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Stephen Drennan Profile picture
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Feb 20 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Nailed on?

Ali,

Trent, Virg, Robbo, +1

Fab, Thiago, +1

Mo, +2

Matip has been nailed on this season but probably starts less and less with the emergence of Konate. I also said from the start this is a rehab season for Joe and we take it super careful with him. He will play
more next season I am sure.

But I think it will be split more between Matip & Konate going forward and eventually, Konate will be 1st choice. He is a thoroughbred.

I think Hendo has started a lot more this season due to the fact that we haven't been able to get our #8s fit.
Whether we sign someone new or the existing guys stay fit more, I think we see Hendo play less and less there and become what we seen this week - a Fabinho understudy.

Probably same story in attack. Jota played more because Bobby has been injured and once he is fit they maybe
rotate things more there and on the left with Sadio/Diaz. Mo is the only nailed on guy there.
Btw - the above isn't a reflection of the lack of quality for other players in the squad. Merely who I think are played nailed on to start when everyone is fit going forward.

You can make arguments about Robbo, Fabinho and Thiago all being rotated more in future too.
Or that Sadio, Matip, Hendo and Jota are all nailed on to start based on evidence of this season.

But in doing that - I am merely listing the 11 players who have started most in each position this season... which has no added insight or analysis which I felt the question wanted.

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More from @babuyagu

Stephen Drennan Profile picture
Feb 22
It also highlights how football twitter actually knows fuck all about football.

People think all you need for 'ball knowledge' is to have watched football and have an opinion. But if know nothing about it, all you are doing it continue to watch something you don't understand. Image
None of the goals were counter attacks. This is Spurs building out from the back on the first goal. City pressed high up on Spurs. So all Spurs had to do was move the ball forward quickly to cut out City's press before their line had a chance to react and retreat.

1 pass later Image
This is 2 passes later.

Just tore through City's press and exposed their defence. There was too much space in front and behind the defence so they got picked off. That isn't a counter attack by any definition of the word. Image
Read 18 tweets
Stephen Drennan Profile picture
Feb 19
All Lukaku's touches today.

7. SEVEN. in 90 minutes.

One of them was a kickoff. :D ImageImage
I want to say - that is shite.

But I also think if you have a player like Lukaku you have to build the attack around him. Hit him early sometimes with teh ball and get runners off him or midfielders supporting to build attacks.

Your most expensive #9 not touching the ball
within 30 yards of the opponents goal is wild though.
Read 5 tweets
Stephen Drennan Profile picture
Feb 19
Thoughts on the lineup?

Never would have predicted it but I expected lots of rest for guys in midweek due to the short turnaround between games.

Good balance in midfield. Hope Hendo sits and doesn't try to get into the box in open play or we will get fucked over. Image
I like the look of this attack. Must be absolutely frightening to face three players like that.

Gomez at RB - good to see him get some game time and he needs minutes. Hope his rustiness there isn't an issue.

Should still be an easy enough win for the Redmen at home.


According to the official twitter - "a muscle injury". He finished the game midweek and it wasn't reported in the presser so I am guessing it is just tightness and with the squad we have, why risk him?
Read 74 tweets
Stephen Drennan Profile picture
Jan 7
I would also add... the point of the chart is to convey information as quickly and easily as possible. So the more work someone has to put into understanding it - the worse the chart is.

It is read once you have approximately 6 seconds for someone to look at a data viz and buy
into it before you lose them. So if you are making hugely elaborate and complex charts - are you just wanting to show off what you can do or do you want the viewer to actually buy into it?

Which is why in an article I tend to have lots of visuals and the first one is always
something very informative and easy - like a basic bar chart. Something everyone can look at and get out of it what I need them to.

Then you can gradually upgrade the complexity.
Read 5 tweets
Stephen Drennan Profile picture
Jan 6
Similar to the Pogba situation.... I think sunk cost fallacy comes into play sometimes with players.

Is it better right now to right off Keita and take a huge hit selling him/letting his deal run out?

Or do we invest more into another deal hoping he can now get and stay fit.
My argument on him would be this - we never get back what we paid.

Also, to get a player of his quality would cost FAR in excess of what we get selling.

So an incentivised contract which various clauses kicking in is he plays x minutes or y goals+assists would be great.
Giving him a 50m starting midfielder contract now is difficult to justify though. And if he is holding out for that then we likely will move him on.

Seems to like it here though and I think he will be open to something that suits both parties.
Read 5 tweets
Stephen Drennan Profile picture
Jan 6
Manchester City solving their 'overvalued connected parties' problem.

Just keep chopping them up and putting the money through other companies until each deal is at market value.
Coincidentally, the dodgy crypto deal was scrapped today. Lucky to have found some partnerships to replace that eh?

The money coming in has to fit what is spent. The leaked emails show that very clearly. For all other clubs, spending is limited to income.

That means if you were banking on a dodgy deal to cover it, you need to replace that when it falls for the cracks. Other clubs would simply
Read 5 tweets

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