Millsy_Yiddo
Naybet
I'm fairly sure nobody did that.
On this occasion no, but I have seen it happen. Someone on here posts a stat to show something and the 'anti-staters' automatically assume said person is saying 'player X is great, look at his finishing stats' when all that is being said is, the stats show he's a good finisher.
I'm not anti-stats at all by the way, incase you picked it up that I was.
But wasn't that the point. The stats showed that he made space for others. Did Commoli say anything different? (I haven't seen it)
The key with stats it's how you use them not you interprete them. Their actual points of data. Distance run is distance run.
Distance run on a certain point of the pitch may be more useful for a player who is supposed to be a tracking player I guess.. What you can do is then review the data to see if a player is running more due to hard work or poor positioning or something similar. The stats wouldn't demonstrate that without reviewing the games. That why stats don't work in isolation but when comparing two player in the same position/role in similar teams it's a great start and takes away the need for subjectivity.
You could argue for instance that McCarthy makes less tackles as he closes down the space better than Mason for instance but the you would expect his interceptions to be higher!!! Otherwise the ball is being passed around him and he is offering less
The best defensive stat IMO is number of interceptions. Anyone can tackle and anyone can track back, but great defensive players intercept the ball allowing your team to quickly progress onto the front foot
Xavi Alonso was a master at it and so is Carrick
No, of course he didn't. Because he understands stats. That's my point.