Finding the best full-backs from the Allsvenskan – data analysis

In our second data analysis piece on the Allsvenskan, we will be looking out for the best full-backs currently playing in the league using data. Full-backs have come a long way in redefining their traits in the modern game. Gone are the days when they had a very limited task to do only defending. Modern managers are hugely dependent on their full-backs and their roles have also evolved where some of them play as a midfielder by inverting inside during possession.

In our analysis, we will be considering both the attacking as well as defensive attributes. We will be looking at players who registered at least 700 minutes of football in the 2022 league season. Also, only proper full-backs are taken into consideration i.e. no makeshift options included.

We will shortlist the best options according to the statistics and data analysis. Let’s dive deep into the analysis.

Player profiling

The most important thing for any player or position in football is to identify their best-suited abilities. Different players playing in the same position will have differing abilities both offensively and defensively. Likewise, full-backs will show both defensive as well as offensive capabilities. In order to account for the profile of the FBs that we are looking into, we compare them with respect to how well they perform in their attacking and defensive actions. We can see the plot in the image below that compares the FBs in the Allsvenskan in this regard.

Axel Lindahl  The 27-year-old right-back from Kalmar. He has recorded 5.57 successful attacking actions per game and 12.59 successful defensive actions per game. He also wins his duels at a very good rate 0f 57.46%.

Oliver Zandén  The 20-year-old left-back from Elfsborg. He has recorded 3.5 successful attacking actions per game and 14.94 successful defensive actions per game. He also wins his duels at an average rate 0f 50.59%.