Bale better than Messi? Let’s take a deeper look into the statistics

Recently, sports journalist Albero Pinero made the claim that Bale is outperforming Messi in La Liga. The comment section that followed was to be expected. And to be fair, I found myself one of the readers that felt that the claim was ridiculous, and that the numbers are too shallow to base any claim upon.

These metrics should be taken into account with how strong the opposition is this season, how much the player contributed to the success of the team.

Bales Stats:

Date	Team	Opponent	Result	Appearance	G	A	SH	SG
25/01 2014	Real Madrid	H- Granada	W 2-0	Off 45 min	0	0	2	1
18/01 2014	Real Madrid	A- Betis	W 0-5	Started	1	0	2	1
12/01 2014	Real Madrid	A- Espanyol	W 0-1	Off 75 min	0	0	1	0
06/01 2014	Real Madrid	H- Celta Vigo	W 3-0	On 64	0	1	2	1
14/12 2013	Real Madrid	A- Osasuna	D 2-2	Off 54 min	0	0	1	1
30/11 2013	Real Madrid	H- Valladolid	W 4-0	Started	3	1	7	4
23/11 2013	Real Madrid	A- Almeria	W 0-5	Started	1	0	10	3
09/11 2013	Real Madrid	H- R Sociedad	W 5-1	Started	0	1	3	0
02/11 2013	Real Madrid	A- Rayo	W 2-3	Started	0	2	0	0
30/10 2013	Real Madrid	H- Sevilla	W 7-3	Started	2	2	4	3
26/10 2013	Real Madrid	A-Barcelona	L 2-1	Off 60 min	0	0	2	0
19/10 2013	Real Madrid	H- Malaga	W 2-0	On 75	0	0	0	0
28/09 2013	Real Madrid	H- Atletico	L 0-1	On 45	0	0	2	1
22/09 2013	Real Madrid	H- Getafe	W 4-1	Unused Substitute
14/09 2013	Real Madrid	A- Villarreal	D 2-2	Off 61 min	1	0	2	1

Table Rank; Team Name; Goals; Assists; Etc.

5th Villareal – 1 g; 0 a – 50%

12th Getafe – DNP

2nd Atletico – 0%

16th Malaga – 0%

1st Barcelona – 0%

7th Sevilla – 2 g; 2 a – 57%

19th Rayo – 0 g; 2 a – 66%

6th Sociedad – 0 g; 1 a – 20%

15th Almeria – 1 g; 0 a – 20%

18th Valladolid – 3 g; 1 a – 100%

14th Osasuna – 0%

13th Celta Vigo – 0 g; 1 a – 33%

9th Espanyol – 0%

20th Betis – 1 g; 0 a – 20%

11th Granada – 0%

Total: 26.14%

Actually that’s very impressive. On a stacked team, Bale is contributing to over a quarter of the attack. And He’s in his freshman season with Madrid, which makes things twice as impressive.

Messi’s Stats

Date	Team	Opponent	Result	Appearance	G	A	SH	SG
26/01 2014	Barcelona	H- Malaga	W 3-0	Started	0	1	4	0
19/01 2014	Barcelona	A- Levante	D 1-1	Started	0	0	6	1
11/01 2014	Barcelona	A- Atletico	D 0-0	On 45	0	0	3	1
10/11 2013	Barcelona	A- Betis	W 1-4	Off 21 min	0	0	0	0
01/11 2013	Barcelona	H-Espanyol	W 1-0	Started	0	0	5	1
29/10 2013	Barcelona	A- Celta Vigo	W 0-3	Started	0	1	10	5
26/10 2013	Barcelona	H- Real Madrid	W 2-1	Started	0	0	3	0
19/10 2013	Barcelona	A-Osasuna	D 0-0	On 67	0	0	2	1
28/09 2013	Barcelona	A- Almeria	W 0-2	Off 28 min	1	0	2	1
24/09 2013	Barcelona	H- R Sociedad	W 4-1	Off 80 min	1	1	8	4
21/09 2013	Barcelona	A- Rayo	W 0-4	Started	0	1	3	2
14/09 2013	Barcelona	H- Sevilla	W 3-2	Started	1	0	6	2
01/09 2013	Barcelona	A-Valencia	W 2-3	Started	3	0	9	7
18/08 2013	Barcelona	H- Levante	W 7-0	Off 70 min	2	1	6	4

16th Malaga – 0 g; 1 a – 33%

8th Levante – 0%

2nd Atletico – 0%

20th Betis – 0%

9th Espanyol – 0%

13th Celta Vigo – 0 g; 1 a – 33%

3rd Real Madrid – 0%

14th Osasuna – 0%

15th Almeria – 1 g; 0 a – 50%

6th Sociedad – 1g; 1 a – 50%

19th Rayo – 0 g; 1 a – 25%

7th Sevilla – 1 g; 0 a – 33%

10th Valencia – 3 g; 0 a – 100%

8th Levante – 2 g; 1 a – 43%

Total average: 26.21% of Barcelona’s attack

Messi just barely edges Bale in terms of carrying his team on his own shoulders over the first 14 league games of the season. And as much as there exists a knee jerk reaction to bring Bale’s stats into perspective, it’s very impressive to see Bale contribute so much, so early.

