goal.

So why the broad acceptance of the variance in field sizes for soccer? Any idea?

We have released a new version of the Statzpack App, version 2.3 – now available in iTunes.  Take a quick tour of the App in this youtube video.

This version allows you to see custom actions in the real time summary and as usual is free of any cost.

Get the update by visiting iTunes or via the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.

Tracking a set of custom stats (or as we refer to them custom actions) allows you to build your own tailored set of stats for your players.  Statzpack lets you track a regular set of soccer stats – like goals, free-kicks, corners etc; but you can go further than this and record more performance analysis data.  When you add a game on the website you can opt to create your own set of custom actions.  We have built in a set of Default actions, but if you don’t want to track these then that’s no problem.  As you add a game just below the soccer field where you select your line-up you will see an option to create a custom set of stats. 

You can also make an action set that combines a mixture of default stats and your custom actions – say for example Goal/Attempt on Goal/Free-kick & Custom #1/Custom 2.  Make sure when add a set that you include Goal if you want to keep a score, or Substitute if you need to field different players.

You choose the soccer stats coach

 If you opt to add a new set of actions select the ‘Create New Set’ button. We’ve added a new set called Evaluation.   When you add a new set, you also be able to see every other custom stat statzpack users have added (Pre Defined Custom Actions) .

So in this example we are building a set of actions to help us evaluate our team and we have put together a simple set of 8 actions to track.  Try not to go over 10 stats in total in any set as it requires that you will have to scroll down the screen to use them on the Statzpack App.

We’ve added here a set of actions focussing on player evaluation.  Once you’ve created the set you can see it on the website.

Just for a heads up, any set or action you add will stay on the system for good and you cannot delete it.   And as you go to record the stats at the game, you will see the custom stats on the App.  Here is our example custom action set.

When you open the Statzpack App and go to track your stats for your players, your custom action set will appear on the App, and the data you record will make its way back to the website.  Likewise you do not have to record the stats on the Statzpack App – you can always record the data straight on to the website.

You can earn some cash by becoming an advertising affiliate for Statzpack.

We have an excellent product and provide A+ customer service to our clients on a global basis.  Our customers include schools, colleges, soccer clubs, scouts and leagues.   Whether you are an individual, a blogger, a soccer club, league or team placing our adverts on your website can generate you extra cash. 

Soccer Affiliate

We pay high commissions for the sale of our products. For every new paying customer you provide, we pay $30.  Sign up to be a Statzpack Affiliate.  If you have any specific questions send them to affiliates@statzpack.com.

As high quality and as slick the iPhone 4 screen is, it doesn’t compare to that of the iPad when it comes to size.  And yep size matters.  Being able to see more of the screen when you record soccer stats with Statzpack improves accuracy and speed.

Tracking Soccer Stats Gets Easier

A quick look shows how much more of the screen you can see when using a stylus.

Over the past year or so there has been an increase in the availability of stylus’s for smart-phones. So what about a stylus for the iPhone?  Apple don’t sell them directly, but you can get your hands on them online for around $10-15 and there are various types and quality.

So with the help of our sports studies intern Aileen we carried out some research to find out ‘would the use of the stylus improve the Statzpack experience?’  The answer was.. YES!  In general when using a stylus approximately 25% more of the screen is visible.  The central advantage is the use of a stylus increases greater visibility of the screen and hence improves recording accuracy and speed.

We then tested 5 different types of stylus and we concluded that the best stylus to use with Statzpack was a basic soft touch stylus.  Not only can you see more of the screen it was the best stylus type for the action selection in our App.

And we have 10 stylus’s to give away. If you would like to get your hands on one of our stylus’s for free just email freestylus@statzpack.com and we will mail one out to you.

What’s the difference between a direct and indirect free kick? How many strikers are in a 4-4-2 formation? And what’s this “injury time” business all about? Before you start tracking stats on your iPad.. .. ..

Against the run of play: When one team scores after launching a counterattack soon after it regains possession of the ball, that team is said to have scored “against the run of play.”

Attacking third: The third of the field where one team is trying to score on the opposing team’s goal.

Bicycle kick: A shot on goal taken by a player who has his back to the net and kicks the ball while both of his feet are in the air.

Booking: A term used to indicate when the referee has cautioned a player with a yellow or red card. A player is said to have been “booked.” Also known as a caution.

