Statistics to value players

[dhickl 0]

Here is a slightly different take on valuing a player - with a hint of influence from football manager.

Websites like whoscored.com and opta do stats for players.  They come up with a score based upon their influence in the game.

What if you were to compare a player with others of a similar score who have transferred recently...

For example, Snodgrass was our best player statistically.  The papers/agent stated a figure of £5m.

So...

Snodgrass is 25, and scored 7.22 on whoscored.com
Dembélé is 26 and scored 7.2, last year at 25 he transferred for roughly £15m
Juan Mata is 25, scored 7.24 and transferred for £23.5m
Bryan Ruiz is 28, scored 7.23 and transferred for £10.6m

I know there are a number of other variables - the age of the player, level that they are playing at and length of contract - but it puts a bit more science into the valuation of a player than when someone says ''he is worth at least £12m''

[Rolf Harris 31]

The price you pay for a player doesn''t represent how good he is all the time.

[Gingerpele 0]

While this offer some substance to valuation, it''s not perfect by any means.

Mata is more than a class above Snoddy, and the rest of the list to be honest, but gets a similar score. But you wouldn''t sell Mata for the same price as Snodgrass, even though based on what ever stats they had similarly effective seasons.

If Snodgrass moved to Chelsea, and Mata to us, Snoddys score would go down and Mata up. Because Mata would be best player in our team, and Snod average at best in their side.