Transfer News

[Neil Young]

I very nearly went all mathematical and started talking of initial conditions and chaos (which was a (il)logical extreme, but luckliy for you all I held back.

I'm interested in that. Go on, please.

Maybe you could do some psychohistory while you're about it too.

[dww]

I'm interested in that. Go on, please.

Maybe you could do some psychohistory while you're about it too.

I'm not really that good a mathematician to do the topic justice, and the football analogy was strained. But if you are genuinely interested (and have some time to spare the following articles - are really good (The first is an introduction and well worth a read, although it is reasonably mathematical, the second is more an application but still fascinating) one & two. Apologies for going off topic.

Is psychohistory what Asimov went on about?

[Shaggy]

I'm not really that good a mathematician to do the topic justice, and the football analogy was strained. But if you are genuinely interested (and have some time to spare the following articles - are really good (The first is an introduction and well worth a read, although it is reasonably mathematical, the second is more an application but still fascinating) one & two. Apologies for going off topic.

Is psychohistory what Asimov went on about?

Just had a quick look at that first link.

Cor blimey guvnor, that’s a bit heavy going ain’t it?

[Neil Young]

I'm not really that good a mathematician to do the topic justice, and the football analogy was strained. But if you are genuinely interested (and have some time to spare the following articles - are really good (The first is an introduction and well worth a read, although it is reasonably mathematical, the second is more an application but still fascinating) one & two. Apologies for going off topic.

Is psychohistory what Asimov went on about?

Yes. I was only kidding.

Had a quick look at your first link and need to read it through properly but I have to say it's very much what I expected, basic stuff really.

[Redspin]

not correct - whislt they may loosely cover (ie have responsibility to clear the ball from) "zones", the players move in a variable way - eg say the "far post" which you might call a zone is 6m x 6m box. the movement of the defender for correct defence is variable and depends on the flight of the ball and the exact movememnt of the attacker within/around that "zone". Furthermore, these "zones" overlap so 1 of several players may - correctly move to clear a ball in a zonal defence. EXACTLY the same is true of "man-to man" : although the potential areas the defender may need to cover might be considered larger and the starting point variable with the movement of the attacker before the ball is delivered, in practice they are short distances. in fact the runs tend to be pretty stereotypical and conform to "zones" anyhow - just a slightly different area of grass.

There's a complete difference between the two systems - which is probably why they aren't just called "defending set-pieces".

In zonal marking we deploy two parallel banks of players to occupy an area of the goalmouth. They do not look for opposition attackers per se, but just deal with the ball if it enters their zone.

The man-to-man system requires that a defender picks up an opposition attacker and clings to him like a leech wherever he roams in the box. This enables defenders to be pulled out of position by wily attackers, leaving spaces for their colleagues to take advantage of with late runs.

The former is favoured by Benitez, the latter is not; and statistics clearly show which is the more effective

[dww]

Just had a quick look at that first link.

Cor blimey guvnor, that’s a bit heavy going ain’t it?

It's not as bad as it looks (honest). I'm fairly impressed anyone bothered to look at all.

[dww]

Yes. I was only kidding.

Had a quick look at your first link and need to read it through properly but I have to say it's very much what I expected, basic stuff really.