December football: bald men hold sway

[niko_cee]

I looked at the stats after reading that post and Arsenal are an odd case. Their overall stats like xG etc look fine, but it does feel like they have the tendency to really run up the score at times [like that run earlier in the year when they won 4 or 5 games by an aggregate score of like 25-0 or something] and then, at other times, really struggle to create anything, so whilst the stats even out, the points don't always follow. One thing that I would say about them is that they have previously been excellent front runners, but at the same time seem quite dependent on getting the first goal, if that makes sense. I do think there is a case that in old school proper football man received wisdom terms they "don't have enough goals in the team".

[Gray Fox]

And to be fair, the rapist also missed a header from a corner, from inside the 6 yard box. Probably scores that 8/9 times out of 10. Arsenal will probably be miffed because other than Fulhams goal, I don't think they had more than 1 real shot as they were being penned back.

[niko_cee]

I think what I'm trying to say is that if you look at understat, so far this season Liverpool have had an xG of 2 or more in all bar 3 games, and in those 3 games they still had more than their opponent in xG terms.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have been under 2 xG in 9 of their games, and under 1 in 2, but they had an xG of 6.05 against Leicester and 4 against West Ham which leaves them just over 0.5xG behind Liverpool over the season.

It's obviously a crude methodology, but suggests they are susceptible to, if not the low block of days gone by, then something similar.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They're susceptible to the fact that they're a bunch of chuggers designed to starve out the opposition first and foremost. It's like Pepball without any of the poncing around.

[niko_cee]

Very succinctly put.

[Manc]

Both Arsenal and City are suffering from having squads on the smaller side.

[Waffdon]

I think what I'm trying to say is that if you look at understat, so far this season Liverpool have had an xG of 2 or more in all bar 3 games, and in those 3 games they still had more than their opponent in xG terms.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have been under 2 xG in 9 of their games, and under 1 in 2, but they had an xG of 6.05 against Leicester and 4 against West Ham which leaves them just over 0.5xG behind Liverpool over the season.

It's obviously a crude methodology, but suggests they are susceptible to, if not the low block of days gone by, then something similar.

The real damming statistic is Arsenal’s XG creation in open play is 13th best in the league. They heavily rely on set pieces to open up games. It’s never going to win you league titles, even if you go through periods of blitzing teams with your set pieces like they did the past two weeks. They’ve slowly got worse the past 3 seasons.

[Luke Emia]

The real damming statistic is Arsenal’s XG creation in open play is 13th best in the league. They heavily rely on set pieces to open up games. It’s never going to win you league titles, even if you go through periods of blitzing teams with your set pieces like they did the past two weeks. They’ve slowly got worse the past 3 seasons.

Which was the point I was making. Just parachuting Isak into the team isn't going to suddenly make them a much better team, because they aren't creating chances for their forwards from open play. It's not like they've got a spastic like Nunez or Nicolas Jackson from the early part of last season missing chance after chance from open play.

[Gray Fox]

You can't just mention Nunez as a comparison to Jackson like that. Waff is going to implode.

[Baz]

I know who I'd rather have and its not even close.

[Waffdon]

You can't just mention Nunez as a comparison to Jackson like that. Waff is going to implode.

My man.

Could do with an alternative option up front though other than putting Nkunku up there on his own out of position. Duran would have been perfect. Another W from that Chelsea scouting team

[Luke Emia]

To be fair I did say the start of last season. He’s still very raw but he has improved massively since Chelsea first signed him.

[niko_cee]

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s radical cost-cutting at Manchester United has included the staff’s £100 Christmas bonus being replaced by a £40 voucher for Marks & Spencer.

While the Glazer family were running the club, staff received their £100 bonus each year before Christmas but this time around they are receiving a £40 voucher instead. The Christmas party has also been cancelled for this year, given the job-losses at the club.

Probably all made up but lol nonetheless. I guess someone has to cough up for all the severance payments.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It genuinely astounds me that staff in an industry worth that much money are paid so little.

[Kikó]

Most staff are casual (minimum wage) and even the more senior roles are maxing out at about 60k.

[phonics]

For the first time in about 4 years we decided not to boot it out of bounds to the corner flag, we lose the ball off the first pass and they counter attack. won’t be seeing that again.

[phonics]

Darren Fletcher is truly fucking abysmal and should be sacked.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's the only commentator other than Matterface who is not just annoying (a matter of taste, ultimately) but technically bad at his job, an ineffectual communicator. How those two have the gigs they have is baffling.

[Yevrah]

It genuinely astounds me that staff in an industry worth that much money are paid so little.

It’s not worth that much in the grand scheme of things.

[phonics]

He's the only commentator other than Matterface who is not just annoying (a matter of taste, ultimately) but technically bad at his job, an ineffectual communicator. How those two have the gigs they have is baffling.

