this seems to be the new method of making 'next year their year'
borrowing from baseball's 'moneyball', the technique of using statistical anaylsis to identify useful players who are undervalued in the market through unconventional stats (so 'number of crosses' rather than 'goals scored'), liverpool have 'snapped' up downing (for 20m+) - on the basis that he was the top crosser and one of the top chance creators in the league last year.
on paper, this seems like a rigorous and innovative way of allowing a club to punch above it's financial weight...
several flaws in this:
1. downing is rubbish
2. anyone put into a liverpool shirt in front of the kop with a big transfer fee automatically forgets how to kick a ball (see glen johnson)
3. transferring form/stats to a new club is near-impossible (see torres) due to needing to play a different system/with different players/in a different position.
4. under the model, lesser quality players having a good season (see charlie adam) are more statistically desirable - but only top quality retains season to season form in football.
5. football is a team game of belief, confidence, ability (see arsenal) - not individual stats.
kopites - there's enough of you on this board - come and defend your owner's model. is it the future of football or a bit of a gamble to get 4th?
scouseball
posted on 14/7/11
It's more than good enough for me.
posted on 14/7/11
comment by Andy Carroll's Ponytail (U1217)
posted 50 seconds ago
It's more than good enough for me.
...............
As it should be.
I am the same with SAF's signings. I accept his judgement. He gets it right far more often than not.
It is going to be intresting to see hhow Kenny plans to lin up his team
Can I assume that you will play with Suarez and Carroll up front most of the time.
posted on 14/7/11
>>Can I assume that you will play with Suarez and Carroll up front most of the time.
Suarez plays a wide role and drops deeper.
I reckon the front 4 would be
Suarez-------Gerrard--------Downing
----------------Carroll
posted on 14/7/11
I anticipate something like this:
-----------------------------------Reina-------------------------------
Kelly----------Carragher------------Agger--------Johnson
---------------------------------Lucas--------------------------------
-----------------------Gerrard----------Adam---------------------
Suarez---------------------------------------------------Downing
---------------------------------Carroll-------------------------------
With the likes of Henderson, Meireles, and Aquilani (if the latter two both stay) providing options in the middle, and Maxi and Kuyt providing options out wide. Though I could be wrong.
posted on 14/7/11
redconn
I thought of Suarez more as a support striker than a wide player.
More as along the lines of Rooney to Chicarito / Berbatov last season.
posted on 14/7/11
>>I thought of Suarez more as a support striker than a wide player.
why though?
he can play there (he can play anywhere that gets him inside the 18) but he just spent the last 4? years playing wide right at Ajax and we used him mostly wide left since he's been with us.
The boy loves skinning fullbacks
posted on 14/7/11
ACP
Be intresting to see if that works. Not sure if Kuyt will be happy as a back up.
Without checking stats, I would guess he is top, or near top of theappearances over the last few years.
posted on 14/7/11
He has been one of our most important players, and still has a lot to offer, but I would say his place in the team is not guaranteed every week anymore.
posted on 14/7/11
comment by Andy Carroll's Ponytail (U1217)
posted 18 minutes ago
He has been one of our most important players, and still has a lot to offer, but I would say his place in the team is not guaranteed every week anymore.
..................
I would say, SAF has just said the same to Nani and Valencia.
posted on 14/7/11
I think Nani is brilliant and his place should be assured.
Valencia bores me to tears and IMO makes you a poorer side to watch. Young is infinitely better.