The 2015/16 Transfer Window: A Review

[Makingtrax]

Honestly I thought we were immensely average to watch for most of that season, you could see we didn’t have it in us to win it despite the opportunity being there.

Oh yeah, the best xG in the league shows we were creating lots of chances, scoring 65 goals, GD +30, with the most clean sheets . . . and that’s immensely average.

Guessing you’ve suddenly taken those blinkers off with the genuinely mediocre football and stats of the last 3 years.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Honestly I thought we were immensely average to watch for most of that season, you could see we didn’t have it in us to win it despite the opportunity being there.

Beating Man City then getting smashed by Southampton 4-0 on Boxing Day, losing both games to a fractured Chelsea, costly draws to Southampton home, Crystal Palace home, Sunderland away and West Ham away from being 2-0 up.

Then of course the infamous week where we lost to a decimated Man Utd and then at home to Swansea. I never truly believed that team could win it or any of Wenger’s teams from about 2011 onwards.

Agreed, much preferred us in 13/14, honestly thought that was best team of the 2010's despite us only coming 4th. 14/15 towards the back end of the season we were really good as well. I think we were forming a proper team in those few years, similar to Liverpool pre Allison/VVD/Fabinho. We just needed that real top class 9 and CM, the Kroenke's let Wenger down as usual.

 

[Makingtrax]

I always think of Arteta as making his name at Everton, he played a lot more for them and scored twice as many goals in his formative years. Almost 30 when he came to us.

 

[mpower2540]

Oh yeah, the best xG in the league shows we were creating lots of chances, scoring 65 goals, GD +30, with the most clean sheets . . . and that’s immensely average.

Guessing you’ve suddenly taken those blinkers off with the genuinely mediocre football and stats of the last 3 years.

I mean, I haven’t. I don’t really believe in this team or felt the team was exciting to watch the past 3 years either.

Underlying statistics are important of course and fair enough they provide context for your argument but my emotions of that season aren’t going to change. A good team doesn’t beat City then go to statistically one of the worst teams in the league at the time and get blown away 4-0 in the manner we did. That’s just rubbish.

I’m not even saying it’s all on Wenger, I thought we had a lot of flaws in that squad and watching us I was never particularly convinced or even enjoyed watching us play all that much because I just felt when it really mattered most we’d fall short.
Was I spoilt? Maybe, I’d seen us blow teams away at the Emirates when we were on song, it was nothing new to me, I wanted us to go a step further, the opportunity was there and we didn’t.

Look man, I respect you as a poster and I think your opinions are spot on most of the time but I can never look back on that season with any fondness.

 

[mpower2540]

Agreed, much preferred us in 13/14, honestly thought that was best team of the 2010's despite us only coming 4th. 14/15 towards the back end of the season we were really good as well. I think we were forming a proper team in those few years, similar to Liverpool pre Allison/VVD/Fabinho. We just needed that real top class 9 and CM, the Kroenke's let Wenger down as usual.

10/11 was the last time I genuinely thought we’d win it. Even Yohan Djourou was starting to look competent as a CB next to Kiscielbsy while we’d found a really good balance in midfield and attack. Cesc and RVP were fit and firing we looked really really good but it all ended in tears unfortunately. Thought that team was far superior to the 15/16 one personally. Beating that outstanding Barca side was one of my favourite Emirates moments

 

[MikelHadADream]

10/11 was the last time I genuinely thought we’d win it. Even Yohan Djourou was starting to look competent as a CB next to Kiscielbsy while we’d found a really good balance in midfield and attack. Cesc and RVP were fit and firing we looked really really good but it all ended in tears unfortunately. Thought that team was far superior to the 15/16 one personally. Beating that outstanding Barca side was one of my favourite Emirates moments

Was never a fan of the CBs/GKs in that side. There were also some really questionable characters. Cesc's head wasn't at the club and Nasri obviously was eyeing a move at the end of the season. I felt the 13/14 side had a great team spirit and far superior CBs and keeper. It just lacked that added extra bit of quality that would have taken us over the line.

 

[Sanchez11]

I always think of Arteta as making his name at Everton, he played a lot more for them and scored twice as many goals in his formative years. Almost 30 when he came to us.

I know its not your tweet bro, but rtets a legend come on!!

