2018/19 Bernard

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The thing with some American sports, like Baseball and American Football is they involve a lot of set plays which are analysed in isolation. Football is a fluid game which has elements that are very difficult or impossible to measure.

For example (and to the best of my knowledge) it’s not possible to make a stat for how a player receives a ball in a tight area under pressure, turns away from his man and releases the ball to a teammate, but it’s a priceless trait for a footballer to have. Gomes and Bernard are excellent at this (as was Pienaar) and it’s no coincidence that they’re two of the players most criticised by people who use stats to support an argument.
 
Baines' left foot said:
The thing with some American sports, like Baseball and American Football is they involve a lot of set plays which are analysed in isolation. Football is a fluid game which has elements that are very difficult or impossible to measure.

For example (and to the best of my knowledge) it’s not possible to make a stat for how a player receives a ball in a tight area under pressure, turns away from his man and releases the ball to a teammate, but it’s a priceless trait for a footballer to have. Gomes and Bernard are excellent at this (as was Pienaar) and it’s no coincidence that they’re two of the players most criticised by people who use stats to support an argument.
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I've been saying this for years. This is why stats will never tell you everything about a footballer.
 
Baines' left foot said:
it’s not possible to make a stat for how a player receives a ball in a tight area under pressure, turns away from his man and releases the ball to a teammate, but it’s a priceless trait for a footballer to have. Gomes and Bernard are excellent at this (as was Pienaar) and it’s no coincidence that they’re two of the players most criticised by people who use stats to support an argument.
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It’s crucial to have at least a couple of these players in your team. Their teammates bloody love them that’s for sure. Sucks having the ball at your feet and not having options or crap options, these players give us more options every time we are on the ball. You aren’t going to dominate a game without them.
 

He’s a brilliant mix of work rate off the ball and talent and composure on it. It’s just that his confidence seems to evaporate as soon as he enters the box. An early goal or two would solve that mind.

He’ll tear apart whatever no mark Palace put out at right back on Saturday. Utterly baffling that they haven’t replaced Wan-Bissaka.
 
Baines' left foot said:
For example (and to the best of my knowledge) it’s not possible to make a stat for how a player receives a ball in a tight area under pressure, turns away from his man and releases the ball to a teammate, but it’s a priceless trait for a footballer to have. Gomes and Bernard are excellent at this (as was Pienaar) and it’s no coincidence that they’re two of the players most criticised by people who use stats to support an argument.
Click to expand...

Or a stat for hounding an opposition into a mistake/non-optimal pass/delayed enough to set the defence. Sometimes you don't need 4.7 tackles per game to put you in the league high group if you are constantly making a nuisance of yourself, and for a diminutive winger that is about as much as you can ask.

I'd just rather judge with my own eyes, if we were to judge by stats alone you could have some players deliberately picking up the ball in strange ass places to be able to beat/dribble past a non-tackling centre forward or crossing from impossible angles to nobody in particular. Or they save all their energy to put in a real shift against teams they know they can dominate, safe in the knowledge that if they post decent numbers (even if you divide those by 4) they still look good enough so they don't have to worry so much against the best teams.
 
The binman chronicles said:
Or a stat for hounding an opposition into a mistake/non-optimal pass/delayed enough to set the defence. Sometimes you don't need 4.7 tackles per game to put you in the league high group if you are constantly making a nuisance of yourself, and for a diminutive winger that is about as much as you can ask.

I'd just rather judge with my own eyes, if we were to judge by stats alone you could have some players deliberately picking up the ball in strange ass places to be able to beat/dribble past a non-tackling centre forward or crossing from impossible angles to nobody in particular. Or they save all their energy to put in a real shift against teams they know they can dominate, safe in the knowledge that if they post decent numbers (even if you divide those by 4) they still look good enough so they don't have to worry so much against the best teams.
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The only stat I really care about is how many points Everton have.
 
Carlito said:
I used to say it about Pienaar, and now I'll say it about Bernard:

Anyone who doesn't rate him probably chips the ball into the corners in five-a-side.
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I rate him, but do chip the ball into the corners at five a side. Especially when I’m under pressure because then it’s someone else’s fault.

What does this make me? Aside from a coward.
 

...I imagine this fella helps Silva manage games. He likes and trust players with the confidence and ability to keep possession, especially when under the cosh against the better teams. If we’re winning a game, Bernard is ideal, Silva will use him.
 
Iwobi should take his spot. It's going to take more than hard work and good first touches for him to start games this season. I hope he's up for it.
 

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