The "Official" 2013/14 Other teams matches thread

[diego_maradona]

As long as we score enough to get 3 points, we'll get away with it I guess. I think we have the potential (in terms of our player's level of ability) to score more than we currently do, and as the season goes on, AVB will find his best combination in attack.

I said this the other day, but it's worth repeating; we've played just 10 games. We can double that number and we'd still only be just over half-way through the season. There is a long way to go.

I'm gonna make two predictions right now, which will probably seem ridiculous. 1. We'll finish above Arsenal. 2. They won't finish in the top 4. I think they'll peak too early and lose the war. Just my opinion.

Lol. Even I don't believe that right now.

 

[diego_maradona]

I am sickened Basel equalized us in the 93rd minute... i have no word to describe it ...

Just call Arsenal c**ts. Always helps me. Unlucky though, would have been an impressive win

 

[IulianSteaua]

Just call Arsenal c**ts. Always helps me. Unlucky though, would have been an impressive win

We dominated the whole match, but when you don't put them away such things may happen, what the f... are we doing in 4th place in that group, why are we behind a team you dominated both matches? ****eng great... I have 3 favorite teams. Those are: Steaua, Spurs, Real Madrid. So it just feels better cursing the likes of Dinamo, ARSEnal and Barcelona(of course they are such nice guys you want to puke)...

 

[the dza]

Lol. Even I don't believe that right now.

A funny old game though. A year ago, most gooners couldn't stand Ramsey and now he's the saviour. 9 games ago, quite a few gooners wanted Wenger gone, now he's the professor again.

We'll see where things are after another 10 games go by and we are around the half-way point in the season.

 

[Mumorn]

Piers Morgan ‏@piersmorgan 3 Mar
Imagine. All the players in Wales and United got Giggs, Spurs got Bale... we got Ramsey. #worldsshorteststraw

 

[Stenno]

Well it's certainly the scums year this year isn't it.. Tough to swallow.

 

[greatwhitenorf]

We'll win our group in the EL and get Steamrollered by Dortmund in the next round.

Like all good Spurs fans, you should have UEFA's competition regulations for Europa League memorised by now. Highly unlikely we'll meet Dortmund in the next round if we win our group.

The 12 group winners plus the four top ranked CL third placed teams go in one pot. The other pot features the 12 group runners-up and the four lowest-ranked CL drop-down teams. At this point, Dortmund -or Napoli - look likely to be one(if not the best) of the top four drop-down clubs.

Might not be bad to play them, though, with sulky, wantaway Lewandowski eager to leave on the asap. They might recoup some decent cash selling him in January.

BTW, our UEFA co-efficient ranking is 19th overall, with several clubs above us - Inter, Lyon, Marseille, CSKA - all due to lose a big number when their 09-10 earnings are dropped from their points equations. Valencia is also above us but a non-factor.

Steaming up right behind us are PSG. City and Juve could add some decent points if they advance very far.

Liverpool lose 24.585 points next year and could drop out of the top 50.

We will only lose 3.585 points when 09-10's numbers drop. So these unheralded achievements in EL are, little by little, doing us a service that should see us end up as a second seed when next year's CL group-stage draw is made.

 

[braineclipse]

Rather Tottenham-esque long range shooting by Dortmund... no wonder they failed to score!

‏@Squawka: In the 1st half, Arsenal had 55% possession and 0 attempts on goal. In the 2nd half they had 46% possession and 4 shots, all in the area.
@Squawka: You want to understand why Arsenal are winning? Look at these shot maps.

As someone who does think that statistics can be both interesting and informative in football when analyzed somewhat properly the constant analysis based on ridiculously small sample sizes from stats sites like squawka is rather annoying.

You would think it would be in their long term interest to present stats in a sensible way, instead they frequently make points like these.

(Not a dig at you Steve)

 

[Nezza]

Like all good Spurs fans, you should have UEFA's competition regulations for Europa League memorised by now. Highly unlikely we'll meet Dortmund in the next round if we win our group.

The 12 group winners plus the four top ranked CL third placed teams go in one pot. The other pot features the 12 group runners-up and the four lowest-ranked CL drop-down teams. At this point, Dortmund -or Napoli - look likely to be one(if not the best) of the top four drop-down clubs.

Might not be bad to play them, though, with sulky, wantaway Lewandowski eager to leave on the asap. They might recoup some decent cash selling him in January.

BTW, our UEFA co-efficient ranking is 19th overall, with several clubs above us - Inter, Lyon, Marseille, CSKA - all due to lose a big number when their 09-10 earnings are dropped from their points equations. Valencia is also above us but a non-factor.

Steaming up right behind us are PSG. City and Juve could add some decent points if they advance very far.

Liverpool lose 24.585 points next year and could drop out of the top 50.

