This is reason No. 345,553 why newspapers are dying.  A man who is getting paid a living wage to write articles should be able to put more thought into his work product.  (Referring to the Times journalist, not Craig).

If bloggers who write for peanuts can create entertaining, compelling and must-read posts, newspapers have a very limited role.  Still good for reporting news, but not for the opinion columns that used to be must-reads.

Leo? I thought Buzzy Bissinger’s first name was Harold.

Shyster, as a huge soccer fan (and we can call it soccer—the Irish and Australians call it soccer, the Italians call it “kicking;” numerous countries call it something other than “football,” which the British, in their true hypocritical self-aggrandizing way, believe that is the only way to call it—where was I?), it’s fascinating this line of thinking.  Simply because Billy Beane’s brain has been seeping in over there at Tottenham Hotspur, and I’m sure a few other clubs.  Certainly since three of the biggest (Aston Villa, Liverpool, and those frauds Manchester United) are owned by Americans; I’m sure Moneyball is on the office shelves in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham somewhere . . .

I have no idea what you just said, bigcats, but I suddenly feel like drinking a pint and oppressing the Irish.

And bigcatasroma - regarding points 2 and 3, *seriously*, they are both the worst things to happen to top-level football in England, ever. Without question. And neither would exist were it not the idea of selling out to point 1.

1992 was the year any hope of competitive balance in English football disappeared.

Um, Slightly lost the plot of this one. Sabermetrics really don’t work very well in football. Some elements of football are intangible and media driven stats are being slowly introduced by Murdoch/Sky/Setanta/ITV/BBC to promote interest to fans who rarely attend their club’s games.
I swear, the “man on the Clapham omnibus” has been fairly dull over the years but now…loaded down with the same re-hashed newspaper headlines…It could drive a man to the demon drink.
$50 a month contracts to the hoi poloi are the lifeblood of the media darlings who value the various football offerings at aprox $2.1bn per year in England.
Teams live and die by their TV payments and revenues, relegation without immediate promotion can swiftly bankrupt a club, with a penalty 30 points for the next season guaranteeing trouble-ahoy (see Leeds).
The Stat that matters in football is the bottom line, the big four or five clubs have a competition amongst themselves, the rest are only interested in survival. 17th is just fine, 18-20th is disaster.
It encouages teams to bring in proven players to fill holes rather than develop their own academy youngsters.
Stories like the Rays can’t can’t can’t happen here in the league, only investment, the writer and Phil J are correct as far as English football is concerned. The standard has improved in skill and fitness, but the product lacks integrity. It is profoundly depressing.

QPR, What can I say. I agree with you,football doesn’t need many stats. Fans can value a player.