Introducing the Core 4 stats.

Right from the start, the team at Matchday has been committed to bringing you closer to the heart of football - the real players, their skills, and their impact on the game. We know you cannot capture the magic of the game entirely in numbers, but believe us, we’ve tried! Seasoned members will remember our in depth explainer on the detail behind our OG stat, the OVR - Overall Rating, where we revealed some of the immense detail that goes into producing the one stat to rule them all. This approach has enabled us to present player ratings that reflect the essence of over 2000 footballers across genders, leagues, and competitions globally (a number we hope will skyrocket!)

Today though, we are thrilled to announce an evolution in how we present these ratings. Going beyond the singular OVR, we are now permanently revealing the ‘Core Four’. Four numbers that provide a deeper dive into the abilities and specialties of each player. These stats are:

1. Attack: The art of scoring. This stat quantifies a player's effectiveness and prowess in creating and converting goal-scoring opportunities.
2. Pressing: The skill of regaining possession. This measures a player's ability to apply pressure, intercept, and recover the ball from the opposition.
3. Defence: The craft of preventing goals. This stat reflects a player's capability in guarding their goal, marking opponents, and disrupting the offensive plays of the opposing team.
4. Possession: The mastery of ball retention. This illustrates a player's skill in maintaining control of the ball and dictating the pace of the game.

Attack and Possession are our ‘on-ball’ stats, while Pressing and Defence represent the ‘off-ball’ abilities players have to affect the game. They are built on the same Prorata system, drawing from a rich tapestry of over twenty-three substats. We see the reveal of these as a natural expansion of engaging football fans from anywhere. We demand a nuanced view, but we don’t want to overwhelm and detract from football itself.

The Method & The Motive

In our previous post we talked about how our OVR is a combination of not only the Core Four stats, but from almost two dozen further sub-stats. Each one of these numbers serves to paint a picture internally, within our Prorata model, of any given footballer’s strengths and abilities on the pitch. Yet releasing them all would certainly serve to confuse users and fans. So why are we now pulling the curtain across to reveal these Core Four? As you might know, we’re nose to the grindstone currently working to craft a football game experience like no other. We’re excited to reveal that the four stats we are revealing on each Matchday card will appear in game too!

Now, while you’re choosing players to fit into your squad, you’ll have more information to make the best choice you can. Whether you're assessing a player's fit for your starting eleven’s style or delving into the strengths of your next opponent's key players, these stats offer a new dimension to interaction with your Matchday cards.

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See the stats for your collection right now!