What can Arsenal learn from the Red Sox?

by .

Enjoy the monthly column from Jonathan. Make sure to follow him @jblauphoto 

It’s Monday, January 28th, (as I write this,) and Arsenal are the 6th best football club in England.

(I don’t want to hear that we’re still ahead of United on goal different. Shut your mouth.)

It’s a cold, sunny Monday here in the Rocky Mountains, and I’m trying to synopsize the last month for you, since I wrote my “what the fuck is Emery thinking?” column at the end of the year.

At this point, 8 months into his reign, I’d say that the jury is still out on Unai Emery, but doubts are beginning to creep into the global fan base.

(Will he ever stick with one line-up? Or formation? Does he have a grand plan?)

Personally, I was pretty surprised he didn’t run out the same lineup for the United FA Cup match that crushed Chelsea earlier in the week.

Surely, outside of changing the goal-keeper, I thought he would have to play the same team, given how well they handled Chelsea.

Three DM’s supporting 2 (finally) capable CBs, with Ramsey feeding Lacazette and Aubameyang.

I was sure he’d go back to the well.

But, of course, I was wrong.

You can understand why he put Iwobi into the team ahead of Guendouzi, and it’s not like it was a crazy idea. It’s just that almost anyone else would have said, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

But not Unai Emery, who seemingly loves to chop and change more than my 6 year old daughter playing with her squishies and Shopkins. (Don’t ask.)

Lots of media coverage has focused on Emery the tactical coach, or lately, Emery the failed motivator. On and on, we focus on his rebuild or his vision.

But during the last month, lots of ink was also spilled about the departure of Sven Mislintat, and the nasty power struggle that ended with his shanking out back behind the basketball court.

Surely, to the outside observer, it looks like Arsenal are in turmoil, as there is no firm system in place to replace the “Arsene decides” battle plan that was wheat-pasted up in the board room for the last 22 years.

The truth of the matter is, if you want to understand where we stand in the Premier League right now, you have to look to the Boston Red Sox.

Really, the Red Sox have all the answers.

I’ve noticed lately that Pete has begun to make comparisons to the American sports leagues, but normally he’s cutting and pasting from other articles.

I can tell you right off the top of my head what you need to know.

For a hundred years, the Red Sox were laughing stocks. They were a joke, as they suffered under the curse of Babe Ruth. Having sold the famed ballplayer to the Yankees, their rival, they watched the Yanks win all sorts of things, while their trophy cabinet collected dust like my daughter collects little plastic toys. (She’s got enough to choke a blue whale.)

Always, the Sox were chokers.

They couldn’t win.

But then, a hedge-fund type with partners rolling in Cosby-show-money bought the team, and they became very early adopters of the now-ubiquitous use of analytics.

Yes, that’s right.

Numbers.

Around the time Billy Beane was getting famous for Moneyball, the Sox ownership group, (Henry, Werner et al) went out and hired the man who invented the field, Bill James.

Apparently, he was the numbers geek of all geeks, as he sent out his own photocopied zine that made waves around the sports industry, back in the day.

They hired Bill James, and all of a sudden, began coveting players who drew walks, and got on base a lot. They went after fat guys, (like Kevin Youkilis,) and at first, there was little competition for the players they wanted.

And unlike the Oakland A’s, whose penny-pinching drove them to look for undervalued assets, the Red Sox were a big market team in a sports-crazed city, and they matched their numbers-crunching with some serious investments.

You might not have heard of Big Papi, or Jonny Damon, but the Red Sox players of the early century became Boston legends when they came from 3-0 down in the American League Championship, against the dreaded Yankees, and beat them, going on to win their first World Series in nearly a century.

But that wasn’t the end.

Continuing to invest and innovate, and leaning on their back-room nerds, the Red Sox have now won 3 more World Series.

(Making 4 championships this century for a club that went forever without winning.)

Even better, another of their hero-number-crunchers, Theo Epstein, went to the Chicago Cubs, an equally big loser, and after installing the same operating system, he won a World Series there as well.

So that’s 5 Championships for the analytics team put together by the (gulp) Liverpool owners.

It’s been enough years that I don’t remember when I saw it, but at some point after they bought Liverpool, I read an article about how the owners were investing in football analytics, and expected to be ahead of the curve, as the “right” numbers were not completely understood at the management level across global football.

So here we are, in 2019, and it’s all worked out for them.

Klopp is great, don’t get me wrong, but really, their success has come from finding the right players, mostly for affordable prices, and then making good decisions.

Yes, Van Dijk and Alison were super-expensive, but only because Liverpool got to the point where they were minting enough high-level assets to afford them.

Just think: Mané, Salah, Firmino, Coutinho, Winjaldum… Arsenal could have bought any of them.

