The Fish

That's just a handy guide. In reality, I'd say Joelinton is best described as a Mezzala. (I know, I know) Before you mock, read this description of the role and tell me it doesn't sound like the job he's now doing? Wide CM in a 3 ✓ Mobile with license to get forward ✓ Plenty of defensive responsibility ✓

No.

For me statistics back up what my eyes see. e.g I got shit for saying that a lot of the good work Perez was doing wasn't being appreciated. Pressures and the like. I defended Joelinton's work ethic, when people said he was lazy. I can refute claims that Bruce 'improved our defence' or 'sorted out our attack'. When my opinion doesn't hold enough weight, I can rely on stats to add some.

Essembee says Joelinton is lazy. Stats prove otherwise. Edwards reckons Bruce did a good job at Newcastle. Stats prove otherwise. xG is just a more objective way of describing a team's attacking threat than the sometimes inaccurate Shots, or even Shots on Target. So that when some gobshite says Brighton were all over us, there's an irrefutable rebuttal. It removes subjectivity from an objective argument.

Ah, so Bruce did as well as Benitez did, did he? All that matters, isn't it. Points. Any amount of scrutiny is a waste of time. Performance and competence is for boring nerds, what you really get excited about is the teleprinter. BrrrBrrrr 2-2. Go watch your brumbrums and leave football to the big lads.

Not with you around alex

I'm not sure I can. It's hard to claim he was contributing effectively, when the team wasn't effective. Especially when he was out of position/role. But he wasn't lazy which was the accusation. In the 20/21 season he had the most pressures out of our midfield and attackers, and the most successful pressures. Without doing a large amount of work that's what I can tell you. Just because you've 'remembered' some convenient example of someone misunderstanding statistics, doesn't mean statistics are pointless, or boring. Goals scored vs goals conceded gives you the headline, but take Bruce's draw against Everton in 19/20. It was 2-2. What does that tell you about the game? About the performances? That was the same as our 2-2 draw with Southampton this season, right? is it shite. It's only interesting when it goes tragically wrong. I couldn't give less of a shit if someone is dead good at overtaking, or if someone can change some tyres really really fast. If I want to be impressed by driving ability, I'll watch an 18 wheeler reverse into a parking bay. Now that is good driving.

Don't you watch Motorsport?

Running around aimlessly doesn't mean he was lazy. Effective contribution isn't always linked to running around. Stats aren't the be all and end all, but it means that when someone like essemmbee spouts bollocks like 'Joelinton was lazy all game', we can prove, objectively, that he's talking shite, instead of the pointless "Yes he was", "No he wasn't" carousel of crap.

It does, well, certain models do (Statsbomb for example). They're also getting better further improving their models. Like, a player getting a shot away with his strong foot has a better chance of scoring than with his weaker.

Good news for @Renton https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/horror-chester-zoo-monkey-snatches-23332840

Yeah, I'm a fan of being right. Shocker.

Had you down for Ket, or some other farm animal anesthetic.

Any more boring than "That team is wasteful?" It's exactly the same fucking thing, just this time it's correct instead essemmbee-age.

xG is fucking simple and fucking useful. Anyone not getting it is either stupid, or willfully ignorant. xG Explained | FBref.com Saying a team is wasteful is subjective. Your brain will fixate on a chance or set of chances that stick in your mind. We've seen how someone can say Joelinton is lazy for example, but the stats don't bear that out. People said that Bruce was going to sort the defence, but xGA stats proved that he didn't, even when we weren't conceding goals we were giving up loads of chances. A team is wasteful? Are they taking loads of shots but from miles out? Are all of their shots dribbling to the 'keeper? Are they getting into good positions, but not actually fashioning a chance? xG helps explain this, and remove subjectivity. Just wait til you luddites start hearing about PPDA or SCA.

Unfortunately it won't be applied until the end of the season. It could mean they're relegated and start the Championship with a points deduction.

annomaaaarj, akshuwalley

It wasn't theft, it was an homage.

In Frank's 5 games their xG/xGA have been; xG xGA NEW 0.6 2.2 LEE 2.1 0.3 SOU 0.3 2.2 MCI 0.8 1.6 TOT 0.2 3.0 Leeds aside, that's terrrrrrrible.

They have a 538 page thread on relegation I like this post "There's no silver linings to be had. I'm beginning to think that people have no idea what demotion would do the club. Catastrophic is probably the only way to describe it. I for one cannot countenance the top tier of football without Everton being there."

I wouldn't say playing in front of those home fans is a plus, to be honest.

I'm ashamed to admit that despite my early bluster I was starting to lose faith in Big Joe.