What on earth is going on?

[Sir C]

This, from twitter, about some chap we may (won't) buy:

"Not really a 10, although he could do the job there. He’s more of an 8 or a 6. Ideally you want him in front of a double pivot or as one of the interiors in front of a sole pivot."

What is all this cobblers? Was Neeskens a 4 or an 8? Was Zico a 10 or an 8? Was Brady a 7? Were Cruyff and Henry (and Walcott) 14s? How many pivots are usual? Why have people made up a load of meaningless bóllocks about our beautiful game?

[Burney]

This, from twitter, about some chap we may (won't) buy:

"Not really a 10, although he could do the job there. He’s more of an 8 or a 6. Ideally you want him in front of a double pivot or as one of the interiors in front of a sole pivot."

What is all this cobblers? Was Neeskens a 4 or an 8? Was Zico a 10 or an 8? Was Brady a 7? Were Cruyff and Henry (and Walcott) 14s? How many pivots are usual? Why have people made up a load of meaningless bóllocks about our beautiful game?

Oh, I thought he was being marked out of 10.
I've no idea what pivots are.
I blame football hipsters like you, Jorge and sw.

[Sir C]

Oh, I thought he was being marked out of 10.
I've no idea what pivots are.
I blame football hipsters like you, Jorge and sw.

If there's one thing I'm not, it's a football hipster. Instructions to players can be extremely detailed and complex - how we'll defend a throw in from the left 30 yards from our goal, how we'll put the right side of theior midfield under pressure to stop their left side playing, how we'll move the ball from our goal kick - there might be a million instructions for a particular game, but pivots? Interiors? What cobblers.

[Luis Anaconda]

This, from twitter, about some chap we may (won't) buy:

"Not really a 10, although he could do the job there. He’s more of an 8 or a 6. Ideally you want him in front of a double pivot or as one of the interiors in front of a sole pivot."

What is all this cobblers? Was Neeskens a 4 or an 8? Was Zico a 10 or an 8? Was Brady a 7? Were Cruyff and Henry (and Walcott) 14s? How many pivots are usual? Why have people made up a load of meaningless bóllocks about our beautiful game?
We won the world cup - all else is irrelevant. Til next week anyway

[Sir C]

We won the world cup - all else is irrelevant. Til next week anyway

That was cricket la. Anyway, b's been telling us for years that the only proper cricket is the one that lasts about a week, and that this limited over nonsense doesn't count.

Are we saying it counts now? Because Ireland I mean 'England' won?

[Luis Anaconda]

That was cricket la. Anyway, b's been telling us for years that the only proper cricket is the one that lasts about a week, and that this limited over nonsense doesn't count.

Are we saying it counts now? Because Ireland I mean 'England' won?

As much as I like b, we rarely agreed on this - of course it isn't the "real" stuff but it has banished some very bad memories of 87 and 92

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

We won the world cup - all else is irrelevant. Til next week anyway

Do you not worry that we used up so much magic in that win - the bat deflection for 6 which should only have been five, anyway, Roy looking out first ball etc - that we've blown it for the Ashes?

{Or is that just a hippy mystic way of saying we don't have a top 3?}

If we lose the Ashes, that will rather pîss on our chips - like if we'd won the EL (yeah, right) and Sperz then won the CL.

Is Jimmy A gonna be fit?

[Ash]

This, from twitter, about some chap we may (won't) buy:

"Not really a 10, although he could do the job there. He’s more of an 8 or a 6. Ideally you want him in front of a double pivot or as one of the interiors in front of a sole pivot."

What is all this cobblers? Was Neeskens a 4 or an 8? Was Zico a 10 or an 8? Was Brady a 7? Were Cruyff and Henry (and Walcott) 14s? How many pivots are usual? Why have people made up a load of meaningless bóllocks about our beautiful game?

What? Have you not read Jonathan Wilson's latest: Tessellating the Dodecahedron?

It's not just about lumping it up to the big lad and getting it in the mixer any more, you know.

[Sir C]

What? Have you not read Jonathan Wilson's latest: Tessellating the Dodecahedron?

It's not just about lumping it up to the big lad and getting it in the mixer any more, you know.

Get it wide, get it to the byeline, get it across the six yard box. Keep doing that and we'll be fine.

[Burney]

If there's one thing I'm not, it's a football hipster. Instructions to players can be extremely detailed and complex - how we'll defend a throw in from the left 30 yards from our goal, how we'll put the right side of theior midfield under pressure to stop their left side playing, how we'll move the ball from our goal kick - there might be a million instructions for a particular game, but pivots? Interiors? What cobblers.