(Mané was playing in the Premier League, for heaven’s sake, and had already roasted Arsenal at Southampton.)

But Arsenal, perhaps using the wrong type of analytic analysis, bought Xhaka, Mustafi, and some old guys.

And here we are, in 2019, with a team in need of a massive defensive rebuild, and seemingly requiring player sales of improved assets of fuel the new purchases.

Because unlike the Liverpool ownership group, Stan Kroenke is famous for not wanting to put one of his own dollars into running the club.

So where does that leave us?

Most of you guys probably read this blog each day, and know that Pete has taken on this subject rather often, whether we’ll be a development/analytics club going forward, or a “let me pull out my Rolodex” kind of club, with Raul running the show.

At this point, unlike the last few years, the Kroenkes are finally experiencing genuine success in LA and Denver. (The Washington Post even did a cover story on Stan’s big stadium play in Inglewood.)

The mustache-dude is not averse to spending money in all cases, apparently. And now, he’s getting some serious visuals on how brand-building and winning turn into hard currency.

So that’s where we are now.

I’m hoping that Arsenal will see the writing on the wall, invest in scouting and asset building, and buckle down to work our way back up into the Top 4, and then hopefully into genuine contention by the time Klopp and Pep leave in 2-4 seasons.

There is a blue print out there for us, if we follow it.

Unfortunately, given the resurgence of Man U, and the unlimited funds available at City, plus Abramovich’s addiction to winning, the future does not look rosy.

Not yet.

Not now, at the end of January, 2019.

But, as usual, we’ll know more in May.

Remember, follow him @jblauphoto 

524 Comments
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Danny

Nketiah going out on loan? So if Laca or Auba get injured, then what happens? Find this hard to believe.

salpardisenyc

Karim,

Fucking hell, what a mess this Ozil business is.
PSG likely only escape.

Charlie George

sf

surely if anyone can be accused of enthocentric behaviour it is Unai Emery?

(Spanish coaches, now Spanish players.)

He clearly does not want British players at Arsenal. His mind is made up!

Marc

CG

Don’t be a cunt.

azed

“CG
Don’t be a cunt.”

Tough ask Marc……

You are basically saying be anybody but yourself..

MGooner

Our defence is in a mess and we do nothing to address it…

In a rebuilding phase like this, we should be investing properly.

G8

CG, look what happened to all our youth prospects we loaned to championship clubs all those years? Where are they now hey?
Plus, if a player decided not to come back to the arsenal then good riddance..sell to the highest bidder..
Your way of thinking is strange and OTT !

Leftsidesanch

Arsenal’s attempts to sign Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan or fellow-winger Yannick Carrasco of Dalian Yifang look to be over but they are still working on Paris-St German midfielder Christopher Nkunku after sealing Denis Suarez deal. – Ornstein

Chris

Ignore ignore ignore ignore.

Ignore CG!

MGooner

@ CG

I see no harm in you speaking your mind.

It is not a sin to want British players to play for your club, it is in fact natural. Most people in most countries are nationalists now, it should not be a taboo.

Un na naai

Mgooner

Too right it shouldn’t. The rabid conformists thought they’d assumed control. Can’t tolerate anyone who doesn’t conform to their indoctrinated ideologies.
I pity them. They don’t know any better.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Danny
FFS

Keep eddie here ..

Charlie George

G8 Don’ t be surprised if Rowe Smith does well- we don’t ever see him in a red and white shirt again! If he is good enough to play for Leipzig in the competitive Bundesliga – surely he can play in the Europa League and some prem games? After all he has scored and played well already in this tournament…. i find – it totally baffling – we are buying 2 La Liga cast offs (Suarez/Carasco) and adding to our Spanish contingent and at the same time our best British young prospects are being eased out of the door…. I… Read more »

G8

CG views are not about British players vs foreign ones, otherwise he wouldn’t be praising the great Klopp and uncle Mugabe..
he just doesn’t like them Spanish amigos..i bet he is cancelling his Majorca summer holidays in protest.
Alanbastard mp was funny though

bunga party

Give another contract to Jenkinson. British quota and fan quota both fulfilled.

Redtruth

6/5 ratio unproven Brits in the team….you’re having a laugh….

Redtruth

6/5 ratio unproven Brits in the team….you’re having a laugh………

Charlie George

M gooner

“”It is not a sin to want British players to play for your club,””

It sure is not- that aside- I honestly feel it increases your chances of being consistently successful

eg Liverpool/leeds/forest/Arsenal /chelsea teams have proved over the years.

Charlie George

And off course Fergies Man Utd teams

Charlie George

G8

overseas quality (Klopp/Wenger etc) all day long,
overseas mediocrity (Emery/raul/suarez) no thanks.

