The Joy of Stats

Having enjoyed a TV show of the same name recently and being a bit of a statto myself, it got me thinking that the stats in FM are not detailed enough. I've posted this in the wishlist thread, but thought I would start a thread to see if we can generate some more ideas on stats which should be in the game, or even stats which are in the game but pretty pointless.

Things like the club records page for instance - instead of just showing the player with most league appearances for a club, how about a link to another page showing the top 10 or 20?

Or if 2 or more players or teams are tied for a record, how about showing both names instead of just the one that got there first? This is especially silly for things like 'Most times winner' of a competition. There could be twelve teams who have all won it twice, but only one team will be mentioned.

How about something to say how many hattricks a player has had over his career?

How about more records on unbeaten runs, perhaps split between home and away? I recently went on a 3 year run without losing a home game, and it would be nice if the game kept a record, or if it even got mentioned when that run came to an end.

How about ditching pointless stats like the goals conceded on the league player stats screen? It's obvious that the sub 'keeper who played one game will be top of this list. Or perhaps change this list into a goals conceded per game ratio, giving us something more relevant to look at.

These are just a few ideas, but there are countless more that could easily be put in somewhere.

The most pressing one for me:

League stats will tell you how many goals you've scored from corner, but not how many you've conceded.

The most pressing one for me:

League stats will tell you how many goals you've scored from corner, but not how many you've conceded.

Ah yes, I had more in the back of my mind but couldn't remember them. This was one of them. Such a basic stat that has been overlooked. Same goes for free kicks.

I'd like more stats definitely, and just a bit more detail in the current stats. For example, the records, your all time top goal scorer, why not tell me how many games he played for the club? And maybe the period during which he scored all those goals?

Some goalkeeping ones would be nice. Like how many crosses and shots were held/punched/fumbled.

Transfer records for leagues, countries, the world as well as individual clubs. The stats are already in the game, it's just a matter of displaying them

I'd love a stat that says the average amount of passes per game a team has had, and a season average too. Right now all we can do is add up players passes under the Match Stats section in a game to make up the teams passes

Transfer records for leagues, countries, the world as well as individual clubs. The stats are already in the game, it's just a matter of displaying them

This is the key point. All this data is already in the game, we just need it collated so we can see it at-a-glance.

I'd love to see more graphs and charts as well, because I love charts and graphs.

Having enjoyed a TV show of the same name recently and being a bit of a statto myself, it got me thinking that the stats in FM are not detailed enough. I've posted this in the wishlist thread, but thought I would start a thread to see if we can generate some more ideas on stats which should be in the game, or even stats which are in the game but pretty pointless.

Things like the club records page for instance - instead of just showing the player with most league appearances for a club, how about a link to another page showing the top 10 or 20?

Or if 2 or more players or teams are tied for a record, how about showing both names instead of just the one that got there first? This is especially silly for things like 'Most times winner' of a competition. There could be twelve teams who have all won it twice, but only one team will be mentioned.

How about something to say how many hattricks a player has had over his career?

How about more records on unbeaten runs, perhaps split between home and away? I recently went on a 3 year run without losing a home game, and it would be nice if the game kept a record, or if it even got mentioned when that run came to an end.

How about ditching pointless stats like the goals conceded on the league player stats screen? It's obvious that the sub 'keeper who played one game will be top of this list. Or perhaps change this list into a goals conceded per game ratio, giving us something more relevant to look at.

These are just a few ideas, but there are countless more that could easily be put in somewhere.

Always wanted this type of thing in game. I would love to try and get my strikers into the top 10 or 20 highest scorers in EPL history. I love stats and FM needs way more of them. Great idea.

Goals: headers from open play, long range strikes, own goals/fluke goals, goals from one-on-ones, corner goals from near/far posts etc, I want to know from where my team shoots and from which angle/range we are the most efficient/inefficient.

I'm with this! More stats!

Death by data!! I'll happily wear an anorak whilst playing!

I recently started playing with no attributes on display, so match stats have become extra crucial for me. The more the merrier!

Stats, Stats & More stats! I would love this, I actually keep an excel spreadsheet in my long term games of all my own players so I can at a glance tell who the top ten scorers for my club are all time since I took over, but would be awesome to have it in the game.

