By: Shotta, @shotta_gooner
Sports journalism is renowned for clichés that are repeated ad hominem by its practitioners as a substitute for substantive analysis. It is my observation that that these rhetorical tricks are successfully used because they contain an element of truth which is undeniable. But, more times than not, the assorted hacks and pundits who are supposedly sharing with us these self-evident “truths” are also trying to conceal a lie.
Take Tony Gale, for example, who was doing color commentary on Sunday for my tv feed; just prior to Theo scoring his hat-trick, he was complaining the game showed how much AFC needed to go into the transfer market for world class players, while Walcott and Wilshere, who had just returned from injury, were ripping WBA to shreds in a world-class performance. Yes, every team could do with a world class players but Tony Gale failed to tell the truth, i.e. Arsenal had very little need to go to the transfer market. On Sunday the lie was immediately exposed, but unfortunately most times it is left unchallenged, leading many to form the wrong conclusions and ultimately to choose a self-defeating course of action
Notwithstanding the instant rebuff of Tony Gale, with the League just ended, I now expect the hacks and their fellow travelers, to use our standing in the league table to form a narrative that Arsenal needs three or four world class transfers. This was famously previewed three-weeks ago by our own Titi Henry from his well remunerated perch on Sky Sports, conveniently reversing his prognostication two weeks earlier. But Henry is not alone in phalanx of famous ex-gunners with the same mantra. In the run-up to Sunday’s last game of the season, Ray Parlour said the very same while on Talk Sport alongside Adrian Durham, the latter having made a media career by trolling Arsenal supporters. By the way, Durham’s current windup is that Arsenal did not improve over the past season.
According to the hacks, Arsenal, by finishing 3rd in the table, made no significant improvement over last year when they finished 4thwith 79 points (troll-time on Talk Sport). Chelsea supposedly made much more progress by adding 8 points to last year’s total to win the league. Ergo, the solution is to follow in Chelsea’s footsteps by signing a “world class” forward, midfielder and goal-keeper.
|
Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
1 |
Chelsea |
38 |
26 |
9 |
3 |
73 |
32 |
41 |
87 |
|
2 |
Man City |
38 |
24 |
7 |
7 |
83 |
38 |
45 |
79 |
|
3 |
Arsenal |
38 |
22 |
9 |
7 |
71 |
36 |
35 |
75 |
|
4 |
Man Utd |
38 |
20 |
10 |
8 |
62 |
37 |
25 |
70 |
|
5 |
Spurs |
38 |
19 |
7 |
12 |
58 |
53 |
5 |
64 |
|
6 |
Liverpool |
38 |
18 |
8 |
12 |
52 |
48 |
4 |
62 |
In my day, one of the earliest lessons in high school mathematics was “how to lie with statistics”. Actually it is how to lie with data. By conducting the most elementary analysis, i.e. by comparing the changes in league position of the top 6 of 2014 with that of 2015, unearthed some very revealing information. Take a gander below.
|
Manchester City |
||||||||
|
Yr |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
Pos* |
|
2014 |
27 |
5 |
6 |
102 |
37 |
65 |
86 |
1 |
|
2015 |
24 |
7 |
7 |
83 |
38 |
45 |
79 |
2 |
|
Difference |
-3 |
2 |
1 |
-19 |
1 |
-20 |
-7 |
-1 |
|
% Change |
-11% |
40% |
17% |
-19% |
3% |
-31% |
-8% |
-5% |
|
Liverpool |
||||||||
|
2014 |
26 |
6 |
6 |
101 |
50 |
51 |
84 |
2 |
|
2015 |
18 |
8 |
12 |
52 |
48 |
4 |
62 |
6 |
|
Difference |
-8 |
2 |
6 |
-49 |
-2 |
-47 |
-22 |
-4 |
|
% Change |
-30% |
40% |
100% |
-48% |
-5% |
-72% |
-26% |
-20% |
|
Chelsea |
||||||||
|
2014 |
24 |
7 |
7 |
68 |
41 |
27 |
79 |
3 |
|
2015 |
26 |
9 |
3 |
73 |
32 |
41 |
87 |
1 |
|
Difference |
2 |
2 |
-4 |
5 |
-9 |
14 |
8 |
2 |
|
% Change |
8% |
33% |
-67% |
5% |
-18% |
27% |
10% |
10% |
|
Arsenal |
||||||||
|
2014 |
24 |
7 |
7 |
68 |
41 |
27 |
79 |
4 |
|
2015 |
22 |
9 |
7 |
71 |
36 |
35 |
75 |
3 |
|
Difference |
-2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
-5 |
8 |
-4 |
1 |
|
% Change |
-8% |
29% |
0% |
4% |
-12% |
30% |
-5% |
5% |
|
Everton |
||||||||
|
2014 |
21 |
9 |
8 |
61 |
39 |
22 |
72 |
5 |
|
2015 |
12 |
11 |
15 |
48 |
50 |
-2 |
47 |
11 |
|
Difference |
-9 |
2 |
7 |
-13 |
11 |
-24 |
-25 |
-6 |
|
% Change |
-38% |
29% |
100% |
-19% |
27% |
-89% |
-32% |
-30% |
|
Tottenham |
||||||||
|
2014 |
21 |
6 |
11 |
55 |
51 |
4 |
69 |
6 |
|
2015 |
19 |
7 |
12 |
58 |
53 |
5 |
64 |
5 |
|
Difference |
-2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
-5 |
1 |
|
% Change |
-10% |
11% |
13% |
5% |
5% |
5% |
-7% |
5% |
|
Manchester United |
||||||||
|
2014 |
19 |
7 |
12 |
64 |
43 |
21 |
64 |
7 |
|
2015 |
20 |
10 |
8 |
62 |
37 |
25 |
70 |
4 |
|
Difference |
1 |
3 |
-4 |
-2 |
-6 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
|
% Change |
5% |
50% |
-36% |
-4% |
-12% |
100% |
9% |
15% |
Chelsea achieved a 10% improvement in points by realizing 2 more wins (8% gain). A 67% reduction in losses was split between 2 draws and 2 wins. Yet according to the pundits they smashed the League.
