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@nonewthing

15 Jun

People don't get it. Context is important when scouting, especially when using data or when projecting the impact a player might make at a new team.

There are a few variables to consider when determining how good a player currently is and will be for you.

A THREAD ON LOCATELLI.

It is not enough to look at just the style of play they have and their current impact alone (the Coutinho problem).

—Does he play in similar zones or have a similar role with what we expect him to play here?

—Does he have a primary responsibility/role for his current team?

Here are some general truisms in football:

1. Primary responsibilities on the ball magnify a player's measurable impact, makes you see only one thing (tunnel vision).

2. Almost everyone looks good when they have to defend a small, compact area. (Good coaches value compactness).

Read 32 tweets

AI

@nonewthing

12 Jun

Everyone knows I am all for another RCB signing. People are insisting on giving Saliba a chance, but we will be resting all our hopes of being able to pin teams back and play out cleanly ONLY on a talented 19-year-old. Which other top club would do that?

A LITTLE THREAD.

My only problem with the Ben White signing is how late it is. Last season, he was absolutely class in the Championship with Leeds. Clubs should have got him then. Opportunity windows are important when picking up players. Sven Botman was a 6ft Ajax CB I knew two seasons before

I was wondering how good he could be at Championship level. Numerous soccer blogs were picking him up then as a potential gem. Only Lille exploited the opportunity window. Opportunity windows when acquiring players are important. Buendia and Pereira should not have stayed with

Read 23 tweets

AI

@nonewthing

10 Jun

People don't realize it. Arsenal are definitely going to get back to the top and one of the major reasons for that is the astounding quality of the youngsters in their academy setup.

One of the most misunderstood things in football is the impact of legacy. A THREAD.

A golden generation or footballer at a club is not just an inspiration to youngsters but also an eye opener for coaches and managers at the club (other clubs to an extent).

Enter Thierry Henry. One of the ways in which Thierry was so impactful on a whole generation was his style

But Henry was notable not just because he was extremely gifted but by how he played. He was trademark, instantly distinctive on the pitch, devastatingly effective too. He caught the eye by where and how he played the game.

Modern inside-forwards mostly trace their roots to him.

Read 28 tweets

AI

@nonewthing

9 Jun

People just don't get it. Granit Xhaka is one of the best progressive midfielders in the game but his replacement doesn't have to be exactly the same profile. It is one of the poorer things in analytics to always look at 'similar' player replacements.

GRANIT XHAKA THREAD.

Granit Xhaka is hugely responsible for Arsenal's 1st and 2nd phase of progression when building play and consolidating it. He is a pretty good midfielder regardless. People go on about his 'mobility' but all players have limitations that they adjust their football to.

Outside of possession, he was seen as rubbish when Wenger used him as a lone 6 or 8. He could be a little rash (which young midfielder isn't?) and didn't have enough athleticism to keep up with EPL PnP monsters running past him. Wenger didn't figure him out early.

Read 22 tweets

AI

@nonewthing

5 Jun

People don't realize it: Buendia to Arsenal is more complicated than it seems on the pitch. It might even be a false, smokescreen signing, despite reports. Let me explain why.

BIG BUENDIA THREAD⬇️.

Arsenal play a 4231 system where the LW occupies the left halfspace and the leftback (Tierney) pushes up high to dominate the flank. It is on the other flank that things get more interesting. The RW (Saka) is expected to stay out wide while the AM (ESR) fills the right halfspace.

Since Tierney is overlapping, the pivot LCM (Xhaka) is expected to act as a fulcrum and stay back to protect the space left behind by the dynamic Scotsman. This leaves a single CM (Partey) left to control the entire midfield. So the RB (Bellerin) is not expected to overlap wide

Read 22 tweets

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@nonewthing

3 Jun

BISSOUMA THREAD

Yves Bissouma is literally too perfect for us not to sign him. He is almost impeccable with the ball in terms of retention. His passing is safe, progressive, and will get better. This means that our build-up is going to be more reliable with him and if you know

anything about Arteta's Arsenal, you know the build-up phase is extremely important to how we play. Reliability in that phase is essential and some of the few goals we have conceded came from mistakes in our build-up.

Bissouma's mobility and ease of dribbling allows him access

to expansive options even when he's under pressure. With confidence on his side, he can be almost as good as Partey at evading pressure and finding the spare man quicker than a Granit Xhaka. Having two impeccable 1st phase midfielders like this is a massive advantage.

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