That made me chuckle. Andy Gray said something similar the other day (not about Makoun). He was saying how stats can be made into what you want them to be, he was saying how people rave about Barcelona making 2 or 3 hundred passes a game, but how many of them are accross the back 4 being as they never take a long goal kick? Maybe half?
93 successful passes against Man Utd wasnt it for Makoun? How many of them were leading to creating chances? None of them! And after that game people were saying he would be playing for Chelsea or such like by next season!
Yeah but football is a game of pass and move. If you're passing it and moving into space but no one else is doing the same for you, you're hardly going to be playing defense splitting passes are you?
I mean, players who can do the simple thing and pass it nice a tidy are great when you have other players who can do the same, if there's enough movement there then gaps and chances will open up. Which is the point about Barcelonas 300 passes or whatever, the fact is they're patient and willing to move about and not just give it away.
Back on Makoun, one of the things which Villa seriously lack (and i mean seriously!!!) is movement. Even when we get a throw-in, everyone is so static and still. Makoun didnt play the best in some games I;ll happily admit that, but I don't think the players he had around him helped much either.
Football is so simple, pass and move, keep the ball, wait for an opening, be patient. Yet, we get Alex Hoofer McLeish as manager constantly giving the opposition the ball back. That almost "traditionally English" brand of football is dead now IMO...
Fair point mate.
Im just saying that stats dont always paint a fair reflection of what happens in a game. Barcelona was probably a bad example to use.