The Data-to-Wisdom Pyramid

Course: How To Analyse A Match
Section: 02 - The Systematic Approach
Subsection: 02 - The Data-to-Wisdom Pyramid
URL: https://www.skool.com/coachingacademy/classroom/9775ce2d?md=21edb6e7e8484ba9a84953dd025cc1ee

Beyond Data Collection

Most coaches stop at data collection. They count passes, track shots, note possession percentages. But data without context is just noise.

Professional analysts work through four levels: Data → Information → Knowledge → Wisdom.

The Four Levels Explained

Level 1: Data

Raw observations.

• “The striker made 8 runs in behind.”
• “We lost possession 23 times.”
• “The centre-back made 45 passes.”

Level 2: Information

Data with context.

• “The striker made 8 runs in behind, but only 2 were timed correctly with the pass.”
• “We lost possession 23 times, with 18 occurring in the middle third during build-up play.”

Level 3: Knowledge

Information with understanding.

• “The striker’s poorly timed runs suggest he’s not reading the build-up play effectively. The midfielder’s delayed passing allows defenders to track the run.”
• “Our possession losses in the middle third stem from playing into pressure when switches of play are available.”

Level 4: Wisdom

Knowledge with application.

• “We need to work on striker-midfielder connection timing in training. Specific practice: midfielder must deliver the pass within 2 seconds of the striker checking away from the defender.”
• “We need possession retention practices with multiple exit options under pressure.”

How Professional Analysts Think

They don’t just record what happened. They reverse-engineer successful sequences to understand how to create more of them. They deconstruct breakdowns to identify the earliest intervention point.

Professional Analysis Questions:

• What happened in the 5 seconds before this breakdown?
• What would have happened if Player X had made Decision Y instead?
• Which coaching intervention would have the biggest impact on this pattern?
• How does this pattern connect to our training focus from last week?

Your First Systematic Observation Sheet

Create a simple template with these columns:

• Time: When it occurred
• Observation: What you saw (Level 1)
• Context: Why it happened (Level 2)
• Pattern: How it connects to other observations (Level 3)
• Action: What training focus this suggests (Level 4)

Implementation Advice

Start with 5 observations per match. Quality over quantity. Better to have 5 deep insights than 50 surface-level notes.

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