Read on Twitter
Defenders and how badly they are judged
A thread
A thread
Before starting this, I wanted to say that in general I don’t hate any player, only the reactions of the fans. For example I never hated Ter Stegen last season, but only how the fans kept praising him
So defenders...
As their name suggest, defenders defend, and how are they judged ? With goals conceded. This is the easiest stat to use and it looks logic, less goals conceded = better defence = better defender. But the truth is that... it’s way more complicated than that
As their name suggest, defenders defend, and how are they judged ? With goals conceded. This is the easiest stat to use and it looks logic, less goals conceded = better defence = better defender. But the truth is that... it’s way more complicated than that
Let’s take Ruben Dias for example, joined City last summer and since their defence has improved (16% less xGA conceded than last season) and we can suggest that Dias had an impact in this improvement
But the problem with this case is that recently, the entirety of Manchester City’s defensive performance was credited to Dias because he’s their best defenders. Let’s look at some examples :
City vs Dortmund (first leg) :
Just before all time, Haaland dribbles past Dias and shoots but Ederson makes the save
Who gets credited after the game because Haaland didn’t score ? Ruben Dias
Just before all time, Haaland dribbles past Dias and shoots but Ederson makes the save
Who gets credited after the game because Haaland didn’t score ? Ruben Dias
PSG vs City (first leg)
Mbappe had 0 shots during the game but Dias never stopped him once, Walker and Stones did multiple times. Marquinhos even wins the aerial duel vs Dias and scores.
After the game who ”pocketed” Mbappé ? Walker ? No, Dias of course
Mbappe had 0 shots during the game but Dias never stopped him once, Walker and Stones did multiple times. Marquinhos even wins the aerial duel vs Dias and scores.
After the game who ”pocketed” Mbappé ? Walker ? No, Dias of course
Dias is Man City’s best defender and I’m not questioning his qualities
But the reactions of the fans is the problem, credit the defensive actions to the ones who accomplished them (Ederson and Walker in the examples) instead of saying that “Dias pocketed him”
But the reactions of the fans is the problem, credit the defensive actions to the ones who accomplished them (Ederson and Walker in the examples) instead of saying that “Dias pocketed him”
Dias is the best CB in the league this season and again I’m not saying that he’s not good or whatever, it’s a common reaction. Today it’s about Dias, tomorrow it can be anyone and it will happen as long as fans don’t change
