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

In our third data analysis piece on the Eliteserien, 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 only defend. 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. 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. To account for the profile of the FBs we are examining, we compare them based on their performance in both attacking and defensive actions. We can see the plot in the image below that compares the FBs in the Allsvenskan in this regard.

Aleksander Melgalvis  The 33-year-old right-back from HamKam has averaged 3.27 successful attacking actions per game and 10.77 successful defensive actions per game. He also wins his duels at a very good rate 0f 46.58%.

Kristoffer Haugen  The 28-year-old left-back from Molde has averaged 3.71 successful attacking actions per game and 9.88 successful defensive actions per game. He also wins his duels at a very good rate 0f 52.29%.