The Rafa Thread

[Darth Marty]

I think barry would improve us so who are we to put a monetry value on that?Like you say those 9 asists could be the difference between 4th and 1st.

Im kinda torn on this now.

[Vermilion]

Well he isn't better than Mascherano, he isn't better than Gerrard- so that make him 3rd best.... and IMO and the opinion of many other people he isn't better than Alonso.

The point was it's nothing like the Carrick signing at all.

Better, 1st..2nd...3rd or even 4th choice ???? not relevant...not 'Better'....Different, a player doesn't necessarily need to be better at what the player he replaces does, so long as he's different it can still be an improvement,..horses for courses, players for games.

[El Jefecito]

I think barry would improve us so who are we to put a monetry value on that?Like you say those 9 asists could be the difference between 4th and 1st.

Im kinda torn on this now.

I'm torn too, but if you read the profiles of the backroom staff posted yesterday, one thing that would have come through loud and clear was ANALYSIS.

I have no doubt in my mind that Rafa has pro-zone stats up the wazoo showing how many times Barry/Xabi were caught in possesion, how many times long balls were played vs. short, completion rates, .....

I guess I'm putting my faith in the scientific method against gut feel.

[Vermilion]

I think barry would improve us so who are we to put a monetry value on that?Like you say those 9 asists could be the difference between 4th and 1st.

Im kinda torn on this now.

Agree, he could cost us 25million, which like 18mill would be overpriced, but if he helped us win the title he would be Great Value for money.

[Roboklopp]

I'm torn too, but if you read the profiles of the backroom staff posted yesterday, one thing that would have come through loud and clear was ANALYSIS.

I have no doubt in my mind that Rafa has pro-zone stats up the wazoo showing how many times Barry/Xabi were caught in possesion, how many times long balls were played vs. short, completion rates, .....

I guess I'm putting my faith in the scientific method against gut feel.

[Rashid]

Over analysis is not always good though, sometimes you have to go with instinct, football is a beautiful game played on the pitch not on a computer.

[El Jefecito]

Over analysis is not always good though, sometimes you have to go with instinct, football is a beautiful game played on the pitch not on a computer.

Over analysis is rarely good.

[dww]

Over analysis is not always good though, sometimes you have to go with instinct, football is a beautiful game played on the pitch not on a computer.

Obviously over analysis is bad - other wise the over part of the phrase would be redundant.

The thing that people tend to miss/forget when levelling the criticism of over analysing the game is the stock that Wenger puts in this sort of analysis.

I was talking to an art historian a few years ago about Francis Bacon and they were saying how many people who had loved him for his seemingly spontaneous, visceral paintings had when he died been found to have been meticulously planned. I think there is a reasonable analogy there with the way Wenger works.