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This has a 1-0 loss written all over it

Falling down a Mike Penders rabbit hole Learn about the Belgian's Manuel Neuer impression and Milton Delgado's Platformer clinic https://scoutedftbl.com/mike-penders-stats-strasbourg/?ref=notebook-newsletter This Mike Pender’s heat map looks different. It’s rare to see a greater concentration of events outside the area. Events can spill out, but it’s usually exactly that: a spill, a leak. This is a ball of fire. I had to investigate. The BlueCo Belgian saved a penalty in spite of Strasbourg’s last-minute defeat to Olympique Lyonnais but only made three saves overall. Usually, goalkeepers stand out for their superhuman shot-stopping, like Guglielmo Vicario against Monaco. His heat map follows the usual pattern: the nucleus is inside the penalty area. My theory was that the reason Penders’ heat map looks more like a centre-back’s is because of the volume of passes, their (lack of) length, the number of Defensive Actions Outside of the Penalty Area and the Average Distance of those actions from goal. First, let’s deal with the passes. Penders completed 49 passes against Lyon, one of 31 instances of a goalkeeper completing 45+ in a Big Five League game this season. When sorting those by ascending Average Pass Length, Penders was one of two goalkeepers to appear in the top 10 twice, alongside Metz’s Jonathan Fischer. Liam Rosenoir clearly instructs his goalkeeper to play out from the back and has not yet succumbed to the evils of going long. To be clear, that’s sarcastic. Being effective is never evil. But even Pender’s display against Lyon saw him crank up the Launch % (Passes longer than 40 yards, excluding goal kicks). He is the only player in our top 10 to go above 20%. Of course, this could have been influenced by any passes that followed Lyon’s 90+1’ go-ahead goal. Especially considering that Penders holds the number one spot for shortest Average Pass Length. So, this was not Penders’ most extreme passing display. And if I show you Yvon Mvogo’s heat map from his flawless 51/51 Passes Completed at the weekend, you’ll see that lots of passes is not the only reason why Penders’ heat map must've caught my attention. Penders made 5 Defensive Actions Outside of the Penalty Area (#OPA) against Lyon, one of 40 instances across Europe’s Big Five Leagues this season. When sorting those by the Average Distance from Goal, the Belgian’s 20.4 yards ranks him 26th. In the context of all goalkeepers, it was nothing super spectacular. But it was in an individual context. This tally did not just represent Penders’ personal best for Defensive Actions Outside the Penalty Area (#OPA) across his league career, it was the first time he’s recorded more than two in a single match. In fact, Penders has only recorded a #OPA in nine of this 72 league games on the Stathead database, which includes all of his appearances for Jong Genk in the Challenger Pro League. This was unchartered territory for the young ‘keeper. Although it was an anomalous display for Penders, it still doesn’t explain why I was hypnotised by his heat map. Until we consider in conjunction with the passing. Here are the big boy stats. It doesn't stop there. Since the start of of the 2017/18 season, it’s happened in 51 different games across Europe’s Big Five Leagues; Mike Penders is the only goalkeeper under the age of 24 on that list. The only goalkeepers to feature on it for 3+ games are: Alisson Becker, Ederson Moraes, Manuel Riemann, and the name you were waiting to see: Manuel Neuer. Neuer is the only goalkeeper to record this statline in more than three different games. He has NINE (!!!) on record. It looks like we have discovered the quintessential statline for the Sweeper Keeper, endorsed by the original himself. Of course I had to take a look at what these Neuer heat maps looked liked… Let’s see how many Penders can rack up in his career.

Even if the team is picked from above him, most of the XI is auto at this point. Sanchez, James, Cucu, two CB's, Caicedo, Enzo, Neto, Pedro (and Palmer once he's fit). All this talk about picking/dropping players, more like we lack the quality in the squad. If Fofana/Badi/Lavia weren't walking injuries, we would actually have decent squad depth.

Gotta love it. Can't wait them join the discussion wheter we should fire Ancelotti and keep Deco.

Why are you replying to a 15+ year old post with your first ever post on the board?

Meanwhile...

