Oh,I'm not as nice a person as you....I'm enjoying seeing them squirm immensely! Long may it continue. However,they'll be ready to raise their ugly,meany mouths above the parapet as soon as we have a downward blip....which we will,at some point. Which pundit was it who said that on Sky? He's just rocketed up in my estimation,whoever it was. Probably LBC, was it?
Thank **** the club are longer sighted than much of our fan base. Mundle is a delight and I'm really really hoping Mayenda can chip in with some goals to go with his sparkling overall play.
That's not working for me marra. Was it this? O'Nien's class (the best thing to come out of the Donald/Methven era?), a brilliant clubman and so important to the dressing room and the club's progression. No surprise to hear Riggy saying how helpful he was to his own integration and the way that he trains. Riggy, too, what an old head on young shoulders - such maturity in a lad that has only recently turned 17. Says his Dad's a converted Sunderland fan too (I know that it's tongue in cheek)! I expect/hope that they're both going to get some stick from the rest of the lads for that last shot though!
Incidentally, to go back to 'the tackle', if Hume had arrived a split second earlier this would've been a red for Lath ... ... both feet off the ground and no intention of playing the ball. From that angle the actual video looks worse, the photo is as he's landing and the ball is going past him. Part of the problem is that players are well aware of what a Hume tackle means and they're clearly frightened to commit. I'm a little annoyed at how the pundits were saying it was 'excessive force' tbh, it's no different to when Rigg spun the Portsmouth player round in circles please log in to view this image
I can't remember ever going on the Boro forum but a mate, with a Smoggy workmate, sent me a link ... .... this, in my mind anyway, is what's wrong with some football supporters who've gone OTT with the 'football manager' analyses. It's hilarious and pitiful in equal measure, I've posted appropriate smileys after each comment. 'Where in my comment did I say that Sunderland are rubbish? Their attack is weaker than ours. Look at the underlying data. Goals scored aren't the best way to calculate how efficient and quality a team are at attacking. In fact, their attack is worse than ours over the 6 games by nearly 2 xG. We actually have the best attack in the league from the last 6 games. The meltdown on this site is remarkable. Bedwetting at it's finest. After 6 games, we are top for attack and 2nd for defence. And only Leeds have a better xGD than us. The fact we're only on 8pts is bad luck and variance. If we continue doing what we're doing, we'll give ourselves a great chance at moving up the table.' There are sitcoms, currently on TV, less amausing than this forum ... it's brilliant entertainment! https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/aaron-connolly-to-sunderland.62192/
I'm someone that massively advocates the (correct) use of data in football but that whole thread wound me up no end. xG and other measures undoubtedly has its uses (I know many disagree) but those extolling its virtues on there are largely missing the point and applying no reasoned analysis or nuance in what they're spouting. https://fmttmboro.com/index.php?threads/aaron-connolly-to-sunderland.62192/
The same clown who is extolling the use of precise stats says ... ... "But if you would rather have their 'rubbish attack', all because they've scored a couple more goals than us over 6 games, when our underlying data is much stronger, then you're living in cloud cuckoo.". Surely, if you're using stats as a stick with which to beat people you should be accurate ... ... I'm just a happy idiot but reckon 13 is more than twice the 6 they've scored. We've also conceded 1 less than their superior defence
Data in the right hands is good, data in the hands of someone who does not understand it is very bad. I haven't read that thread but is there any mention of game state? Of course Boro are going to have good xG numbers, they've been behind in 3 of their 6 games so naturally they will create more chances when they are chasing the game, as nearly every team does. They've had 59 more touches in the opponents box than anyone else (228, 2nd place is Sheff Utd with 169), yet have only created 15 'big chances' which is joint 8th in the league. Their squads xGOT (expected goals on target. Measures the quality of the finish by measuring shot placement) numbers are abysmal. They've had a league leading 104 shots however only 22 of them have been on target, only 8 teams have had fewer shots on target. That means just 21% of their shots are on target, worst in the league. If you look at their non penalty xG per shot it ranks in the bottom half of the league, they are not creating good chances. In conclusion, they are creating a lot of chances but the chances they are creating are bad opportunities. Plus the only reason they are creating a lot of the opportunities is because they are behind in games. Their data might look good on paper but if you delve just a little deeper it really isn't good.
Stats are great, they can show which player runs the furthest in a game and who runs the least. If they're in a similar position that may show who, between Mundle and Roberts, tracks back most and who makes the most forward runs if you narrow it down to areas. I accept that and it's fine as an indication, just not as a conclusion which is where this Boro lad is going wrong. Boro may have the highest completed pass stats in the world ... ... but if that's between the two CHs or back and forth across the edge of our penalty area it's ineffective. He claims stats are a better indication than goals of how effective his team are. That's absolute nonsense unless 'effective' has a meaning I've yet to discover.
When it comes to attacking, sorry I keep it simple and look at goals scored. When it comes to defence I look at goals conceded. When it comes to the best teams I look at points on the table. Mad in my simple world.
7 pages of discussion on it and not one mention of game state. It's that that was getting me most frustrated but there's a load of base level (misinterpreted) bollocks being spouted that is so easily refutable by other readily available data such as that you've included in your post.
Effective is the wrong word but some data can definitely be used as a better predictor for future performance than simply goals scored. If a team is consistently creating big chances but aren't scoring over a 5 game spell while a team is scoring but they are all long distance goals, penalties and 'lucky' goals, the first team will probably do better over a 30 game spell than the second. That is not the case here though, Boro are creating a load of poor quality chances and are also not scoring. I don't think they are all that good.
I think a lot of data use within fanbases is used to cover up deficiencies within their team. xG is so unbelievably flawed yet every year the fanbase of the club who tops the xG charts always brings it up.
I think, with their personnel, they could be good. Carrick though seems to tactically have them stuck in an ideological dogmatic rutt.
Well from Saturday’s showing we either have a better team or a better coach. Maybe both. I hope and think it will last.
Very weird system when in possession with the left sided midfielder coming very narrow and the left back being the left winger, reminiscent of what Beale tried here with Pritchard on the right. Can work if you have an extremely talented and fit left back but I don't think Boro do. Conway as a 10 is bizarre also.
The former point worked well for that four months or so with Ryan Giles, from an attacking perspective at least, but it’s been costing them since and everyone can see it except, it seems, Carrick.
That is madness! xg means **** all compared to goals scored! Come the final whistle only two that matter is goals scored and goals conceded! 100% desperation to say their attack must be better cause they have twice the xg but ignoring the fact we have scored twice as many goals and as a result are nearly twice as many point as a result!
