Liverpool FC Forum

by **dawson99** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:49 am

So I was talking to stu the red about what to do about strikers, and we sort of agreed but also sort of didn’t, so I thought that being the mad stats fan that I am I would look into al oad of players we could get and see who would be best from a statistical point of view.

My problem is my biased. I either like a player or don’t, and once I don’t like a player its hard for me to change my mind. Im gonna look at different things then you can make your mind up who is best.

So I will start off with dean ashton. Out of his first 4 appearences he scored 3 goals making one every 56.3 mins when he starts and 87 mins per goal overall. A good start. His 9 england under 21 appearences brought 4 goals and for Norwich he got 11 goals in 30 appearences. I just don’t like him though, theres something about him that just doesn’t scream Liverpool even though all the statistics seem to figure right.

Feel free to add some stats for who you would like. Dean Ashton is not my choice but the stats look good. I will add more each night over the next week and with others adding there own choices by Friday we should have the perfect list for who we should buy.

by **TheoRacle** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:54 am

Lol - and nighst shifts give you plenty of time to look at stats eh Dawson?

I'm not impressed by Ashton yet either.. 2885 mins played this season so far with a goal every 206.07 mins. He has a shot evry 23.84 mins though which tells me he's not a good finisher or has been very unlucky and had some good goal keepers facing him. COming from the Championship I'm mre inclined to think he doesnt finish that well. Besides we've already got 4 'unlucky' strikers.

Stats wise Yakubu is probably the go... especially if you consider his assists and who he is playing for.

I'm not sure though that he's the answer either. Somethings not right - us buying a striker from another premiership club... I reckon we'll end up with someone from Europe or a discover a star in the lower leagues...

by **dawson99** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:24 am

Ok, Yakubu. Now this is without a doubt a great player for middlesborough. This season he has played 42 games and scored 19 goals. hes played 27 prem games scoring 13.
what makes these stats so impressive is how poor middlesboro are. I hate them, they play such depressing football agaist the bigger teams.

The bad pont about yakubu is that he cost boro about 8 million and theyd be looking for around 13, which we could spend just as well elsewhere. he does score everywhere tho, fa cup, eurpeand league and would score for us as well

by **TheoRacle** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:32 am

Just playing devil's advocate here... Yakubu is a tried and tested premiership striker. 13 mill for a striker from a european league could be seen as a huge gamble.

by **laza** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:45 am

Stats are like a lamppost for a drunk, something to lean on but not for illumination

If we are going to spend big for a forward, i prefer a tried and test Premier league striker even if does cost a bit more. Though in saying that i expect some stats freak will point out Crouchies return with Saints compared to us

by **TheoRacle** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:41 am

laza wrote:Stats are like a lamppost for a drunk, something to lean on but not for illumination

If we are going to spend big for a forward, i prefer a tried and test Premier league striker even if does cost a bit more. Though in saying that i expect some stats freak will point out Crouchies return with Saints compared to us

Fo some reason I wouldn't. Can't put my finger on it but it seems to me that Liverpool have always had most success with strikers we've got from lower leagues or overseas. I think perhaps only Heskey could be classed as a 'successful' transfer. John Aldrige came of course from Oxford who'd been in the top flight for two years previously but must still surely be classed as a lower league side. Thats about it for strikers unless you include John Barnes who came to us from Watford - they too were experiencing their first ever run in the top flight and got relegated the following year.

For me part of Liverpool's essence is our ability to develop or unearth previously unknown talent - as we're a bit short on youngsters ready to make the step up, I think we'll be getting someone from overseas...

BTW - I reckon we should have got Walcott.

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