General Football Thread

[MDK]

Bollocks to it all, I wasn't invited. Diego Who? Fucking chocolate. 

[Baddar]

I'll watch.

[Lineker]

You watch anything though!

[Baddar]

I do?

[MDK]

I do?

FC Ulaan Baatar are playing Erchim, proper tasty tie that 

[FestiveJack]

No they aren't. Ulaanbaatar are playing Ulaanbaataryi Mazaalainuud. :/

[Benji]

Is Jack having a seizure?

[Cymbols]

Why is Massimo Luongo on the Ballon d'Or shortlist? 

[Rafael]

Why is Massimo Luongo on the Ballon d'Or shortlist? 

I think he was elected the best player in the AFC Asian Cup or something.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Rafael

[Benji]

Those of you who listen to the Guardian football podcast - which of the crew was it that was talking about Football Manager a load this week?

[FestiveJack]

Rereading Graham Poll's autobiography and in the back he's put win-draw-loss record for Premier League teams he reffed. I'm not sure if he was considered like a pro-United ref or anything but they are the most ssuccesful, with 2.1 points per game.

Next is Wimbledon (1.9), then - suprisingly considering how they alleged he was biased againsgt them - Chelsea (1.77). Least successful of the 36 teams he reffed in the Prem were Watford (0.5), and both Sheffield clubs: 0.53 for Wednesday and 0.8 for United.

[Matt]

Useless information without the teams' overall points per game during that time, really.

[FestiveJack]

True. When I'm back on my laptop I may have a gander at that sort of thing. I wonder if other refs have that sort of information available (Poll kept a record of every game he ever reffed or was a linesman or 4th official at).

[Colly]

Weirdo.

[Benji]

True. When I'm back on my laptop I may have a gander at that sort of thing. I wonder if other refs have that sort of information available (Poll kept a record of every game he ever reffed or was a linesman or 4th official at).

Opta probably have that info somewhere.

[lanky316]

Those sort of stats won't really show much. It's established and accepted by the coaches and players that the bigger teams tend to get the majority of decisions in their favour. During Polls time United were one of the dominant teams in the league and as a result will get a higher points per game average alongside any edge given by mistakes/assistance from referees.

It is however surprising to see Wimbledon up there as they'd have been struggling and on their way out wouldn't they?

Edited October 20, 2015 by lanky316

[Benji]

Thus why Matt was noting about comparing it against points per game full stop.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Benji

[Matt]

Yeah Wimbledon is the one that stands out to be. Manchester United were probably averaging near enough 80 points a season so that's not overly disproportionate, I'm pretty sure Wimbledon weren't averaging nearly 70 though... Then again sample size could skew that if he only refereed say 7 of their games.

[Colly]

I think it has become a bigger job to unpick the Wimbledon thing. The count will be low anyway, but you'd have to factor in home vs away and the standard of opposition. Either way I think you'd struggle to find evidence of obvious bias.

[lanky316]

Still think a deeper study wouldn't show too much. Aside from the odd abnormality, like Wimbledon, you'd find that the top teams would have a fairly similar level over the period. It's not a coincidence that amongst the top are United and Chelsea and the bottom are the Sheffields and Watford. Who during his time were fairly lowly teams and relegated, Watford with a then record low relegation total for example. 

Edited October 20, 2015 by lanky316