Cap: A recognition earned by a player whenever he plays in an international game for his country. A player becomes “capped” each time he plays for his country.

Caught in possession: A player who doesn’t move forward with the ball or passes to a teammate after receiving the ball, and who is then tackled by an opponent is said to have been “caught in possession.”

Caught square: When a through ball has beaten two or more opposing defenders because they were positioned square to one another (in a straight line across the field parallel to the goal-line) they are said to have been “caught square.”

Chip pass: A pass lofted into the air from one player to a teammate. Used primarily to elude a defender by kicking the ball over his head.

Soccer Defined

Chip shot: A shot towards the net that is lofted into the air in an attempt to sail the ball over the goalkeeper’s head and under the crossbar and into the goal.

Close down: A defensive technique whereby a defender gets as close as possible to an attacker carrying the ball without letting him get by.

Compress the field: When defenders push out toward someone who is dribbling the ball, thereby reducing the area in which that player can move without being in an offside position.

Counter-attack: An attack launched by a defending team immediately after it regains possession of the ball. A counterattack in soccer is equivalent to a fast break in basketball.

Cross: A pass from an attacking player near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field.

Dead ball situation: Any restart of the game, following a stoppage by the referee, when the ball is put back into play by the attacking team. (i.e.: a direct or indirect free kick or a corner kick).

Direct play: A tactical style of play in which a team tries to move the ball forward into its opponent’s half of the field as soon as possible after regaining possession.

Dissent: When a player expresses disagreement by word or action with any decision of the referee. A yellow card is usually handed out as punishment for dissent.

Dribble: The act of controlling the ball with the feet while moving on the field of play.

Dummy: A player pretending to be about to receive the ball, but instead allowing the ball to travel past him and to the feet of a teammate in order to trick opposing players.

Formation: The arrangement of players into positions on the field. A 4-4-2 formation consists of four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards.

50/50 ball: A loose ball contested by a player from each team, usually after an errant pass or a goal kick.

Half volley: Taking a shot on net just as the ball bounces off the ground.

Header: Use of the head to pass or control the ball, or to take a shot on net.

Man-to-man: A type of defensive scheme where each defender is assigned to mark a specific player from the opposing team.

Marking: Guarding and defending a player to prevent him from advancing the ball towards the net, making a pass or getting the ball from a teammate.

Midfield: The area of the field near the centre line; the area patrolled by the midfielders.

Narrowing the angle: A goalkeeping technique used to reduce the area of the goal that an attacker could shoot. This lowers the odds that the attacker will score.

Nil: British term meaning the score for one side is zero. A score of 1-0 is one-nil in English soccer parlance. Nutmeg: When a player kicks the ball through the legs of a defender instead of carrying it around him, the defender is said to have been “nutmegged.”

Obstruction: A defending player using his body to prevent an offensive player from playing the ball.

Offside trap: The act of the defenders moving forward together in order to place an opponent in an offside position, thereby creating an offside infraction.

Overlap: A tactic where a player moves past a teammate who has the ball down the sideline in order to put himself in a better position to receive a pass.

Own-goal: A player accidentally putting the ball in his own net, thus scoring a goal for the opposing team.

Pitch: British term for a soccer field.

Possession play: A tactical style of play in which a team tries to maintain possession of the ball while moving towards the opponent’s goal, with the underlying objective to create a scoring chance.

Professional foul: A foul committed intentionally on an attacker just outside the defender’s penalty area. Used to prevent a scoring opportunity without incurring a penalty shot.

Set play: A planned strategy that a team employs when a game is restarted with a free kick. Also known as a set piece.

Tackling: The act of taking the ball away from an opposing player by kicking or stopping it with one’s feet.

Through ball: A pass played into the space behind the defenders for a teammate to run on to.

Tracking: Moving and staying with an opponent who has made a run to another part of the field.

Trap: When a player uses his body to slow down and control a moving ball, most often using the chest, thighs or feet.

Volley: Any ball kicked by a player when it is in the air.

Wall: A line of defending players pressed together shoulder-to-shoulder to protect their goal against a free kick. The wall makes it more difficult for the opposing player to score by reducing the amount of open goal area to shoot at.

THE FIELD

Goal area: The rectangular area (20 yards wide by 6 yards deep) in front of each goal from which all goal kicks are taken.