G8

Meanwhile all England club tiny totts one down at home

Chris

…….sigh……… fake Charlie George There is nothing OTT about having 5/6 British or even London lads in the team. Nobody is going to battle you on that one. Nor should they, if those players are of the requisite standard needed for Arsenal to realise their aims. That is, unfortunately, likely to prove difficult. What is OTT is your hysterical ramblings and thinly veiled and snide comments about other nationalities. You can refer to Emery/Raul etc as incompetent, or whatever you may think of them, but you incessantly do this with digs at their culture or even with reference to their… Read more »

Receding Hairline

Our offer for Carrasco was deemed unacceptable

We spent the winter window unsettling players and pissing off clubs

I kinda like Raul

bunga party

1-1
Liesta

Charlie George

harry maguire and wilfred Zaha both scored tonight.

two Brits i want at The Arsenal

bunga party

Leicester may lose today, but can’t believe they can play toe-to-toe with pool, but Arsenal……

Marc

It’s difficult to argue with Charlie George about the quality of English players after all just look at the list of World Cup and Euro wins they’ve achieved.

bennydevito

CG, Seriously give it a rest ffs! We’re not BUYING anyone we’re LOANING. Our youngsters aren’t quite ready yet and they’re not being eased out – they’re being sent away to a more technical league to gain better experience and to get physically aclimatised. If they prove a success then we get them back and save a fortune in the transfer market and I’d imagine we won’t be signing Suarez permanently either considering he’s just extended his contract, unless of course he has a great second half season with us then we might sign him. It’s win win all round… Read more »

Marc

Zaha = show pony don’t want him anywhere near Arsenal.

Receding Hairline

Bunga it’s a mentality thing…it amazes me too. Its baggage from our past carried info our present

Marc

Benny

Don’t be stupid we should send Smith Rowe to the Championship where he can have the ever loving shit kicked out of him on a weekly basis. If we were really lucky he’d get a career ending leg break that’ll prove he was never man enough for us in the first place.

Chris

Top four race well and truly on!

bennydevito

Chris,

Well said, CG has got very obvious issues.

Uwot?

Bournemouth btng chavs,spuds losing at home & dippers at home drawing with Leicester so far so good lol!

bunga party

I will take a show pony to a donkey any day.
🙂

G8

CG, Sure most gooners wanted zaha and Maguire..except your so called quality wenger..you should ask him why arsene why you bought mustafi and xhaka instead?

Chris

Benny

I’m pretty sure we agreed not to bite anymore regarding fake Charlie George.

We are weak! Must be that millennial sickness eh

Marc

bunga

Depends on the cost of the show pony to the donkey. Zaha would cost a silly amount and you could get twice the player for less overseas.

Sancho Monzorla

Come on Bournemouth. Let’s go Watford.

Samesong

Here’s my troll for today, Pierre going to go crazy Ozil has 501 created chances in the Premier league an all time record.

bennydevito

We should put in a £40m bid for Maguire in the summer and test Newcastle with A £20m bid for Lascelles especially if they go down.

Coady and Neves of Wolves too.

Leeds right winger.

Receding Hairline

Bournemouth go 2 up

All Chelsea needed was Higuain I was told

Guns of SF

so far so good for our team. hope the results stand now

bennydevito

Chris, my bad, but it’s almost impossible to not challenge such flagrant infuriating bullshit.

Charlie George

Eddie Howe in addition with this Brooks lad will be perfect solution for Arsenal 2020 ills.

Leftsidesanch

Same old song every flipping day. Change the record man.

Charlie George

Bd

Love that Laceslles fella.
(Well flagged up….)

Danny

Some Spurs player with the miss of the season there!

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Ah well

Un na naai

Benny

Why because he believes in his fellow countrymen?
Because he doesn’t march for Syrians?
Because he would prefer a few Englishmen at his English club?

Makes perfect sense to me
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

G8

Liecster really testing the dippers there..
Excepect a big dive penalty from salah soon!

Marko

Don’t want to jinx it but Spurs and Chelsea losing could be a great night for us

bennydevito

CG,

Yes, watched him against Utd and he is a brute! Beasted Pogba and Lukaku and was equally impressive against City. Deceptively quick, reads the play, great tackling and interception play and is a serious brick shit house. Exactly what we need at the back imo and him and Maguire could be our centre back pairing for a decade, our next Adams and Bould, Campbell and Keown.

Would love to sign those two.

Un na naai

Benny

I’ll post the dates in advance for the wright thing. Lovely hotel nearby too. If you’re staying in London the night.

Marko

Bournemouth 3 up

azed

Benny

I believe Leicester turned down a 65M bid for Maguire this past summer. To sign him, we would have to spend 2/3 of our summer budget on him which isn’t feasible.

