Data in Football

[bluebruce]

I do think xG is a bollocks stat. Although one thing that rings true from that post is that we have been shite at finishing for a long while now, clearly missing a fully fit and in form Brereton. Before the New Year we were pretty clinical for a couple of months. Since then we have been missing penalties, sitters and all sorts of chances to win games. Not only has BBD been absent but the rest of the team have gotten worse at putting it away. I didn't need the xG stat to make that observation of course.

No stat is meant to be taken in isolation as proof of how good or bad our form has been (apart from points of course, and even that doesn't paint the full picture until season's end, as refs, injuries and sheer bad or good luck can account for it short term). They are just there to help highlight strengths and weaknesses in our game, and should be used in conjunction with other stats and, crucially, human observation skills.

Again though, I think xG is shite, and is a stat I pay no attention to.