by bigmick » Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:05 am
Look nobody is suggesting that all football clubs won't be looking at this software, of course they are. Evidence that Rafa does as well though is hardly proof of his absolute dedication to the job as was originally suggested, hence the somewhat flippant replies (certainly speaking for myself anyway). Similarly, evidence by either anecdote or video that we practice free kicks or patterns of play wouldn't convince me that we have stolen a march on our opposition. That's what teams do these days and in fairness they have for years, they try and give themselves a chance.
The point though about paralysis by analysis is a fair one I think. Yes it's very interesting when you see that Xabi Alonso actually runs further in a game than Dirk Kuyt, but it doesn't tell you that much really. Obviously people notice when a fella will sprint 50 yards to close down a goalkeeper and it's vital in terms of team play, but often a players movement is "unseen", and the stats machines pick up on it. How relevent it is though is another thing.
I like players who wrok in the right times in the right areas, players who "feel" the game and respond to it. I like Kuyt in this regard. When you are cruising, losing or not really clicking, sometimes you need a bloke to give it the old headless chicken to ramp up the tempo a bit. I like players who'll start a row, put a stupid tackle in, have a go at the ref, something to fire the crowd up a bit. Roy Keane was a master at that, feel the needs of the game and respond to it. I don't care if Darren Fletcher runs further and tackles more, we all know that when i t really needed doing, Keane did it.
I've no doubt for instance that these computers will say that Lucas has played well in his first four matches. On average he recieves the ball 79 times during the match, and he completes a successful pass 88% of the time or whatever the feck it is. That's all lovely jubbly of course, but most of them passes he could not have bothered with. He could just have walked the five yards in between him and the bloke he was passing to and left the ball with him.
As long as we believe our own eyes and keep sensible, then the programmes can help.
"se e in una bottigla ed e bianco, e latte".
That's the amisco software that traps every game from 8 cameras in the stadium and then it tells you tons of info on your player. In the screen you could see the speed of the player and the distance between every player aswell.
