Matt Ritchie (now playing for Portsmouth)

[tmonkey]

Iirc that Santon in CM nonsense came after a defeat to Chelsea where Santon was unfairly thrown in there and looked like a lost boy, but more importantly Pardew declared that using stats is better than using your own eyes to judge (and therefore Davide had played well in CM according to the stats, even if your eyes said something else). Classic Pardew.

[Lush Vlad]

In regards to people using stats over their own eyes.  The Mesut Ozil brigade going on about all the assists he had did a couple of seasons back my head in. 

 

He goes AWOL for about 4 out of 5 games, coasts around the pitch doing fuck all and is a massive luxury player.  I think Talksport of all places dug up a fair few of his assists that seasons and they were just a simple pass to someone else, who banged it in from distance.   

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Lest we forget.

 

Fuck my life, why would anyone want to be the Phil Neville of a football club?

 

I would like to formally apologise for all the time I gave Pardew. I always said that if it turned out to be wrong I would make a full and frank apology and I do that today. I am extremely sorry. It was the wrong decision and I am clear about that.

class, cannot remember that.

 

 

It was a big moment, the Reading game was the tipping point.

 

It was a quote from a famous apology but I can't remember who now.

[Foluwashola]

Very unlikely that Santon will have a better career than Neville tbf 

[The College Dropout]

In regards to people using stats over their own eyes.  The Mesut Ozil brigade going on about all the assists he had did a couple of seasons back my head in. 

 

He goes AWOL for about 4 out of 5 games, coasts around the pitch doing f*** all and is a massive luxury player.  I think Talksport of all places dug up a fair few of his assists that seasons and they were just a simple pass to someone else, who banged it in from distance. 

 

But Ozil is a creative player.  Even when being quiet he will fashion 1 or 2 decent opportunities in a game. 

 

However, that doesn't negate the 5 or 6 times he pathetically loses the ball. The other times his quality let's him down.  The fact he's not creative as much in tight games. 

 

If you're dispossessed loads and have a low pass % rate - you've had a poor game usually.  However opposite to that doesn't indicate a good game though. 

 

A useful stat should should be consistent with the eye 80/90% but should also surprise you on occasion.  If it's always consistent with th eye or surprising then it's probably not a useful stat.

[Tiresias]

Ignoring your eyes is mad, ignoring stats is mad, clearly should be done in tandem. Stats also can be illuminating taken over a long succession of games in a way just watching can be deceptive. It would be interesting to see how someone who saw a broad range of stats on players over a succession of games they haven't watched and compare their player ratings to someone who has watched the game but imo you do need to first and foremost watch the game, and dismissing criticism from that often highlights a flaw in the stats. On the other hand dismissing stats as not a hugely important method of analysing what is working in a team and what isn't is foolish.

[Conjo]

If John Smith scores 38 goals in one match and plays the remaining 37 games without scoring and playing bad in general, the stats will say he needs to play because he is a prolific goal scorer who statistically scores every game he plays.

[aussiemag]

If John Smith scores 38 goals in one match and plays the remaining 37 games without scoring and playing bad in general, the stats will say he needs to play because he is a prolific goal scorer who statistically scores every game he plays.

 

I suppose this highlights Winaljdums season here. He only scored at home against weaker sides and when he did score it was 2 or 3 per game. Over the season his goals to game ratio was elite for a midfielder, but we all know the statistic skews the reality.

[Jimburst]

If John Smith scores 38 goals in one match and plays the remaining 37 games without scoring and playing bad in general, the stats will say he needs to play because he is a prolific goal scorer who statistically scores every game he plays.

 

One stat, out of context would. The rest of his stats would likely be awful, if he doesn't score for 37 games...

 

[Altamullan]

If John Smith scores 38 goals in one match and plays the remaining 37 games without scoring and playing bad in general, the stats will say he needs to play because he is a prolific goal scorer who statistically scores every game he plays.

Nar. The measure of central tendency says his average for that season works out at that. But I say he's a fucking legend! Sign this John Smith on! "Ave it!!"

[ujpest doza]

In regards to people using stats over their own eyes.  The Mesut Ozil brigade going on about all the assists he had did a couple of seasons back my head in. 

 

He goes AWOL for about 4 out of 5 games, coasts around the pitch doing fuck all and is a massive luxury player.  I think Talksport of all places dug up a fair few of his assists that seasons and they were just a simple pass to someone else, who banged it in from distance.   

I think he's one of the most over rated footballers of all time, an absolute crock of shit.

 

[triggs]

I think he's class and gets held to a higher standard than other players because of his body language

[Chicane]

I love the guy's passion. Kind of a cringey thing to say, but little things like him jumping and heading after taking the corner when Lascelles scored 

 

We've had a lot of mercenaries and players who obviously couldn't wait to get away in recent years so it's a very refreshing change

[Mole_Toonfan]

I think he's class and gets held to a higher standard than other players because of his body language

 

Yep, there's been times when other players in his same position have been just as inconsistent but don't get half the same shit.

 

I know i have brought up before but Silva has been very guilty of going missing for games at a time in the past but he never gets criticised but Ozil gets criticised for everything he does it seems like.

 

Think Vlad's original post is a bit strange as well tbh, if there's one thing Ozil shouldn't be accused is anything regarding creating chances.

[joeyt]

Ozil does seem to go missing in a lot of the big games especially away from home for Arsenal recently

[Gosforth Lad]

I thought Ritchie was excellent vs Stoke.

[madras]

I thought Ritchie was excellent vs Stoke.

He was, except at the start when they put loads down his side and he pointed and shouted a lot when it was him out of position,( wouldn't want to put a young full back in behind him). With the current squad, the idea of playing him as a no.10 doee appeal but who knows ?

[joeyt]

One of his best attributes is his crossing there's no way I'd move him to the number 10 position right now

[Dave]

Quietly pap today.

[Guest]

Benitez will be livid with him over that free-kick mind. You could see Benitez instructing him to cross it, then he smacks a shot into the wall.

[Minhosa]

Quietly pap today.

 

It was interesting watching the dynamic between him and Yedlin in the flesh. Yedlin very often stays way too deep/defensively minded and leaves Ritchie out on a limb.

 

There was three or four times today where Ritchie, with the ball at his feet, was looking up and watching, waiting for Yedlin to advance and he didn't.

 

If that's an instruction from Rafa then it was a mistake as Brighton could've been got at down the flanks. Bruno is as old as time and Suttner isn't that good either.

 

A missed opportunity today but we'll beat these at home.

[Gallowgate Toon]

He's very hit-and-miss against deep sides unless he has something to ping the ball in towards or everyone is making space for him. It's where his lack of athleticism and ability to consistently beat a man gets the better of him. We've got two athletic young wingers in the squad, they have to have a part in games like today.

[Disco]

Quietly pap today.

[Scoot]

His set pieces today were totally pap.

[Guest chopey]

I can never understand why the majority of our corners are played short, we have a real threat in the box with set pieces and we still insist on a short corner to get a better angle to shoot and it hardly ever comes off.