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The Numbers Game
Why Everything You Know About Football is Wrong
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Check link for latest rating. ( 3,494 ratings, 261 reviews)
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See moreWhat if the numbers that really matter, the ones that hold the key to winning matches, are actually 2.66, 53.4, 50/50, and 0 > 1? What if managers only make a 15 per cent difference? What if Chelsea should have bought Darren Bent? This book shows that every shred of knowledge we can gather can help us to love football and understand it even more.
Wonderfully readable and counter-intuitive, The Numbers Game will win you plenty of pub arguments. After reading it you will never think about football in the same way again.
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Description
A new sporting classic - The book that could change the game forever (The Times)
Football has always been a numbers game: 4-4-2, the big number 9 and 3 points for a win. But what if up until now we've been focusing on the wrong numbers? What if the numbers that really matter, the ones that hold the key to winning matches, are actually 2.66, 53.4, 50/50, and 0 > 1? What if managers only make a 15% difference? What if Chelsea should have bought Darren Bent?
In this incisive, myth-busting book, Chris Anderson, former goalkeeper turned football statistics guru, and David Sally, former baseball pitcher turned behavioural economist, show that every shred of knowledge we can gather can help us to love football and understand it even more. You'll discover why stopping a goal is more valuable than scoring one, why corners should be taken short, and why it is better to improve your worst player than to buy a superstar.
You'll never play, or watch, a game of football in quite the same way again.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Numbers Game by Chris Anderson and David Sally is lauded for transforming the way people understand and perceive football. Renowned individuals, such as Malcolm Gladwell and Billy Beane, praise the book for its innovative approach to understanding the game, suggesting it adds depth and nuance to the viewer's experience. Critics highlight its accessibility and its ability to appeal to both traditional fans and statistical enthusiasts, potentially altering the reader’s perspective on teams and players.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780241963623
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 05 June 2014
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 24.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 277g
Pages: 400
About the Author
At 17, Chris Anderson found himself playing in goal for a fourth division club in West Germany; today, he's a professor in the Ivy League at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. An award winning social scientist and football analytics pioneer, Anderson consults with leading clubs about how best to play the numbers game. David Sally is a former baseball pitcher and a professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in the US, where he analyses the strategies and tactics people use when they play, compete, negotiate, and make decisions. He is an adviser to clubs and other organizations in the global football industry.
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