The final pass before a goal. It's become a major stat for measuring creativity alongside goals. Different competitions count it slightly differently - some include rebounds off your shot, others don't. There's also pre-assists (the pass before the assist) and expected assists (xA) for the analytics crowd. De Bruyne and Messi rack up assists at the same rate some players score.
Thierry Henry holds the Premier League record with 20 assists in the 2002-03 season, demonstrating that elite strikers can be creators as well as scorers, combining goals and assists in complete forward play.
Robbie
Feb 7, 2026
The moment a team wins the ball and can attack before the opposition reorganizes. Fast attacking transitions catch teams with players out of position. Some teams build their entire game around winning the ball and attacking quickly before defenses can set. Leicester's 2015-16 title was built on quick attacking transitions with Vardy sprinting into space.
Leicester City's 2015-16 title triumph was an attacking transition masterclass - they'd sit deep, win the ball, and immediately launch Vardy into the space behind while defenders were still pushing up. Simple but devastatingly effective.
Robbie
Feb 3, 2026
How often a player is fit and can be selected. "The best ability is availability." Players who miss lots of games through injury affect squad planning, momentum, and results. Clubs now track injury history carefully in recruitment. Hazard at Real Madrid is the cautionary tale - constantly injured, barely played.
James Milner's value at Liverpool came partly from his availability - he'd play 45+ games a season across multiple positions while more talented teammates missed matches through injury, making him indispensable for squad management.
Robbie
Jan 26, 2026