Conclusions from Bolton

[Blades Analytics]

Welcome Jay and what a way to start! I've been hoping to see you on here since I saw the Sheffield Live show. Your stats back up what I (we all) saw on Saturday and saves me from thinking I'm bonkers when I read some of the crapola on FB. Keep it coming UTB

Thank you for the kind words mate! remember that when the stats don't back up your opinoin lol!

 

[Blades Analytics]

A thoroughly splendid , insightful and very well written piece of work . Take a bow young man and make sure you come back with many more .

Whilst I found myself agreeing with virtually everything you said , I think you slightly downplayed the goals conceded . For example , Cardiff only scored 7 more goals than us but conceded 13 less and that made all the difference between automatic promotion and not even making the play offs .

However , I'm sure CW is conscious of this and , with our new super duper goalie , I'll be very surprised if we don't concede at least half a dozen less this season and that will make a big difference to our final position .

Very fair point! I think having the 10th best defence in the league on paper slightly masked the fact that we often conceded a goal, towards the end of the season that became more apparent as it cost us vital points. As you say i am sure CW and AK have this in mind, certainly interesting that JOC is not overlapping and staying back at the moment and his defensive numbers look all the better for it! hopefully many more clean sheets to come

 

[Silent Blade]

I have always rated Stevens as a top signing and despair at posts from know it alls who pick on him. Stevens always finds spaces at the left and delivers numerous crosses but it is not always his fault that many of his crosses doesnt lead to goals. Glad that stats from Blades Analytics shows that Stevens is one of our key players.

 

[Blades Analytics]

Interesting you have identified and highlighted areas of weakness were keeping clean sheets and game management. Early days I know, but does the acquisition of Egan, show any significant statistical change from last season in these areas?

At the minute i'd say it's too early to say. Just based on 5 games and with a couple of changes to the back 3 within those games it's not quite right time, however after about 8 games i will start to look at the data and see how are goals, chances, Shots conceded rack up from last year to this year.

 

[Blades Analytics]

I have always rated Stevens as a top signing and despair at posts from know it alls who pick on him. Stevens always finds spaces at the left and delivers numerous crosses but it is not always his fault that many of his crosses doesnt lead to goals. Glad that stats from Blades Analytics shows that Stevens is one of our key players.

He certainly is, or can be. I do feel his performance dropped off slightly towards back end of last season and he started this season poorly in his attacking output. Since Norwood's introduction and a switch from majority of our play on the left hand side to now a more varied approach Stevens' performance levels have increased. Johnson rumour may have helped of course! But it seems with Enda when he isn't our main involvement in a game he performs better

 

[Silent Blade]

He certainly is, or can be. I do feel his performance dropped off slightly towards back end of last season and he started this season poorly in his attacking output. Since Norwood's introduction and a switch from majority of our play on the left hand side to now a more varied approach Stevens' performance levels have increased. Johnson rumour may have helped of course! But it seems with Enda when he isn't our main involvement in a game he performs better

What do you reckon about set pieces under Wilder? I noticed that we rarely attempt direct free kicks from outside boxes . Our corner taking has improved a lot since Norwood became our regular taker. He drives them rather than floating them (I hate them) and this makes it difficult for the keeper to claim them. This is what Woodward, Borbokis and Unsworth did too.

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

Good stuff and enjoyed reading it. Time moves on and things change, but I would love to have heard the late, great Bill Shankly`s comments if confronted with all these modern statistics.

 

[WalkelyFan]

Great reading and now I have your web page bookmarked I shall read more. I was aware of this sort of thing going on - as part of a SWOT analysis if nothing else, though I suspect some teams do a lot more. Do you know how easy it is to get the figures for other teams' players, can one get them for potential strikers for example?

 

[Pinchy]

Good stuff and enjoyed reading it. Time moves on and things change, but I would love to have heard the late, great Bill Shankly`s comments if confronted with all these modern statistics.

Much the same as Cloughie’s I should imagine...

 

[Kryten]

Brilliant read, there are some seriously talented people that post on here thats for sure!

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

Much the same as Cloughie’s I should imagine...

Indeed.

 

[Pinchy]

Indeed.

However, as you say, times have changed and I understand Tufty and his crew find this data useful. The important thing is that it doesn’t become all-consuming and override the sort of experience, intuition and good old-fashioned know-how that made my (and your, I suspect) favourite managers so great.

Our man BA seems to agree with this approach, I’m pleased to say.

 

[Pinchy]

Brilliant read, there are some seriously talented people that post on here thats for sure!

Yes and there’s Danny04 as well!






Just joking mate. Put me down for a Tufty book will you?

 

[Pinchy]

Great reading and now I have your web page bookmarked I shall read more. I was aware of this sort of thing going on - as part of a SWOT analysis if nothing else, though I suspect some teams do a lot more. Do you know how easy it is to get the figures for other teams' players, can one get them for potential strikers for example?

He certainly has one for Scott Hogan.

 

[ThatJa]

My conclusion: We are a good team.

 

[The Tea Lady]

Basic question I know, but I couldn't immediately find it on Google: Do players wear GPS during games?

 

[The Tea Lady]

Very impressed with your analysis. I also liked your enthusiasm and description on the Sheffield TV show. You were much better prepared than Mr Biggs and the backroom staff who couldn't get your stuff on the screen in the 21st century. I'm just in the process of subscribing.

I appreciate they had Jay on, and apparently Alan Biggs is a nice bloke, but that delay in displaying graphics was like watching a supply teacher struggle with the TV remote

 

[Guesty]

Blades Analytics posts and likes currently number 18 89. This pleases me greatly.

 

[The Tea Lady]

But it seems with Enda when he isn't our main involvement in a game he performs better

Isn't this where collection and interpretation of data separate?

