Data, Stats, the death of the beautiful game. The Ultimate conclusion
The last match against Brentford stank to high heaven.
It got me thinking. How many matches this season have cause people to say WOW! That was amazing?
ZERO - Crazy results yes but not one of those games is gonna be remember as a classic for it's amazing goals and technique.
Yes Tony Kroos fell in love with the high energy, all action defeat to Liverpool due to the atmosphere and energy of the tie
However, that game didn't exhibit any 'goals of the season contenders', it was a game of mistakes that lead to the goals.
This season as been dross with all bar Arsenal being inconsistent.
Looking at the Gunners, they play Pulis football. It got me thinking about Wenger's smug disrespect for that Stoke team.
"This is not football. If your tactic is to deliberately hit the ball at our players just to win a corner, you might as well call yourself a rugby team." (Often referenced regarding Stoke's reliance on throw-ins and physical play).
"I don't think fans pay money to watch this.".
"The only intention is to hurt you and I can show some tackles where I can prove what I say. The one who is tackling is not the brave one. For me the brave one is the player who is trying to play football." (Following a physical 2008 match).
"They [Stoke] used all their weapons to make it very difficult for us." (Acknowledging the effectiveness of their, to him, anti-football style).
So years later his beloved Arsenal, the team that 'Plays the game the right way' is now the biggest proponent and beneficiary of this Anti-Football style.
With the Data science seeming to have replaced genuine managerial tactical intelligence and the direction of travel heading toward defensive driven, percentage gains, professional fouls and time wasting there is a clear destination, an end game where the Premier League is heading.
Newcastle can't beat teams who sit deep, park the bus and hit rapidly on the counter attack.
So why bother having Centre backs?
If this trend continues the dynamics of the team will change.
Why have 2 big lads at the back when they're playing against rapid response counter attacking players?
In these games it would be smarter to send Sven, BDB & Thiaw up front with Woltemade. Drop Gordon, Elanga back to CB.
Play a 3-3-4
2 wingers + Tino as 3 CBs - Bruno, Tonali & Hall as quarter backs. Defensive midfielders, with 1 roaming & massive lads up top and just keep punting the ball long for distance.
The game is becoming about statistics and Big corrupt Sam said back in the day 'You're statistically far more likely to score if the ball is in the box than if it's not.
This form of 'Grid Iron' approach to football is killing the creativity and enjoyment of the game.
American football sucks. 4 hours of start stop boredom, at home it's just a vehicle for advertising. The stadiums are amusement parks, if anyone has ever been. They have a multitude of recreations and amusements, games, some even have swimming pools FFS. That tells you all you need to know about that 'Sport.'
It really feels like the game is going in the wrong direction.
Pep brought the tactical possession based style to the Prem which was beautiful when executed by world class technicians. However, the evolution of that is what we have today, boring physical tactically negative dross.
So I say Bring it on. Send BDB up top with Woltemade and start launching the ball long. Play the Gooners at their own game.
It can't be any less imaginative than the dross we've seen in the last week or two.
Also, it would be honest, not trying to kid ourselves, likewise other clubs kidding their fans that they're interested in playing football.
