The CraqueStats Podcast

Also, if you would like more of these solo Q&A podcasts from Stephen during the season, please let him know on Twitter (@babuyagu). Of course, any and all feedback on the episode or podcast in general is welcome too. 

The tenth episode of the CraqueStats podcast sees Seb return for a lengthy chat on all things Liverpool & defending. We have talked in the past about building a 'Level 3' team and now we look at the foundations for getting that right - a reliable defence. Which, in turn, needs reliable players. 

• van Dijk, Matip, Gomez - Is Konate a bit of all 3?
• Matip underrated? overshadowed by Virg, looks ungainly on the ball?
• Arrigo Sacchi & vertical compactness
• Horizontal compactness - Is it more important than leaving players in space far side of the pitch?
• Why is there space behind Trent? Why is he better at RB than CM
• Differences with Klopp's Liverpool & Guardiola's City
• 433 vs 4231 - Why did Klopp make the shift after Sevilla Europa Final?
• Press resistance & Liverpool's midfield
• Offsides this season - teams that never get caught offside against us are offside almost every attack. Burnley, Watford, etc
• How LFC defence breaks a press. VVD passing. Matip & Konate carrying
• Keita v Atletico - what went wrong? Was the problem over-stated?
• Plus Seb rants about the new offside rules and refereeing bias for Room 101

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: Sebastian Crankshaw (aka HesBigHesRed on RAWK) (https://twitter.com/hesbighesred)

Head over to @CraqueStats on Twitter to vote on whether 'media false narratives' need banishing into Football's Room 101 and also to give us feedback on the episode. Also please follow us there to be notified when future episodes and articles are available.  If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

*Note, this podcast was recorded in mid-October shortly after facing Atletico in Madrid. Therefore, references to recent games refer to that game and those prior to it. I have some hardware issues at home making the turnaround time for podcasts at the moment a lengthy one. I have new equipment on order from the UK which is going to take several more weeks to arrive from Brasil! I'll keep you guys posted.*

Voice-over for Intros & Outros: Carolina Guimarães
Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 9 of the CraqueStats podcast. Today we discuss:-

• The Saudi takeover of NUFC
• The impact of previous sportswashing takeovers on the sport, it's governing bodies and UK politics
• Their impact on the competitiveness of football
• What it means for Liverpool Football Club

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: Phoebus Lazaridis (https://twitter.com/P_Lazaridis)

Head over to @CraqueStats on Twitter to vote on whether 'media false narratives' need banishing into Football's Room 101 and also to give us feedback on the episode. Also please follow us there to be notified when future episodes and articles are available.  If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Voice-over for Intros & Outros: Carolina Guimarães
Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 8 of the CraqueStats podcast. Today we discuss:-

• Negative Support - denigrating your own club & players for clout
• Trent Alexander-Arnold & the "can't defend" myth
• Mari nominates players not celebrating goals against former clubs for Room 101

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: Mari Lewis (https://twitter.com/MariCLewis)

Head over to @CraqueStats on Twitter to vote on whether Players Refusing to Celebrate needs banishing into Football's Room 101 and also to give us feedback on the episode. Also please follow us there to be notified when future episodes and articles are available.  If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Voice-over for Intros & Outros: Carolina Guimarães
Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

We welcome back Professor Hearn from episode three of the CraqueStats podcast to discuss Biomechanics & AT further:-

• The difference between natural and habitual
• Thiago's perfect body balance
• Active Rest
• Understanding Spirals
• 'Getting into a monkey' 
• and much more

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: Professor Noel Cano Hearn from the University of California, Los Angeles/UCLA (https://twitter.com/gingeriffic_knh)

Head over to @CraqueStats on Twitter to give us feedback on the episode. Also please follow us there to be notified when future episodes and articles are available. If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The sixth episode of the CraqueStats podcast is a bit special as it is more 'craic' than 'craque' analysis. We recorded this as a bonus episode to celebrate Stephen reaching 20k followers on Twitter and while there is a solid hour of quality analysis, they descend into madness for the final 30 minutes or so when discussing punditry in Football's Room 101. 

