About assists...
Basically, same as today's fantasy footballs and optas and transfermarkts of the world are doing them. Though, with slight differences.
• shot on goal that was saved, blocked, or hit the woodwork, aka 'rebound'
• final pass or shot that makes the opposing player score an own goal
• foul for a free kick or penalty from which the goal is scored (directly from free kick)
And of course...
• final pass to a goal scorer
This is where I slightly differ from others, and with what I think is a bit fairer (or what I just like to believe).
1) After the pass, the scorer has to have three ball touches at most before shooting -- it's a bit arbitrary number, yeah, but feel it's still much better than nonsense such as Fabregas' "
assist" (second video, at around 5:25) to Hazard in Chelsea's game vs Leicester or last season's Rooney's "assist" to RVP in a 4-1 win over Swansea. Feels just silly to brand those as assists, yet, they have been by...some weirdos.
2) If the pass is deflected, often from crosses for example, and the trajectory of the ball is altered by more than 45 degrees, the assist is not given. Less, assist given. 45 ain't bad, right?