UNTOLD ARSENAL » 2009 » February » 05
The question is arising in correspondence: where are the definitive stats for footballers. A link to the Guardian’s fantasy football stats appeared here a couple of days back, and those figures are really interesting, but I was wondering if there is a source below that level. Someone has to measure all this stuff.
I had it in my mind that “Optima” did stats, and that these were used by TV stations and newspapers, but when I googled them I couldn’t find what I wanted. This makes me think I have got the name wrong and am confusing statistics with eye-drops or some such.
I’ve often been critical of the stats that appear in papers and on TV over number of shots, shots on target, blocked shots etc, and remember reading that there is an organisation (again Optima comes to mind) that employed loads of half-witted ex-footballers to count the goals…
I am of course being facetious – and in terms of half-witted it is probably me this morning, since I can’t recall the name of the company involved.
Anyway, if you have a source of player performance in terms of tackles, passes, interceptions, and (in the case of Blackburn endless timewasting) could you let me know?
Meanwhile it appears that the O’Neil character is threatening to sue Arsenal and the league if Arsenal get into the champs league and Aston “if you go down, hold your head” Villa, don’t, on the grounds that the Arshavin transfer was late and thus illegal. Hopefully someone will find the video of our game against Villa, and the actions of their players in that match, and show that O’Neil is not fit to be a manager. (Mind you nor is Sam the Slug, so maybe the problem is endemic).
Tony (”it’s snowing and I can’t get out of my village to get to work”) Attwood