We are also trying something new today with timestamps so you can easily skip the silly part, or listen ONLY to the serious part if talk of an AI with yoghurt for a brain controlling Gary Linekar's Twitter feed is your kind of thing. Those timestamps are:-

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:02 Stephen insults Seb rather than welcome him back
• 04:45 Can Liverpool replace Michael Edwards
• 28:00 Arsenal's Ownership, Structure & Recruitment
• 41:15 Arteta as a 'Level 3' coach?
• 1h05:13 Room 101 & Seb rants about Linekar, Shearer, etc 

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: Sebastian Crankshaw (aka HesBigHesRed on RAWK) (https://twitter.com/hesbighesred)

Follow us at @CraqueStats to be notified when future episodes and articles are available. If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The fifth episode of the CraqueStats podcast. Today we discuss working at a Professional club including:-

• Player recruitment
• Opposition Analysis
• How to turn a data hobby on twitter into a profession
• Why watching Arsenal is 'Pain'
• Being twitter's expert on Belgian football
• Plus, Doc wants to put 'Big Sam' into Football's Room 101
• and much, much more

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: Part-time data analyst for KV Kortrijk & Part-time scout for a Belgian Football Agency. (https://twitter.com/DrMukherjeeS)

Head over to @CraqueStats on Twitter to vote on whether Big Sam Allardyce needs banishing into Football's Room 101 as a relic of the past and also to give us feedback on the episode. Also please follow us there to be notified when future episodes and articles are available.  If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Voice-over for Intros & Outros: Carolina Guimarães
Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The fourth episode of the CraqueStats podcast. Today we discuss all things Goalkeeping including:-

• 1v1 Analysis
• Quality and depth of data on goalkeeping events from providers
• Finding safety and danger with parried shots
• Shot prevention vs Shot Stopping
• John Achterburg - how he improves Liverpool's keepers
• Plus, John wants to put 'the shot was right at him' into Football's Room 101
• and much, much more

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: University of Cambridge Astronomy PhD graduate. Freelance GK analyst specialising in statistical analysis (https://twitter.com/Jhdharrison1)

Head over to @CraqueStats on Twitter to vote on whether pundits declaring that "the shot was right at him" belongs in Football's Room 101 and also to give us feedback on the episode. Also please follow us there to be notified when future episodes and articles are available.

If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antiguaLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Voice-over for Intros & Outros: Carolina Guimarães

The third episode of the CraqueStats podcast. Today we discuss all things Biomechanics including:-

• The Alexander Technique
• Injury prevention
• The impact of gaming on sporting performance
• Playing with injuries
• "Stealing" Good Practices from other sports
• How this matters to us all, not just athletes
• Plus, we introduce a new feature - Football's Room 101
• and much more

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu) Guest Host: Professor Noel Cano Hearn from the University of California, Los Angeles/UCLA (https://twitter.com/gingeriffic_knh)

Head over to @CraqueStats on twitter to vote on whether use of the word 'ladies' belongs in football and also to give us feedback on the episode. Also please follow us there to be notified when future episodes and articles are available. If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antiguaLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The second episode of the CraqueStats podcast. Today we discuss all things Rafa Benitez including:-

• The reaction of #EVE fans
• How will he do there?
• What would success look like?
• The reaction of #LIV fans
• His time at Liverpool?
• Why fans at Liverpool and Newcastle still love him
• and much more

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu) Guest Host: Sebastian Crankshaw (aka HesBigHesRed on RAWK) (https://twitter.com/hesbighesred)

Follow us at @CraqueStats to be notified when future episodes and articles are available. If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here.

Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antiguaLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The inaugural episode of the CraqueStats podcast. Today we discuss all things Georginio Wijnaldum including:-

• Being abused on social media / feeling unloved by his own fans
• The victim of rigid contract planning from the club
• What does this mean for Hendo, Salah, Mané, VVD, etc?
• What will the next evolution of the LFC midfield look like without him?
• Who might be signed to replace Gini
  and much more

Host: Stephen Drennan (https://twitter.com/babuyagu)
Guest Host: Mari Lewis (https://twitter.com/MariCLewis)

Follow us at @CraqueStats to be notified when future episodes and articles are available. If you would like to support the podcast and help contribute to covering our costs, you can do so with our Patreon here. 

Intro & Outro Music: Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license