I'd love a stat that says the average amount of passes per game a team has had, and a season average too. Right now all we can do is add up players passes under the Match Stats section in a game to make up the teams passes

Definitely this, sometimes try and create a possesion based tactic and simply put, I don't want to have to look at individual passing stats, add them up, compare them to other teams in the league just to see how successful I am with it.

There should be stats outlining:

Player:

most completed passes (as well as attempts)

Average passes per game.

Team:

(See above)

and also an 'average possesion' stat.....

Am I missing something or is there no easier way to see how many games that someone has played (in all competitions) than having to count them up from each season and add them together? If they aren't in the Club all time XI it's a real hassle, and information about a players history (and in the biography) shouldn't just be limited to league stats. I'd love to have record goalscorer stats, rather than just for the league.

Am I missing something or is there no easier way to see how many games that someone has played (in all competitions) than having to count them up from each season and add them together? If they aren't in the Club all time XI it's a real hassle, and information about a players history (and in the biography) shouldn't just be limited to league stats. I'd love to have record goalscorer stats, rather than just for the league.

Exactly, this is one of the biggest ones, but you can't see it without adding it up yourself.

I'm going to use LLR's excel idea, can't believe I don't already do that!

Also, I think the Rating system is wrong...

My Jack Wilshere, in a game against Birmingham, completed 64 out of 67 passes. He made 8 successful tackles & made about 3/4 key interceptions. Wilshere only got a 6.70 rating. Where as a Andres Iniesta, who I'm a huge admirer of, had an Average Rating of 8.14 when he only scored 2 Goals, Assisted 3, with a Pass Completion Ratio of 59% & about 7 Yellow Cards from 24 games... I don't think those stats can justify the Average rating. But, I presume it is the Players Reputation or something to do with that...

If I sound like a Charity Appeal, I'm sorry.

Also, I think the Rating system is wrong...

My Jack Wilshere, in a game against Birmingham, completed 64 out of 67 passes. He made 8 successful tackles & made about 3/4 key interceptions. Wilshere only got a 6.70 rating. Where as a Andres Iniesta, who I'm a huge admirer of, had an Average Rating of 8.14 when he only scored 2 Goals, Assisted 3, with a Pass Completion Ratio of 59% & about 7 Yellow Cards from 24 games... I don't think those stats can justify the Average rating. But, I presume it is the Players Reputation or something to do with that...

If I sound like a Charity Appeal, I'm sorry.

I think its more to do with scoring 2 and setting up 3 - thats 5 goals he's had a direct hand in!!

I'll agree Wilshere had a good game but his team could of lost 1-0, Iniesta's team were 5 goals to good which (practically) assures victory.

I know who I'd rather have playing.

I think I may have misread it a little - was Iniesta 8.14 for the season with those stats? In which case, I agree, it's odd, and, in keeping with the thread, it something that is hard to work out given the current statistical displays.

Totally agree with listing the top ten or twenty lists. I have a firm youth policy meaning many players have been in the first team for 8 or 9 years yet I can't compare on one page a history of appearances and ratings.

Also, how about a career line graph for a player? And last one I think if a player has played for your club his stats should not be deleted from the game should he not go into coaching or scouting etc.

Also, I think the Rating system is wrong...

My Jack Wilshere, in a game against Birmingham, completed 64 out of 67 passes. He made 8 successful tackles & made about 3/4 key interceptions. Wilshere only got a 6.70 rating. Where as a Andres Iniesta, who I'm a huge admirer of, had an Average Rating of 8.14 when he only scored 2 Goals, Assisted 3, with a Pass Completion Ratio of 59% & about 7 Yellow Cards from 24 games... I don't think those stats can justify the Average rating. But, I presume it is the Players Reputation or something to do with that...

If I sound like a Charity Appeal, I'm sorry.

I agree it should be tweaked a little, I pay more attention to players stats after each match than their rating, rating seems to be based on the effect they had on the game, rather than how well they actually played in the role I have given them.