These stats do not tell the entire story, and many readers already know this. A player can carry a team on his shoulders to victory without scoring a goal or contributing an assist. And then there is unexplainable phenomena, for example, the strange voodoo of Bendtner that sees everyone around him perform better when he’s on the pitch. Both of these players would draw double teams, but how often is Messi doubled upon, and how often is Bale? Let us not pretend that Bale draws the same coverage as Ronaldo. Let us not pretend that anyone other than Cristiano Ronaldo has willed his team to victory.

Playing alongside Ronaldo must be nice. And that being said, Why isn’t Neymar in the discussion?

Gameweek 23 (1/28-1/29) – Fantasy Thoughts, Observations

On paper, the two most likely safe bets for your defenses include Manchester United vs Cardiff, and Chelsea vs West Ham.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will get his standing reception from the crowd. He’s new the prodigal son, who returns to the parents home to take away their unused furniture for his new flat. He has lifted Zaha off their hands, although only temporarily, and he managed to take the incredibly disciplined Fabio. Zaha is an amazing addition. Fabio may be better able able to showcase his talent at Cardiff. But overall, this game is all about payback for the earlier meeting.

Expect a strong defensive showing. If ever a time to enlist the help of Smalling or Evans as stop gaps, this could be it. And with Mata playing, I expect him to take the freekicks. As a gambler, I would put money on Fellaini heading in a goal. But even if he does not, fantasy owners will enjoy bonus points for the clean sheet.

In London, Chelsea hosts West Ham. West Ham have a lot of talent, but defensively, Chelsea are one of the strongest teams. Azpilicueta will probably play, and he’s reasonably priced. I put a lot of stock in the defense because Chelsea lacks a formidable strike force. Eto’o scored a hat trick last week, and could score at any point with his scent for the back of the net. He has the hot foot, and that’s the foot Mourinho plays. He’s also old, and Chelsea seem to have scored most from behind their advanced players. Oscar, Hazard, and Lampard are more threatening as goal scorers. But if a rebound goal is to be scored, Eto’o is reliable.

Southampton host Arsenal. Artur Boruc should be playing, but the team is without defensive anchor, Dejan Lovren.How much does Lovren mean to Southampton? Before December brought Lovren injuries, Southampton had only conceded 5 goals, and never more than 1 in a single game. Since being injured over the past six weeks, Southampton has been abysmal in defence. Maybe that is melodramatic. Southampton have not played as well. They have also been missing Boruc, who is an excellent keeper, despite conceding a long range strike against Stoke from Asmir Begovic earlier this season.

On the other side of the pitch come an Arsenal unlike any we have seen in the past few years. Arsenal has many goal scoring threats. Ramsey is returning from a long injury, and it will be interesting to see if he can still score every time he looks at the net.

Aston Villa host West Brom, and Benteke has quietly been producing results. Consider him as a sleeper candidate to score.

Crystal Palace vs Hull looks to be the battle of the cattle for the gameweek. Palace defender Gabbidon looks the popular bargain pickup on the week. Hull had a great game at home against Fulham weeks ago. They have been Hull since against decent competition.

In the Norwich vs. Newcastle match, there are three major players being transferred into teams. Cabaye, Remy, and Ryan Bennett. This is because Cabaye and Remy are likely to be part of the score card, if any goals are scored. Ryan Bennett is a bargain pickup for a home team and could translate to an easy 6 points with a clean sheet.

Tottenham host Man City, which obviously means that Man City are playing outside their comfort zone. Adebayor has been resurgent, and is still a bargain to be had. Ade opened the season valued at about £8M, but is now undervalued at £7.8. With Soldado’s dip in form, Ade can bring his stock value up. He just needs to score past a very deep defensive unit.

Tottenham defenders Chiriches and Dawson are also reasonably priced. Being mindful of the away team’s road record, this could be a nil-nil draw. Another solid purchase to consider, moving forward for the rest of the season, is Eriksen, although most people already picked up on that.

The final game I will touch on is Liverpool vs. Everton. It’s insanity for anyone to pick a fantasy captain not named Luis Suarez. This is a derby that matters, and both teams will play to that degree. Consider insanity here, and give the captain’s armband to someone else, like Oscar or Hazard.