I'm sure I remember you all furiously masturbating over Jonathan Wilson as he made what is in essence the world's most gloriously simple sport sound like something that you'd need a PhD in Astrophysics to understand. :rubchin:

[Burney]

Get it wide, get it to the byeline, get it across the six yard box. Keep doing that and we'll be fine.

Eyebrows at the near stick?

[Sir C]

I'm sure I remember you all furiously masturbating over Jonathan Wilson as he made what is in essence the world's most gloriously simple sport sound like something that you'd need a PhD in Astrophysics to understand. :rubchin:

Was he the Inverting the Pyramid fellow? That was interesting from a historical point of view, but his tacticswánking was utterly nonsensical.

[Sir C]

Eyebrows at the near stick?

Spotter's badge for b.

I still miss Ron so much. :-(

[Burney]

Spotter's badge for b.

I still miss Ron so much. :-(

Much though it pains me to concede it, I must admit you were right. He was the canary in the coalmine. I think you can trace a very clear line from Ron's downfall to the absolute blizzard of moral outrage we see today.

First they came for those who called French centre-halves 'thick, lazy ni99ers' and I did nothing...'

[Ash]

Get it wide, get it to the byeline, get it across the six yard box. Keep doing that and we'll be fine.

Is that you, Unai?

[Sir C]

Much though it pains me to concede it, I must admit you were right. He was the canary in the coalmine. I think you can trace a very clear line from Ron's downfall to the absolute blizzard of moral outrage we see today.

First they came for those who called French centre-halves 'thick, lazy ni99ers' and I did nothing...'

:nod: And how well I remember those who were most rabid in demanding his head: jorge and headgear. That should have given you a clue that you were on the wrong side of history.

[Sir C]

Is that you, Unai?

Lols. He only even manages to be that exciting down one flank. "Alex you geev it to Sead hon the hoverlap, Sead, you smash eet into the crowd."

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

That was cricket la. Anyway, b's been telling us for years that the only proper cricket is the one that lasts about a week, and that this limited over nonsense doesn't count.

Are we saying it counts now? Because Ireland I mean 'England' won?

. . . . . . .

[7sisters]

This, from twitter, about some chap we may (won't) buy:

"Not really a 10, although he could do the job there. He’s more of an 8 or a 6. Ideally you want him in front of a double pivot or as one of the interiors in front of a sole pivot."

What is all this cobblers? Was Neeskens a 4 or an 8? Was Zico a 10 or an 8? Was Brady a 7? Were Cruyff and Henry (and Walcott) 14s? How many pivots are usual? Why have people made up a load of meaningless bóllocks about our beautiful game?

I blame ‘assists’ C. As a doe eyed scamp, I’m farked if I can recall anyone ever carping on about *assists*, or trying to grab vicarious glory in claiming one. Just look at where these joyless stato bores have now led us... Pivots :-\

[Sir C]

I blame ‘assists’ C. As a doe eyed scamp, I’m farked if I can recall anyone ever carping on about *assists*, or trying to grab vicarious glory in claiming one. Just look at where these joyless stato bores have now led us... Pivots :-\

Assists.
Key passes.
Pre-, God help us, assists.

Hell in a handcart, 7.

[IUFG]

Assists.
Key passes.
Pre-, God help us, assists.

Hell in a handcart, 7.

hell in a handcart indeed. I mean, wtf is going on here?
https://understat.com/team/Arsenal/2018

[Sir C]

hell in a handcart indeed. I mean, wtf is going on here?
https://understat.com/team/Arsenal/2018

Was that produced by a chap with an anorak and a typewriter?

Honestly, everyone's started taking this game far too seriously.

[Ash]

hell in a handcart indeed. I mean, wtf is going on here?
https://understat.com/team/Arsenal/2018

Underlying metrics, IUFG. Once you understand how we overperformed our xG in the first part of the season the final collapse was little surprise. It's a shame dear old SW isn't here to explain how he uses xG chain data to get the most from his squard.

They also give people something to talk about on podcasts when the football's shyte.

[IUFG]

Underlying metrics, IUFG. Once you understand how we overperformed our xG in the first part of the season the final collapse was little surprise. It's a shame dear old SW isn't here to explain how he uses xG chain data to get the most from his squard.

They also give people something to talk about on podcasts when the football's shyte.

mandatory "The most important metric is the score" response