u down with obv: right backs

This On Ball Value (OBV) journey has been fun. If you’re just hopping in, hello hi welcome and here’s a quick reminder and/or explainer that OBV is a compilation of a number of metrics aimed at assessing a player’s value to their team’s probability of scoring, but also conceding (negative values exist). So far we’ve done top 5 goalkeepers & top 5 center backs, and now we’re getting into fullbacks, which have been my most fun deep dives yet.

Before we get to it though, I need to tell you that I struggled with the minutes limit so hard. My brain told me to keep it at 1500, but when I dropped it to 1200 some very interesting names came into play. Those names also weren’t far off 1500 (furthest: 55 minutes, nearest: 11 minutes). But the lists are also full of players with 1800 to over 2000 minutes, so ultimately it just didn’t seem fair.

So with the sincerest of apologies to Dorian Bailey, Ali Riley and Izzy Rodriguez, let’s get on with it and start with right backs.