Brendan Rodgers has put his faith in young English stars and I'd love to see his Liverpool side win the title (Ian Holloway, 2/16/14, Mirror)
[A] big part of the Liverpool success story this season has been made in Britain.
Steven Gerrard has continued to be inspirational, in a more withdrawn midfield role – his ball to send Daniel Sturridge free to score at Fulham in midweek was delivered with the kind of precision we normally only associate with pass-masters like Andrea Pirlo.
Sturridge has been as sensational as he once only threatened to be.
And the charge for the top has been made at a time when Glen Johnson has been injured.
All three of those players will be on the plane to Rio.
But the one thing that should warm every Englishman’s heart has been the form shown by unsung heroes like Jordan Henderson , Raheem Sterling and young Jon Flanagan.
Henderson’s rebirth is a credit to him and his manager for not giving up on a player who had lost his way following a big-money transfer.
Sterling is out there terrorising seasoned international defenders.
Flanagan has played with an assuredness that is well beyond his 21 years.
These boys are the future of England – and let’s hope that future begins at the World Cup.
Rodgers is no different to any manager in that he is responsible only to the club that pays his wages.
But he is clearly committed to developing talent as much as recruiting through the transfer market. To give someone like Gerrard a new lease of life by employing his skills in a different role was an absolute masterstroke.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
...AND YOUNG PUPS:
Liverpool's Jordan Henderson is better than you think - perhaps more effective than Jack Wilshere : Jordan Henderson's effectiveness has improved significantly during his short career, and he's the lynch pin in Liverpool's midfield (Ted Knutson, 2/14/14, Daily Mirror)
Speaking of potential England World Cup players, I would definitely have this kid on the flight. Even without Theo Walcott’s injury, Sterling would be my second choice for a right-sided attacker in either a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1, because he and Daniel Sturridge are two of the few English players that can absolutely terrify defences right now with both blistering pace and quality technique.
The thing about Sterling that you must keep in mind is that he’s only 19. This sort of production at the top level for players his age is truly outstanding, and it’s also likely to improve as he gets older.
He’s already an outstanding dribbler, and he’s much better at not running in to dead ends than he was last season. Additionally, Opta data shows that his key passing numbers look good and he does a lot of work defensively for a player who is primarily an attacker.
His end product is also far better than what Andros Townsend has produced in his two seasons at the Premier League level. Sterling isn’t much of a crosser, but unless Andy Carroll is in the side, England’s attack isn’t really built for that type of game either.
Whether Hodgson plans to start him or use him as an impact sub, Sterling definitely deserves to be part of the action.
Speaking of potential England World Cup players, I would definitely have this kid on the flight. Even without Theo Walcott’s injury, Sterling would be my second choice for a right-sided attacker in either a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1, because he and Daniel Sturridge are two of the few English players that can absolutely terrify defences right now with both blistering pace and quality technique.
The thing about Sterling that you must keep in mind is that he’s only 19. This sort of production at the top level for players his age is truly outstanding, and it’s also likely to improve as he gets older.
He’s already an outstanding dribbler, and he’s much better at not running in to dead ends than he was last season. Additionally, Opta data shows that his key passing numbers look good and he does a lot of work defensively for a player who is primarily an attacker.
His end product is also far better than what Andros Townsend has produced in his two seasons at the Premier League level. Sterling isn’t much of a crosser, but unless Andy Carroll is in the side, England’s attack isn’t really built for that type of game either.
Whether Hodgson plans to start him or use him as an impact sub, Sterling definitely deserves to be part of the action.
OF OLD DOGS...
Liverpool’s Chihuahua is clawing its way into the title race with Gerrard in the holding role and Suarez out wide… but can they finally be top dogs? (CHARLIE SKILLEN, 15 February 2014, Daily Mail)
+15
+15
The England captain has reverted to being a holding midfielder, dictating Liverpool’s play from deep. Gerrard was a defensive midfielder for the early years of his career, before excelling in a more advanced, free role in his prime.
Now the legs have started to wear at 33, a shift back into a defensive position may prolong his career by years. Proof that you can teach an old dog – Chihuahua or otherwise – new tricks, Gerrard has become more disciplined in how he plays to the advantage of the team.
