The Godfather of Football

I believe many people have seen a movie, Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt.

The story told in this movie is very interesting. Through a lot of data statistics, some unrecognized players are signed, and the most competitive team is built with the lowest cost. This idea sounds great!

But is it really like this?

No, the reason is very simple. If data can really replace living people and deduce a game well, then all professional sports will completely lose suspense. But the facts have proved that since the birth of various data, professional sports have not lost suspense, but seem to be full of more and more mysteries.

The OPTA data center under Moon Sports Services specializes in selling data. They keep innovating and refining various data, such as the so-called indirect assists, which is the second to last pass before scoring a goal.

This data comes from the American Football League. There is a so-called indirect assist in their data.

There are also threatening balls, which are very complex data. They include those passes that help teammates complete a shot within the goal frame, or those who run with the ball and then shoot after creating an opening. They are all counted as threatening balls.

Later, the so-called indirect threatening balls and key passes were born, especially the latter. In fact, key passes and threatening balls are the same on the surface, but in fact they are somewhat different. The former is also very complex, and there is no way to have a very complete and accurate definition. It can only be said that key balls are passes that create a shooting opportunity.

The difference between it and assists is that assists are scored, while key passes don’t care whether a goal is scored or not.

Then, the question is, how to distinguish so many data and so many types?

Who can accurately use a complete set of data to define a team’s tactical style?

The answer is, no!

I still remember that Ye Qiu once had an in-depth discussion with two professors, Meierseman and Micheli, from the Milan Laboratory, and these two professors also very frankly admitted that one of the important reasons why AC Milan’s Milan Laboratory is so glorious is the wishful hype of the media and fans.

"You know, we live in a world that seems rational, but is actually very emotional."

"Everyone is afraid to admit their ignorance, and they try every means to explain things that they cannot explain."

"When AC Milan had such an old lineup, it achieved such a high level of glory. All fans felt that it was impossible because it was contrary to common sense in football, so they had to try to understand, explore, and study what happened inside, so the mysterious Milan laboratory became their biggest reason."

But in fact, what the Milan laboratory provides is always just auxiliary. What really determines the team's championship is the professionalism and tenacious spirit of the players. This is why AC Milan dared to weaken the Milan laboratory after winning the Champions League, because they knew very well that this laboratory was not as important as many people thought.

Or it should be said that it is indeed very important, but not as important as many fans think.

So what about Tottenham Hotspur's Theobald Research Center?

The answer is the same. They are very important, but no matter how important they are, they are only auxiliary, and they can't replace the role played by living people on the court!

So, data cannot be said to be useless, but the key is how you look at it and how to use it.

Matthew Le Tissier of Southampton mentioned to Ye Qiu before that they wanted to find two midfielders who could provide protection for the defense, but also had to have stable passing ability, because Adrianse's tactics were to quickly advance to the front court and solve the battle in the front court as much as possible.

They originally wanted to loan Tottenham Hotspur's Brazilian midfielder Sandro and Nick Powell, but Ye Qiu made a suggestion to Adrianse, that is, Nick Powell could be loaned, but Sandro could not, but he recommended another player, Nemanja Matic of Benfica.

Nemanja Matic, this player is not unfamiliar, he once played for Chelsea, and later was used as a bonus to introduce David Luiz, and transferred to Benfica, got a lot of opportunities, and his performance was pretty good.

According to the data obtained by Ye Qiu from the scout system, Matic's steals, interceptions and running distance are all satisfactory, but what really convinced Adrianse was his positional heat map. He almost perfectly embedded the coverage area of ​​the defensive player that Adrianse needed.

More importantly, he can provide stable passing and protection for the defense line in the backward position.

Facts have proved that Southampton is now ranked fifth in the Premier League. Adrianse's team has played very surprising offensive football this season. With Matic and Nick Powell as the double defensive midfielder, plus Coutinho and Lucas Moura in front, and assisted by powerful stars such as Schneiderlin, Koke, Lallana, Lambert, and Will Hughes, Southampton's overall combat effectiveness is very amazing.

It can be said that although only one-third of the season has been carried out, Mathieu Le Tissier and Adrianse are almost full of admiration for Tottenham Hotspur's original set of data analysis. They have to admit that in the field of data analysis, Tottenham Hotspur is definitely a leader in professional football.

From this example, it is not difficult to find that Tottenham Hotspur is skilled and accurate in using data, but Ye Qiu knows better than anyone that all the data analysis done by the analysis team is based on the team's tactical style.

In other words, it must first determine the tactical style, tactical concepts and ideas, and then conduct targeted data analysis.

Just like Adrianse, what he needs is a defensive midfielder who can stably appear in the backcourt, provide protection for the defense line, and at the same time provide a stable backcourt pass. If you provide a Phil Jones or Vidal who keeps running and covering players, it is impossible to succeed.

This is not a question of the player's strength, but a question of suitability.

Similarly, before a football match, the data analysis of the two teams can only provide assistance and reference for the head coach, but it cannot be the basis for the head coach's decision.