Every week I am forced to listen to the definition of 'ignorant twat at the pub sitting at the other table' and he commentates in exactly the same style. It's not play by play.

[phonics]

Also the Monaco manager looks exactly like French Graeme Souness.

[niko_cee]

City making a good fist of being shit but there's so much dross down there that I doubt any half decent teams are going to end up failing to make it into the next round. Top 8 could be vaguely interesting.

[niko_cee]

It does 1st plays 16th, then the winner of 8th versus 9th and all the way through.

Yeah, I hadn't realised this. Dunno if it qualifies as a MacIntyre system, but it seems finishing 1 or 2 is actually quite a good idea as it gets you a theoretically much easier last 16 tie - notwithstanding PSG and City being dangerous floaters down there.

The way they've done it does seem a bit odd though.

[niko_cee]

Just seen that Southampton are playing Spurs on Sunday night at 7pm. What? Why?

Chelsea are also playing then?

[Luke Emia]

Is it not something to do with they guarantee you won't play an away game within a certain number of hours of your European game or something similar.

[Ben]

If you don't like it, thank Klopp. Loads of clubs were unhappy that the FA didn't seem to support their progression in Europe. Klopp was the most vocal about it, so they eventually came to this compromise.

Seems logical really, in an era where everyone is obsessed with the league coefficient.

[Waffdon]

Just seen that Southampton are playing Spurs on Sunday night at 7pm. What? Why?

Chelsea are also playing then?

Chelsea’s game got moved after the draw came out as they won’t arrive back into London after playing in Kazakhstan until tomorrow at some point. Not that it really matters as no outfield players who’ve travelled will even play on Sunday. Definitely benefits Chelsea though as they are so much better at Stamford Bridge in night games (probably because the crowd have had a bevy)

[Jimmy Floyd]

Now that there's a performance incentive (5th CL place) in the coefficient thing, it makes total sense. Arguably, Chelsea's opponents should simply fall on their swords and give them the 3 points in the national interest.

[-james-]

No, top 8 get a bye to the round of 16 and are all seeded and play the winners of the knockout round. 9th - 16th are seeded against 17th - 24th in the knockout round.

I am obliged to report that this is misinformation.

Toggle Spoiler

So there is in theory an advantage in coming nearer the top of the standings because you avoid the teams that came 9th/10th, but it currently looks like there could be a Liverpool - Real/City/PSG tie if the latter get their acts together.

[Ben]

It's confusing as fuck and we're better off not trying to understand it.

Having said that, despite being a staunch critic of the new format before it began, it's been far more entertaining than anything we've had in at least 10 years.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think we've been lucky with a relatively interesting set of teams.

[Ben]

There's just no competition for Chelsea at all. The third tournament really exposes the hoards of shite around the continent.

Maybe Fiorentina, who have been on fire in Serie A lately, but they got humbled by the giants APOEL Nicosia last time out.

The only other notable name is Betis and they've been downright embarrassing so far.

[Waffdon]

Shamrock being unbeaten says it all.

Dewsbury-Hall still somehow this worst player on the pitch again

[Kikó]

Waff, the father in law has got me tickets for the United-Aberdeen and Dundee derby games 😍

[Kikó]

We actually spent hundreds of millions on a team this bad.

[niko_cee]

£40m for Rashford if anyone fancies.

Bids not expected.

[Kikó]

Bring ruud back.

[Magic]

Waff, the father in law has got me tickets for the United-Aberdeen and Dundee derby games 😍

He must fucking hate you.

[Kikó]

I love it TBH. The SPL sponsored by Sarclays is decent entertainment.

[niko_cee]

We actually spent hundreds of millions on a team this bad.

Could be a new Paco Rabanne advert.

It costs a billion to look this bad.

[Kikó]

We're BACK CUNTS

[Waffdon]

World Cup draw is on atm

How Sweden, Wales and Norway are all in pot 2 ahead of Scotland is baffling to me

[SvN]

It's not complicated - https://inside.fifa.com/en/fifa-world-ranking/men

[Waffdon]

It shows how bobbins the rankings are though. Scotland were at the last knockout competition. None of them teams were. Norway got battered by Scotland in the group in fact. Scotland finishing 3rd in the League A nations league group and thus not being relegated has actually done them more harm than good

[SvN]

Yeah, it's pretty well established that the rankings are a pile of shit. Hence why Belgium were number 1 for about 4 years despite doing fuck all when it matters.

[Manc]

Serbia, Albania, Latvia & Andorra. Christ.

[-james-]

Serbia - Albania

I thought that was one of the ones they didn't let happen.

[Giggles]

Our soccer media seem to be awfully pleased with our draw considering I wouldn't back us to beat any of them home or away.

[Baz]

View Tweet

Surely this is a surprise to nobody.

[Bam]

Wasn't it supposed to be racist to suggest this sort of thing happens?