 

[Makingtrax]

Underlying statistics are important of course and fair enough they provide context for your argument but my emotions of that season aren’t going to change.

Shame a lot of posters can’t be this honest. Respect.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Drogba left the league the season before Giroud joined

Indeed. Agüero too joined the league quite soon after Henry left, it doesn’t change the fact they played in different goal scoring environments.

Go have a look at the npG/90 of Giroud vs. Drogba compared to the top strikers in the league (Giroud only ranked high in this the seasons he was not a starter and was used a great deal as a super sub, which has a major biasing effect on the statistics—same reason Morata scored at world class rates for Madrid) There’s no comparison, “bozo”, and it’s a silly and disingenuous comparison that is not to be taken seriously and is used by fanboys to make Giroud seem vastly better than he actually is.

 

[Rex Stone]

Indeed. Agüero too joined the league quite soon after Henry left, it doesn’t change the fact they played in different goal scoring environments.

Go have a look at the npG/90 of Giroud vs. Drogba compared to the top strikers in the league (Giroud only ranked high in this the seasons he was not a starter and was used a great deal as a super sub, which has a major biasing effect on the statistics—same reason Morata scored at world class rates for Madrid) There’s no comparison, “bozo”, and it’s a silly and disingenuous comparison that is not to be taken seriously and is used by fanboys to make Giroud seem vastly better than he actually is.

Did you actually look it up

Damn bro you’re committed. Strike rate over the Prem careers is identical so really case closed.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Did you actually look it up

Damn bro you’re committed. Strike rate over the Prem careers is identical so really case closed.

Appropriately this post has been liked by another troll

 

[Rex Stone]

Appropriately this post has been liked by another troll

Aguero joined right after Henry left?

Four years unless you’re counting that two game stretch Henry had in 2012?

Pack it up bro, it’s done.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Aguero joined right after Henry left?

Four years unless you’re counting that two game stretch Henry had in 2012?

Pack it up bro, it’s done.

Typical troll tactics. I got the Agüero and Henry timeframes wrong but the point still stands.

Anyways, go compare Giroud's npG/90 compared to league leaders in his seasons as a starter to Drogba's. You're the one making the troll argument so go look at it for yourself.

 

[Rex Stone]

Typical troll tactics. I got the Agüero and Henry timeframes wrong but the point still stands.

Anyways, go compare Giroud's npG/90 compared to league leaders in his seasons as a starter to Drogba's. You're the one making the troll argument so go look at it for yourself.

Typical troll tactics except when you’re actually wrong? Make it make sense

Why you keep banging on about Giroud’s stats as a starter? No one mentioned that apart from you.

Stop trying to re-frame things your way. Just rambling.

 

[Xln]

Again i will repeat nobody gives a flying FVCK for stats if you win the league.

Please

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Typical troll tactics except when you’re actually wrong? Make it make sense

Why you keep banging on about Giroud’s stats as a starter? No one mentioned that apart from you.

Stop trying to re-frame things your way. Just rambling.

Smart Use of Substitutes Can Make A Difference - StatsBomb | Data Champions

Colin Trainor explores how substitutes can have a real impact on a game and maxmise the benefits for their manager and the wider team.

statsbomb.com

The fact that substitutes have a higher scoring rate means that you can’t directly compare Goals Per90 figures between players that regularly start and those who make frequent substitute appearances. Very simply, the substitute will have his numbers inflated and we would expect his Per90 numbers to drop in the event that he was handed a starting position.

my bad for trying to bring necessary context and reason to your troll argument.

 

[Rex Stone]

Smart Use of Substitutes Can Make A Difference - StatsBomb | Data Champions

Colin Trainor explores how substitutes can have a real impact on a game and maxmise the benefits for their manager and the wider team.

statsbomb.com

my bad for trying to bring necessary context and reason to your troll argument.

Again I’m talking about strike rate? Stop bringing in random per 90 stats that no is talking about.

You’re mad annoying.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Again I’m talking about strike rate? Stop bringing in random per 90 stats that no is talking about.

You’re mad annoying.

Indeed, you're talking about strike rate. That's nice.

So you agree, then, that despite that very much out of context "fact" about similar strike rates over the course of their careers, that there is no comparison between Drogba and Giroud's quality / efficacy as a striker?

If so, then we agree.