Football

Just here to stamp on the misconception of moneyball. It's about getting value, and replacing payers you can't afford to keep with cheaper ones, undervalued ones who will still get you wins. You do this by using statistics to discover these hidden gems, that no one else knows about, who in combination replace the wins you would have gotten through the players you sold.

In football, the stats are still being created that show how valuable a player is, not just distance covered or passes completed, or shots on target, but more specific ones that can define a players worth to the team and in general against other players of the same position.

So in a broad example, Newcastle sell Carroll and Barton, and replace them with Ba, now Cisse and Cabaye. But also have a returning Ben Arfa. Different players with different worths, combine to produce the goals, and wins of the two they replaced for less money. But the moneyball option only becomes valid, when Ben Arfa, Cisse, Cabaye and Ba are sold again for more money, or do a bosman and leave, then you need to find other cheap players to replace them.

Football is different from baseball, or most american sports in the fact that statistical analysis has only been in use for the last ten/fifteen years, american sports are defined by stats, which have been used to define their sports since they were created. Especially Baseball, which in the way it is staged is almost perfectly designed for statistical analysis in that it is a series of set confrontations, and players performances, personally and how they rate over other players of the same position, can be analysed to death, and not just for players of this generation, but they can be compared to players right from the birth of football so you can to a certain extent get definitive answers about how a player from the 30's was as good or better, or worse than a player from the 70's or 90's.

Moneyball was also about finding statistics which dig deeper to give you a players true worth, not taking into account, how prettily they hit a ball, or pitched, about using numbers to define a players worth because the numbers wouldn't fall in love with how a player looked when they performed, so the difference between a kuyt and a berbatov, one works hard and the fans love him, the other doesn't work hard (or looks like they work hard) and the fans jeer him.

So just to assume you buy cheap to replace like for like is a misnomer, there's still a lot of human fallibility in the football way of doing things..

tl:dr

it's all about the numbers, and not just about buying cheap, and the numbers are still being created to show you how valuable a player is in football.. so stop misquoting moneyball in relation to liverpool and other football teams which may want to use it in future

^ yes the Guardian secret football column has a pretty decent look at moneyball and soccer economics in terms of Liverpool and Stoke. Football is also a team game and how a player will be able to fit into an existing system, move to another city/country and settle and how injury prone the player is will be important factors.

You remind me of an ex

Is this a looks thing? If so, I think we may have a problem.

Am I right in thinking this is not on normal TV?

ESPN, innit

Yup. ITV get first choice.

Its always about the money, MrO.

Still in the dumps after the crushing your boys took last night, Andy?

Your No 6 was a nasty little oik,. Will probably go far.

Was too busy dealing with actual footballers last night. They're all a bunch of ill mannered cunts.
Slaps were dished out.

Fun times.

Therein lies the problem, I'm pretty sure that neither Downing, Henderson or Adam have been the best passers or had the most assists in a season. Oh and Carol isn't the biggest striker either. So unless you actually buy the players with the best stats that theory isn't going to work.

Adam, 10th in the assists ranking last season, Downing 13th,
Carroll, 6th top scorer, Adam 12th

I'm pretty sure Downing was very high on crosses, and Adam had some high passing stat, but can't find those right now.

I was joking about Carroll and Suarez, by the way.

Best go and watch it in the pub with all the Gooner monkies who always cheer on whoever is playing Liverpool. Unless it is Spurs or United.
Tossers

Get well soon Trevor Francis.

Here we are, Downing (written last summer)

A certain player happens to have completed more successful crosses in the past three seasons than anyone else in the Premier League; he is the top-flight’s 5th-most successful chance-creator over the past seven seasons, and the only one of that top five to not be in a Champions League side over the duration (the other four being the world-famous quartet of Fabregas, Gerrard, Lampard and Giggs). His club’s Player of the Year, he is someone who has regularly registered in excess of ten assists a season throughout his career, with as many as 14 in 2006/07, and is capable of getting double-figures in goals (he did so in 2007/08, and was just one shy of last season). All this, and on average fit to play in all but three games a season over the past five years. (Stats courtesy of Opta Joe.)

According to Opta stats – Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson created 239 goal scoring chances between them last season – 56% of what the entire Liverpool team did in 2010/11

If you look at it from a stats point of view, at least with the current understanding of football (as Corny says, it's not all been worked out yet), Downing should be one of the winningest players in the Prem (if you excuse the Americanism).

So in summary I think Liverpool have bought players for the right reasons (with the possible exception of Carroll), but for whatever reason, either that system doesn't work, or something else needs to change first.

Suarez comment that "I will cheat if that what it takes to get Liverpool to the Final" are disgusting, not unexpected and ought to result in a lengthy ban.

But they won't.

Well, is it cheating? To me that's just a tactical choice, he's not trying to deceive. if you think your action is worth the penalty, red card and ban, then that's fine.

I'd have done exactly what he did in the world cup qf.

surely its the same as this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1waQJ3dC5ro

Ffs!

Clinical clearance from Carragher

Pisti has probably just been ejected from Wembley.

That or he's bellowing 'CHEVRON CHEVRON CHEVRON' at the Liverpool fans

Nice rugby tackle from Saurez on Heitinga. I wonder if something was said by someone in dutch...

My God. Our goalkeeper is horrific
And so is Carroll.
Tried to watch it in the pub but full of coked up 'Evertonian' cunts so had to come home

Everton are fucking useless. Offering nothing. For the sake of football, we have to beat them

Heard carroll missed a screamer

Get in you horrible little cunt!!!!!!!!!

Bastards!

Jammy bastards!