What do the stats say?

[Graz]

He has conceded 11 goals from an xGC of 8.7 (minus 2.3 xG prevented) (3rd worst).

This is the stat I've been waiting to see on Danny Ward, as it sums up what I've been trying to say about him since Kasper left.

Admittedly more are now coming round to the blatantly obvious fact he's not good enough.

While we're still seeing lots of comments though about how "there's not much he could've done about that one though", this stat illustrates exactly the point - that he simply doesn't make enough "good" saves.

There's some obvious errors, but the bigger difference is with shots like Brighton's last one yesterday; it doesn't look like an obvious goalkeeping error, but Kasper would save FAR more of those types of shots.

If you compare what I'll call the GC:xGC ratio, Ward's will be far worse than Schmeichel's because Schmeichel is a great shot stopper still, Ward isn't.

 

[Brown Nose]

He’s completely out of his depth.

He is, but that's not his fault.

He has accepted a career as a backup keeper. After all, he's 29. And as a backup keeper, he's perfectly fine.

The issue is that BR has, out of nowhere towards the end of last season, suddenly started referring to him as a number one and has put him in the firing line.

It's obvious that he will cost us goals, points and matches. It's pretty cruel to be him and know that his teammates know all this too. His entire dynamic in the group has been disrupted. And that's not to mention the anxiety from fans that he must feel.

 

[camberwell fox]

He was woeful yesterday. I was one of those who (without the evidence of seeing him before) thought he should be given a bit of time to bed in, well, he hasn't, and he was beyond awful yesterday.

He looked like an U11 keeper, and instilled no confidence in his defenders, I am sure.

I hope to god Iverson is better or we are going to lose quite a few points this season due to our goalkeeper.

 

[tedfoxxx]

He is, but that's not his fault.

He has accepted a career as a backup keeper. After all, he's 29. And as a backup keeper, he's perfectly fine.

The issue is that BR has, out of nowhere towards the end of last season, suddenly started referring to him as a number one and has put him in the firing line.

It's obvious that he will cost us goals, points and matches. It's pretty cruel to be him and know that his teammates know all this too. His entire dynamic in the group has been disrupted. And that's not to mention the anxiety from fans that he must feel.

Spot on, added to which Ward didn’t get a preseason to at least acclimatise a little more.

Even without money to splash on a replacement for Kasper, Rodgers still could have made it clear that Iversen can step up and share the burden.

I find it bizarre that he ever started referring to Ward as a number 1 let alone actually putting all his eggs in that basket. Dropping Ward now would be an admission that he’s wrong though, so we’re stuck with him.

 

[City Fan]

Wasted £12m on the bloke. And Rodgers moans he hasn’t been backed…

 

[Jeff]

Wasted £12m on the bloke. And Rodgers moans he hasn’t been backed…

Puel signed Ward.

 

[City Fan]

Puel signed Ward.

****ing hell he signed that long ago??

 

[Joe_Fox]

Puel signed Ward.

You and your facts.

 

[Graz]

He is, but that's not his fault.

He has accepted a career as a backup keeper. After all, he's 29. And as a backup keeper, he's perfectly fine.

The issue is that BR has, out of nowhere towards the end of last season, suddenly started referring to him as a number one and has put him in the firing line.

It's obvious that he will cost us goals, points and matches. It's pretty cruel to be him and know that his teammates know all this too. His entire dynamic in the group has been disrupted. And that's not to mention the anxiety from fans that he must feel.

I agree with the first 2 paragraphs.

But I don't blame BR for the Ward situation.

For all the criticism recently of Rodgers throwing his players, the club under the bus etc, I think with Ward it's actually good man management and he's been trying to back his player - because I think he knew he was going to be stuck with him as number 1.

Rodgers clearly knew before the summer that Kasper would be going (hence Ward randomly starting that game) and also knew that he wasn't going to have money for signings.

So he's tried to build Ward up to say he can do the job. His recent comments about specific players, not being backed etc help serve a narrative and he's at least got some other options. If he'd said publicly in the summer that Ward isn't good enough to replace Kasper, he'd be destroying his keeper's confidence and it doesn't serve Rodgers to do that.

 

[Brown Nose]

Ward currently has the lowest save percentage in the PL (47%).

He has conceded 11 goals from an xGC of 8.7 (minus 2.3 xG prevented) (3rd worst).

Iversen has to start next match.

Slightly different stat. Best and worst post shot XG (basically XG saved) in the Premier League:

1) Pickford (+3.4)
2) Pope (+2.8)
3) Sanchez (+2.7)

18) Mendy (-1.9)
19) Bazunu (-2.3)
20) Ward (-4.4)

 

[FryattFox]

Slightly different stat. Best and worst post shot XG (basically XG saved) in the Premier League:

1) Pickford (+3.4)
2) Pope (+2.8)
3) Sanchez (+2.7)

18) Mendy (-1.9)
19) Bazunu (-2.3)
20) Ward (-4.4)

I think this is the same stat, but just from different sources (as Opta and others all calculate xG and xGC slightly differently).

Either way, Ward hasn't had a great start. And I'm not sure many of us would back him to turn it around...

 

[Blue Maniac]

Slightly different stat. Best and worst post shot XG (basically XG saved) in the Premier League:

1) Pickford (+3.4)
2) Pope (+2.8)
3) Sanchez (+2.7)

18) Mendy (-1.9)
19) Bazunu (-2.3)
20) Ward (-4.4)

I think this is the same stat, but just from different sources (as Opta and others all calculate xG and xGC slightly differently).

Either way, Ward hasn't had a great start. And I'm not sure many of us would back him to turn it around...

Christ on a jet ski, what even is football now

 

[FOX Franks]

I think we all agree - from stats, or watching games, or exactly what we all knew anyway, is that Ward simply isn’t good enough to be the keeper for a top 10 prem side.

 

[Brown Nose]

I think we all agree - from stats, or watching games, or exactly what we all knew anyway, is that Ward simply isn’t good enough to be the keeper for a top 10 prem side.

Even Danny Ward would probably agree.

There's only Rodgers and pop that rate him now.

 

[homer]

I think we all agree - from stats, or watching games, or exactly what we all knew anyway, is that Ward simply isn’t good enough to be the keeper for a top 10 prem side.

Not overly convinced he’d make the number one slot in any Premier League team, let alone top ten

You don’t need stats to tell you that

 

[bocadillo]

I think we all agree - from stats, or watching games, or exactly what we all knew anyway, is that Ward simply isn’t good enough to be the keeper for a top 10 prem side.

What about for a bottom 10 prem side?

 

[Blue Maniac]

What’s Chris Weale doing these days?

 

[Blue Maniac]

Sorry. Chris Wheel. Forgot we were doing the car thing.

 

[pork pie fox]

Sorry. Chris Wheel. Forgot we were doing the car thing.

Wankia.

 

[Rock Fox]

Sorry. Chris Wheel. Forgot we were doing the car thing.

Car thing? I'm still trying to think of soup puns.

And although nearly all statistics show that we are the worst performing team in the PL so far - I don't believe that they (yet) prove we have the worst team in the division.

“Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results”

COYB !