The consistency (low variance) of a player's post-press ball direction is a scouting signal: a player whose ball always goes infield when pressed is exploitable — you know exactly where to position your next defensive line. Alexander-Arnold and Robertson both show this pattern, consistently routing the ball infield when pressed, allowing opponents to set a secondary trap. Variance in direction is the defensive equivalent of unpredictability.
Measure directional consistency by computing the circular standard deviation of post-press ball direction angles over a player's season dataset. Low circular SD = predictable; high = variable. Players with low SD and a specific dominant direction are tactically exploitable: press them from the outside and position a midfield player in their dominant post-press direction. Report as both the dominant direction and the consistency score — direction without consistency is only half the picture.