- Dec 3, 2004
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I wholeheartedly concur that stats very much do not tell the whole story. But certain individual stats are very, very relevant. For example passing stats are invaluable when assessing a player's actual contribution.
The assist stat does not for example allow for a player who carries a ball past two man then shows great poise and vision to lay off to a team mate in space who merely has to tap it to the next guy to slot home.
But as far as players that are primarily charged with playing in the final third the stat is at least uniform for all. Modric for example only had a couple more assists than Lennon, but stats showed he also passed about 700 times more. He saw more than double the amount of the ball than Lennon. Which means he is attracting opposing players to him and alowing Lennon more space. Not the other way round as perported by some.
I posted an article on here a year or so ago about an acedemic american guy who was trying to introduce his very complex system for analysing player contribution to the team dynamic from a sport (can't remember which one) in america.
It assessed the effect that player had on his team mates and how his performance interacted and effected those around him. It was interesting and valid I think.
Huddlestone would be a great candidate for this type of analysis as he appears to be a stylish and great passer of the ball but he also appears to have a negative effect on the amount of work those around have to do to compensate for his immobility of mind and body.
Purported:grin:
To compare Modric's passing quantity to Lennon's is not fair because he is to all intents and purposes a central midfielder so will of course see more of the ball. Even when he was on the 'left', his game was about drifting in and dictating play. Gareth Barry made twice as many passes as Ashley Young last year; Cesc Fabregas more than double than Theo Walcott pro rata. It is natural they would see more of the ball.
I have agreed with you that Lennon hugs the touchline a tad too much but I think there is a tactic at play here to keep the left back stretched and have an outlet on that side to collect the ball in his stride and attack the full back. If he were to, as you suggest, exploit the space created by Modric the left back could push in more and I can't see Corluka sprinting down the right-if we had Hutton it might be different but then the goals allowed would be greater.
In saying that rather than Lennon creating space for others ie Modric it is vice-versa is a little simplistic- it's surely a bit of both which is what I was getting at saying football is a team sport and that what one player does has an affect on the rest of the pitch. You say Huddlestone's lack of mobility creates extra work for others, I would say that he is not that immobile anymore and that his retention of the ball and silky passing create as many, well more, opportunities for other players and keep the defence on the back foot more than him being a liability.