Matches › 2020/21

Motherwell 0–0 Aberdeen

Wednesday 23 December 2020, 18:15 · Fir Park · Round 19 · Half-time 0–0

Post-match

Result and Expected Points

Measure	Motherwell	Aberdeen
Goals	0	0
xG	0.22	1.16
Expected Points	0.45	2.25

Motherwell 5%Draw 29%Aberdeen 65%

Most likely score 0–1, 35%. Final score 0–0, 20%.

Own goals have no xG.

xG race

Each side's xG added up shot by shot through the match. Triangles along the foot mark each side's substitutions.

Match stats

MotherwellAberdeen

0.22 −0.94xG1.16 −0.09

0.02 −0.93xG on target0.09 −1.27

4 −7Shots9 −2

1 −2.0Shots on target1 −2.9

0 −1.3Big chances1 −0.5

19 −2Touches in the opposition box17 −2

43% −3Possession57% +7

326 −25Passes420 +6

70% −1Pass accuracy76% +2

34% −2Field tilt66% +16

23 −9Final-third entries44 +8

8 −1.9Box entries12 +2.5

13.4 −2Passes per defensive action13.3 −1

3 −2.5Corners7 +2.5

16 +3Tackles10 −2

7 −4Interceptions11 0

22 0Clearances24 +4

1 −1.6Saves1 −1.1

14 +1Fouls16 +2

1 −0.9Offsides1 −0.6

The small figure beside each value is its difference from the side's average per league match this season before this one. Field tilt is each side's share of the open-play passes completed in the final third; entries are completed open-play passes and carries into the final third and the box; passes per defensive action (PPDA) counts the opponent's passes in its own 60% of the pitch for each tackle, interception, challenge, or foul there.

Chance locations

Zones Shots

Motherwell

Aberdeen

Each area's share of the side's xG from open play and set pieces, with the xG in it. The two wide areas of the box count together, as on the club pages. Shots shows each of those shots instead, sized by its xG, with goals filled in.

Chance types

MotherwellAberdeen

0.12 2 shots, 0 goalsOpen play0.23 4 shots, 0 goals

0.11 2 shots, 0 goalsSet pieces0.93 5 shots, 0 goals

xG by type of chance, with each side's shots and goals beside it.

Game state

0–0

Level: 90 min (100%) · Motherwell 0.22, Aberdeen 1.16 xG

Line-ups

Motherwell substitutes

68' Cole for Lang
84' Maguire for Crawford
90' White for Watt

Aberdeen substitutes

46' Cosgrove for McLennan
88' Edmondson for Main

Players

Motherwell

Player	Pos	Min	xG	xA	KP	xT	Prog	Def
Archer	GK	90	0.00	0.00	0	0.02	3	0
O'Donnell	RWB	90	0.00	0.14	0	0.21	10	3
O'Hara	CB	90	0.06	0.01	0	0.04	4	8
Gallagher	CB	90	0.00	0.00	0	0.04	4	10
Lamie	CB	90	0.00	0.01	0	0.06	6	8
Grimshaw	LWB	90	0.00	0.04	1	0.10	5	4
Crawford	CM	84	0.00	0.01	0	0.02	5	6
Polworth	CM	90	0.16	0.04	0	0.08	4	2
Campbell	CM	90	0.00	0.01	0	−0.02	2	3
Watt	ST	90	0.00	0.09	2	0.07	5	5
Lang	ST	68	0.00	0.00	0	−0.03	0	0
Cole	FW	22	0.00	0.01	0	0.02	2	0
Maguire	DF	6	0.00	0.00	0	−0.01	0	1
White	FW	0	0.00	0.00	0	0.00	0	0

