By Tony Attwood
The Whoscored website is one of those that can be a bit confusing – in that it pours out stats, puts players in different colours, and then expects you do know what it all means. I must be rather slow because I don’t quite get it all.
But they do produce a score for each player based on the games they have played this season. Which is interesting, but it can be a bit misleading, since if you have only played two games and they have been great you are going to get a high rating which a player who has played 20 might not get, because everyone has the occasional problem day.
What’s more, anyone who missed Monaco at home is likely to get a lift up the table, simply through not being there, so again, no matter how good their ratings are, the underlying statistical basis of what they are doing might be questionable.
But still, it has some interesting bits and pieces in it, and reaches various conclusions, like the fact that Ramsey isn’t good enough for the team. Which I don’t agree with – not least because I think these days one needs to pick a team to play this particular opposition.
The web site also likes Theo Walcott, but again that is warped by the small number of games he has played.
But still, its only a mechanical device, so as long as we treat it as that, it doesn’t matter too much. Here are their “findings” (or if you wish, “numbers picked up without taking note of how players with fewer games can benefit”).
Results are out of ten.
David Ospina – 7.40
Which is better than Szczesny who had got 6.46 by the time he decided to visit the beach.
Nacho Monreal – 7.35.
Gibbs at 7.04 is not a poor option, but Monreal has looked impressive of late. And better than both the Liverpool full backs who get 6.46 each.
Gabriel Paulista – 7.46.
This is of course one of the daft ones because he has played so little. Mertersacker scores 7.07, which is not at all bad, and certain better than Liverpool’s Allen on 6.77
Laurent Koscielny – 7.37.
I think we all know that. Wenger called him his best value for money player. Calum Chambers is on 7.05
Mathieu Debuchy – 7.25.
I can’t see him starting against Liverpool as all he has had so far is a half match warm up against Brentford. And Hector Bellerin is only fractionally behind on 7.21. Give Debuchy a week or two and he’ll be there.
Mesut Ozil – 7.56.
Of course. While those who speak Gibberish know otherwise those of us who watch know what we see.
Francis Coquelin – 7.53.
Spotted by Untold when he first turned up… well you know all that because we mention it every week. He’s aided by a limited number of games too. But the numbers the web site comes up with for the other possibles for that spot are interesting: Mathieu Flamini (6.78); Mikel Arteta (6.73) .
Santi Cazorla – 7.65
What is interesting is that looked at just by numbers not only does Ramsey not make it but nor does the Ox, (7.20) nor, Tomas Rosicky (6.73) nor Jack Wilshere (6.69). Ramsey is on 7.02
Danny Welbeck – 7.30
He has indeed looked great when he has played, and he’s way ahead of Theo Walcott (6.42) who has taken much longer to get his form back than I expected. But then, what do I know?
Olivier Giroud – 7.46
Another “of course”. I still keep laughing about that funny web site that I found that was purported to be an Arsenal site, and kept on saying how you didn’t have to put forward any reasoning to say why you thought Wenger was a duff manager other than the word “Giroud”.
Alexis Sanchez – 7.84
Our number one but looking a trifle tired. Still he’s brilliant.
Just computer numbers, but still quite interesting. Top Liverpool player is Sterling on 7.36.
Tony
As you say there are flaws to this, lets be honest, rather crude way of judging players, but having sad that I wouldn’t argue with a good many of the results so it cant be all bad.
I’ve listed bellow my top half dozen players of the season based on what I call my ‘OH NO’ scale.
Basically how loud I shout ‘OH NO’ indicates just how gutted I am when I hear there not playing.
It’s not a million miles away from ‘whoscored’ order.
1-Olivier Giroud…….7.46
2-Santi Cazorla……..7.65
3-Mesut Ozil………..7.56
4-Alexis Sanchez…….7.84
5-Laurent Koscielny….7.37
6-Francis Coquelin…..7.53
Just a side note.
Everywhere you look.
No matter who puts the figures together.
There is just no getting away from it.
Mesut Ozil is a top top player who has been performing at the highest level all season.
Paul Scholes, hang your ignorant, anti Arsenal, head in shame.
And that goes for a few others.
At times it seemed we at Untold where treading a very lonely path in singing the praises of both Ozil AND Giroud, but it seems our observations and judgement have been well and truly vindicated.
It has got to the point where denying there quality has simply become embarrassing.
If Ozil was playing for the Manures, the media and the former Manure thug, would be making some very different comments.
An interesting article Tony, I don’t try to rate each of our players in mathematical terms, especially when there can be so many aspects to a player’s game. However, we have a very very good squad, nearing a peak, one of the best in the EPL and with fair refereeing and fewer injuries it would presently lead the league.
I think even sections of the media are waking up to the talent that is Ozil. That’s when they are not drooling over Harry Kane of course who must score at least 10.42, second only to Matic whose score surely has to read that infinity symbol not on my current keyboard.
But the fact remains, we have a hell of a squad who are only a going to get better
Nobody gets infinity. ∞
Mathematicians actually have orders of infinity. Some infinities are bigger than others.
But, back in my M.Eng. I was also taking the Korean martial art Tung Soo Do. My instructor was the head of campus security (who at some point in the past had also worked in prisons).
He said something about blackness, which I will incorporate into blackness.
Everyone starts with a white belt. With more sweat and washing, the white turns yellow (the first colour). Other colours. At some point, there is enough embedded dirt and stuff, the belt is blue. After that, the belt just accumulates more of the same, and becomes darker and darker blue. The only person with a black belt is god, as he is the only person who has been practising forever. (My apologies for those who believe god is female.)
Funnily enough the man U media crowd are starting to sing the praises of Carrick and congratulating him for all the things they criticise Ozil for.
Very soon now all these attacks on Arsenal are going to be the final spark that lights the Gunners fuse and fires them to glory again and again and again…..
@Gord,
Although off topic, your story of the belt brought back memories.
In 1943, on a troopship going through the Med, we were ordered to whiten our web belts and gaiters by scrubbing in sea water. One bright spark borrowed a rope from one of the crew, tied his gear to it and lowered the rope over the ship’s side overnight.
Next morning he was dismayed to find nothing on the rope’s end
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150402/wenger-and-giroud-win-monthly-awards
Congratulations Arsene and Giroud
I love statistics but have learnt to treat them with caution. I have been amused lately with arguments between fans of other clubs who disagree about whether Costa or Kane should be Player of the Season (I can’t believe a Chelski fan puts Costa ahead of Hazard). One of the arguments regularly used is that both have 19 goals but Kane has had fewer starts (20) than Costa (23). I was greatly amused by the upset I caused by suggesting that with 13 goals from 14 start it was obvious that Giroud should be Player of the Season. 🙂