BladesPod: Do we cross too much?

[Beans]

How do S2,

For various reasons, haven't had chance to record one of these since the derby - so Blades Analytics and I had a fair bit to talk about. I've got to warn you, this is probably the nerdiest podcast yet, with more stats than an A Level maths course... nonetheless! I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

Here's what we cover:

• The Sheffield Derby (of course)
• Sharp vs McGoldrick on penalties (08:50)
• how it might have gone differently (18:00)
• John Fleck’s Scotland call-up (25:30)
• Crossing (do United cross too much?) and whether United are good at set-pieces (27:40)
• A look ahead to the Rotherham game (43:40)
• Finally, we answer some listener questions, including those Jermain Defoe / Shane Long rumours (55:30)…

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/bladespod/id1309198119?mt=2

Personally found the crossing / set-piece stuff to be an interesting one to look into, comparing us to the rest of the league and looking at whether we're actually good at it.

Cheers as always for listening and UTB!

 

[BLADES1988]

Apparently for me Soundcloud is NSFW. Is it really just a link to pair of tits?

 

[Beans]

Apparently for me Soundcloud is NSFW. Is it really just a link to pair of tits?

I'll thank you not to refer to me and Jay that way in future...

It is also available from most podcast apps eg Podcast Addict if you use anything like that

 

[BLADES1988]

I'll thank you not to refer to me and Jay that way in future...

It is also available from most podcast apps eg Podcast Addict if you use anything like that

Haha I will give it a listen on the peasant wagon on the way home!

 

[Stretch]

Beautifully subtle piss taking at 7:05

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Excellent episode, loved the on-air calculations. Must admit I was expecting Sharp to have the poorer record than McGoldrick for penalties – contrary to belief on here it seems Sharp is marginally better than you’d expect a penalty taker to be. Perhaps suggests that we should do away with any policy of it being someone’s responsibility till they miss one – having faith in your best penalty taker through the inevitable instances when they may miss one.

 

[Nade]

Which episode of football heaven were you on?

 

[Beans]

Excellent episode, loved the on-air calculations. Must admit I was expecting Sharp to have the poorer record than McGoldrick for penalties – contrary to belief on here it seems Sharp is marginally better than you’d expect a penalty taker to be. Perhaps suggests that we should do away with any policy of it being someone’s responsibility till they miss one – having faith in your best penalty taker through the inevitable instances when they may miss one.

Yeah Sharp's record surprised me - although it's worth remembering that it's only really "average" for a penalty taker (think it's ~76-78% of pens get scored, Sharp has scored 27/35 = 77%). For anyone who's not listened, McGoldrick is 13/19 = 68%. Sure, it's not a huge difference and probably would only amount to 1 extra goal per season, but I guess it would've been nice to have that goal the other week

Long-winded way of saying: you can make a strong case that Sharp should be our #1 penalty taker. But I don't know how this works at a team-level - maybe as you say, having missed one at Millwall, Sharp wanted McGoldrick to take the next one, and then they have a "man in possession"-type rule.

Stats are here if you wanted a nosey:

https://www.transfermarkt.com/billy-sharp/elfmetertore/spieler/49542

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/david-mcgoldrick/elfmetertore/spieler/35416

Which episode of football heaven were you on?

A few days before the derby, they very kindly had me in the studio with a couple of folk from the Wednesday podcast talking about the game: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06njm0g

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

I would like us to do the "torpedo" method more.

 

[Blades Analytics]

I would like us to do the "torpedo" method more.

Is that a euphemism!!

 

[I should coco]

The wandering into Midtyjlland and other obscure stat stuff was actually relevant and interesting.

You two obviously get on and that comes across well, but when you do challenge each other occassionally that's good to hear too.

Having made several previous complaints about Jay being in a tin box, I think this is the best sound quality I've heard.

Well done lads and thanks again.

 

[BigBed]

We cross to nobody to much!!

 

[Beans]

The wandering into Midtyjlland and other obscure stat stuff was actually relevant and interesting.

I'm just glad I got through that section without saying "Midgetland".

 

[Carlton Blade]

Answered my question so everyone should listen

 

[Silent Blade]

Have always thought early crosses have a better success rate than late crosses

 

[Dnblade]

Just had look at the Miller's v Swansea highlights..I hope we can get behind Rotherham as often as the Swans seemed to do....they were let down by poor delivery or poor finishing along with conceding 2 soft pens.
On early crosses,I think our lack of pace up top sometimes doesn't help when the ball comes in early from wide;or even over the top...Against Wendy,I can only remember Norwood playing a ball from the right first half for Billy,but it ran away to the left and it ended up back on the right just before Fleck's shot...but they were that deep we didn't get much opportunity to turn them by playing the ball early in behind.

 

[AWetFlannel]

'Absolute limbs in the away end'

Nicking that! Great pod again, love the stats.

 

[Groucho Blade]

Superb pod again, thanks chaps.
I particularly liked the bit about us pinning teams so far back that we can’t find a way through them.

 

[Fanny magnet]

Excellent listen again as always