The reason is simple. A football match is the same as life. In addition to black and white, it also has a middle ground. In addition to winning and losing, scoring and conceding, there are many middle elastic areas. But the data provides you with only cold black and white, without any ambiguity, but a football match is not like this.

Just like Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, anyone who is interested can easily get some data of the two teams from the comments and analysis of newspapers and media, and they will be surprised to find that Arsenal loses to Tottenham Hotspur in terms of frontcourt offense, midfield organization and backcourt defense.

Taking the midfield, which is the most important in modern football tactics, Arsenal's three midfielders Cazorla, Arteta and Wilshere this season, this midfield combination has an average of 4.6 threatening passes per game, that is, they create an average of 4.6 shooting opportunities for the team in a 90-minute game.

But what about Tottenham Hotspur? Ramsey, Pirlo and Vidal, this midfield combination averages 6.88 threatening passes per game. Even if Pirlo is replaced by Pogba, it reaches 5.67, still surpassing Arsenal.

And you have to know that Tottenham Hotspur does not advocate and promote the midfield ball control style, but quickly and concisely passes through the midfield to create threats in the frontcourt. Therefore, in Tottenham Hotspur, Messi has the most threatening passes, followed by Ribery and Hazard.

In the field of defense, Tottenham Hotspur's combination averages 12 steals per game. If Pirlo is replaced by Pogba, it can reach 13.21, while Arsenal's midfield averages only 7 steals per game, far behind Tottenham Hotspur.

Or if that's not enough, then add the average running distance, interceptions, number of passes and success rate, etc. Arsenal can be compared with Tottenham Hotspur in terms of number of passes and success rate, but all other factors lag behind the opponent.

When everyone sees this, they will definitely have an impression, how can Arsenal win?

But in fact, in the first 20 minutes of this North London derby at the Emirates Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur was at a disadvantage, and Arsenal even had a single-handed opportunity, but Cech's quick reaction saved it.

This is what the data cannot explain, because it has no way to tell you why Arsenal's players suddenly became like chicken blood in this game, so able to run, pass, and grab.

However, a very strange scene appeared.

When the game reached the 23rd minute, Tottenham Hotspur launched a quick counterattack. Vidal passed the ball diagonally to Messi, who quickly dribbled the ball to the front of Arsenal's penalty area. Facing Vermaelen, Messi dribbled the ball inside and passed it directly into the penalty area with his left foot.

Drogba cut in from the top of the penalty area to the right, and Mertesacker was blocked by him. At the front of the small penalty area, Drogba turned around to stop the ball, hit Mertesacker with his body, turned to the left, and sent the ball forward with his left foot.

The ball rolled past Koscielny and landed on the left side of the goal. Ribery inserted from behind and pushed the ball easily, and the ball went in!

All the Arsenal fans in the Emirates Stadium were stunned. They clearly controlled the advantage. If analyzed by data, they should definitely be ahead, or even score a goal, but they attacked for more than 20 minutes without scoring a single goal, but Tottenham Hotspur counterattacked and the ball went in!

But soon, they found that the situation seemed to have completely changed!

After Tottenham scored the first goal, the game restarted. Arsenal rushed towards Tottenham like crazy, but Thiago Silva made a long diagonal pass. Ribery got the ball close to the left and faced Sagna. He made continuous one-on-one breakthroughs, but he still couldn't get rid of Sagna and was forced to knock back.

After Ramsey stopped the ball, he took it to the middle. There was no one defending him at the front of the penalty area. The Welshman directly shot with his leg, a 45-degree diagonal shot about 30 meters away from the goal, and directly penetrated Arsenal's goal, 2:0!

No one knew what happened, and no one knew what the situation was. The only thing everyone knew was that Arsenal was finished and fell to Tottenham again!

The Arsenal fans in the stands also completely lost the mood to shout. They let a very small number of Tottenham fans in the stands use paper cards to make Arabic numerals. When Ramsey scored a goal with a long shot, the number on the paper card changed from 1 to 2, and many Tottenham fans were shouting 3.

This is to remind the players in the stadium that there are still three goals to the goal set by the head coach!

Perhaps, in the eyes of many Tottenham fans, this is no longer a football game, but a goal game.

And the facts proved that Tottenham did score five goals in the end, and Arsenal also scored one.

5:1, Tottenham lost to Arsenal again away from home, but the interesting thing is that if you look at the data of the whole game, you will find that Arsenal should not lose so badly, and they are at least on par with Tottenham. Why did it become like this?

The answer is simple. Data is often highly deceptive and hindsight.

If you take it seriously, you will lose!

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Some people say that the older you get, the more stubborn and obstinate you become.

Ferguson is like this, and Wenger is still like this.

When everyone in the world is questioning me, I just want to use my method to prove it to you!

This should be the real thought in Wenger's heart now. Even if it seems a bit inconsistent with the current trend and situation, you can't say that this is stupid. You can only say that everyone values ​​different things.

