exPress: Contextual Valuation of Individual Players Within Pressing Situations in Soccer

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Authors

Lee, Minho; Geonhee, Joe; Miru, Hong; Pascal, Bauer; Sang-Ki, Ko

Abstract

This study introduces the exPress framework, which evaluates pressing effectiveness in soccer b focusing on player positioning and spatial dynamics. Using XGBoost and integrating event data with 360-degree positional data, the framework quantifies pressing success through the Expected Pressing Value (xP) metric. The analysis highlights how positional adjustments can optimize pressing strategies, improve press resistance, and provide actionable insights for tactical decisions. The study also compares multiple baseline models, with XGBoost achieving the best performance, demonstrating its effectiveness in pressing scenario evaluation.