Playing roles and best role
A position says where a player stands on the pitch, a role says what he is asked to do there. Two central midfielders can hold unrelated jobs: one breaks up play and secures possession, the other carries the ball forward and takes risks. Data'Scout rates each player across a set of precise roles rather than a generic position, because judging a holding midfielder by playmaker criteria produces a number that is precise and useless.
One player, several roles, one rating per role
Every player is rated for each role compatible with what he actually does on the pitch. The best role is the one where his rating is highest: the job in which his qualities express themselves best, as the data reveals it.
That reading regularly springs surprises. A player listed as a winger can come out considerably better as a second striker, and an attacking full-back can prove more solid in a deeper role. The role comes from observed usage, not from the team sheet or the reputation.
What it is for in practice
A recruitment department almost never looks for "a midfielder". It looks for a player able to hold a precise job in a precise system, often to replace someone or cover an identified weakness. Thinking in roles turns a vague search into a workable brief.
It is also what surfaces a misused player. A club that spots someone excellent in a role he does not occupy at his current team holds a lead the market has not priced yet.
The limits of role based reasoning
The rating starts from what the player did, not from what he could do. A player used all season in a job that does not suit him will be judged on that job, and his potential in another role remains a hypothesis to check on video.
Roles describe functions, not complete systems of play. The same label covers different demands depending on the coach, the height of the defensive block and the possession style of the club.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a position and a playing role?
The position describes an area occupied on the pitch, the role describes the job expected in that area. Two players in the same position can hold very different roles, and it is the role that determines which qualities are assessed.
How is a player best role determined?
It is the role in which he earns his highest rating, among those compatible with his actual usage on the pitch. It does not always match the position his club plays him in, and that gap is often the most interesting information.