Can Stats be used in misleading ways?

No matter what you want to prove there are stats for that. Do you want to show that Cristiano Ronaldo is not a team player? He has only three assists this season which averages 0.14 per every ninety minutes played. Want to prove Lionel Messi is in decline? His goals per every ninety minutes are down from 1.19 last season to 0.90 this season. Easy right!?!

The only problem is are those two statements really accurate? The stats are, without a doubt. But is Cristiano not a team player!?! Per ninety minutes his goal and/or assist ratio is 1.11 while his goals per ninety minutes played is 0.97, up from 0.70 from last year. And let’s face it, nothing is more important to a team than goals.

Then there’s Messi. He’s played fewer minutes this season than he has since the 2005-06 season when he was just breaking into the Barcelona first team. Partially because of the stoppage of sports worldwide and partially due to injuries. Yet his assists ratio per every ninety minutes played comes in at 0.57, the highest it’s been since the 2010-11 season. Could it be possible his game is just changing as most players do as they get older?

This is why when I read Curtis Woodhouse tweet about Ryan Giggs I took it with a grain of salt.

https://twitter.com/curtiswoodhous8/status/1264127259805433857?s=21

I’m not a Giggs fan in any sense of the word but given what he has achieved during his career it seemed a bit far fetched. Curtis backed it up though by saying:

https://twitter.com/curtiswoodhous8/status/1265346692414652416?s=21

And he’s right. According to FBref.com (a footballing stats site), Giggs had three goals and three assists in the Premier League during the 1998-99 season when Manchester United did the unimaginable treble. Not exactly world-class stats. What’s not mentioned however is Giggs played 24 games in the Premier League that season, accruing just 1722 minutes, one of the lowest totals in his 23-year career. Why was that? Injuries maybe? The player did claim to the Daily Mail in 2019 that he almost retired at 27 due to constant injuries.

Woodhouse also claims:

https://twitter.com/curtiswoodhous8/status/1265348102774497281?s=21

And again he’s not wrong. However, he also fails to mention the 2001-02 season when Giggs’ Premier League goals and/or assist ratio was 1.07 per 90 minutes played when David Beckham’s was 0.77, Steven Gerrard’s was 0.42 and Frank Lampard’s was 0.26. As a side note, none of those three players ever beat that ratio in a single season with Frank Lampard coming closest with 1.01 in the 2009-10 season.

As Curtis said on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/curtiswoodhous8/status/1265377807095513090?s=21

Yet he seems to be basing Giggs on stats for one season. Either way, with thirteen Premier League, two Champions League, and four FA Cup winners medals I’m not sure Giggs gives two hoots what myself or Curtis think of him. Also, Curtis if you read this, can you confirm the Andre Boucaud you speak so highly of is the same player Luton bought from York cause I’m starting to have doubts. I’m thinking we were conned. Maybe got his less skillful twin brother!?!

Borussia Dortmund Bailout

Lastly, I want to say despite disagreeing with Curtis’ thoughts on Giggs I also respect his right to an opinion and if you are one of the numbers of people who tweeted racist abuse at him because of an opinion you are the lowest of the low, scum, and should be locked up with the key thrown away.

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