The Zone Touch Model sets a maximum touch limit per zone. Staying within that limit means the player moves the ball quickly, maintains team tempo, and keeps passing chains alive. Zone 1 max: 3 touches — move it out of the defensive third fast. Zone 2 max: 5 touches — the engine room, keep the rhythm going. Zone 3: no maximum — in the attacking third, quality of action is the measure, not touch count. Every Zone 1 and Zone 2 reception is classified as either within max or exceeded max.
Transition stats measure what happened after each zone reception — did the ball successfully move forward into the next zone? Z1→Z2 shows how many Zone 1 receptions progressed the ball into Zone 2 (rather than losing possession or being forced backwards). Z2→Z3 shows how many Zone 2 receptions progressed the ball into Zone 3. These are the building blocks of passing chains.
Touch compliance across Zone 1 and Zone 2 was 100% this match — 14 of 14 receptions handled within the zone maximum. The 6 turnovers all occurred in pressured situations — not from holding the ball too long beyond the touch limit. When the ball is moved within the maximum, defenders don't get time to press, passing chains stay alive, and the team keeps moving forward.
Back-to-play is a fundamentally different skill to facing-play receptions. When a player receives with their back to goal, they cannot see the picture ahead — they must rely on touch feel, body orientation and quick decision-making. Touch discipline matters even more in these moments: every extra touch allows the press to arrive and closes down options. The goal is to receive, control, and either turn, lay off, or shield — all within the touch maximum for the zone. This is a separate skill category — it is tracked and reported independently from standard zone receptions.
When possession was retained from a back-to-play reception, the average was 1.8 touches. When possession was lost, the average was 4.5 touches — more than double. This is the back-to-play model in action: the longer you hold the ball without seeing the game, the more the press arrives and the more your options close. Quick, decisive touches when back to goal directly correlate with successful outcomes. The zone touch maxes still apply when receiving back to goal — Zone 1 demands release within 3 touches, Zone 2 within 5.
Zone 1 and Zone 2 show compliance with the touch maximum. Zone 3 has no maximum — all 13 receptions are shown as quality actions. Green = within max. Red = exceeded max. Cyan = Zone 3 quality action (no max).
The Zone Intelligence Touch Model sets recommended targets for each metric based on the demands of the position. These are position-specific model recommendations for a Central Midfielder — internal targets set by the Zone Intelligence system. The gold marker on each bar shows the model's recommended target range.
Outstanding touch discipline in Zones 1 and 2 — 14 of 14 within the touch maximum (100%). This is the foundation of everything the Zone Touch Model measures. Zone 1 max is 3 touches, Zone 2 max is 5 touches — both were fully observed in every single reception this match. When the ball is received and released within the maximum, passing chains stay alive, the team keeps tempo, and defenders don't get the time they need to press and win the ball back.
Zone 3 is no-maximum — quality of action is the measure. Zone 3 has no touch limit because the attacking third is about creating and converting. Averaging just 1.4 touches per Zone 3 reception is very efficient and directly linked to 2 shots on target. Zone 3 involvement was high (13 of 27 total receptions), showing strong positioning in advanced areas.
Back-to-play discipline is where the next improvement is. 6 of 8 back-to-play receptions were successful (75%) — a solid return. However, the average touch count of 4.5 for the 2 unsuccessful receptions compared to 1.8 for successful ones tells a clear story: when receiving with back to goal, extra touches are the enemy. The same touch maxes apply — Zone 1 max 3, Zone 2 max 5 — and the data shows that staying inside them directly determines whether possession is kept or lost. Working on the touch model in back-to-play situations specifically — the first touch orientation, the lay-off technique, the decision to shield vs turn — will push this success rate higher.
Development priorities — focused on the Zone Touch Model:
1. Back-to-play touch discipline — target: keep all back-to-play receptions to 2–3 touches maximum regardless of zone, mirroring the touch discipline shown in regular receptions. First touch quality, body orientation on receipt, and quick decision-making are the specific skills to work on.
2. Pass accuracy under pressure — at 86% vs the model's 88% target. With Zone 1 and Zone 2 touch compliance at 100%, the turnovers are coming from pressure moments rather than touch exceedances. The focus is on the touch quality and decision speed in those specific moments — not on changing the zone model.
3. Z2→Z3 progression — 62% of Zone 2 receptions progressed into Zone 3. The model target is ≥55%, so this is already on target. Continuing to move the ball forward quickly within the Zone 2 maximum is what drives this figure up further — it's already happening.
Individual player reports from just £55. Your Touches MATTER — see the data that proves it.
View Pricing & Order