Read on Twitter
There were a few things I found a bit odd about the article (thread) https://twitter.com/richardlang05/status/1350412759083724804
Firstly on the data side:
* they used Smarterscout pizza wheels without really giving the context of their model. Smarterscout use an xG model which assigns a value to each on- field event: +xG for good action; - xG for bad action.
* they used Smarterscout pizza wheels without really giving the context of their model. Smarterscout use an xG model which assigns a value to each on- field event: +xG for good action; - xG for bad action.
This would probably account for why they rate KP's proggressive passing better than Pasc's when the raw data actually suggests that Pasc has a higher volume of progressive passes (and is actually much more accurate with his long passing).
No quibbles with their model per se: just think you need to explain what is going on.
On top of that they used two pizza wheels for KP (totalling over 4000 mins) and I could only see one wheel for Pasc with 232 mins from last season: his debut season.
The other oddity was the games they chose to showcase each players talents: they took KP's game vs Everton - a game where Everton failed to pressure him at all and he ran the slow - against Pasc's performances vs Palace and Crawley.
No doubt this is the sample size problem all over again. But choosing KP's best game this season by a country mile is a little unfair imo.
In terms of comparison, we've been consistent and we have come to the opposite conclusion to Phil et al.: KP is preferable in the DM slot because he's a more mobile and active defender than Struijk.
In terms of their passing games, they are different but they have different skillsets. Pasc is more tentative but he is a better ball retainer and will do a perfectly fine job of progressing the ball through wide areas. He's also better making preventative passes centrally.
It's way to difficult to compare KP and Struijk this season because 80% of Struijk's mins are at CB; that said, he's beren more than fine in DM; he's still young (compare him to KP at the same age and there's only one you're saying will succeed long term)
In conclusion: KP is a better DM in Bielsa's system defensively. But Pasc is a great back up. And he'll go on to be an elite CB in his career anyway.