Aberdeen

Player	Pos	Min	xG	xA	KP	xT	Prog	Def
Lewis	GK	90	0.00	0.00	0	0.01	1	0
Hoban	CB	90	0.00	0.00	0	0.04	4	4
Taylor	CB	90	0.04	0.01	0	0.05	5	15
Considine	CB	90	0.09	0.03	0	0.25	13	6
Kennedy	RWB	90	0.16	0.09	1	0.20	12	5
McCrorie	CM	90	0.00	0.01	0	0.00	1	3
Ferguson	CM	90	0.00	0.06	1	0.06	4	8
Hayes	LWB	90	0.03	0.46	1	0.17	11	1
Hedges	RW	90	0.03	0.40	5	0.39	8	1
Main	ST	88	0.77	0.04	0	−0.02	2	2
McLennan	LW	46	0.04	0.03	1	0.01	1	2
Cosgrove	FW	44	0.00	0.01	0	0.02	3	1
Edmondson	FW	2	0.00	0.00	0	0.00	0	0

Starters, then substitutes in the order they came on. KP is chances created and Def defensive actions (tackles, blocks, clearances, and interceptions). xT is the expected threat added by the player's completed open-play passes and carries, and Prog counts progressive passes and carries.

Pass networks

Motherwell

Aberdeen

Each starter at the average position of their passes and receptions until the side's first substitution or red card, sized by completed passes. Lines join pairs who passed to each other often, thicker for more passes.

Passing combinations

Motherwell

From	To	Passes
Gallagher	O'Hara	11
Gallagher	Lamie	11
O'Donnell	Crawford	9
O'Hara	Gallagher	8
Crawford	O'Hara	6

Aberdeen

From	To	Passes
Ferguson	Hayes	12
Lewis	Considine	11
Hayes	Ferguson	11
Considine	Hayes	10
Considine	Ferguson	10

The five pairs with the most completed passes from one to the other over the whole match.

Defensive actions

Motherwell

Against its average of 16 matches

Aberdeen

Against its average of 17 matches

Where each side made its tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocks, recoveries, challenges, and fouls, attacking up the page. Areas are shaded by the difference from the side's average per match this season before this one: amber for more, blue for fewer.

Threat

Motherwell

Aberdeen

Expected threat added by completed open-play passes and carries, by where the move started, attacking up the page. Expected threat is the chance that possession in an area leads to a goal; a move adds the difference between where it ends and where it starts.

Ratings

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday (ring) and after it (dot); a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs after the matchday, spread up and down only so they don't overlap. The change takes in the whole matchday.

League probabilities

Chance	Before	With this result	Change
Motherwell
Top six	34%	34%	0
11th	6%	6%	0
Bottom	2%	2%	0
Aberdeen
Top six	>99%	>99%	0
Livingston
Top six	39%	37%	−2
11th	4%	5%	+1
St. Mirren
Top six	37%	38%	+1
11th	6%	7%	+1
Bottom	2%	2%	0

From the forecast before the match (23 December 2020): each chance then, and across the simulations in which the match ended this way. The change is in percentage points.

Pre-match

As things stood before kick-off.

Forecast

Measure	Motherwell	Aberdeen
Expected goals	1.06	1.36
Win	28%	43%
Expected Points	1.14	1.58
Clean sheet	26%	35%

Motherwell 28%Draw 28%Aberdeen 43%

Most likely score 1–1, 13%. Both sides score 49%.

From the forecast as it stood on 23 December 2020: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

League probabilities by result

Chance	Now	Motherwell win	Draw	Aberdeen win
Motherwell
Top six	34%	48%	34%	25%
11th	6%	3%	6%	9%
Bottom	2%	1%	2%	3%
Aberdeen
Top six	>99%	99%	>99%	>99%
Livingston
Top six	39%	36%	37%	42%
11th	4%	4%	5%	5%
St. Mirren
Top six	37%	33%	38%	38%
11th	6%	7%	7%	6%
Bottom	2%	2%	2%	2%

Each chance before the match and across the simulations ending in each result. Other teams are listed where a chance moves by at least 3 percentage points.