Everton have a lot of talent. They concede less than a goal per game. Their defenders, Coleman and Baines, score on oppositions. Romelu Lukaku draws double teams. Everton cannot be taken lightly. And while many defensive players are doubtful for the match tomorrow, if they show up, expect a low point haul from Suarez. On average, Liverpool only score one goal against top table teams. Moreover, Liverpool has a bit of an injury crisis at the back.

Considerations.

Borriello and Nocerino to Westham

The news was made official today as Marco Borriello from Roma, and Nocerino from Milan, penned loan deals to the London club. What does this mean for a Westham side? Good things, really. Nocerino will take a heavy weight off Kevin Nolan’s shoulders. Borriello is reliable up front, has both a left foot and a right foot, unlike the maligned Andy Carroll.

Fantasy managers should consider adding Nolan now. Not Nocerino or Borriello. The thinking here is that Nolan will be tougher to double up on, and that oppositions will be shifting personnel to cover Nocerino in the mid field. Nolan is a verifiable goal threat, with his attacking style, and for points, he demands consideration.

The Draxler Update: Teams In Advanced Negotiations; Champagne Bottles So-Far Unpopped

This morning the Mirror reported that Arsenal lodged a bid of €30million for Draxler. It noted that this fell short of the €38m buyout clause, but also that the clause is only valid in Summer. Basically, Schalke thinks Draxler is worth at least €38. Arsenal’s position is €30m plus additional bonuses based on performance. The fact that Schalke have not shut down negotiations could lead one to believe that this deal will complete during the window.

Arsenal will face a reinvigorated Manchester United and Juan Mata in a few weeks. With the recent dip in form from Ozil, an Attacking Mid of Draxler’s quality may be the difference maker.

Popping Transfer Tags With Only $20 In Your Pocket

With the winter transfer window fully open, there are a few bargain buys that should be on any struggling team’s list. Most of these players are old, past their prime, and possibly crocked. However with that, there possibly cheap, Possibly hungry to play, And possibly the difference between relegation and staying within the top league.

Florent Malouda is 33 years old. He has experienced success at Chelsea and at Lyon. Currently he is playing in Turkey for the mighty Trabzonspor. One can only imagine the lengths one would not need to go through in order to drag him out of the Tartarus of European leagues. Obviously Malouda has lost a step in his game, but that doesn’t take away from the potential upside that he could still bring to any team that needs talent on the flanks. At his current speed he may best be used in the central midfield.

Vicente Rodriguez, former Spain international, and former Valencia star left winger, has been out of work since falling out with his former stopgap team, Brighton. Maybe he doesn’t need the money. Maybe he just doesn’t want to play anymore. But maybe he does, And the team that makes an offer for him could get a very good deal for left winger who has a lot of talent, and at age 32, may still have gas in the tank.

Former German international, Thomas Hitzlsperger, may be a controversial signing for any team at this moment. Previously he played at Westham, and suffered many injuries which led to his retirement last year. However he’s only 31 years old, and possessed the talent to land him a spot on the German national team in the first place. And yes there is that news about him coming out of the closet, and whether or not the football world is ready to have a gay player. The football world doesn’t need to be ready. The football world is past the age would need to be potty trained long ago. It’s time for the football world to grow up and allow a footballer to play regardless of that player’s personal life decisions.

Finally, teams can also look to any of the advanced aged Inter Milan players that were recently released. Cambiaso, Chivu, and Walter “The Wall” Samuel are all being pushed out the door this season. New owner, Erick Thohir, is looking to make wholesale changes to his team in order to bring it back into contention, and would be willing to entertain any offers that could open some breathing room in his locker. And  another name on the list, Diego Milito, is rumored on his way back to Argentina at the end of the season. These guys could be had for song.

Questionable “bargains”, as they would likely cost more than the previously mentioned players, include Diego from Wolfsburg, Jeremy Menez from PSG, Urby Emanuelson from AC Milan, and John Heitinga from Everton, who has attracted a lot of rumors, But hasn’t managed to move to a new team.

Any of these players could be the wildcards needed for success. The winter transfer window, in its condensed duration, has always bought a certain sense of madness. Don’t be surprised if any of these players make their way to a new team in the Premier League.

Moyes in Germany; What to buy?

Yesterday Moyes was rumored to be at the BMG vs. Bayern match to view Dante in action. Undoubtedly center back is a concern for Manchester. But Dante is 30; the wrong side of thirty. He is not a starter at the moment. Last season, when he became a household name, in certain households, he was starting because of injuries. And yes, he did his job with aplomb.

But Dante is not the best available purchase in the Bundesliga. Neither is German international Mats Hummels. Rather, the best purchase for the future of Manchester is Neven Subotic.

Subotic plays for the Serbian National Team, and if Yugoslavia reunited in the kind of ass kicking glory that would make Bill Clinton crap his trousers, Subotic would start for Yugoslavia. He is currently one of the best. At his side would be Dejan Lovren. Subotic, based on the remainder of his contract, is the cheaper purchase.