For example, I player with 2 central midfielders, 1 AMC, 2 wingers and a striker. Now, one of the CM's is a defensive minded player who breaks up attacks and keeps the ball with short passes. He often gets a high rating as he makes a lot of tackles, which is deemed to be having a strong effect on the game. The other CM plays a supporting role, he gets few goals or assists, but his incisive passing is key in the way we play, he's the man who has the job of getting the ball into the key areas and playing through balls to the wingers or AMC, who in turn feed the striker. But because of his role, he gets few goals or assists, and so gets a lower average rating, despite IMO playing his role perfectly.

top 20 for appearences and goals would be nice, also the same for all time records in the game, and the hall of fame is a waste, start it from scratch

I wish they'd get rid of the Hall of Fame altogether.

How do you, my fellow statheads, feel about the fact that goalkeepers' goalscoring stats aren't displayed? (at least for real players, I'm not sure about newgens)

As a free-scoring keeper myself it makes me want to cry that Rogerio does not start with 90-odd goals under his belt on FM2011, despite the fact that the database is well aware of his goalscoring record, since his stats are in the editor Would it really be so hard to add a goals column to the stats page for goalkeepers?

I also don't like the fact that keepers' clean sheets prior to the game's start are not recorded. I guess it's hard to gather clean sheet data for every keeper in the game, but surely there will be stats for all the major leagues available from somewhere?

Some great ideas in this thread

The game focusses on success rates quite well, but not enough on where things are going wrong - the corners/free kicks conceded from is such a glaring omission.

I wish they'd get rid of the Hall of Fame altogether.

How do you, my fellow statheads, feel about the fact that goalkeepers' goalscoring stats aren't displayed? (at least for real players, I'm not sure about newgens)

As a free-scoring keeper myself it makes me want to cry that Rogerio does not start with 90-odd goals under his belt on FM2011, despite the fact that the database is well aware of his goalscoring record, since his stats are in the editor Would it really be so hard to add a goals column to the stats page for goalkeepers?

I also don't like the fact that keepers' clean sheets prior to the game's start are not recorded. I guess it's hard to gather clean sheet data for every keeper in the game, but surely there will be stats for all the major leagues available from somewhere?

I think 'keepers are overlooked in general in this game. Goals and assists should be shown, but I also think saves/clearances should be shown somewhere. On their profile page you get their passing and dribbling stats which are prett useless, why not replace these?

Oh, and another thing on the hall of fame. I think it's ridiculous that the description of trophies you win fall under either major, minor or nothing at all.

Surely there should be more levels to this, so that every trophy you win falls under something. As it is in my current game, only half of my trophies are included.

It's true - stats are required! I keep my own list of every player in my team who has played over 100 games, and various things relating to them.

I would like to give this idea a 100% thumbs up.

I like trawling through the records (both for my club and the various competitions) to see how many records I hold. But for me it falls short. I would like Top 10 (or more) for both my club and all time in different competions for things like appearances, goalscorers, assists etc.

I am a sad individual and update this in an excel file at the end of every season - with a little list to show if a player has bettered his position in the charts, or slipped from where he was last season. So all players who appear over 50 times for the club are included. My old star striker is top of the charts for appearances (broken down by league, cup and europe) and goals, but only second for assists. My old playmaker has been creeping up the charts each season - and I'm interested to know if he'll be my all time top assist maker by the time he retires (or is put out of his misery). And whether anyone will ever beat my old striker...

It is probably a bit sad and is certainly time consuming - but I'm in 2032/33 now and it is nice to see the old names still showing, even if they are sliding down the charts...

So if there was something like this in game... Well, I'd be keen. To have longer lists of stats for your own club and then overall top lists for each competition you play in would, I think, add much more to the game, certainly to those like me who prefer long careers.

Not sure how complex this is to implement - but if it could happen, all to the good. Nice suggestion my friend.

I love the fact that people are creating their own Excel spreadsheets, I'm going to get a load of data into one tonight. Then hopefully I can create some useful charts out of it.

If anyone has already done this sort of thing, please feel free to post some screenshots of your work to share with the rest of the FM Statto Society.

And why is the "games scored in a row" stat missing in league history. Arrrrggh

And why is the "games scored in a row" stat missing in league history. Arrrrggh

They keep track of it certainly. Otherwise they couldn't give you an achievement with it.

Stats. Stats. Stats. The more the merrier. And historical stats. I want to look back after 20 years and see what's happened everywhere in every season.

