Pre Match - Brentford (A) - Sat 17:30
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If we are saying that Robertson should be rested for one of the next few games then it is fairly obvious that it should be the Porto game. Our most important game coming up is the Man City match. That is the one that players (if they need a rest) should be rested for.
Personally it wouldn't bother me if he played in all three, but there we are. I imagine some of our other players will play in all three.
Personally it wouldn't bother me if he played in all three, but there we are. I imagine some of our other players will play in all three.
Are they, though?
Poor Fabs.
https://www.sportinglife.com/footba...ons-revenge-on-xg-de-gea-saves-the-day/194731
Brentford's backline is buzzing
A fair amount of praise will be heaped upon Ivan Toney this week, and deservedly so following another outstanding display in Brentford's 2-0 win at Wolves, but I'm certain there will be plenty of opportunities to touch on his impact in the coming months.
For now the spotlight should stay on Brentford's defensive play, which is showing remarkable quality in their first ever Premier League season. Only reigning champions Manchester City hold a lower expected goals against (xGA) total than Brentford (4.27 xGA) after five matches.
Although the 1.45 xGA conceded at Molineux is their highest allowed in a game, it was perhaps the best performance from Thomas Frank's side this season when considering game state.
The Bees held a two-goal lead after 35 minutes and played with 10-men from the 64th minute onwards after Shandon Baptiste's second yellow card, events that often only invite further pressure on a defensive unit.
Not only did Brentford hold on for the victory, but they kept a third clean sheet of the season, a solid foundation in their quest to emulate Sheffield United and Leeds in impressing immediately after promotion.
They welcome Liverpool next weekend, a team averaging 3.20 expected goals for (xGF) per game this season, but don't be surprised if Frank's side keep the title contenders quiet.
De Gea saves the day
When it comes to dispensing joy and misery at random, the Super Sunday opener between West Ham and Manchester United didn't disappoint in the slightest.
Penalty drama was the order of the day, with Mark Noble missing a chance to equalise with a last-minute spot-kick that was saved by David de Gea, despite being substituted on for that one single task.
It is, of course, funny to look at the West Ham captain's touch map as our sole data analysis of the moment, but it's also worth discussing the form of De Gea. The vital save ended a run of 40 successive penalties scored against him in all competitions for United and Spain (including shootouts), perhaps an exclamation point on his return to form this season.
In what is thought of as the best metric available for measuring shot-stoppers — post-shot expected goals (PSxG) minus goals allowed — De Gea is excelling.
Post-shot expected goals (PSxG) minus actual goals allowed
Post-shot expected goals (PSxG) is measured by information from the point the shot has been taken up until the shot were to pass the goalkeeper; a metric that is expected goals based on how likely a goalkeeper is to save a shot.
Only Liverpool's Alisson (+2.6 PSxG), who has snuffed out multiple high-probability chances this season, holds a better post-shot expected goals differential than De Gea (+2.0 PSxG).
Make no mistake, United need De Gea close to his 2017/18 form if they want to challenge for the Premier League title, and a crucial penalty save will only serve to boost what was a fragile confidence.
Brentford's backline is buzzing
A fair amount of praise will be heaped upon Ivan Toney this week, and deservedly so following another outstanding display in Brentford's 2-0 win at Wolves, but I'm certain there will be plenty of opportunities to touch on his impact in the coming months.
For now the spotlight should stay on Brentford's defensive play, which is showing remarkable quality in their first ever Premier League season. Only reigning champions Manchester City hold a lower expected goals against (xGA) total than Brentford (4.27 xGA) after five matches.
Although the 1.45 xGA conceded at Molineux is their highest allowed in a game, it was perhaps the best performance from Thomas Frank's side this season when considering game state.
The Bees held a two-goal lead after 35 minutes and played with 10-men from the 64th minute onwards after Shandon Baptiste's second yellow card, events that often only invite further pressure on a defensive unit.
Not only did Brentford hold on for the victory, but they kept a third clean sheet of the season, a solid foundation in their quest to emulate Sheffield United and Leeds in impressing immediately after promotion.
They welcome Liverpool next weekend, a team averaging 3.20 expected goals for (xGF) per game this season, but don't be surprised if Frank's side keep the title contenders quiet.
De Gea saves the day
When it comes to dispensing joy and misery at random, the Super Sunday opener between West Ham and Manchester United didn't disappoint in the slightest.
Penalty drama was the order of the day, with Mark Noble missing a chance to equalise with a last-minute spot-kick that was saved by David de Gea, despite being substituted on for that one single task.
It is, of course, funny to look at the West Ham captain's touch map as our sole data analysis of the moment, but it's also worth discussing the form of De Gea. The vital save ended a run of 40 successive penalties scored against him in all competitions for United and Spain (including shootouts), perhaps an exclamation point on his return to form this season.
In what is thought of as the best metric available for measuring shot-stoppers — post-shot expected goals (PSxG) minus goals allowed — De Gea is excelling.
Post-shot expected goals (PSxG) minus actual goals allowed
Post-shot expected goals (PSxG) is measured by information from the point the shot has been taken up until the shot were to pass the goalkeeper; a metric that is expected goals based on how likely a goalkeeper is to save a shot.
Only Liverpool's Alisson (+2.6 PSxG), who has snuffed out multiple high-probability chances this season, holds a better post-shot expected goals differential than De Gea (+2.0 PSxG).
Make no mistake, United need De Gea close to his 2017/18 form if they want to challenge for the Premier League title, and a crucial penalty save will only serve to boost what was a fragile confidence.
Playing Matip as a wide forward would be interesting. He'd certainly pose a threat from TAA's crosses ! I assume you wanted to put Mane into central defence? Definite pace to stop teams playing on the break when playing a high line.
Playing him in 2 positions at once will break him.
Playing him in 1 position breaks him.
He’s iron man this season. So far anyway.
Easy there,
Next game he'll be thinking he's hard enough to take on the entire Avengers.
He can. He’s Mad Matip with spaghetti legs and a 50p head. How can captain America compete with that?
To be fair to @Hansern, if there was a choice which player in the squad we could clone, Matip would be a pretty good shout - this way his availability and injury problems wouldn’t be an issue and those synchronized tantrums - priceless. I don’t think 2 Salahs would work because he can’t play in any other position, 2 Virgils would make each other too complacent and 2 Hendersons wouldn’t be able to decide which one lifts the Cup.
It is a ridiculous suggestion.
The fuck it is.
The fuck isn't it....the only reason fans would say the Prem is out of favourtism.
No one really wants to find out Bluebell, We're past the debate of having to play players out of position. It's a no go.
Not at all... PL over CL for me all day long.
"Favourtism". What does that even mean..?
The league is now, and always has been, and always will be, the single most important trophy for LFC, and for the vast majority of our fans (who have been around for longer than these past few years that we've been good again, at least). It just is. Everything else - including the European Cup, important and valued as it is - is secondary to the league.
In my defence I was drunk. So that being the only error was quite impressive imho.
He's giving us OOTers a terrible name this binomial.
Maybe it's time to get Brendan back.
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