Not better, but sometimes we become so bogged down with inverted wingers, possession etc that we forget the beauty of football. Not saying Harry was right, but his method of just letting playing players express themselves rings true.
After the defeat against newcastle all i read about were % here, heat maps there, it all felt like a cop out, we were hiding behind stats.
The most shots on goal? That doesn't make us attack minded, it makes us wasteful. Stats can be easily twisted.
I think thats fair enough. I think context is required as well though. We are mid way through a pretty major rebuilding of the team and people are beginning to lose faith. Others are looking to (what feels like) tangible ideas in statistics in an attempt to quell that. As I said previously though, it seems to be the nature of internet debate that polarisation has to happen to where people arent happy in the middle ground but rather the opposite extremes.
It used to be that the league table wasnt printed until around this time, people had patience and understood that its a long season and you have to ride out the rough patches. I think those clinging to the stats are trying to recognise that, and perhaps some of those losing faith should remember it.
Generally, (and statistically) things are positive and that should be noted - people should keep faith more IMO
at this time. We are dominating teams, we are tighter at the back than Ive ever seen, we are passing and possessing the ball really well and there are flashes of what might be every now and then.
Clearly we are struggling to score. There are reasons for this, some require patience to work their way through, some require more explicit action IMO, but I do think if we can crack putting the ball in the net regularly we will be a formidable and title challenging side. Fix that one (admitedly big!) thing and we are at that level, thats how close we are. We have the defence, the midfield, the possession, the fear to make other teams park the bus - now we need that vital missing piece.
I honestly think we are fine margins away from becoming something really special. I and I honestly believe that once everyone knows their job within the system instinctively that freedom of expression will come as well, we have players far too talented for it not too.
I agree with you in general RE the shooting statistics (as your example), while we are getting into and dominating the attacking 3rd we arent creating enough clear cut/guilt edged chances. Townsend shooting from range 100 times a match is a case in point. Yes, lots of shots. No, none of them with any chance of going in! (perhaps he should cross more often, either it goes in the goal or someone else might get ont he end of it!)
