I don't really like how data is used to measure defensive performances as doing a lot ≠ good defending. In fact quite the opposite is often the case, players who are diving in a lot will have bigger volumes but aren`t improving things defensively. https://twitter.com/rithwikrajendra/status/1282916114150772736

The two examples I have are Moreno & Flanagan vs Clyne. Moreno, but particularly Flanagan, were massive outliers in terms of volume of defensive actions compared to Clyne when playing at/around the same time. However, it was Clyne who was deemed the best full back defensively

in the league at the time.

The reason being is when defending - players whose sole focus is the ball and believe their one aim is to win the ball tend to cost you.

A good example of this recently can be Robertson`s performance against Manchester City.

In that match he was constantly being dragged towards the ball and pulled out of position by Foden - and the two or three times he dived in - it cost us goals.

It is also why you must judge processes rather than outcomes. If Robertson dives in and wins the ball - it doesn`t

mean the decision to do so was correct. Operating on that basis, you can only praise players when they succeed and criticise when they fail - but what is learned?

I refer to this thread about Rafa & Koulibaly for example. https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1171080745059635200

Back to Maguire - I see him make so many basic errors on a consistent basis that costs his team. Last night was another. I would also have concerns that he is a very limited defender when needing to defend an open space due to his extreme lack of agility and mobility.

I wouldn't have him anywhere near a TOTY discussion for those reasons. But in all honesty, I haven't seen enough of all players in the Premier League to form a fair, consistent evaluation of them. You only see bits and pieces in MOTD highlights which tends to give the false

impression that defenders in defensive teams are great. Defenders in top sides tend to make a lot of mistakes as those are the things typically highlighted.

https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1283043124013608961

A good example of analysis on this is Lee Dixon talking about AWB earlier this season. Showing that by positioning himself differently closes the line for the pass. So he never has to deal with the ball at all. Instead he had to chase 50 yards into his

own penalty area to make a last-ditch tackle. He gets kudos for the tackle and it adds to his stats - but he just gave up 50 yards of territory, a corner and could concede a penalty/goal if that happens on the regular. Good defending is usually about descalation - not tackling.