Category: FootballOpinion

FootballOpinion

Bias In Wales

David Stringer

In English football, there are a number of Welsh teams competing within the English football leagues. This came about essentially because there aren’t enough professional teams for a fully professional Welsh league to be sustainable. So, for a century, Welsh and English teams have intermingled.

There is a strange detail to this – though they compete in the English leagues, when their players are disciplined, the Welsh teams are punished by the Football Association of Wales, rather than the English FA.

Recently, this has led to a conflict of interests, with a Wrexham player having a ban rescinded, allowing him to compete in the Conference playoff semi-finals.

This is what Wales looks like from space... if you squint really hard.
This is what Wales looks like from space… if you squint really hard.

I’ve written about this for BornOffside.

Click here to read Time to End Welsh Independence

FootballOpinion

A Dramatic Day to Come in Leagues One and Two

David Stringer

It’s a bit late in the week, but I’ve covered the events in Leagues One and Two.

This is what cool looks like

Barnet have played their last game at Underhill, home of the famous sloping pitch; Portsmouth have been deducted points this season rather than next, despite already being relegated; Scunthorpe are all but relegated, for the second time in three years; Coventry City FC are – I’m sorry if I don’t seem to be taking it seriously, just laughably villainous.

I’ve also written about the teams still with something to play for on the last round of league matches this weekend.

Click here to read The Lower League Week – Preparing for the Showdown

FootballOpinion

Pools are Going Down; I’ve Written for We Are Going Up

David Stringer

I’ve been a bit busy writing for a few sites over recent days. First up is a piece I wrote for We Are Going Up – basically a look back across Hartlepool United’s awful, awful season.

It’s been a season when Pools have set a new club record for games without a win, a new club record for least amount of goals scored by the top scorer, and have lost by 5 goals on 4 occasions.

On the plus side, I still think the ground looks awesome.
On the plus side, I still think the ground looks awesome.

Click here to read Thank God It’s Nearly Over

FootballOpinion

Squawka – Young Player of the Year

David Stringer

On Friday, nominations for the PFA Player of the Year award, and PFA Young Player of the Year award were announced – the winners will be announced at an event on April 29th.

Writing for Squawka in an article published yesterday, I’ve looked at what the Squawka Performance Scores have to say on the Premier League’s top young players, and looked deeper at Squawka’s statistical breakdowns, to see what else the stats have to say about the quality and style of the top 5 players.

Eden Hazard taking on Norwich defenders, while storing nuts in his cheeks.
Eden Hazard taking on Norwich defenders, while storing nuts in his cheeks.

The Squawka Top 5 young players has some of the same players the PFA members have nominated, but some that have been overlooked – this includes one tidy but not eye-catching player I like, who wasn’t nominated. More importantly, there’s no place for Danny Welbeck in the top 5, which I’d argue makes my/Squawka’s list more legitimate than the PFA’s.

Click here to read Squawka’s YPOTY Shortlist

FootballOpinion

Earlier, The Week

David Stringer

I do have a bad habit of neglecting this blog from time to time…

During the week, the latest Lower League Week was published at Bornoffside.net.

born_offside_green

Portsmouth were taken over by their fans, but, along with Bury and Hartlepool, were relegated from League One with two games to play. Yeovil vs Oldham saw father and son managers on the touchline; Torquay’s new chairman is a lottery winner, and the country’s highest positioned female chairman; Danny Wilson was sacked by Sheffield United; and Coventry have outdone themselves in their battle over the Ricoh Arena.

Click here to read Lower League Week – Confirmation of Relegation Edition

FootballOpinion

Patience and Loyalty

David Stringer

In football, it’s an unargued truism that managers deserve loyalty, that the best course of action is to back the man in charge.

But what if the man in charge has spent over a year in charge with no definite sign of forward progress (Martin O’Neill) and there’s a danger of relegation. Should he be allowed more time?

Martin O'Neill looking slightly sad. He probably cheered himself up by attending a murder trial or two.
Martin O’Neill looking slightly sad. He probably cheered himself up by attending a murder trial or two.

When a boss who’s got a good reputation as a coach, but hasn’t done much as a manager, and is taking the team down the table (Michael Appleton), should they be persisted with? Even when the former caretaker manager had a better record, and is still on staff?

I wrote about this dilemma on Friday for Bornoffside.

Click here to read Have Recent Managerial Sackings Been Fair?

FootballOpinion

One Week Plus One Week Equals One Fortnight

David Stringer

After missing last week, I’ve written a Lower League Fortnight, which has just gone live today.

Typically, there’s been some biggish stories breaking while the column was being checked over by the editor, but there’s still been a fair bit going on.

It was decided pretty quickly that Coventry were talking out of their backsides when trying to avoid a points deduction by claiming it’s only an arm of the club that’s gone into adiministration.

This place has caused them a hell of a lot of problems.
This place has caused them a hell of a lot of problems.

Walsall, Port Vale, and Portsmouth have all been in good form; Notts County and Stevenage have appointed new managers that the fans will be familiar with; the Football League Trophy final has been played, with a pro singing the anthems and everything; and Crawley Town decided to stop their local reporter interviewing their manager and players, because they didn’t like the headlines above a few of her articles.

Click here to read Lower League Fortnight – Happiness & Unicorns Edition

FootballOpinion

Squawka – Who Should Be Arsenal’s Next Keeper?

David Stringer

Writing for Squawka earlier today, I’ve taken a look at some of the goalkeepers Arsenal are rumoured to be interested in pursuing, comparing their performances from a statistical perspective.
Rene Adler, Victor Valdes, Asmir Begovic, Pepe Reina, Michel Vorm and Petr Cech are amongst those who’ve been linked, and I’ve also looked at Wojciech Szczesny, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone – the three keepers used by Arsenal this season.
I’ve compared their goals conceded and clean sheets; their amount of saves made; success in claiming balls into the box and their distribution.

I'd forgotten how much I liked their old badge.
I’d forgotten how much I liked their old badge.

Click here to read my statistical look at who Arsenal’s next keeper should be.

FootballOpinion

Squawka – England’s Top Centre Halves

David Stringer

As mentioned previously, this month I’ve begun to write for the football stats site Squawka.com.
Well, I’m now on the site – I’ve even got my own author profile!

Squawka, as well as providing in depth statistics on shot accuracy, chances created and average pass length, puts together it’s own unique ‘Squawka Performance Score’ – basically assigning a value to each of those performance areas.
During the week, my first article went up – a look at the Performance Scores of England’s centre halves, to try and add to the debate over who Roy Hodgson should select.

Put your hand up if you think you should be selected for England, despite struggling to break into the Manchester City team.
Put your hand up if you think you should be selected for England, despite struggling to break into the Manchester City team.

Click here to get the Squawka take on who the best English centre halves have been this season.

FootballOpinion

What Does di Canio Believe?

David Stringer

Just a brief post, linking to a piece I’ve written for Bornoffside today.

Former West Ham striker and Swindon manager Paolo di Canio has been named as the new Sunderland manager, prompting criticism of the fact a ‘self-confessed fascist’ could be given the job. Former MP David Miliband resigned from his position at the club in protest, and there’s been debate about the morality of it all in the media.

I’ve tried to look in a bit of depth at di Canio’s beliefs, how they’re reflected in his management style, compared di Canio’s and Miliband’s morality.

Click here to read Paolo di Canio & The Strongman Principle