By filtering all passes from a specific player in a specific pitch zone, patterns emerge about that player's default reads — which receiver they prefer, which foot they use, how accurate they are in each direction. When a player makes the same pass from the same zone at high frequency, that's a tendency — exploitable by opponents who can pre-position to intercept it, or valuable for your own team to design sequences around. Ramos's preference for left-flank long passes from his defensive box is the canonical example: a clear tendency visible in the data.
Identify tendencies by: (1) filter to a specific player and pitch zone; (2) plot all passes from that zone; (3) calculate the directional distribution; (4) flag any direction or receiver combination that appears in >50% of instances (a dominant tendency). Then validate: is this tendency consistent across multiple seasons and different opponents? If yes, it's a real player tendency. Present the tendency with a clip set to confirm it matches the video evidence.
A weakness is something a player does poorly. A tendency is something they do predictably. Tendencies are MORE exploitable than weaknesses because you know WHAT will happen, even if the execution is competent. Alexander-Arnold's post-pressure ball path consistently goes infield — this isn't a weakness (the passes are often accurate) but a tendency that can be trapped. A player who always turns left under pressure can be funneled into a defensive trap even if they execute the turn well.