mdgoonah41, why do you base all your opinions on stats? It really isn't the best way to do it. For example a player can score 9 goals from 10 shots and have a worse shooting accuracy than someone who scores 0 from 10 shots.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

mdgoonah41, why do you base all your opinions on stats?

Yeah md, why do you do that? You're not Tim-Bob are you

because statistics are more accurate than my eyes and any bias i may knowingly or unknowingly have, and because i had almost no time to watch any non-premier league football this season. if i had watched this guy play 30 games i might be able to figure out how good he is. or maybe not. statistics are non-biased reporting of events that happened. they dont tell the full story, but since i didnt watch this guy play at all, i can use his numbers and compare them to a player i watched play every game this season

mdgoonah41 wrote:

statistics are non-biased reporting of events that happened.

Depends on your definition but I don't think football stats are non-biased at all. Specific types of players like e.g. Theo are heavily favoured, others like Iniesta look like bums if you look at their figures only

He's got 11 league goals in Bundesliga. Decent but I would prefer more of a dribbler for the wide position.

jones wrote:

mdgoonah41 wrote:

statistics are non-biased reporting of events that happened.

Depends on your definition but I don't think football stats are non-biased at all. Specific types of players like e.g. Theo are heavily favoured, others like Iniesta look like bums if you look at their figures only

it depends on what statistics you use. if you try to compare a centerback and a striker using the same 5 stats, it won't work. if you compare 2 left wingers to each other, it works. if you compare iniesta to other central midfielders, the stats should at least tell you something. it doesn't tell you everything, obviously.

here is the biggest issue i have. your eyes are not an impartial judge. and even when you watch a game, you are only watching the ball, because that is what the tv shows. that is obviously what separates us on an internet forum and professional scouts who attend 100+ games in person every year and they get to see everything off the ball. and of course when i say "your" i dont mean you directly, i mean people in general.

we all watch every arsenal match and then re-watch highlights, so we have a good idea on our own players. but it is unlikely that many people here watch every match of every team in the top 4 leagues. its almost physically impossible. it would be like 60+ hours of football matches to watch each week. if someone asked me about xhaka or mkhitaryan or whoever else, my opinion will based on 5-10 games of watching them plus highlights ive seen and what ive read. thats all well and good. but to compare them to our own players, using statistics is the best way to compare.

sqwaka and all other stat sites use the same metrics and techniques to gather stats from all leagues. the stats from the premier league are collected the same way stats from la liga are collected. that makes comparing stats from players in different leagues easy. again, a player's stat line should not be the only determination of their worth or ability. but given the fact that i dont want 60+ hours of football a week and im not a scout, i'll use the stats, the games ive seen them play, and highlights of them to form my opinion. my opinion and a pat on the back will get you absolutely nothing in this world. we're all going to die soon anyway.

Claimed the RW spot on the Bundesliga TotY.

BILD: Henrikh Mkhitaryan has rejected a contract extension with Dortmund.

BILD: Mkhitaryan's agent Mino Raiola: "Why would we sign new contract now? He has a deal until 2017 & we're thinking about his future."

BILD: Mkhitaryan is likely to see out his current deal, which expires next summer, despite lucrative offers from the Premier League. #BVB

BILD: Arsenal & Chelsea are the reported Premier League sides interested in Mkhitaryan.

So even if we are interested he won't leave this summer. Might get him on a free next year.

Clrnc wrote:

His passing accuracy is worse than Alexis?? wow.

The thing is not whether Mikhitaryan is a good player or not, it is that we can and should be doing better.

I will take Payet, Mahrez and Ben Arfa over him.

I'm sure that'll be the case for most of Dortmund's forwards, except maybe Kagawa. Just the way they play. 

Passing accuracy is IMO a completely useless stat for any player who mainly operates in the final third. If you take risks in your passing, are looking for the pass that will hurt the opponent the most, then you most likely won't score very well here. Fabregas, when he was playing further forward, is a good example here; every Arsenal fan knows he is a great passer, but because he was always probing in his passing, always looking to make the killer pass, his passing accuracy wasn't very impressive.
IMO attacking players with great passing stats are more often than not looking to play it safe too often. They don't create enough.

I agree. Mkhitaryan's assist stats are what counts. Unless you want a Hleb/Rosicky/Benayoun type on the flanks.

That stat was one that fans used to hit Arshavin and Hleb back in those days. Still remember Wenger had to come out and explain that on Arsenal.com about how they are trying more killer passes.

Rex wrote:

Passing accuracy is IMO a completely useless stat for any player who mainly operates in the final third. If you take risks in your passing, are looking for the pass that will hurt the opponent the most, then you most likely won't score very well here. Fabregas, when he was playing further forward, is a good example here; every Arsenal fan knows he is a great passer, but because he was always probing in his passing, always looking to make the killer pass, his passing accuracy wasn't very impressive.
IMO attacking players with great passing stats are more often than not looking to play it safe too often. They don't create enough.

Completely agree.

di marzio also backing up the story that we're interested

he fits the mould of a mourinho winger or number ten, technically sound and industrious

Not blown away by this, but he's an upgrade on Ox/Walcott/Ramsey/Campbell on the wing, which is what we've put up with all season.

"El madpress"

------------Vardy
-Alexis--Ramsey--Mkhitaryan
------Coquelin-Elneny
Gibbs--Kos--Gabs--Bellerin
-------------Cech

Gegegegegegenpressing?

I'd love him here simply to see Dortmund fans writhing in agony, their asshole fans are as insufferable as Liverpool twats. They genuinely think they are above us as a club and only Bayern, Barcelona and Real are a step up from Dortmund, all the while fully embracing their ultimate beta mentality towards Bayern opening their mouths wide and saying thank you whenever Bayern come over