After attending the press conference, Ye Qiu and Wenger went their separate ways, but not long after, Ye Qiu found Wenger again in the home team coaching seat at the Emirates Stadium. He sat there alone, silently watching the busy staff on the court, and silently watching the deserted stands in the not-so-distant distance.

Or, only at this moment, he looked like a lonely 63-year-old old man.

"Let's make a deal!" Ye Qiu walked over and suggested with a smile.

Wenger had seen him walk out of the player tunnel. He snorted and said nothing. He and Ye Qiu had been neighbors for nearly ten years and were very familiar with each other, so he knew very well that Ye Qiu came to see him specially.

They were rivals to the death on the field, but after the game, they were friends.

"Are you feeling that you are too cruel to such an old man now?" Wenger asked with his head raised.

"Bullshit!" Ye Qiu cursed with a smile, "I want to say that it may be difficult for you to keep Wilshere. Sell him to me!"

"Get lost!" Wenger stood up from his seat directly. This was his instinctive reaction, because he only had such a precious lump left. If he was poached again, he would really want to die.

But soon, Wenger realized that there was an agreement between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur not to poach each other. Ye Qiu would definitely not be so mean and risk losing face to forcibly poach Wilshere. Otherwise, who would believe him in the future?

"Don't be so excited, I can give enough sincerity!" Ye Qiu said with a smile, "30 million euros!"

For a young player who has been injured for more than a year and is only 20 years old, Ye Qiu's offer of 30 million euros is indeed a very amazing, even outrageous price. You know, the reason why Rooney was so expensive was because he was a striker, while Wilshere was a midfielder.

Besides, Wilshere today has not reached the level of Rooney back then, so his value cannot be so high.

"Are you kidding me?" Wenger sat back down again. He was in a bad mood to begin with, and was a little angry when Ye Qiu said that.

But Ye Qiu had a very serious expression on his face, "If you nod, I will pay!"

This time Wenger couldn't say anything. At this point, Ye Qiu must be serious.

Seeing Wenger hesitate, Ye Qiu laughed. He actually felt that it was too exaggerated to buy Wilshere at such a high price, and the reason why he was willing to say such a thing was that he judged that Wenger would definitely be reluctant to sell.

Of course, if Wenger was willing to sell, he would also be willing to buy!

"You know what? If you continue to insist on doing this, your ideas and thoughts will basically be impossible to achieve. Wilshere's continued stay in Arsenal will only be a waste in the end. He may even become an ordinary person in the end, far from the height you have placed on him."

"But it's different in our Tottenham Hotspur. Pirlo is getting old. Although we currently have Pogba and Eriksson, Sandro and Phil Jones are also very good, and there is also Coutinho, but I believe that Wilshere will develop very well."

One of the important reasons why Wenger has high hopes for Wilshere is that he sees a trend in Wilshere, a new trend bred by the integration of English players into the European continental system.

"With his current situation, he will also sit on the bench when he goes to your side!" Wenger understood Ye Qiu's thoughts as soon as he heard it.

In fact, Ye Qiu has many of the same ideas as him. For example, Ye Qiu's transformation of Ramsey. The Welshman has completely established himself as a first-line star this season. As long as he continues to maintain this momentum of improvement, he will be able to become a top midfielder sooner or later. He is an all-round traditional English B2B player with refined skills.

There is also Pogba. This player is very valued by Ye Qiu and has become a rising star in the Premier League this season. He has performed very well in many games and gradually entered the midfield rotation, even replacing Pirlo. , the possibility of becoming the main force in Tottenham Hotspur's midfield.

The other is Nick Powell, who is on loan at Southampton. This player is known as Pirlo II. His performance in the Saints is not inferior to Pogba at all. After Pirlo gets old, it is not ruled out that he will return to the team in the future. , directly filling Pirlo's position and becoming the team's main midfielder.

"I'm rich. I like to spend 30 million euros to buy a substitute and put him on the bench. It's not like you, who keep all the money in the bank to get moldy!" Ye Qiu sat down next to Wenger with a smile and raised his eyebrows. Erlang legs, a leisurely look.

Sometimes he feels that Wenger is actually not suitable to be a head coach because he is too kind and not suitable for the kind of life-and-death wrestling field. This leads to the fact that his team will never see that kind of, Even if I die, I will bite off a piece of your flesh.

"I heard that Arsenal fans are now calling for you to be fired!" Ye Qiu thought of a very good position, which is very suitable for Wenger. "I said, if you are really fired, you might as well not be the head coach. How about coming to Theobald and entering the practice center to help us train young players?"

After hearing this, Wenger chuckled. This guy is too stupid. He even poached his sworn enemy. How can he say that he is also the head coach of Arsenal and is going to work as a clerk at Tottenham Hotspur?

"Okay, I'll think about it!" Wenger replied.

Ye Qiu laughed after hearing this. Wenger said he was considering it, but that was just a polite word. If you take it seriously, you will lose!

This guy seems to be affable, but in fact he is extremely arrogant. How can he accept it?