How to read an expected goals table in five minutes
A short guide to what the numbers on this site mean and how to read them.
Expected goals tell you how good the chances in a match were, not just how many goals were scored. This short guide explains what the numbers on this site mean and how to read them in five minutes.
What is a good chance?
A tap-in from two metres is worth far more than a shot from thirty. Every chance gets a value between 0 and 1, and the sum over a match is the team's xG.
- Close to goal and central: high value
- Wide or far out: low value
- Headers are harder than shots with the foot
One number cannot describe a match, but it is a good place to start.
Reading the table
Every match has three numbers: Home xG, Away xG and Match xG, the two added together. The matches with the highest Match xG are the ones where we expect the most goals.
Match xG = Home xG + Away xGThat is all you need to get started.