Couldn't there be other interpretations of Stevens's stats, eg, opposition funnel the play over to the left (possibly due to limitations in midfield) and then crowd out or mark up. So while it looks like Enda is underperforming, what's actually happened is there's a weak link elsewhere in the chain.

This isn't really about defending Stevens (ok it is a bit), it's more thinking how what the data says and what the data means are two separate things.

There's a real skill in knowing what data to and how to collect it, but there's also a real skill (and admittedly a lot of overlap) in interpretation.

 

[Blades Analytics]

Great reading and now I have your web page bookmarked I shall read more. I was aware of this sort of thing going on - as part of a SWOT analysis if nothing else, though I suspect some teams do a lot more. Do you know how easy it is to get the figures for other teams' players, can one get them for potential strikers for example?

Yep I have a database which monitors all championship players ajf I can get data on EFL players

Great reading and now I have your web page bookmarked I shall read more. I was aware of this sort of thing going on - as part of a SWOT analysis if nothing else, though I suspect some teams do a lot more. Do you know how easy it is to get the figures for other teams' players, can one get them for potential strikers for example?

There are sources of information available for the championship on all players. I myself hold a championship databases as well ad leagues 1 & 2. I often write small scouting reports on EFL young talent and minor leagues from Europe such as Switzerland, Belgium France league 2 and bundesliga 2

 

[stringer]

Basic question I know, but I couldn't immediately find it on Google: Do players wear GPS during games?

Yes, in the bra-like vests they wear under their shirts

 

[blademark]

However, as you say, times have changed and I understand Tufty and his crew find this data useful. The important thing is that it doesn’t become all-consuming and override the sort of experience, intuition and good old-fashioned know-how that made my (and your, I suspect) favourite managers so great.

Our man BA seems to agree with this approach, I’m pleased to say.

Important to remember that ALL clubs use it, therefore Cloughie et al would also have used it if available, and frankly I dont care how 'all consuming' it becomes to Wilder as long as results on the pitch keep going on the same upward curve. Having said that he's far too well grounded to become 'all consumed' by anything.

 

[The Tea Lady]

Yes, in the bra-like vests they wear under their shirts

Thanks. I thought so. Isn't this relatively recent. I'm pretty sure in the last couple of seasons there was some item (on the BBC?) about United and the opposition having to gain permission to wear GPS for a particular game, permission was granted, but it sounded like a one-off, and I never saw anything after that.

 

[Blades Analytics]

Isn't this where collection and interpretation of data separate?

Couldn't there be other interpretations of Stevens's stats, eg, opposition funnel the play over to the left (possibly due to limitations in midfield) and then crowd out or mark up. So while it looks like Enda is underperforming, what's actually happened is there's a weak link elsewhere in the chain.

This isn't really about defending Stevens (ok it is a bit), it's more thinking how what the data says and what the data means are two separate things.

There's a real skill in knowing what data to and how to collect it, but there's also a real skill (and admittedly a lot of overlap) in interpretation.

Its a very fair point this and of course you could deep dive on so much. My take is this...we began over playing in our build up towards wing backs, too many passes to get there which allowed opposition to set in positions. That combined with an over reliance on our left hand side attack (42% of our attacks came down left hand side last season) allowed opposition to set traps. It also meant Stevens was far too ahead of the ball so rather than receiving taking a touch into space and delivering he was already pinned to touchline or as advanced as he could be, in poor crossing positions with no momentum. Norwoods arrival with Freeman's return has seen us play far more balanced football. We knke create equally from both sides and because of this opposition cannot rely on lining up to protect one side they are aware of both which should in theory create space for fleck especially to exploit. Stevens performance did drop, but our over reliance on him was clear as he often finished games with most on ball involvements. That is now norwood. As it should be

 

[Blades Analytics]

Important to remember that ALL clubs use it, therefore Cloughie et al would also have used it if available, and frankly I dont care how 'all consuming' it becomes to Wilder as long as results on the pitch keep going on the same upward curve. Having said that he's far too well grounded to become 'all consumed' by anything.

Important to remember the club have some excellent staff and recently hired a top up and coming performance analyst. CW doesn't have to be consumed by this, just see its output and pick and choose what he wants to do with it.

 

[The Tea Lady]

Important to remember the club have some excellent staff and recently hired a top up and coming performance analyst. CW doesn't have to be consumed by this, just see its output and pick and choose what he wants to do with it.

Do "all" clubs use it, and, if so, to what extent?

What's a typical Championship set up? Is there even such a thing?

Who collects? From what sources?

Who interprets? It'd be counterproductive passing all the data on to the coach wouldn't it? Someone has to separate signal from noise, and possibly even prioritise. A big responsibility.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Afternoon S2

First post in here so please be gentle as no doubt there will be some strong views on the kind of stuff i produce! However if you do have an interest then here is my analysis from Clayton Donaldson Derby:

https://www.uptheblades.com/latest-articles/2018/8/28/conclusions-from-bolton-0-3-blades

Any thoughts or feedback appreciated as always, which is a horrific setup for some comments but i'll risk it!

Brilliant that mate. Hope you post that after every game

 

[Blades Analytics]

Brilliant that mate. Hope you post that after every game

Thanks mate, if you search around that website you'll see we try to do an analysis of every game and now doing a weekly podcast too dedicated to all things blades with Beans

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Thanks mate, if you search around that website you'll see we try to do an analysis of every game and now doing a weekly podcast too dedicated to all things blades with Beans

Yeah but I’ll only read it if you post it on here

 

[SelbyBlade]

Hopefully that does the trick if not let me know, happy to explain and bore everyone here!

Hi BA, I thought that the xG was a percentage. i.e. 1 = 100% how do we then get 1.5? I know that footballers talk about 110% but this is 150%. I realise it's not a typo and just wondered how this worked?