IN FOOTBALL only one statistic really matters: the final score.
However, such is the desire to influence or anticipate that reckoning, the game has now followed the US path to statistical obsession with everyone from directors of football to gamblers taking an ever-keener interest in the game’s numbers.
Sometimes the sums add up to produce useful conclusions, but at others they confuse, obscure or mislead.
The original Moneyball, as featured in Michael Lewis’ book and the subsequent film, was successful for Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s.
However, baseball is a sport in which every play starts with a fixed point of action, usually involves only four people (pitcher, hitter, fielder, baseman) and has restricted possibilities. Beane also looked for very specific indicators to find undervalued players.
Statistics
Football, a fluid sport with 22 players always engaged and almost unlimited variables, has proved much harder to quantify.
Passing statistics, for example, are largely meaningless, unless boiled down to specific types of pass put into a game context (which, increasingly, can be done, but often is not).
Denne historien er fra November 12, 2017-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
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Denne historien er fra November 12, 2017-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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NUNEZ SPARKS ROUT OF IN-FORM TIGERS
NORWICH City boss Johannes Hoff Thorup was delighted with his side’s performance as they made it four wins in six games to maintain their climb up the table after a slow start.
SHAUN RUES SOFT LATICS' BORE DRAW
WIGAN manager Shaun Maloney had mixed emotions after his side drew at Stockport to make it six games unbeaten.
Bielik's words are own goal for Blues
IN MY early days at Brighton, we won back-to-back promotions and were practically unstoppable.
CLAIMS OF RACISM TO ASSISTANT MAR DRAW
PORTSMOUTH boss John Mousinho apologised to assistant referee Bhupinder Singh Gill for alleged discriminatory comments made from the stands during the draw with Oxford United.
WILDER'S PUSH FOR BIRTHDAY BOY RAK-SAKYI IS PAYING OFF
Hatters in slump as loan star hits brace
ARGYLE STUN ROVERS AFTER WAYNE SEES RED
PLYMOUTH assistant head coach Pete Shuttleworth praised Argyle’s never say-die attitude as the greens secured a last-minute win over high-flying Blackburn.
Former teen star is now real deal
FAMOUSLY, Karamoko Dembele was just 13 when he made his debut for Celtic’s under-20 side in 2016.
DERBY DATE SO VITAL FOR OMER
Interim boss has chance to boost bid
LINDSEY LINK-UP LIFTS LAURENCE!
LAURENCE Maguire has been reunited with Scott Lindsey at MK Dons - and believes his old boss is the right man to propel them into the League Two promotion shake-up.
I WANT TO ADD MORE ELLIOT
NEW Crawley Town boss Rob Elliot has promised evolution not revolution after stepping into the huge shoes vacated by Scott Lindsey.