The Rising Importance of Defensive Contribution in Attack: A Deep Dive into Premier League’s Top Defensive Impact Ratings (2024/25 Season)
This week, we introduced the Impact Rating (IR) at 365Scores, a new metric designed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of player performance. The Impact Rating measures a player’s overall contribution to a match by evaluating both offensive and defensive actions. The metric takes into account a range of activities, from goals and assists to defensive contributions like tackles, interceptions, and blocks. By focusing on both sides of the ball, the Impact Rating offers a holistic view of a player’s influence on the game, emphasizing their ability to impact the match beyond just scoring.
In terms of defensive Impact Rating, we focus on the crucial actions that help a team regain possession and disrupt the opposition’s play. These actions include interceptions, tackles, blocks, and pressing high up the pitch. Players who excel in these areas not only contribute defensively but also help shift the momentum of a game, creating opportunities for counter-attacks and providing balance to their team. This new metric allows us to see how attacking players are contributing defensively and how their overall impact can influence the outcome of a match.
Players to watch
Elliot Anderson, who topped the table with a remarkable Defensive Impact Rating of 10.63, has been instrumental for Nottingham Forest. While known primarily for his attacking qualities, his contributions to defense—such as pressing, tackling, and intercepting passes – were crucial to Forest’s tactical setup. Anderson’s ability to track back, win the ball, and press opponents high up the field helped Forest regain possession quickly, providing them with the opportunity to launch swift counter-attacks. When combined with the contributions of Morgan Gibbs-White (Defensive Impact Rating 5.50), who also excels defensively while being a creative threat in attack, this partnership provided Forest with a well-rounded offensive and defensive presence. Their combined defensive input complemented the strong performances of Forest’s defense and goalkeeper, making them a difficult team to break down.
Bruno Fernandes, with a Defensive Impact Rating of 9.29, has long been the central figure for Manchester United. Known for his playmaking ability, Fernandes also contributes significantly to United’s defensive efforts. His ability to press, win tackles, and intercept passes high up the pitch allows United to regain possession quickly and transition into attack. Fernandes’s all-around contribution—defensively and offensively—has made him an essential player for both Manchester United and Portugal. His presence on the field is vital for United’s pressing game and overall team balance, allowing them to compete against some of the toughest teams in the Premier League.
FPL addicts? This is for you
This season, Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has introduced a new DEFCON scoring system, which rewards players for defensive actions like interceptions, tackles, and blocks. This has made players like Anderson and Fernandes even more valuable in fantasy football. As these players contribute defensively while also being key offensive players, their dual contributions offer FPL managers an opportunity to score points across multiple areas. The new Defensive Impact Rating metric reflects these contributions, allowing fans and managers alike to assess the true impact a player has on a match, not just through goals and assists but also through their work off the ball.
For Nottingham Forest, the combination of Anderson and Gibbs-White, both contributing in attack and defense, perfectly matched their team’s high-pressing and counter-attacking style. This balance between defensive effort and offensive threat played a major role in their success, demonstrating the importance of well-rounded players in modern football. In FPL, players who perform in both phases of the game are now more valuable than ever, with the new Defensive Impact Rating system giving them the recognition they deserve.