If Moyes returns to Manchester United with Subotic, a warning flare would be issued. Man Utd would be back in contention, even from mid table. However, Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has stated that he would not like to sell his defenders to Manchester United.

Juan Mata pt 2 (updated)

In brief, the Juan Mata deal means that Arsenal, who have to face Manchester United within a few weeks, now have to make a big move in order to get Julian Draxler onto their side.

The league title is Arsenal’s to lose. If they want to win, they have to make moves now while they have the chance. Notice that Manchester fielded an offer of 37m £ for a player that was untested over the current season. For all we know Mata could be crocked. Mata could be out of form, Mata could be a bust. But Manchester United paid big money to get him.

The time for negotiating great deals is over, and Arsenal have to table an offer that is equal to what Manchester United fielded for Mata if they mean to win a trophy this season.

Update: Arsenal are rumored to have agreed to €40mil for Draxler.

The big deal about Neymar’s big money deal

Sandro Rosell’s resignation as the great leader of FC Barcelona brought a lot of speculation and rumors. From the surface it appears a Lannister-worthy move from Joan Laporta, using his peripheral influences to force out a rival. But why then, is Laporta not the one to take over?

Weeks ago it was reported that the secretive deal was worth much more than the €57 million, as reported initially by Goal.com. Currently, news sources report that the deal was in excess of €87.

So what’s the big deal? The deal is that Santos was not the only side transferring Neymar’s rights.
Brazilian supermarket chain, DIS, owned half of Neymar’s rights and had brought action.

If evidence can be produced in support of DIS’s contention, a court would be pressed to pay not only the extra €15m-€20m, but punitive damages in top of that. The effect of punitive damages could change the face of football more than Rooney’s historic hair transplant.

Juan Mata – What this deal means for Man United

37M£. That was how much Man Utd agreed to pay for Juan Mata. Juan Mata was the best midfielder in the Prem before Jose returned. That’s to say, Juan Mata, who is only 25 years old right now, was the best midfielder last year. And this year, mysteriously relegated to the bench.

By most accounts, Mata was relegated as a message to the rest of the team. Similar to the prison scenario of taking down the biggest inmate, Jose entered the gulag, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, and he took down Mata, who was not really the biggest player, but a player who was the future of the team. Mourinho basically said “no.” Funny that Mata was a Real Madrid youth product. Typical Mourinho.

Juan Mata was one of the last great Valencia players sold off from the great mistake. Not too long ago, Valencia decided to make a new stadium, in order to keep up with the rest of the top teams. In fairness, this is a normal and right decision to make for any major club, and Valencia’s fan could still remember playing in the Champions League finals. And Valencia started this endeavor right before the economic collapse that crippled every corner of the map. So Valencia tried hard to stay afloat. Results were difficult under Koeman, so they brought in Unai Emery. Emery was great, and delivered results, but the team couldn’t balance books. David Silva had to be sold. Then David Villa. Jaoquin left. And Mata as well. Somewhere in there Vicente left, but he was as injured as he was talented. Mata was a cornerstone of a Valencia that, despite being strapped for cash, still pushed for the 3rd place on the Liga table. Even when Silva and Villa left, Mata guided them to wins.

As a Chelsea player, his only real failure was that he did not convert Fernando Torres back into a goal scoring threat. Mata scored where Torres would not. Manchester United may expect a different Mata. They may expect the Mata that played behind David Villa in Valencia, as Mata would be providing service for Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie. If that turns out the case, then the £37m would be well spent.

Dani Osvaldo

The decision to move Osvaldo to Southampton over the summer was shocking. Osvaldo, an extremely competitive player, moving to a team with more potential for relegation than anything else. It was not until Southampton signed Dejan Lovren that I thought they could actually make a push. And up until Christmas, they pushed.

Osvaldo was not a major focus of that push. Lallana and Lovren were. Boruc, Ricky Lambert, and Jay Rodriguez were more influential in the wins than Osvaldo. But none of that would cool Osvaldo’s ego. Whether or not he is the next Maradona – he does not question. He accepts the incredible weight of being an amazing player. Yeah.

This was not his first bout of domestic abuse. Last year, he was suspended for his locker room brawl with current Tottenham forward, Erik Lamela. That fight was over whether or not Osvaldo was as good as Maradona. It was possible that Lamela disagreed.

Caveat emptor. Dani Osvaldo has incredible potential as a goal scorer, but he comes with a fiery ego and doesn’t take criticism well. On a small team, he could be incredible for fantasy points. And that team will probably do better with him. But if he moves to a big team, he should be ignored.

Southampton was never his team. It was like he was sleeping with another man’s wife. It couldn’t last forever. As Southampton are in free fall, Dani might be getting the best end of this arrangement.