Football: Pogba gets his MARCHing orders (March!)

[Jimmy Floyd]

As a newly declared opponent of THE DATA (official announcement coming tomorrow, live from atop the cross) I think they should go for a Klopp continuity binman, unless they are all going to follow him to his island getaway and make him teeth-whitening cocktails.

[-james-]

BEEN TOLD it's Amorim.

[niko_cee]

As a newly declared opponent of THE DATA (official announcement coming tomorrow, live from atop the cross) I think they should go for a Klopp continuity binman, unless they are all going to follow him to his island getaway and make him teeth-whitening cocktails.

Klopp binman is going to Ajax apparently, unless they dredge up that weird long haired Serbian [?] who sort of left under a cloud.

[Shindig]

They'll wind up appointing Sven for real and then he'll die.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah all of his support staff are confirmed to be leaving. Pep Lijnders I was for sure was being groomed to be the successor, but apparently not. He'll likely do well with Ajax.

Alonso I think is doing the right thing for him. There isn't much point in going to Bayern over what he has right now and Liverpool is a bit risky. You probably don't want to be following perhaps the most popular manager the club has seen since Shankly. Whereas he can ride Leverkusen into the CL next year and give defending the title a go. Then come the end of that season, the Real Madrid job will likely be open(perhaps sooner if Carlo 'disappears'). The same Real Madrid that has a stacked team for a good 10+ years at this point.

As for what THE DATA says, it suggests Amorim, while he plays this 3-4-3 that Alonso also likes to use, does so with a bit more directness. It's really going to be a big ask for what will be a relatively unknown manager to most, to come in and quite drastically alter the shape of the play and still be as successful.

[Don]

Amorim at least seems to have a bit of personality unlike that Zara mannequin.

[Giggles]

10,000 sellout for the "Dublin Derby" tonight. That's mammoth numbers for the game here. Shit game, 1-0, guaranteed.

[mo]

Gifted a win today. Check out the defending from Notts County for both goals:

https://www.skysports.com/football/swindon-town-vs-notts-county/484640

[Shindig]

Leicester not going up would be daft. Maybe they're sandbagging for a year to see if the Premier League forget about the FFP breach?

[niko_cee]

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino says his side "should be in fourth position" according to "all the data".

The Blues are 11th in the Premier League table, 17 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

The FA Cup is their only chance of silverware - although they face holders Manchester City in the semi-finals.

"We know really well what we are doing. That's why I laugh. I don't take it personally when the fans say that [criticise]," said Pochettino.

Chelsea rank fourth for expected goal difference per game, on 0.36 - with 50.64 xG for and 40.88 xG against in 27 games. Their actual goal difference is +2 (47-45), which is 0.07 per game.

However on nearly every other metric Chelsea rank lower than fourth including on goals, shots, shots on target, possession, passes, touches, touches in the opposition box, expected goals for and against and big chances.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68694784

:happycry:

Some good shit as the piece continues as well.

[Ben]

I’m looking forward to my e-victory when professional football finally realises data isn’t everything and xWhatever is absolutely tripe.

[Shindig]

The only data that matters is the scoreline.

[Ben]

Correct.

[Don]

Keep taking pride in your ignorance.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I’m looking forward to my e-victory when professional football finally realises data isn’t everything and xWhatever is absolutely tripe.

I'm in a slightly different position to that. I think it's correct on its own terms but it also makes the sport a load of samey shite so should be fought hard against. IFAB allowing goal kicks to go inside the box (or whatever that law change was) was the worst thing that has happened to the sport in decades. They should be fighting hard against the influence of data, not helping it.

[-james-]

https://web.archive.org/web/20181112175811/http://www.11tegen11.com/2015/01/05/the-best-predictor-for-future-performance-is-expected-goals/

This is nearly ten years old now. You can think it's lame (it is), but I'm not sure you're getting rid of the nerds.

[-james-]

The nerds don't use the 'xG' you see flash up on match of the day anyway, that's just easily digestible by the masses and spawns maximum tweets.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You're not getting rid of the nerds but you can close off avenues to them. For example, there should be a restrictive time limit clock on all non-foul restarts of play (throws, corners, goal kicks) so that players don't have time to be regimented and are forced to use their initiative.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Speaking of pissing about. Gordon challenged illegally by Coufal in this game at 2', penalty whistled, goal timed at 6'. No prizes for guessing what they spent four minutes dallying over.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Kudus and Paqueta are such great players, hopefully either they alone, or West Ham with them find the way to the top of the game.

[Shindig]

Fuck this. Burn this club down. We're fucked.

[Don]

Not watching but Bowen is sensational and Phillips is a disgrace. Gordon is also a cheating lesbian.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lol at West Ham.

[Shindig]

That was ridiculous.

[randomlegend]

Women commentators always sound like they are faking the hype.

[Manc]

Old habits die hard.

[Shindig]

It's like they're trying to be male. Can't really blame them after a lifetime of hearing blokes commentate but I could do without Jacqui Oatley or whoever trying their best John Motson impression.

[Waffdon]

I do wonder what Pochettino says at half time. Every restart is an embarrassment

[Giggles]

Cullen :cool:

[Giggles]

1774091605516947463

[Bernanke]

Leverkusen. :cool:

[Spikey M]

1774094924126068909?t=4KE4RSy5TbwtKwjtAi0IEw&s=19

[Gray Fox]

I saw Sheffield United go 4-1 up against Fulham. I've just checked again and it's 3-3.