We will only lose 3.585 points when 09-10's numbers drop. So these unheralded achievements in EL are, little by little, doing us a service that should see us end up as a second seed when next year's CL group-stage draw is made.

Thanks for that - I did wonder how seeding worked in the next round and you've saved me having to go and find out!

 

[Nezza]

As someone who does think that statistics can be both interesting and informative in football when analyzed somewhat properly the constant analysis based on ridiculously small sample sizes from stats sites like squawka is rather annoying.

You would think it would be in their long term interest to present stats in a sensible way, instead they frequently make points like these.

(Not a dig at you Steve)

I saw something recently where an analysis was done over thousands of shots/goals and funnily enough, the best place to shoot from is inside the box in front of goal. On that basis Arsenal had 3 shots in the prime zone and Dortmund had 4, so a 1 goal victory (either way) or a draw look like the right result.

 

[braineclipse]

I saw something recently where an analysis was done over thousands of shots/goals and funnily enough, the best place to shoot from is inside the box in front of goal. On that basis Arsenal had 3 shots in the prime zone and Dortmund had 4, so a 1 goal victory (either way) or a draw look like the right result.

I think that's too simplistic.

Arsenal scored from their first shot of the game after about an hour. Up to that time Dortmund had been very close on several occasions and Arsenal didn't look threatening at all. And it wasn't as if Arsenal opened up Dortmund, it was a good cross followed by a knock down and a header. Dortmund had several crosses they could have scored from with a bit of luck going their way, but those don't get factored into your calculations at all. Several of the chances that followed for Arsenal came as a result of that opening goal and Dortmund pushing forward in response to that.

Whenever you're dependent on scoring from your first shot after an hour of the game to take the lead against the run of play and to change the flow of the game you're lucky in my book.

To me the squkwa stats carry about as power to explain why Arsenal won as saying that Arsenal scored and Dortmund didn't.

 

[Nezza]

The shot maps give a lot more information than the basic stats though. If I remember correctly we had similar shots/shots on target last weekend to both the Manchester clubs. But because we were shooting from miles away these were a lot less dangerous.

It's great seeing Gylfi hit a 20 yard belter into the top corner against Hull but it should be the spectacular icing on the cake rather than the get-out-of-jail.

 

[Luda2013]

I think arsenal will start to crush teams when they have podolski or Walcott back. They need a runner to make the most of ozil and cazorla's playmaking ability

Oh and I beg they buy big in January

 

[braineclipse]

The shot maps give a lot more information than the basic stats though. If I remember correctly we had similar shots/shots on target last weekend to both the Manchester clubs. But because we were shooting from miles away these were a lot less dangerous.

It's great seeing Gylfi hit a 20 yard belter into the top corner against Hull but it should be the spectacular icing on the cake rather than the get-out-of-jail.

I agree in general, I just don't agree with drawing explanatory conclusions based on that interpretation over the one game, 3-4 shot, sample size that squakwa did.

 

[Armchair Expert]

If anyone is looking for a dark horse, a team that might surprise and get to the latter stages of the EL then Salzburg might not be a bad shout.

Just set a record unbeaten streak in Austria stretching over two seasons, taking the record from Rapid Vienna. Just scored a quality goal against Standard Liege and are playing them of the park.

 

[Armchair Expert]

Really, people should check out Kampl's second (they've just gone two up away to Liege) for Salzburg. It really was excellent build up play.

They play some excellent stuff.

 

[Armchair Expert]

Alan scores an incredible overhead kick for Salzburg. You lot need to check these goals out.

 

[SteveAWOL]

As someone who does think that statistics can be both interesting and informative in football when analyzed somewhat properly the constant analysis based on ridiculously small sample sizes from stats sites like squawka is rather annoying.

You would think it would be in their long term interest to present stats in a sensible way, instead they frequently make points like these.

(Not a dig at you Steve)

It would be good to see some more informed analysis but the graphics are a good way of getting some debate going at least

Clearly L'ARSEnal are doing something right as they have gone 15 away games unbeaten since losing the NLD, winning 13 of them, whilst scoring 23 goals and conceding just 7 in the process. Would be nice to know what the secret is as cannot all be down to lucky goals and bobbles like last night surely :-k

 

[DHSF]

It would be good to see some more informed analysis but the graphics are a good way of getting some debate going at least

Clearly L'ARSEnal are doing something right as they have gone 15 away games unbeaten since losing the NLD, winning 13 of them, whilst scoring 23 goals and conceding just 7 in the process. Would be nice to know what the secret is as cannot all be down to lucky goals and bobbles like last night surely :-k

Easy games apparently.

The same easy games that got us fifth...

They are a more efficient and far more effective team. When they attack they make it count, in the past they werent really like that. Improved defensively it seems.

 

[Jordinho]

Guardian sport @guardian_sport

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