Interesting piece on Brentford's moneyball approach

[Questions]

Many years ago I too did an in depth study using mathamatics as to how one side can win a game of football.
I called it the 'highest numerical goal study'
I worked out that if you score more goals than the opposition you win the game.

What bollox.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I have always found it a bit puzzling that Tony and co's incredible mathematical models can consistently return an (albeit small) margin betting on football and yet we can't pick a decent player to buy for Toffee. Where is the sharing on resources?

I didn't realise that TB and Benham used to be business partners , but allegedly fell out, and both run their own sports consultancy companies

 

[mona]

I didn't realise that TB and Benham used to be business partners , but allegedly fell out, and both run their own sports consultancy companies

I didn't either but googled them and found an old article from the Wall St Journal which mentions this.

 

[Lower West Stander]

This reminds me a bit of that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where a guy comes up to Indiana Jones and does all these fantastic skills with a sword only for Jones to take out a gun and shoot him.

You can have all the flashy models in the world but if a team can fork out £20,30 or even £50m for a player then it really doesn't matter. The best teams are nearly always the wealthiest.

 

[edna krabappel]

lunacy sheer lunacy.
Logically, in statistical terms, Baldock and O'Grady should have scored lots of goals this season.

I think you're seriously underestimating the intricacy of detail involved in the Moneyball approach. The Oakland As achieved success not by signing the men who hit the most homers or who had the most outs, but who achieved certain other, underrated, statistical feats (I can't remember what they were off the top of my head).