+15+15
Anchor man: Steven Gerrard (No 8) is shows as one of the deepest players on the pitch in the matches against Fulham (shown in the left position map) and Arsenal (right)
Look at Liverpool’s average positions from their last two matches. Gerrard (8) is one of the deepest players in the whole side, and vital to each win. Against Arsenal, he’s just about level with centre-halves Martin Skrtel (37) and Daniel Agger (4).
Rodgers uses two attacking full-backs in Aly Cissoko (20) and Jon Flanagan (38) so it has been imperative Gerrard curbs his attacking instincts, retaining his position and hence the shape of the team.
His primary job is to dictate play and start moves, feeding the two advanced central midfielders, Jordan Henderson (14) and Philippe Coutinho (10).
Monday, December 23, 2013
AS LONG AS HE DITCHES THREE AT THE BACK...:
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers deserves our praise (Henry Winter, 23 Dec 2013, The Telegraph)
A careful plan is being put into operation at Anfield. Rodgers buys those such as Philippe Coutinho who suit his obsession with possession, inflicting on opponents “death by football”. There were doubts whether the slight Brazilian would cope with the physicality of the Premier League. Coutinho certainly looks at home now. Rodgers chose well. Joe Allen begins to justify the £15 million outlay.
Liverpool’s manager has made mistakes, and concerns remain over Fabio Borini and Iago Aspas while Nuri Sahin’s loan did not work out. Rodgers is fortunate to have good owners in John W Henry and Tom Werner.
As well as the flowing football, Rodgers’ players perform with a strong work ethic, the type instilled in him by his late father, who had him painting and decorating at a young age. “My father would work from dawn to dusk to ensure his young family had everything and I think you can see his philosophies in my team,’’ Rodgers said during his time at Swansea.
He sees the club as a family with everyone standing together. The team spirit engendered by Rodgers was demonstrated when Suárez squared the ball for Raheem Sterling to score against Cardiff City and the youngster immediately running to thank him.
Still those early maxims of Rodgers need revisiting. Bemusement followed his pronouncement that “the problem with being a manager is it’s like trying to build an aircraft while it’s flying’’. Now that Rodgers’ ideas are becoming reality on the pitch such statements will soon be staples in coach-education departments.
Rodgers is different. He is no Big Sam. He quotes Latin proverbs to his players. Addressing the media, Rodger is one of the most tactile managers I have met. He has always been quotable but now people appreciate the content properly. Discussing how he likes to train players, Rodgers once said: “You train dogs. I like to educate players.” Cue some hilarity. But he does educate players. Ask Henderson.
When Rodgers arrived at Melwood last year, the new manager sat down with the struggling midfielder. “We had conversations on what I needed to do to improve my game,’’ recalls Henderson. They also talked about whether the player should try a new start at Fulham. “I don’t want to go,’’ Henderson told Rodgers. “I want to fight for my place.’’ Impressed, Rodgers replied that if Henderson listened, learnt and improved, he would give him a chance. “He helped me to do better, always talking to me,’’ adds Henderson, now an integral part of the team.
A careful plan is being put into operation at Anfield. Rodgers buys those such as Philippe Coutinho who suit his obsession with possession, inflicting on opponents “death by football”. There were doubts whether the slight Brazilian would cope with the physicality of the Premier League. Coutinho certainly looks at home now. Rodgers chose well. Joe Allen begins to justify the £15 million outlay.
Liverpool’s manager has made mistakes, and concerns remain over Fabio Borini and Iago Aspas while Nuri Sahin’s loan did not work out. Rodgers is fortunate to have good owners in John W Henry and Tom Werner.
As well as the flowing football, Rodgers’ players perform with a strong work ethic, the type instilled in him by his late father, who had him painting and decorating at a young age. “My father would work from dawn to dusk to ensure his young family had everything and I think you can see his philosophies in my team,’’ Rodgers said during his time at Swansea.
He sees the club as a family with everyone standing together. The team spirit engendered by Rodgers was demonstrated when Suárez squared the ball for Raheem Sterling to score against Cardiff City and the youngster immediately running to thank him.