Arsenal in contrast had a similar reduction in wins vs Chelsea’s gain but the reduction in losses only showed up in the draw column. We all know the points-allocation in football prioritizes wins. As for the suggestion that the defense is horrible and the goalkeeping porous, there were 9 or 18% less goals conceded over the prior year. The goal difference improved 30% second only, percentage-wise, to United.
City ‘s demise from 1st to 2nd was due to 11% less wins. The raw numbers would suggest a marginal change of two losses and one draw but the numbers identify the key deficit was in goal-scoring which declined by 19% and their goal difference down by 31%.
The most alarming change in fortunes was on Merseyside. Liverpool is the headliner. To the acclaim of a raft of pundits, many with connection to the club, they splashed the Suarez cash on an array of transfer targets hyped by the media, most notably Mario Balotelli whom they are now quick to disown. A 30% reduction in wins, 100% increase in losses, 48% reduction in goals scored led to a 26% reduction in points, second-only to Everton. The latter club’s demise was just as catastrophic with 38% less wins and 100% more losses, leaking more and scoring less goals. Yet Roberto Martinez was tagged by the end-of-an-eraists as a Wenger successor.
Finally Manchester United, who won the 2014 transfer sweepstakes, spending £170million on the likes of Falcao, DiMaria (remember him?), Blind, Rojo and Herrera, but only improved by a single more win over the Moyes era. At least they had 36% less losses but turned 3 out of 4 into draws. The end result was a gain of 3 positions in the table. Maybe another £170 million will get them to 1st, failing which they might do a Liverpool.
There is a lot more one could do with this data but I leave that to the readers of PA. Already there is a barrage of mischief and misinformation at large by those trying to discredit the current squad (Giroud, and Ospina seem the favorite targets) and the progress being made by them and Wenger to become truly able to challenge for the title. With rare exceptions the pundits fail to acknowledge that we were handicapped by injuries at the start of the 14-15 season and not by a lack of talent.
But as one other cliché put it: figures never lie, liars figure.
Positively Arsenal 
I suppose there is no chance that the fifa investigators might have a wee look at the Chelsea funding….
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You and Roy Hodgson, and me, are among Javier’s biggest fans – Roy picked him out as the best player at the World Cup which surprised a few.
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Amazing that Konoplyanka is still at Dnipro – what with a civil war raging !
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thank goodness you know he has become the shadow of himself since puyol left. or was he taking the image of another person when puyol was there and now showing his true worth. when puyol was there he (pique) was always in the team of the season but ever since he has been eratic.
macherano is not underated. rather he is been played out of position because the likes of pique are what you have in barca.
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Layskite
There are sources of information available. You just have to decide whether you trust them or not. If the gentleman who suggested the concept for the statues around the new arsenal stadium amongst other things tells the public that the Özil haggle began I believe him! Simply because I’ve was able to ask him to successfully conduct some research into football coaching in the UK on behalf of all football fans (that would be all of us), which he then did. With interesting results, you might have come across them over the last few years as the hack dwarves do their best to ignore the topic and focus on, well, to focus on transfer fees!
There were others who also suggested what you thought earlier above. They don’t have very good track record in such matters unlike those whom I refer to above.
The choice, my friend, is yours.
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!
<tells the public that the Özil haggle began early in the summer (it was also obvious!)…
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Sav
Careful, if you start digging you might stumble across the remains of that shiny new Donetsk Stadium in Ukraine from Euro 2012. Sport and politics never mix!