Stats. Stats. Stats. The more the merrier. And historical stats. I want to look back after 20 years and see what's happened everywhere in every season.

Absolutely agree. Being a stats freak myself, this game has been disappointing me in that aspect for years, but I keep hoping that will change with each next version...

Main thing that I'd like is a way to track the progress of my player's stats over his time at the club. I currently do this by taking screenshots, but it's a bit tedious and sometimes you forget a year.

Something similar for player from other teams you want to track would be good to. If you could save something like a screenshot in-game in the notes section that would be useful.

I love stats and I would certainly love to see top 10 lists and the like for a range of things.

I'm sure however I remember reading on here a few years ago from an SI staff member that part of the reason for not being able to keep such detailed and extensive stats was because it would slow the game right down and make save files huge. I hope I'm wrong however because I'd love to see more detailed records.

I have recently started keeping an Excel file full of things like top player appearances/goals/assists etc. I'm sure all of us who are crazy enough to do this all have different ways of doing this so I'd love to hear how anyone else goes about keeping their records.

What BigShane said reminded me of something. Many moons ago, someone developed a programme whereby you could export your player stats (probably using a standard scouting tool - Genie is it?) and then import them into a little programme.

It listed all your players and their attributes. As you imported each year it would keep adding their current attributes to the file - so you could easy see what had improved/decreased and by how much. And it give you a total at the bottom too. So you could easily see year on year how much, for example, a striker improved in their key areas - and also an overall figure to say that overall, the player had increased, say, 25 attribute points over 12 months.

The beauty of this was that because it retained each years data, you could see the overall trend of a player. So if you bought a young striker with a 11 finishing, you could see each year if it improved and by how much. Using it helped you spot those progressing nicely and those that three years on had shown little improvement and were ready to be sold.

The problem the programme had were that it didn't work with goalkeepers and I think it struggled if you had players with the same surname.

Now if FM could incoporate something like this - I think it would add a new dimension to career games and player development. Or if someone with more tech savvie than me could create a stand alone programme to do this..... I tried to create something in excel, but it was cumbersome and long winded. This programme imported very nicely. The trouble is, it was several years ago, I can't recall it's name and have never seen it since!! Would love to see an updated version though. Something that provided (in game or not) the abilty to track a player's development better - I don't think what the game has now is that good or user friendly. What do others think?

I think I may have misread it a little - was Iniesta 8.14 for the season with those stats? In which case, I agree, it's odd, and, in keeping with the thread, it something that is hard to work out given the current statistical displays.

You did misread it a little. Surely something going on if he picked up 7 yellow cards in one game..

Anyway, It's so annoying though. Another example, just played Stoke. Beat them 2-1. Wilshere played in the CM spot &ran the show in my opinion. Made 61/63 passes, 3 of them being Key, Chance Creating Passes yet, only a 6.9 rating. I know a 6.9 rating isn't bad but, it shoudl've been around 7.4-7.6 in my honest opinion

I reckon keeping detailed all-time lists for certain stats is difficult, so while things like the top 20 scorers of all-time of the English Premier League can easily be tracked, probably not for the 3rd division of Macedonia.

Hence why I want something different - a special page only available for human managers that lists stats for the players (and maybe staff) that were under his helm. Preferably filterable so you could either choose for your whole career, or for your stint at a particular club. Or even per season. I want stuff like the list of total/league appearances, goals, av. rating, assists, the key stats basically. Plus a stat called "days under your helm" which could be extended to staff, then.

The reason I want this is because it'd be very very handy for those of us that write about our careers online, either in the Stories/Career Updates forums here, or any other forum or blog. Limiting it to human managers only also has the added bonus of not straining the database too much (although I believe all this info is already there anyway), plus it's not inconsistent with the pre-game past since your career starts the second you press the "add new manager" button.

I've just realised how long it will take me to transfer all the stats for my 12 seasons so far into a spreadsheet - a long time!

But I will persist with it, and hopefully have some useful and interesting stats at the end of it.

I've just realised how long it will take me to transfer all the stats for my 12 seasons so far into a spreadsheet - a long time!

But I will persist with it, and hopefully have some useful and interesting stats at the end of it.