Danny

Bournemouth go 2 up
All Chelsea needed was Higuain I was told
————————-
Try 3 up!

Thomas

bunga partyJanuary 30, 2019 20:51:39
Leicester may lose today, but can’t believe they can play toe-to-toe with pool, but Arsenal……

___

Because of a shocking manager.

Charlie George

Bd
This Brooks lad ( Bournemouth)
Now he is a player
Poetry in motion..that left foot.

Kiril Hristov

So now by your logic is Emery a better coach than Sarri and Pochetino? Both clubs are losing(chelsea even harder) to not a top 6 clubs??

G8

Who needs Maguire, we have Holding
He is English you know..

Leedsgunner

I hope this Suarez character is worth all the effort that it took to get him. Basically took the entire window to get the deal done. I read on the BBC that we have an option to buy if we want… I hope that is at a mutually agreed price and not one dictated by Barca. I’m not fussed really. Sounds like a squad player to me, and we have plenty of those. What we needed were young proven defenders. Plus why are we sending ESR and Nketiah out on loan? Aren’t we going to need them for the Euroipa… Read more »

Leedsgunner

*Europa

Danny

Come on Bournemouth, 2 more and we’ll go 4th!

Leftsidesanch

Chelsea being taken to the cleaners here

bunga party

Noguine?

Receding Hairline

Yep its all over at Bournemouth…a trashing really

Milan shipped off the fat boy for a striker who scored two lovely goals last night against Napoli

They have a kid Bayern want for 35m but he can’t get into the matchday squad

Kiril Hristov

Pep lost a match poch is losing, sarri losing hard and chelski are playing the most boring football i have ever seen and that is with players like Hazard, Willian, Higuan the glorious coaches….

Receding Hairline

No Leeds ..what their loan moves mean is we are taking the Europa league serious from now on and we are out of all the cups. Those two kids need to play, Arsenal fans need to stop panicking over nothing

bunga party

And GirouD

Batistuta

Imagine thinking Higuain was going to be the answer to Chelsea’s goal scoring problems Pedro…. Really some of you all need to watch a bit more European footy…..Piatek already doing the business for Milan

salpardisenyc

We need Liverpool loosing, can’t have them in on title my ego cant take it.

Imagine us finally doing City thus gifting Liverpool clear vision to title, i’ll dissolve into nothingness.

Marc

Didn’t Sarri make a comment earlier about Hazard can go if he wants. Way to motivate the lads there!

Kiril Hristov

Next time when Arsenal lose dont jump on Emery right away. Much better squads are losing too in this hard competition

Bergkamp63

One more Bournemouth goal and we are 4th !

Batistuta

Always the niggling feeling Sarri was over rated especially on here, there’s a reason even with Sarri ball he’s never won a trophy ever

Charlie George

All those foreign coaches , have never really comes to terms with our uniquely difficult league.

(What a manger Eddie Howe is.)

Kiril Hristov

@batistuta .. yeap, they are playing the most boring football I have seen. But the fact that they are losing, can’t stop watching

Marc

Cunt

Receding Hairline

To think many on here wanted to lynch the manager because a fired up Cardiff side gave us a game last night

Kiril Hristov

@RH exactly my point

Marc

“What a manger Eddie Howe is”

Well he’ll probably be at the Spud’s next season so you can fuck off and support him and their English players.

Batistuta

Kiril

A bit like Emery, he’s not got the players he needs for the kind of football he wants to play but even at that, he can barely win a trophy to save his life

Receding Hairline

Divan Zapata is having the season of his dreams.. Two more goals today against Juventus, by the way Juve have as much chance of winning the Champions league as we do if they keep playing like they have lately

azed

The Emery out crew isn’t going to like todays result.

Pedro what’s up with unbland Sarri and Pochettino?

Danny

Fuckin’ Spurs equalized

gambon

Bergkamp

Or if we hadn’t conceded that ridiculous 93rd minute goal last night we’d be 4th.

Receding Hairline

*Duvan …hate these phones

Cesc Appeal

Special sauce Sarri, the sauce must have gone off

Marc

Fuck sake

Receding Hairline

Gambon it was actually a neat finish from the Cardiff lad in all fairness

azed

Even the almighty Allegri is loosing with CR7 and Paulo Dybala in the team.

Batistuta

Arsenal 4th

azed

Those fucking spuds equalize.

Danny

we’d be 4th.
——————
Aren’t we now?

Little Mozart

We are fourth!

Chris

4-0 Bournemouth!

Bamford10

Dale

“Bamford, you’re dumb….end of.”

What is this comment even in reference to? Your dumb fucking claims re Iwobi criticism and racism yesterday? Please explain.

Marc

Bloody hell didn’t think we’d see that today.

Leftsidesanch

Ffs fuck off Son