What is an assist?

[dv8r]

Simple answer, right?

So when my player gets passed the ball on a counter attack who then goes on to score, no assist is given. That doesn't make any sense. If a long ball is played to one of my players who ends up scoring, the player who makes the pass to said player should be given the assist. Did a ghost pass the ball or did the grass pass the ball?

By definition...
"In the FIFA Technical Study Group's report on the 1986 World Cup, the authors calculated for the first time unofficial statistics for assists, developing the following criteria:

1. An assist was awarded to the player who had given the last pass to the goalscorer.
2. In addition, also the last but two holder of the ball could get an assist provided that his action had decisive importance for the goal
3. After goals from rebounds those players were awarded an assist who had shot on target.
4. After goals scored on penalty or by a directly converted free-kick the fouled player received a point.
5. In case that the goalscorer had laid on the goal for himself (dribble, solo run), no assists were awarded.
6. No assists were awarded, either, if the goalscorer took advantage of a missed pass by an opponent."

So a fundamental part of football is missing from this game. Going by definition 1, a player who passes the ball to another player should get an assist, you get that for normal passes so why is this different for a counter attack? Still the same principle. It is much different when a player creates the goal himself from a counter attack (definition 5), but when a pass is made then an assist should be given.

It's a small but simple mistake and yes it does matter because it just adds to the logic errors of this game.

Thoughts.

[tongly45]

really don't understand. sorry i'm noob in english

[Saransh Vatsa]

Maybe becoz usually the player who recieves the ball skips past a couple of players and then scores so the goal is counted as a single run. But this is just my guess.
This is a damn important and interesting point u have brought up, dv8r. I would like this thread studied as long as a good materialistic debate has not been completed on this matter. NY mod here, please do it if u feel I this right, temporarily.

P.S When I saw the name of the post, I thought it is some newbie so came here with an air of importance to show off my knowlledge( just kidding), only to find that the OP is dv8r LOLs. So I knew this is no normal basic question so had to read it full

[khris]

In this case i am full agree with you, this game can be better with little and logical changes, and this case is one.

[dv8r]

Maybe becoz usually the player who recieves the ball skips past a couple of players and then scores so the goal is counted as a single run. But this is just my guess.
This is a damn important and interesting point u have brought up, dv8r. I would like this thread studied as long as a good materialistic debate has not been completed on this matter. NY mod here, please do it if u feel I this right, temporarily.

P.S When I saw the name of the post, I thought it is some newbie so came here with an air of importance to show off my knowlledge( just kidding), only to find that the OP is dv8r LOLs. So I knew this is no normal basic question so had to read it full

I don't mind debates as long as they don't get out of hand.

As for your first point, regardless of how many players the player skips past, a pass is still made to the player and therefore it is not classed as a solo goal.

[tongly45]

I don't mind debates as long as they don't get out of hand.

As for your first point, regardless of how many players the player skips past, a pass is still made to the player and therefore it is not classed as a solo goal.

is it mean you have a solo goal only if you get ball from opponents

[dv8r]

is it mean you have a solo goal only if you get ball from opponents

Basically, at the moment when you make a counter attack and you get the message "long ball forward to [playername]" and the player scores, no assist is given. This does not comply with basic assist rules because a pass was made before the goal was scored, directly leading to the goal.

[TypTex]

I don't think that any pass to a goal scorer could be given as an assist, it does all depend on how much the goal scorer has to do with the ball between receiving it and putting it in the net. If the goal scorer receives the ball and then runs with it, it's a solo goal not an assisted goal, but if pass is made and the scorer, say, volleys or heads in, that pass then must be an assisted goal.

A counter attack suggests the ball is won and passed forward from the teams own half and I can't see how every pass or long ball forward can be classed as an assist, if the goal scorer has more to do with the ball before he scores.

[dv8r]

I don't think that any pass to a goal scorer could be given as an assist, it does all depend on how much the goal scorer has to do with the ball between receiving it and putting it in the net. If the goal scorer receives the ball and then runs with it, it's a solo goal not an assisted goal, but if pass is made and the scorer, say, volleys or heads in, that pass then must be an assisted goal.

A counter attack suggests the ball is won and passed forward from the teams own half and I can't see how every pass or long ball forward can be classed as an assist, if the goal scorer has more to do with the ball before he scores.

If I play a long ball to another team mate who runs with it and scores, that is still an assist because the player did not create the goal himself. I've played fantasy football games, I've watched goals like this scored in real life Champions League and the assist is given to the player who provides the pass for the goal. The basic definition is "an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal." . Based on the commentary, the player passing the ball is helping to score the goal, so therefore it's an assist.

[TypTex]

If I play a long ball to another team mate who runs with it and scores, that is still an assist because the player did not create the goal himself. I've played fantasy football games, I've watched goals like this scored in real life Champions League and the assist is given to the player who provides the pass for the goal. The basic definition is "an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal." . Based on the commentary, the player passing the ball is helping to score the goal, so therefore it's an assist.

The definition of what is and what isn't an assist is a very grey area, simply because they don't exist in the official rules of the game.
Different competitions have different ideas of what an assist is and from what i've just been reading there isn't any right or wrong.
The wiki page for an assist says "an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal." so if this is true your arguement, dv8r, is correct.( I just feel an assist needs to be more directly relating to the ball going into the net).

The wiki page also says a maximum of two players can be awarded an assist, now that has got me, can't think of any example where this could happen.

Good interesting thread, with as far as I can see no right or wrong answer.