Apparently a couple of worldies in there too.

[Ben]

Kalvin Phillips :D

Came on at 3-1 up.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Shitting the lead at home to ten-man doomed Burnley isn't really it.

[Ben]

Why did VAR ignore the fact Gordon was three yards offside?

[Shindig]

I've got to admit, the way he just barges into situations and falls over is admirable. Everyone should do it until the refs stop awarding them.

[Adramelch]

Kudus and Paqueta are such great players, hopefully either they alone, or West Ham with them find the way to the top of the game.

I was very surprised Paqueta joined West Ham and not some bigger team. He was always class whenever I happened to watch him play for Lyon. Might actually work better for him in the long term mind you, but still.

[Gray Fox]

Tuchel really is incredible.

[Lewis]

United are so boring. Get Harry Maguire on up front.

[Lewis]

Why is Raphael Varane such a cripple? I thought he was thirty-three, which he isn't, and he isn't so athletic that you can imagine his body working against him like Theo Walcott or that Chelsea weightlifter. Part of me thinks he's just a Louis Saha-like fanny and won't play through any minor aches.

[Gray Fox]

They half listened.

It's just so rigid. A good job for them Brentford are so tentative.

[Gray Fox]

Two great saves in a couple of minutes there.

[randomlegend]

United have been absolutely fucking abysmal here.

[Gray Fox]

This should have been 5 or 6-0 by now too.

[randomlegend]

Fucking hell :D

I would be absolutely seething if I were a Brentford fan.

[Lewis]

United robbed here.

[Gray Fox]

Just one normal day of Barclays is all I ask.

[Lewis]

I get the feeling that for every goal he has scored there is a goal conceded where Scott McTominay is stood watching somebody finish it from exactly where he should be.

[Waffdon]

Man Utd gotta be bottom 8 on XG. Jesus lord.

[Shindig]

Our run in doesn't look too bad. :uhoh:

Also, just looking at the penalty decisions again. In the age of VAR, Gordon's being really clever at just getting his foot back into into the mix. He's a tenacious little shithouse and more players should get after those lost causes.

[Don]

Let this be the start of seeing Virg, Mac, Szob, Salah and Nunez start every game from hereon in.

[Gray Fox]

I'm sure I saw before that Klopp has never beaten De Zerbi.

Good to see Goe Jomez back at left back. He's been a revelation there.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Welbeck :cool:

Cracking finish.

[Gray Fox]

Just for fucking once lads the easy way, yeah?

[Gray Fox]

Incompetence levels from this ref are high.

[John Arne]

Welbeck :cool:

Cracking finish.

You genuinely seem to post more when Liverpool play than when Man Utd play. I'm glad we keep you entertained.

[John Arne]

Salah seems to be having one of his "never pass" games. Which is ok if he scores.

[Don]

Look at the fucking face and physique of this cunting ref, you can't be surprised he doesn't understand the sport.

[Gray Fox]

What's the xGammon of this ref?

[Don]

Szobo's passing appreciation is so moistening. Like those early console games where you pass and it gets to the man perfectly weighted with no bobble or detrimental spin.

I had to switch over to a Sky Skport stream midway through and had to listen to that scouse rat go on about our defensive frailties on the right. Yeah, they're capitalising on TAA's defensive weakness innit. Fucking hell, lad, just cherish the VVD effect, every team shifts down the other side because they're so shit-scared of his aura.

[Gray Fox]

Another Toon player lost to an ACL tear.

[Gray Fox]

This ref just blows his whistle any time a Brighton lad falls down. League 2 standard.

[Manc]

Mac Alli is him.

[Don]

Meanwhile Salah pulling out Riquelme passes to prolong his career. What fucking scenes.

[Gray Fox]

Absolutely brain dead last 6+ minutes from everyone in red there. The other team can't score if you keep the ball lads.

[Waffdon]

Assumed Brighton scored and was let down. Cheers

[Gray Fox]

John Arne will be coming after you next.

[Don]

Like this post and if Odegaard has any influence on the game beyond some impressive arm-waving, I'll be giving away a signed shirt and rimming Lofty.

[Manc]

Eight centre-backs on the pitch. Oh joy.

[Gray Fox]

Could really do with Arsenal nicking this.

[Luke Emia]

Fuck me this is dull. Hopefully it ends in a draw.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gabriel Jesus is rancid.

[Kikó]

He's got a lot going on this weekend tbf.

[SincereTheRebel]

He's got a lot going on this weekend tbf.

:)

[SincereTheRebel]

A bit of penetration here lads.

[niko_cee]

This game sounds like everything the Liverpool v City one wasn't. Pepball is the death of football.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This game sounds like everything the Liverpool v City one wasn't. Pepball is the death of football.

It's been dreadful stuff. Six blokes within a yard of each other and the ball at all times. No one shooting. Percentages in charge.

[phonics]

Thrilling action.

[SincereTheRebel]

Shocking stuff. I better see a man die during the Marseille-PSG game

[Don]

3 points and +5 on GD, it's done :drool:

[Don]

1774542184211235059

The thud :drool:

[Gray Fox]

Szobo and Mac Allister are going to be so crucial in the run in. I see Jones is back in training now so hopefully we can send Gravenberch and Jones as Sheffield United so those two can kick their feet up ready for Sunday.

Getting 3/4 back from injury over the next couple of weeks could be key.

[Luke Emia]

Am I right in thinking that basically unless every penny of Everton’s losses is stadium based then they are fucked again? As they have lost nearly £90 million.