The expected goals conceded by a team — a measure of defensive quality based on the quality of chances allowed, not just goals shipped.
xGA (Expected Goals Against) is the defensive counterpart to xG. It measures the quality of chances a team has allowed their opponents, rather than the number of goals they've conceded. A team with a low xGA is restricting opponents to low-quality chances — long shots, headers from distance, low-angle efforts.
A team that concedes 1.8 goals per game but has an xGA of 1.1 is getting unlucky — their opponents are finishing above expectation. Over time, their conceded goals figure should converge toward 1.1.
High-pressing teams (those with low PPDA scores) often post relatively high xGA figures because pressing aggressively leaves space in behind the defensive line. Teams like Liverpool under Klopp regularly conceded good-quality chances — but the press created enough danger at the other end to more than compensate.
This is why xG and xGA should always be read together: a team with xG of 2.1 and xGA of 1.6 is creating substantially more danger than it allows — a healthy ratio regardless of the actual scorelines.
xG (Expected Goals)
A metric that scores every shot by its probability of resulting in a goal, based on factors like shot location, angle, and assist type.
PPDA (Passes Per Defensive Action)
A measure of pressing intensity — how many opposition passes are allowed before a defensive action is made in the opponent's half.
BTTS (Both Teams to Score)
A betting market that pays out if both teams score at least one goal in the match, regardless of the final result.
For informational and educational purposes only. Disclaimer