Form

Motherwell

Aberdeen

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

Measure	Motherwell	Aberdeen
Position	10th	4th
Played	16	17
Won, drawn, lost	4–⁠3–⁠9	10–⁠4–⁠3
Points	15 (0.94 per game)	34 (2.00 per game)
Expected Points per game	1.06	1.49
Goals	16–⁠25	25–⁠17
xG per game	1.16–⁠1.70	1.25–⁠1.06
Home: points, xG per game	0.78, 1.20–⁠1.69	2.11, 1.35–⁠1.19
Away: points, xG per game	1.14, 1.10–⁠1.72	1.88, 1.12–⁠0.91
Manager	Stephen Robinson (8)	Derek McInnes (17)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

This season

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

Chances	Motherwell		Aberdeen
Chances	Created	Conceded	Created	Conceded
Open play	−20%	+23%	−15%	−27%
Counter-attacks	−73%	+104%	−43%	−40%
Set pieces	+7%	+18%	−21%	−33%
Penalties	−5%	+58%	+78%	+48%
Headers	−7%	+31%	−22%	−37%
Left side	−20%	+19%	−26%	−30%
Centre	−10%	+35%	−22%	−37%
Right side	−16%	+12%	−1%	−13%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

Motherwell attacking

Motherwell createdAberdeen concededLeft side−20%−13%Centre−10%−37%Right side−16%−30%Open play−20%−27%Counter-attacks−73%−40%Set pieces+7%−33%Headers−7%−37%

Aberdeen attacking

Aberdeen createdMotherwell concededLeft side−26%+12%Centre−22%+35%Right side−1%+19%Open play−15%+23%Counter-attacks−43%+104%Set pieces−21%+18%Headers−22%+31%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

MotherwellAberdeen

1.16xG1.25

1.70xG against1.06

46%Possession50%

11.4Shots11.0

13.0Shots against10.3

3.0Shots on target3.9

1.3Big chances1.5

20.5Touches in the opposition box19.2

351Passes414

70%Pass accuracy74%

5.5Corners4.5

37%Field tilt50%

32.4Final-third entries36.1

9.9Box entries9.5

15.3Passes per defensive action14.0

Per league match this season before kick-off.

Game state this season

Motherwell

State	Minutes per game	xG per 90	xG against per 90
Level	37	1.11	1.87
Ahead	26	1.06	1.82
Behind	27	1.31	1.37

Aberdeen

State	Minutes per game	xG per 90	xG against per 90
Level	42	1.45	0.90
Ahead	33	1.18	1.21
Behind	15	0.83	1.18

xG by period

Motherwell

Minutes	xG per game	xG against	Goals
1–15	0.23	0.33	5–4
16–30	0.19	0.20	3–3
31–45	0.17	0.26	3–3
46–60	0.21	0.21	1–2
61–75	0.29	0.30	3–4
76–90	0.07	0.40	1–9

Aberdeen

Minutes	xG per game	xG against	Goals
1–15	0.29	0.14	4–3
16–30	0.12	0.10	4–3
31–45	0.21	0.17	5–2
46–60	0.19	0.20	5–5
61–75	0.17	0.19	2–2
76–90	0.27	0.26	5–2

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

Motherwell

Formations: 4-3-3 (8), 5-3-2 (3), 4-4-2 (3), 3-5-2 (1), 4-2-3-1 (1)

Aberdeen

Formations: 3-4-1-2 (5), 3-4-2-1 (4), 3-4-3 (2), 3-5-1-1 (2), 4-4-1-1 (2), 3-1-4-2 (1), 3-5-2 (1)

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

Date	Home	Score	Away	xG
20 September 2020	Aberdeen	0–3	Motherwell	xG 0.70–1.75

1 league meeting since 2020/21: Motherwell won 1, Aberdeen won 0, and 0 were drawn. Goals 3–0 and xG 1.75–0.70 per game.

Key players

Motherwell

Player	Starts	Min	G	A	xG per 90	xA per 90
Lang	10	867	3	1	0.35	0.03
Watt	11	950	2	1	0.31	0.04
Polworth	10	870	0	2	0.08	0.21
O'Hara	16	1,384	3	0	0.17	0.03

Aberdeen

Player	Starts	Min	G	A	xG per 90	xA per 90
Ferguson	14	1,221	8	2	0.40	0.05
Watkins	9	732	2	1	0.33	0.07
Wright	10	783	2	1	0.20	0.13
Hedges	15	1,313	4	3	0.17	0.15

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.