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Brilliant game in Warsaw tonight – even Atkinson is having a blinder
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I knew he knew the rules!
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Super Reyes the Invincible with a UEFA cup winning assist?
He never had any character.
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Still time for Reyes to find a winner.
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Just been subbed has JAR – both sides still end to end attack
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Matheus is the bugger who used to play for Braga who I remember from the CL – still very quick
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Matheus carried off unconscious – nasty
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3-2 Sevilla seconds left
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That is it – great game – two super teams win for Spain – Sevilla on to CL via winning the Europa
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I read a lot the past fortnight about how Liverpool, Spuds, Saints and even wet Spam keen to avoid the Europa
Pathetic approach
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Happy days for former Gunner Reyes.
I hope it’s a good omen.
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Seville retain the Europa cup. I hope it’s a good omen for when AFC try to retain the FA Challenge Cup.
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it was di maria who was on until ancelotti decided to keep him and let ozil leave.
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I can’t remember what happened when AFC nearly retained the old cup winners cup. It’s a blank.
I’ve just remembered why I usually don’t watch UEFA/Europa cup finals:
Arsenal squad for 2000 final –
GK 1 David Seaman
RB 2 Lee Dixon
CB 6 Tony Adams (c) 94′
CB 5 Martin Keown 40′
LB 16 Sylvinho
RM 15 Ray Parlour
CM 17 Emmanuel Petit
CM 4 Patrick Vieira 23′
LM 11 Marc Overmars 115′
CF 14 Thierry Henry
CF 10 Dennis Bergkamp 75′
Substitutes:
GK 24 John Lukic
DF 3 Nigel Winterburn
DF 22 Oleh Luzhnyi
MF 18 Gilles Grimandi
MF 19 Stefan Malz
FW 9 Davor Šuker 115′
FW 25 Nwankwo Kanu 75′
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if you know so much about what goes on inside arsenal boadroom, can you tell me how many players we’ll be signing this summer? and who are the players we are definately going to buy according to you reliable inside source
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/mesut-ozil-transfer-how-arsenal-2248285
Arsenal came in for Özil, having a nominal choice by this account.
“Right at the start of the summer, when it was clear that Bale’s move may impact on whether Real Madrid would have to offload players, Arsenal made contact and asked to be kept informed on Ozil, Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria.
But Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has always liked Ozil and tried to sign him three years ago before he moved to Real Madrid. Wenger has described him as his “dream player”, small, technical and a player who enjoys being coached and is willing to learn.
Three weeks ago, Real Madrid put out soundings about all three and at first none wanted to leave the Bernabeu. But it was Wenger who made the crucial phone call on Saturday, talked Ozil through Arsenal’s plans, ambitions and even where he would fit into the team.”
So. You see. Not really Carlo’s call. Not by any account, save Marca! More a case of Özil and his camp not being happy to be offered and were interested in the offer that came. Özil was treated poorly for his efforts for Madrid, so he left.
I’d advise against trusting Marca in this instance.
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Layskite I hopefully assume you that you misread the section where I wrote above “tells the public…”
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–
I was nervous before this game. But now I’m looking forward to the FA Cup Final. If Viera Henry Graham and Gr*t can arse it up there’s nothing to lose is there?
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Layksite, You seem to know better what happens than Fins. Perhaps you should tell us.
The Madrid rag is hardly going to say Mesut wanted out and Di Maria was happy to stay, after having been touted for sale.
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Quick search “Ancelotti sold Özil”. Lots of pickings, let’s just go near the top, and perhaps go for a more recent one for logical reasons. The metro, my favourite:
metro.co.uk/2014/01/13/selling-mesut-ozil-to-arsenal-was-a-mistake-admits-real-madrid-boss-carlo-ancelotti-4261008/
‘I think we made a mistake when we gave him the possibility to leave the club,’
The Özil transfer is still hilarious. I’m not sure there will ever be a transfer story this funny. Gold.
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You can see why everyone likes Ancelotti, he knows how to keep everyone happy.
Obviously it wasn’t his choice to offer any of those players. He’s not stupid.
Forget about Özil just for a second (please) and can anyone really imagine this well respected coach wanting to sell the player who just won him a European Cup?
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no laykstie id still blame shakira…as a known sexist..heh..and the small matter of saturation with 2 euro titles 1 world cup and what has he got ? 3 champions leagues…? became a dad….lost his motivation a bit. that being said, i think he has played well this season.