What sort of stats are you putting into your spreadsheet Kenco? For players who were already at your club when you started the game, are you included their appearances and goals before the game started or not? Thinking of doing my own spreadsheet and just curious as to what sort of things you're including

What sort of stats are you putting into your spreadsheet Kenco? For players who were already at your club when you started the game, are you included their appearances and goals before the game started or not? Thinking of doing my own spreadsheet and just curious as to what sort of things you're including

I am only including stats for what's happened during the game, to see who has played the most games under me. It's difficult going back over 12 seasons of stats, a couple of players have retired so I can't include them, but most are still around as coaches or managers (quite a few are in my backroom).

I was going to pick up lots of stats, but it would take too long, so I'm just recording the following; Starts, Sub Apps, Total Apps, Goals, Pens, Assists, MoM, Yellow/Red Cards, Average Rating. For each of these there is a section for league, cup and continental games.

Cheers mate, I've started mine, currently it's just Appearances and goals but I'll expand it as I go. Quite enjoying it actually.

Some goalkeeping ones would be nice. Like how many crosses and shots were held/punched/fumbled.

THIS - it bothers me no end that I can never see precisely what my GK has contributed in goalkeeping terms...

THIS - it bothers me no end that I can never see precisely what my GK has contributed in goalkeeping terms...

This one has bothered me for years. My GK is sometimes MoM, but there is no indication as to why he was the best player, especially in games where the opposition has only had one shot on target.

I'd probably be interested in doing an Excel spreadsheet as well, will if I get the time.

Statistics can be used to prove just about anything. Thats their strength AND their weakness.

a couple of players have retired so I can't include them

I was going to pick up lots of stats, but it would take too long, so I'm just recording the following; Starts, Sub Apps, Total Apps, Goals, Pens, Assists, MoM, Yellow/Red Cards, Average Rating. For each of these there is a section for league, cup and continental games.

To the Retiring, this is why I have saves labelled by date, so everytime I save it gets a new name eg "16-01-10 Haro" would be my Haro save on Jan 10th 2016. (I think my Haro game in July 2019 has about 250 save files), this means I can go back and find all the data, and also get the final screenshot of each players history page just before they retire.

As for what I record in my spreadsheet:

Each season has its own page including Starts, Subs, Goals, Assists, Conceded, Clean Sheets, MoM, Yellow & Red Cards & Average rating.

Then Each League has a "total" page which uses Formula to total up each season in that league.

Then an overall page which totals the individual leagues stats into one page.

I also then compile my own Top lists from each of these into another page, I can check out the all time lists, but I also compile just a top 5 of each, the players get an * if no longer playing at my club. And then I have a special list for the "100 Club" everyone who has made 100 appearances for the club.

Average rating is the hardest one I have found to be able to calculate over more seasons, but I use a simple formula of (("Season 1 Starts + Season 1 Subs)*Season 1 Avg Rat")+("Season 2 Starts + Season 2 Subs)*Season 2 Avg Rat"))/(Total Starts + Total Subs)

Good luck with everyone compiling these, my ones for my AD Fafe & Evora saves were epic at 25 seasons a piece.

This may fail - but here is the basic file I use to show top goalscorers:

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/3017/histonexcelplayerstats.jpg

I have a similar one for assists and a basic one for goalkeepers (I just look at appearances, conceded and clean sheets). I also count a sub appearance as 0.5 - not sure why I bother, but I do!

I input to a master sheet, and then copy and paste to respective appearances, goals and assists charts. I then add a formula to look at goals or assists by game.

PS. those in yellow are sold or retired....

I'm with this! More stats!

Death by data!! I'll happily wear an anorak whilst playing!

I want more stats too. I love stats. Am 'wasting' hours on end by checking out various stats while playing the game, even in random teams here and there. Would love more stats on players in my current club especially. Particularly an overview of most matches (league and total), goals and assists. Both for the club's history (since starting the game if SI can't include all from the past) and my current players. For example, I sometimes wonder how far behind the man with most matches my other players are. Can't find out that without adding up the seasons of various players. Too time consuming.

Failing this, I'd love some proper export feature to Excel. That way we could use it for some good ourselves without having to manually enter all the data. I often did this, on attributes, but not any more. Had a pretty good Excel sheet set up by the end though.