[Albion] Liverpool were interested in Pascal Gross

[El Presidente]

I’m reading a book by Ian Graham, who was Liverpool’s chief Moneyball nerd, called ‘How To Win The Premier League’. It has a chapter on Brentford and the Albion. Full of praise for Benham and Uncle Tony.

Also reveals that Liverpool highly rated Gross, Mitoma and Mwepu, suggesting that whatever is in Tony Bloom’s special sauce at StarLizard certainly works.

 

[Weststander]

I’ve often thought that Michael Edwards (in his former role at LFC) and StarLizard employ similar methodologies. Both clubs also have far more transfer successes than flops, suggesting it works.

I expect Ratcliffe/Brailsford will attempt to copy.

 

[El Presidente]

I’ve often thought that Michael Edwards (in his former role at LFC) and StarLizard employ similar methodologies. Both clubs also have far more transfer successes than flops, suggesting it works.

I expect Ratcliffe/Brailsford will attempt to copy.

They will!

Chelsea have just headhunted someone I work with at Uni who does exactly the same data analysis.

 

[Milano]

I’m reading a book by Ian Graham, who was Liverpool’s chief Moneyball nerd, called ‘How To Win The Premier League’. It has a chapter on Brentford and the Albion. Full of praise for Benham and Uncle Tony.

Also reveals that Liverpool highly rated Gross, Mitoma and Mwepu, suggesting that whatever is in Tony Bloom’s special sauce at StarLizard certainly works.

Is the book's full title "how to win the premier league when there are no fans in the stadiums"? Liverpool's last 30 odd years haven't been that great in that respect otherwise!!

 

[Guinness Boy]

They will!

Chelsea have just headhunted someone I work with at Uni who does exactly the same data analysis.

I read Rory Smith's Expected Goals on our very recent family holiday which talks about the same things. If Chelsea have only just recruited someone then they are WAY behind. A lot of clubs have been doing data driven analysis for over 10 years.

Smith takes a lot of time talking about Liverpool and FSG as big club pioneers of data driven recruitment as well as Arsenal and Spurs who were early data adopters. His three best examples though are Bloom's Brighton and Benham's Brentford and former club Midtjylland. However, not much of the book is about us because it's clear Bloom doesn't discuss any of this. Unlike Chris Anderson who was obviously only too happy to help.

 

[Beanstalk]

I’m reading a book by Ian Graham, who was Liverpool’s chief Moneyball nerd, called ‘How To Win The Premier League’. It has a chapter on Brentford and the Albion. Full of praise for Benham and Uncle Tony.

Also reveals that Liverpool highly rated Gross, Mitoma and Mwepu, suggesting that whatever is in Tony Bloom’s special sauce at StarLizard certainly works.

Wasn't the rumour that there was a bit of a clash internally about Gross at Liverpool?

Klopp was a massive fan and there were a bunch of rumours that he was being lined up but I seem to remember reading that "the club" decided that the price we wanted was too high for a player of that calibre so went for Takumi Minamino instead at less than half the price.

Memory may have failed me here, but I remember there being a bit of anxiety around a move then.

 

[CHAPPERS]

They will!

Chelsea have just headhunted someone I work with at Uni who does exactly the same data analysis.

Him who was on the pod that time, not long ago?

 

[Beanstalk]

Is the book's full title "how to win the premier league when there are no fans in the stadiums"? Liverpool's last 30 odd years haven't been that great in that respect otherwise!!

In fairness, Liverpool's record over that period was absolutely insane. They hold the record as the best team not to win the Premier League — accumulating 97 points in 2018-19 and 92 in 2021-22 but coming second in both campaigns.

Both of those totals would have won the league in every other Premier League season bar three occasions (17/18 when City got 100 points, 16/17 when Chelsea got 93, and 04/05 when Chelsea got 95).

Ferguson's 99 treble winners would've finished 4th last season...

 

[Flounce]

I do remember some talk of Liverpool being interested in Gross a few years ago. I laughed at it, in the same way as Virgo to Celtic.

 

[Mellotron]

In fairness, Liverpool's record over that period was absolutely insane. They hold the record as the best team not to win the Premier League — accumulating 97 points in 2018-19 and 92 in 2021-22 but coming second in both campaigns.

Both of those totals would have won the league in every other Premier League season bar three occasions (17/18 when City got 100 points, 16/17 when Chelsea got 93, and 04/05 when Chelsea got 95).

Ferguson's 99 treble winners would've finished 4th last season...

Agreed. That Liverpool side are very much underrated IMO.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

They will!

Chelsea have just headhunted someone I work with at Uni who does exactly the same data analysis.

Always thought that TB's special sauce would be susceptible to a bit of smart reverse engineering

 

[Eeyore]

I do remember some talk of Liverpool being interested in Gross a few years ago. I laughed at it, in the same way as Virgo to Celtic.

You'll never look like that utter TWAT I did on the Fati thread when I said him coming was an utter TOSH rumour of the most toshiest variety.

 

[METALMICKY]

Always thought that TB's special sauce would be susceptible to a bit of smart reverse engineering

Ah yes but some sort of Jurassic Park shenanigans might turn up the next Mark Farrington or Ashley Neale!

 

[Mellotron]

You'll never look like that utter TWAT I did on the Fati thread when I said him coming was an utter TOSH rumour of the most toshiest variety.

To be fair, it did kinda feel like he never really arrived.

 

[Weststander]

Agreed. That Liverpool side are very much underrated IMO.

Edwards and Klopp turned a club that finished between 8th and 2nd, into serial trophy winners. Despite being in competition with a cheating petro state, also Abramovich’s (now not) secret financial cheating.