[Albion] If RDZ plays Steele tomorrow...

[hans kraay fan club]

Bart did drop an easy catch

Flappy at their only good corner

I've not seen this back yet, but it looked a very clear foul (the Roma lad turned his back, and backed in under Bart) and I'd have been astonished had anything coming from it, not being ruled out.

Agree Bart had very little to do last night, but he was solid. And that's back to back clean sheets - something not to be sniffed at.

 

[Badger Boy]

There is no argument for bringing Steele back into the side now. Bart is a proper goalkeeper and the team performs better with him in it. It's that simple.

 

[CheeseRolls]

There is no argument for bringing Steele back into the side now. Bart is a proper goalkeeper and the team performs better with him in it. It's that simple.

The two clean sheets have coincided with reinstating a back four. There you go there is an argument


As it happens I agree Bart needs to be the established number one keeper now.

 

[London Irish]

Can you imagine the endless threads about Steele's height we'd be having now if the ball had gone over his head like last night's phantom goal

 

[Jimmy Come Lately]

Instead of the monorail, I URGE Tony Bloom to use the missing cup final money, to invest in a machine at Lancing that can amalgamate two humans and create either Bart Steele or Jason Verbruggen to ensure we get the best bits of both keepers in one.

Problem solved and everyone's happy.

But you know that even with superkeeper Jason Verbruggen at his disposal, De Zerbi would insist on rotating him with the absolutely hopeless Bart Steele and we'd be no better off.

 

[Badger Boy]

Can you imagine the endless threads about Steele's height we'd be having now if the ball had gone over his head like last night's phantom goal

Yeah, he should have just stood aside and waved it goodbye ala Steele at Villa Park. That's how you keep goal.

 

[Hiheidi]

This is quite interesting, we're right up there with the best at not allowing shots on goal, but middle of the pack when it comes to goals conceded.

 

[Jim in the West]

Yes - interesting.....shows how flukey the likes of Man Utd and Fulham are (conceding around 9 fewer than the xGA....which is approx 20% below what they "should have" conceded). Palace perhaps could consider themselves unlucky...

 

[Beanstalk]

Yes - interesting.....shows how flukey the likes of Man Utd and Fulham are (conceding around 9 fewer than the xGA....which is approx 20% below what they "should have" conceded). Palace perhaps could consider themselves unlucky...

Fulham keep doing this. Last season the conceded 11 fewer than their xGA (around 18%). They also outperformed their xG last season by 9 goals (around 20%) - only outperforming goals scored by 4 this season...

Something's got to give at some point and if they continue on this trend, with stronger promoted sides than usual next season, maybe the stats will catch up with them.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Fulham keep doing this. Last season the conceded 11 fewer than their xGA (around 18%). They also outperformed their xG last season by 9 goals (around 20%) - only outperforming goals scored by 4 this season...

Something's got to give at some point and if they continue on this trend, with stronger promoted sides than usual next season, maybe the stats will catch up with them.

Is it just about luck?

Isn't it also about keepers pulling off worldies? Which I guess is why it's in this thread. But also about defenders making blocks and midfielders making desperate covering challenges.

I guess part of it is about luck

 

[Beanstalk]

Is it just about luck?

Isn't it also about keepers pulling off worldies? Which I guess is why it's in this thread. But also about defenders making blocks and midfielders making desperate covering challenges.

I guess part of it is about luck

I honestly don't know. The stats show that over a period of two seasons in the Premier League, Fulham are substantially overperforming at both ends of the pitch, though the stats don't really paint the clearest picture as to why.

This does include a high save percentage from Leno (74% - 4th best - from 145 shots on target - 5th most this season. Last season 77% - 2nd best - from 192 shots - 2nd most). They didn't really block the ball much last season but Palhinha is, by a monumental distance in both seasons, the biggest tackler in the league. He comfortably finished ahead of Moises Caicedo in tackles and interceptions. This doesn't really explain why their xGA is so high as for xG to be counted, you need to have a shot.

It's similarly complicated when you look forward. Their strikers (yes, even Mitro who fell one short of his xG last term) aren't overcontributing to an enormous extent (Solomon with 4 goals from 1.2xG is the only standout over two seasons).

It's probably too simplistic to say it's just luck. I think Leno is the major factor in their statistical overperformance. He's been a superb signing and is the clear overperformer in that team. Having Palhinha likely means that they can push more midfielders forward (Pereira and Iwobi) to overload on the counter I guess and the goals get shared around a little more than you'd find at most teams.

The logical way of reading the stats is that they can't rely on Leno to perform this well forever. A dip in form, an injury, or a transfer (though he did just sign a new deal) and it could all go wrong for them very quickly. The reality is that they're bucking the trend presented in the stats at the moment and haven't fallen away yet.

 

[Machiavelli]

Fulham keep doing this. Last season the conceded 11 fewer than their xGA (around 18%). They also outperformed their xG last season by 9 goals (around 20%) - only outperforming goals scored by 4 this season...

Something's got to give at some point and if they continue on this trend, with stronger promoted sides than usual next season, maybe the stats will catch up with them.

Well, I predicted that Wolves would go down this season, so do ignore the following:
I've thought that Fulham might be in trouble next season or the one after, because they're going to lose too many of their key players, and they tend to rely on a small pool of players (don't think they've suffered too bad with the upturn in injuries this season). Paulinha looks like he'll be off in the summer, and Tosin almost certainly will as his contract runs out, Willian will retire soon or go to Brazil/the US, and there's a few more that could be close to the exit that I'm unaware of (@BrightonCottager might have a better idea). That said, they're doing irritatingly well enough (not that I've got anything against Fulham) this season, and the sudden form of Munoz might mean they've got enough over the next few seasons.
Still, if those three (and more) do go, either they'll be seriously depleted in terms of quality or they'll need to spend big/very wisely on replacements and there's probably a PSR(sp) issue on the horizon on that front.

 

[One Love]

Yes - interesting.....shows how flukey the likes of Man Utd and Fulham are (conceding around 9 fewer than the xGA....which is approx 20% below what they "should have" conceded). Palace perhaps could consider themselves unlucky...

Liverpool even luckier 28% below

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[RandyWanger]

Land Rover is fuelled and I'm ready to drive him there myself providing he sits in the back and doesn't talk to me.

 

[nwgull]

All clubs need a 3rd choice keeper, I suppose.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

All clubs need a 3rd choice keeper, I suppose.

And Jason has professionally completed that role whilst with us.

I could definitely see him joining another club with euro commitments and a progressive style in a first or second back up type role.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Have they effectively agreed to buy Raya then?

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Have they effectively agreed to buy Raya then?

They’d be silly not to buy him if the pre agreed £27m option is true. With the loan fee included a keeper of his quality for £30m seems like a good deal.

Not sure if Arsenal are that desperate for the 2nd/3rd choice keeper to be home grown. Raya qualifies as an HGP, they’ve currently got 11 in their squad including Ramsdale so I can’t see them having any problems there, even if he leaves.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

They’d be silly not to buy him if the pre agreed £27m option is true. With the loan fee included a keeper of his quality for £30m seems like a good deal.

Not sure if Arsenal are that desperate for the 2nd/3rd choice keeper to be home grown. Raya qualifies as an HGP, they’ve currently got 11 in their squad including Ramsdale so I can’t see them having any problems there, even if he leaves.

I didn't know about this, but it would seem to make sense. I guess not just buying him outright last season was down to FFP or some accounting shenanigans?