How to Win Football Matches: How Numbers Inform Tactics (Short Course)

Winning leaves clues. It has certain DNA markers - and this short course is intent on exploring them with coaches at all levels.

Over four lessons, Tom Johnson, Head of Analysis at Crystal Palace, along with coach educator, Ray Power will explore the answer to one question: 

What makes teams win? 

The intent therefore is to identify what data and what details leads to winning - to help inform the coach and apply these outcomes with your team, whether you coach in the Champions League or the local C Division. 

For development coaches in the Academy or grassroot systems, the skills required to win later will be required as part of player development.

Some markers are obvious (possession or shots on goal), but others are hidden away amongst the mountains of data that has flooded into football in recent years. Exploring them will give you and your team the edge.

On the course, Ray Power explained: 

"Tom and I have known each other for more than 10 years, so we often speak. One day I posed him a question: 

"If all was equal, and you had to set up a team to win consistently, how would you do it? What do the numbers say is the best way to win?"

This course explores the question.

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Lesson 1 - Attacking & Preventing Counter-Attacks
- Possession: a correlation, not a guarantee
- ⁠Analysis of possession quality
- ⁠Possession & game context
- ⁠Analysis of rest defence strategies

Lesson 2 - Defending & Transition to Attack
- Pressing metrics
- ⁠Defensive organisation and shape analysis
- ⁠Collective team actions
- ⁠Defending as an attacking tool (transitions)

Lesson 3 - Beyond the Data
- Teamwork & communication
- ⁠Strategy & execution
- ⁠Winning mindsets

Lesson 4 - Q&A with Tom Johnson & Ray Power - 22 June 2025, 6:30pm

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Tom Johnson

Tom has over 10 years working in analysis and football having started with Derby County in the Championship, before moving to work with the first team at Crystal Palace in 2017. In 2024 he was promoted to the club's Head of Analysis under Head Coach, Oliver Glasner. 

"My job, day-in, day-out is to find ways to help teams win"

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Course Content & Schedule:

Course Reading - 

Lesson 1  - OnDemand Lesson, shared 1 June 2025

Lesson 2  - OnDemand Lesson, shared 8 June 2025

Lesson 3  - OnDemand Lesson, shared 15 June 2025

Lesson 4 - Q&A with Tom Johnson & Ray Power - 22 June 2025, 6:30pm