Hanshithispantz

I still occasionally get slightly warm thinking about his goal against Austria. Absolutely no chance we'd get him this season

https://fbref.com/en/stathead/player_comparison.cgi?request=1&sum=0&comp_type=by_type&dom_lg=1&spec_comps=big_5&player_id1=ed9f7cfe&p1yrfrom=2021-2022&player_id2=e514ab62&p2yrfrom=2021-2022 Lodi started less than half of the games he was involved in so it's difficult to gauge (Target player 87 minutes per match, Lodi 41), but watching both of them it's clear Lodi is a much bigger attacking threat. Even so if you click 'Toggle per 90' above each of the tables Lodi is still close, or better, offensively in many areas despite his data per game being essentially halved (this can be a possitive or a negative but I imagine players playing a full 90 will get more actions per minute than one being used sporadically - unless they're a super sub). If I've gotten this wrong then by all means someone who actually knows what they're talking about correct me

Offensively Targett is fine, it's certainly not a glaring detriment to his game as a 'traditional fullback' or whatever they are these days. Modern marauding fullbacks are an obvious area managers can exploit and it would be handy to have someone like Targett around for when we're inevitably getting rinsed down the wings in some games. Or for matches when shutting out their right side makes more sense than trying to run riot down our left. I know Dummett can fill that role but Targett does everything he does and more, so it's canny irritating, and I've noshed Dummett off for years

One of them midfielders who just never stands out any time I watch him (which hasn't been years tbh), although he's apparently amazing at everything according to WhoScored

Perfect way to put it.

What's this like Bez?

The window hasn't even opened yet man Cronky We seem to have genuine interest in Calvert-Lewin and Toney, so I think a target man is probably still on the list. As Ekitike clearly isn't a target man (not yet anyway). As for his goal haul being lucky, as I've seen a couple of posts about it, I think @ManDoon has a point about him looking very composed in a few of his goals. I'm obviously not putting him on Messi's level but you'll see with a lot of Messi's goals it looks like he has all the time in the world before putting it past the keeper as he doesn't panic and has the ability to get the ball under control if needed, Ekitike seems to have that quality about him.

Aye looks like he's 8n the middle 9f a mid-lofe crisis, or is just at a period where he no longer gives a fuck about himself like

He's went off the rails since a few years ago like. Maybe I'm misremembering but I cannot rember him being the type to openly post videos of himself mortal on the internet?

A lot of reporters throwing their hats into the ring with wildly different fees.

Off to paint his name across my bathroom floor in jizz

Aye it's from 2021 but is a general look at him as a player from a neutral. I never posted it to try and clamp anyone or out

Fuck knows who chunhang is but he definitely wants to bot Tarkowski. Decent read tbf.

https://lchunhang.medium.com/player-analysis-james-tarkowski-englands-most-overlooked-defender-a61aa5b1d030

I mean if he found out we were going out to specifically buy a more attackinh player in his position as a priority he may have changed his mind though, it's exactly what happened at Villa. It might just be that Howe has decided against the move but it's hard to imagine the logic behind it given how much of a bargain he is at £15m. Even if we're moving more towards wing-backs we could do with a defensively solid fullback on each side.

I imagine this is it. He wanted to leave Villa as soon as they were interested in Digne.

But all of that comes with caveats. I'm not saying xG is useless, the exact opposite, used properly it's probably one of the most useful stats you can draw from as it allows the data brains behind the scenes to distil down sections of the game to find out what leads to goals. For example you could look at how teams playing in a 4-3-3 with inverted wingers do against sides playing 3 at the back. The xG there could be very helpful (although it would still likely need a proper data analyst to filter the correct data to compliment it). Just looking at a players xG compared to their goals scored though tells you nowt yet over the past few years it seems to have crept into footy discourse in that way. James Ward-Prowes scores lots of free kicks so he will probably have a low xG in comparison to goals scored. I don't see how the xG stat helps me know anything extra here. I just know that JWP is ridiculous from set pieces. You can apply that to any decent goal scorer in any of the top leagues, their effectiveness in front of goal will be clear to those who watch them, and any layman trying to see an xG stat will still need to either watch the player themselves, or ask someone who has done to give them the details that are actually necessary.

It doesn't tell you anything that you cannot tell already by just watching a few games and a highlight reel though. And it'll be deceptive when it comes to players who have a tendency to score from range or have the ability to sneak goals in from daft angles. Only time will tell you whether or not that is luck, not an xG stat. I've no doubt it has a lot of uses in high level data analysis but for the layman you're better off just going off what you've seen/heard from people you trust.

xG is pretty useless when analysing a player like, especially over a short period of time (like 1 season). I imagine it's useful for proper stat geeks in the game to look at how teams will create more opportunities playing a certain way (Pep might be told that getting to the byline and putting the ball in across the 6 yard box more leads to a higher xG for example), but as a number for some Twitter 'analyst' to pick out proving X player is scoring more than he should etc? You're not going to find anything out that you wouldn't just watching him.

You could make a similar video of Saint-Maximin yet he's one of the most technically gifted footballers out there.

Paqueta could play the RF of 3-4-3 if we're going 3 at the back at any point, which the Lodi interest suggests we might. Or as the 10 in a 4-2-3-1 (or obviously Bruno's role in a 4-3-3 with Bruno dropping back). I think he looks perfect but I feel like we'll be mainly looking to continue strengthening from the back while bringing in a couple of forwards or wingers.

I cannot see us signing Winks after giving Longstaff a new contract like. With him and Shelvey we're sort of stacked in the safe, English centre mid department.

I don't want Carlos because I expect us to bring in someone younger, but I wouod hardly say I'm delighted like It's a great signing for Villa.