Still those early maxims of Rodgers need revisiting. Bemusement followed his pronouncement that “the problem with being a manager is it’s like trying to build an aircraft while it’s flying’’. Now that Rodgers’ ideas are becoming reality on the pitch such statements will soon be staples in coach-education departments.
Rodgers is different. He is no Big Sam. He quotes Latin proverbs to his players. Addressing the media, Rodger is one of the most tactile managers I have met. He has always been quotable but now people appreciate the content properly. Discussing how he likes to train players, Rodgers once said: “You train dogs. I like to educate players.” Cue some hilarity. But he does educate players. Ask Henderson.
When Rodgers arrived at Melwood last year, the new manager sat down with the struggling midfielder. “We had conversations on what I needed to do to improve my game,’’ recalls Henderson. They also talked about whether the player should try a new start at Fulham. “I don’t want to go,’’ Henderson told Rodgers. “I want to fight for my place.’’ Impressed, Rodgers replied that if Henderson listened, learnt and improved, he would give him a chance. “He helped me to do better, always talking to me,’’ adds Henderson, now an integral part of the team.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
WHO SHOOTS SCORES:
What Is Total Shots Ratio? And How Can It Improve Your Understanding of Soccer? (Mike L. Goodman, August 12, 2013, Grantland)
As with lots of analytics concepts, TSR is just a fancy set of letters for an incredibly simple idea: Let’s count shots. Specifically, TSR is the ratio of how many shots a team takes versus the number of total shots (actual equation: shots for/(shots for + shots against). For example, Manchester United took 562 shots and conceded 494 shots last season. That works out to a TSR of 0.53. And it turns out counting shots is pretty important. Because goals are so rare, and can be scored in such odd and wonderful ways, a team’s past scoring record isn’t a particularly reliable predictor of future goals. Looking at how frequently a team shoots predicts future goals much more accurately. In that way, it’s similar to baseball’s run differential. If you want to predict how often a baseball team will win, figure out how much better they are at doing the thing that leads to winning (scoring runs). If you want to figure out how often a soccer team will score goals, figure out how often they do the thing that leads to scoring goals (shooting). TSR is a measure of a team’s ability to take shots while preventing opponents from shooting.
Why Bother With TSR?
The biggest thing that TSR has going for it is that it works. A team’s point tally is definitely correlated with how good its TSR is (for some actual math on how highly correlated TSR and points are, you can check out Martin Eastwood’s work on the subject).
The biggest problem with soccer as played in its major leagues is not the imbalance in finances, but the style of play that follows from their spending. When a big budget team plays a small budget team the latter will play defensively and try to absorb shots in hopes of scoring a fluke goal on one of their minimal attacking opportunities. In essence, they stack TSR against themselves. They play to lose.
As with lots of analytics concepts, TSR is just a fancy set of letters for an incredibly simple idea: Let’s count shots. Specifically, TSR is the ratio of how many shots a team takes versus the number of total shots (actual equation: shots for/(shots for + shots against). For example, Manchester United took 562 shots and conceded 494 shots last season. That works out to a TSR of 0.53. And it turns out counting shots is pretty important. Because goals are so rare, and can be scored in such odd and wonderful ways, a team’s past scoring record isn’t a particularly reliable predictor of future goals. Looking at how frequently a team shoots predicts future goals much more accurately. In that way, it’s similar to baseball’s run differential. If you want to predict how often a baseball team will win, figure out how much better they are at doing the thing that leads to winning (scoring runs). If you want to figure out how often a soccer team will score goals, figure out how often they do the thing that leads to scoring goals (shooting). TSR is a measure of a team’s ability to take shots while preventing opponents from shooting.
Why Bother With TSR?
The biggest thing that TSR has going for it is that it works. A team’s point tally is definitely correlated with how good its TSR is (for some actual math on how highly correlated TSR and points are, you can check out Martin Eastwood’s work on the subject).