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–
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02s7w79
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I read a lot the past fortnight about how Liverpool, Spuds, Saints and even wet Spam keen to avoid the Europa
Pathetic approach
truly is pathetic. especially from liverpool who have history in europe…. heavy shirt….
ok from spurs you cant expect anything else…they see it as a distraction to their top4 aspirations….. excuse me ive got stop and wipe the laughter coming out my nose…bless them….innocent lambs to the slaughter…..lead by a fierce businessman. a recordman of his kind. making 100m in football and giving it all to baldini and villas boas. spectacular. chirchirperes and paulaner
surpised though pochetinio and koeman would snub europe…. as for allerdyce..hehhhehheh…ill just leave it there..hehehee
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many times that matter of snubbing Europe is probably more of an excuse when it is not exactly going well and then again it may actually be media made up… am not sure any coach in Europe ever came out to say they would rather not be there? then just ensure you finish 10th in the league and erase all possibilities with a few more yellow cards of not ever going in via the fair place league!
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well finsbury i’m not suprised that your search only gave you where ancelotti regreted selling ozil. ofcourse anyone will regret selling ozil because he’s a good player. but our argument was that he was not the only target or the main target and that wenger paid a premium and the premium iSss why the fans demand more from him.if he had cost 10m – 15m less the pressure to deliver would have been lesser.
maybe you didnt see this atricle in you search, you may like to read if you care.
http://www.insidespanishfootball.com/84679/ancelotti-i-chose-to-keep-di-maria-because-ozil-and-isco-are-very-similar/
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george, it wasnt me who claim to have a reliable source inside the club. in any case i dont reside in london. i only relied on my gutt feeling by saying i was sure that deep down wenger’s heart he would know that he paid a premium on ozil. and i blamed the same fans who put pressure on ozil to do what he’s never known to do, for the premium.
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has anyone read samuel’s outpour on blatter/fifa ? so funny………
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guys lets not make a meal out of this..ozil knows football like a wizzard …his skill and football iq never in doubt..its his application and his willingness to fight for the cause liek ramsey sanchez koscielny jack and the ox does…unless you think the others are stupid slaves and ozil the spoilt star celebrity who can get away with his laid back style. when you win as much as xavi you can be as laid back as you want.
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same for chesney…..when you bring us the champions league with your saves take as many selfies as you want mate and mock whoever you want….not before.
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and if mertesaker misses another header from mitrovic ill invade the pitch and smack him in the head and then run as fast as i can to arsene asking for forgiveness…he understands passion as he explained to martha…
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Layskite @8.45
I don’t know about you but my expectations are not relative to transfer fees. Any adult who uses transfer fees to rate players in the modern game is exhibiting immaturity, a fair comment what with the recent stories in the news.
Your link ripped from Marca in 2013. I tried to warn you above about such an error.
this quote from 2014 is quite clear:
‘I think we made a mistake when we gave him the possibility to leave the club,’
The choice is yours
Why anyone outside of Madrid would choose to listen to Marca would not make sense to anyone outside of Madrid.
Fair to say this thread is now closed
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Any adult who uses transfer fees to rate players in the modern game is exhibiting immaturity, a fair comment what with the recent stories in the news.
well…… thats not entirely true…..you get what you pay for usually…. sure you can unearth a super player with low expenditure, but there is usually a good reason why say a drogba in his prime would cost 30-35 million and a giroud about 12…. or why barcelona would pay 60 for suarez…
if youre talking in the context of releasing venom on luiz for costing 40-50 mill to psg then i still dont undertsand what its got to do with him that psg are willing to pay that amount…..
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Willian
Carroll
Mangala
etc.
So many sweet braying mules, so few stables
“Any adult who uses transfer fees to rate players in the modern game is exhibiting immaturity, a fair comment”
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ok then …you have yaya toure in one hand at 40 million and joey barton at 10m
can you rate the above two players on transfer fees? yes or no ? mr mature?
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or do you need/wait to see a ridiculous transfer fee of 30m+ to determine if carrol is shit or not?
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suarez 60 million…baloteli 16 million….
can we rate the two players based on what they cost for their teams ?
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changing subject and going back to sav’s Operation : Delta 9. if this fifa thing can backfire on roman abramovic ill be very very happy. if not then one can only laugh at the uk and usa and the venom they are spitting about corruption and such …what with their governments responsible for far far worse curruption and scandals and cover ups……
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finsbury i’m sure you mention those three because you expected much from them because of their tranfer cost. but they were/are no worse than lambert, remy, sanogo, cygan, et al. unlessyouare not an adult anyway.
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I think US and EU corporations will be the ultimate winners in this FIFA thing. They always are. TTIP or TPP anyone? Maybe they just want FIFA’s coffers under control…
Hunter, did you see my link yesterday about trade war’s on the global south?
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im looking back now…what link ? cant find it….
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i dont know sav to me its pure and simple aboutmoney laundring..sept 11 was all about putting us all in lists and controlling ‘black’ money.
lately they are trying to take cash out of the picture…youre money will be digits on a screen..fully controlled…..
heh what did you people think..we’d let you live free? muaaahahaha
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How much rope can one provide the dopes?
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