Goal-line: The field boundary running along its width at each end. Also called the end-line.

Halfway line: The middle line that divides the field into two equal halves. Also known as the centre line.

Penalty area: A rectangular area (44 yards wide by 18 yards deep) with its long edge on the goal line; the goalkeeper may use his hands to block or control the ball only within this area. Also known as the 18-yard box.

Penalty spot: The small circular spot located 12 yards in front of the centre of the goal-line from which all penalty kicks are taken.

Sideline: A line that runs the length of the field on each side. The line from which all free throws are taken. Also known as the touchline.

POSITIONS

Attacking midfielder: The most forward-playing midfielder who slots in right behind the forwards and in front of the rest of the midfielders. He supports the offence by providing passes to forwards to set up goals.

Defender: A player who functions primarily in the defensive third of the field and whose major role is to fend off attacks on the goal by the opposing team. Also known as a fullback.

Defensive midfielder: The player positioned just in front of his team’s defence who is responsible for marking the opposition’s best offensive player.

Flat back: A defensive scheme in which the three or four defenders move in unison, maintaining a formation that is straight across the field.

Goalkeeper: The player positioned directly in front of the goal who tries to stop opposing players to score. The only player allowed to use his hands and arms, though only within the penalty area.

Libero: A defender or midfielder who plays in front of the defence. Similar to a sweeper (who plays behind the defenders) or a screen; however, the libero frequently moves forward to join the attack.

Marking back: A fullback whose primary responsibility is to mark or cover one of the opposing forwards.

Midfielders: The two, three or four players who link together the offensive and defensive functions of a team. Midfielders play in front of the defenders and behind the forwards.

Screen: A defensive midfielder playing in front of the defence charged with the responsibility of collecting loose balls across the width of the field and then distributing passes to teammates up the field.

Stopper: A defender who marks the best scorer on the attacking team, often the opposition’s striker.

Striker: An offensive player who plays towards the opposing team’s net and tries to score goals. Also known as a forward.

Sweeper: A central defender who plays closest to his own goal behind the rest of the defenders. A team’s last line of defence in front of the goalkeeper.

Target man: An attacking player who acts as a target for forward passes from teammates. This player tends to be tall and plays with his back to the goal and holds off opponents with his big size and frame.

Wingback: A fullback playing in a wide position with responsibility for making attacking runs down the wings.

Winger: The outside forwards who play close to the sidelines whose primary task is to provide the strikers with accurate crossing passes so they can shoot at the goal.

RULES AND LAWS

Play the advantage: A judgement made by the official to allow play to continue rather than stopping play to call a foul. The official makes this decision when he thinks the foul did not put the offended team at a disadvantage, or if the foul, should it have been called, would take away a scoring chance for the offended team.

Corner kick: A restart of the game where the ball is kicked from the corner arc into the middle of the penalty area in an attempt to create a scoring chance. Awarded to an attacking team when the ball crosses the defending team’s goal-line after being last touched by the defending team.

Direct free kick: A kick awarded to a player after being fouled by the opposition. The player kicks a stationary ball while opposing players are forced to stand 10 yards away from him. A goal can be scored directly from this kick without the ball touching another player.

Extra time: If the score is tied after 90 minutes of regulation, the teams must then play two 15 minutes halves to decide the game. Sort of like overtime in hockey, expect the extra time periods are not sudden death; if one team scores a goal, they must still play both 15 minutes halves.

Foul: A violation of the rules – including kicking, pushing, shoving, tripping and dangerous or aggressive play – for which an official awards a free kick.

Goal kick: A type of restart in which the ball is kicked from inside the goal area away from the goal. Awarded to the defending team when a ball that crossed its goal-line was last touched by a player on the attacking team.

Handball: A foul where a player touches the ball with his hand or arm; depending on where the offence take place, the opposing team is awarded either a penalty kick or a direct free kick.

Indirect free kick: A kick awarded to a player for a less-serious foul committed by the opposition. The player kicks a stationary ball to a teammate while opposing players are forced to stand 10 yards away from him. A goal can not be scored on an indirect free kick as the ball must first be touched by another player before going into the net – this is why a player kicks the ball to a teammate on an indirect free kick.

Injury time: Time added to the end of each half according to the referee’s judgment of time lost due to player injuries or intentional stalling by a team. Also known as “time added on” or “stoppage time.”