The biggest problem with soccer as played in its major leagues is not the imbalance in finances, but the style of play that follows from their spending. When a big budget team plays a small budget team the latter will play defensively and try to absorb shots in hopes of scoring a fluke goal on one of their minimal attacking opportunities. In essence, they stack TSR against themselves. They play to lose.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
A TEAM WITHOUT TEETH:
Sturridge brilliance sees Reds defeat United (ESPN Star, 9/01/13)
Sturridge provided a fitting tribute to the memory of Bill Shankly with a fourth-minute winner against United to maintain Liverpool's 100 per cent start to the Barclays Premier League season.
Monday would have been Shankly's 100th birthday, and it will be celebrated with Liverpool back in their customary position as winners, with Sturridge now bagging the only goal in all three matches so far.
In contrast, Manchester United manager David Moyes endured a depressing day.
He failed to claim a hoped-for first win at Anfield following 12 unsuccessful visits with Everton. [...]
[T]he presence of Victor Moses, Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori in the directors' box showed Liverpool's intent for the last day of the transfer window.
Whatever his limitations as a tactician, Alex Ferguson understood one thing : if you try to score you will. David Moyes never tries to score. And once teams smell blood and start trying to score against United, instead of playing deep and hoping to draw, they don't have the defense to stop them.
Sturridge provided a fitting tribute to the memory of Bill Shankly with a fourth-minute winner against United to maintain Liverpool's 100 per cent start to the Barclays Premier League season.
Monday would have been Shankly's 100th birthday, and it will be celebrated with Liverpool back in their customary position as winners, with Sturridge now bagging the only goal in all three matches so far.
In contrast, Manchester United manager David Moyes endured a depressing day.
He failed to claim a hoped-for first win at Anfield following 12 unsuccessful visits with Everton. [...]
[T]he presence of Victor Moses, Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori in the directors' box showed Liverpool's intent for the last day of the transfer window.
Whatever his limitations as a tactician, Alex Ferguson understood one thing : if you try to score you will. David Moyes never tries to score. And once teams smell blood and start trying to score against United, instead of playing deep and hoping to draw, they don't have the defense to stop them.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
WHEREAS JURGEN IS GERMAN
How life (and death) change Egyptian soccer and its American coach (Kevin Baxter
May 11, 2013, LA Times)
It probably wasn't the best time to take any soccer job in Egypt. Because of the violence the country's top domestic league was shut down twice, leaving the players without pay or a place to play. And when the government declined to provide adequate security, Bradley's team had to play its first World Cup qualifier in an empty military stadium.
Yet despite it all — or maybe because of it all — Bradley has Egypt a win away from the final round of qualifying for next summer's World Cup, a tournament it has played in just twice since 1930.
"In those difficult circumstances we were able to start to establish something, a trust and an understanding of the opportunity that we had to try to do something special during a time in the country when, honestly, everything's pretty difficult," Bradley says.
"When a national team steps on a field you need to make sure that people look on that field and feel proud. They feel like they're part of it. I think that certainly fits the situation and the challenges that we see here."
As astonishing as soccer's survival in Egypt may seem, however, the bigger surprise is that Bradley has become its savior. He was criticized as robotic, unimaginative, even dispassionate while leading the U.S. into the knockout round of the 2010 World Cup. Now, many in Egypt insist Bradley saved their team through his creativity, emotion and force of will.
The day after the February 2012, riots in the Suez Canal city of Port Said — an event Bradley called "a massacre" — the coach and his wife, Lindsay, marched with thousands of Egyptians in Cairo's Sphinx Square to honor the dead. They visited a memorial, where they spoke with relatives of those who had died. Quietly, they donated money to the survivors. Bradley, his wife and two daughters, also rallied support for the Children's Cancer Hospital of Egypt, to which they also gave money. And last November, after an accident involving a train and school bus killed dozens of children in Asyut, 230 miles south of Cairo, Bradley met with the victims' families.
"Egypt is a region where emotion counts. People respond emotionally and that response is important," says James M. Dorsey, a former foreign correspondent for the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, who writes a blog on Middle Eastern soccer. "If you respond to situations with a sense that you understand what's going on and that you empathize and that you're part of this, people value that."
Hassan El Mestikawy, a well-known sports analyst in Egypt, pays Bradley an ever bigger compliment. "He's an Egyptian," El Mestikawy says.
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