I have said it before on here countless times, the team is somewhat picked from above him, because I don't care what anyone says and you cannot be that thick to keep picking and dropping certain players, I also think Maresca has no say what so ever on transfers

After a painful Chelsea defeat to Sunderland where the Blues’ attack failed to fire, Enzo Maresca will be…View the full article

You think the owners have nothing to do with this? If i had to bet my bottom dollar on it, I would guess these owners tell Maresca to keep all the players in the spot light si that they hold their value for future sale purposes. I know there’s a mob in here who would think that to be ridiculous but it would not surprise me in the slightest. Who’s going to buy players who aren’t playing?? And we have soo many of them. You think they will just let all these players fade into pennies?

John Terry is right, and it’s not the first time he’s said this. We’ve also heard it from…View the full article

Go easy on the lad. I like a cream cake too, it's Halloween. Scratch cards, horses & footie this weekend, hopefully still have change from a tenner. Haha.

Marseca has confirmed Delap is available for this game but will have to be managed effectively

And yet if he screws up giving a goal you will be the first one cursing him like you do other players. No thanks he is doing right by me, keep it like that.

Whoever they replace him with if the last few appointments are anything to go by wont be amazing...or long term.

Diego Moreira is definetly one to watch. Big surprise what a player here seems to becoming. Bit like Matic, someone you never expected to be considered rebuying. I feel Hato is not and never going to be a real alternative/competition for Cucurella. He is moving much more like an CB, not an LB. Gusto is worse than James but still can cover his duties, Hato is completely different kind of player, couldn't offer anything when attacking. Andrey Santos I can see someone we will cash out if Maresca stays. He would be great in 4-3-3, but in current system he doesn't really fit as no6 nor no10.

The discussion was about Maresca's responsibility. He clearly and openly wanted new CB after Levi injured.

To be honest the last one wouldn't be so bad.

Klopp becoming our manager is about as realistic as me becoming the next James Bond 😂 Could throw £50m a year at Klopp and he would knock it back 10000%. Wait and see, if there is any movement in the summer with Maresca, this mob will turn to the likes of Marco Silva, Brendan Rodgers or Andori Iraola.

Without Gusto, we have no backup at RB and Santos is supposed to be the squad midfielder (with Lavia's injury issues). I could see Santos being sold next summer though (if the fee offered is high enough)

To be honest, its like a never ending cycle Fofana and Badi get fit to play ---> They play like 2 games ---> The manager tells the press that they got injured ----> They go missing for the next 3+ months ----> No one wants to buy them because they are injury prone ----> They get fit again

You mentioned the main CBs Fofana and Badiashile being injured, but whose fault is that? These guys have been on the treatment table for years, but the club has decided to do nothing about in several windows.

Exactly!!! The whole articles about Arsenal beating our record can piss off but look who they've played!! Then look who we've played..its worrying. We shouldn't still be making stupid mistakes! We used to be so solid and everyone knew what they were doing now its just hope for the best

The biggest and major problem I have with this fella is the fucking team sheet roulette we see every game, it's like guess the line up every single game. I know and understand that rotation needs to happen, but not to the point of dropping to the bench our second biggest flair player in Estavao and using phrases like 'he's a young boy and needs to be protected' absolute bollocks, he's proven already he can do it, but it's bench every other game, 20 minute cameos and yet he comes on and offers more than the likes of Neto and Garnacho each week, take the fucking shackles off him you gutless bastard. And by the his subs are laughable, not to mention the starting 11's he picks

I think it's unfair to summarise our contribution as just that, we were always in the game and I never really felt that you were massively on top. We were also without arguably our best midfielder and defender, we've got a decent team and a great manager.

🔵Diego Moreira to @telefoot_TF1: “We all hope to end up at Chelsea” 🟢According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus has identified Chelsea’s Malo Gusto as an option for the January transfer window. 🔴Manchester United and Juventus are both interested in Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos. {Tutto Juve} 🟣Chelsea are reportedly among the clubs interested in signing AZ Alkmaar wonderkid Kees Smit in 2026. (@FrazFletcher) 🟡According to @MatteMoretto, Enzo Maresca is being followed by Juventus. He's considered an option for the Italian Club. ⚫️Chelsea continue to look for an experienced goalkeeper. They are considering two major options: a loan for Marc-André ter Stegen, who is lacking playing time at FC Barcelona, but they are also considering Mike Maignan for next summer. (@sachatavolieri)