Assistant referees: The two officials who assist the lead referee in making his decisions. They monitor the sidelines and goal-lines to determine when a ball goes out of bounds, when a goal is scored or when players are offside; they use a flag to signal their observations.

Offside: A player in an offside position while his team has the ball becomes involved in active play, such as by being the recipient of a pass.

Offside position: The situation where an attacking player, on the offensive half of the field, has put himself in a position where there are fewer than two opponents (usually the goalie and one defender) between him and the goal at the exact moment the ball is kicked forward. This positioning does not constitute a foul until he becomes involved in the play. A player is not offside if he is exactly even with one or both of these defensive players.

Penalty shot: A kick taken from the penalty spot by a player against the opposing goalie. Awarded for the most severe rule violations and those committed by defenders within their own penalty area. Also known as a penalty kick.

Red card: A red card that a referee holds up to signal a player’s expulsion from the game; the player’s team must then play the rest of the game shorthanded. Presented for violent behaviour or multiple infractions (two yellow cards = one red card).

Referee: The head referee in charge of officiating the game.

Shootout: A tie-breaking device that pits one player against the goalkeeper in penalty kicks. The winner is determined after a best-of-five series of shots alternating with each team. If tied after five, the contest continues with different players until one team scores and the other team doesn’t. Used after the teams played two 15-minute halves of overtime with the game still tied.

Substitution: Replacement of one player on the field with another player not on the field. Teams are allowed three substitutions per game.

Throw-in: A type of restart where a player throws the ball from behind his head with two hands while standing with both feet on the ground behind a sideline. Taken by a player opposite the team that last touched the ball before it went over the sideline.

Yellow card: A yellow card that a referee holds up to warn a player for dangerous or un-sportsmanlike behaviour; also known as a caution. Two yellow cards in one game earns a player an automatic red card, signalling his expulsion.

From time to time when we talk to new customers and partners, we are often asked ‘so who uses yur product?’ or ‘where are your customers at?’.   When we were asked this last week by a new user in the mid west of the USA we decided to actually take a few minutes to list it out.  Well we all know that soccer is the truly global game, and the internet has no bounds so it really be no surprise (but it was..) to see that we have customers in the following countries: USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, Turkey, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, India, Italy, South Africa, Malta, Cyprus, New Zealand, Malta, Australia and Malaysia.  

Global Soccer App

We have users who are high school teachers, semi-pro coaches, professional analysts, parents, even international scouts using our product.  What amazes us and equally motivates us a company is the enthusiasm of the soccer coach – wherever they are, or whatever age group or level they are coaching and we try to plough that right back into our products.

If you’re a Statzpack user you can help spread the word and by making referrals you can get extra free time added to your subscription, check it out here.   Hello world. Greetings Statzpackers

Just to let you know that we have made some refinements to the Matrix Report function.  We improved the capability to define what actions you want to list and the export function to Excel lays out the data in two distinct sheets. To take a look, log into the website and select the Analysis Tab, and then Matrix Report.  Once again these changes were guided by feedback from our users and if you have any ideas let us know.  For example we are currently looking at the capability to allow coaches to complete player/team evaluations on the website, is this something that as a coach you desire? If it is – tell us.

Here is a sample of the look excel output.

They say that women are better multi-taskers than men but when it comes to recording stats during a game it’s vital to cut down the number of tasks regardless of gender!  Many people who start to use Statzpack for the first time tell us, ‘I really found it hard to record the stats and watch the game’.  Well that’s probably because you can’t do both at the same time.  You’ll certainly find it hard to cheer on your team and record meaningful accurate stats.  Even more difficult if you are actually coaching or one of the team is your child J.   It’s important to create for yourself an ‘observation environment’ away from vocal crowds or from your buddies chatting about the night before.  Ideally you should have one person with you who is tuned in the game and will help you with game info during the match.  Arrive early so you do not get stuck sitting in a row where you have to let people in and out past you or in a place where your view can be obstructed. And if needed where a hat that says ‘Do not disturb’ on the front.  Or even as one user from Vancouver, Canada told us  ‘It’s easy, I just sit up on the bench, away from the guys, plug in my earphones, kick into Bruce Springsteen, watch the game, and record the stats.’  Good idea, just watch the battery level on the iPod touch!