Dwight McNeil

[AjaxAndy]

Nice! Wonder what stopped him every other year? Probably not worth worrying about.

Why worry about it? He can be great, he can be crap, he can score goals and he can have times when he doesn't. All that matters is he's in good form and helping the team. Pulling up dumb stats that show his goals come from low xg chances is the definition of insanity when we all know his goals come from... wait for it... areas players aren't normally scoring goals (gasp!).

I'm not even sure what the argument you're trying to make is? Is it that scoring bangers regularly isn't sustainable? I doubt anyone thinks it is, literally no one is expecting him to put in 15 top bins curlers from 25 yards this season. He has 3 goals so far though, it's perfectly reasonable to say if he keeps that up we can expect somewhere around 7 over the course of the full season. I mean that's a pretty reasonable expectation given he's almost at 50% of that already.

Just a very weird negative slant on a player who so far has been having a decent season

[brap2]

Why worry about it? He can be great, he can be crap, he can score goals and he can have times when he doesn't. All that matters is he's in good form and helping the team. Pulling up dumb stats that show his goals come from low xg chances is the definition of insanity when we all know his goals come from... wait for it... areas players aren't normally scoring goals (gasp!).

I'm not even sure what the argument you're trying to make is? Is it that scoring bangers regularly isn't sustainable? I doubt anyone thinks it is, literally no one is expecting him to put in 15 top bins curlers from 25 yards this season. He has 3 goals so far though, it's perfectly reasonable to say if he keeps that up we can expect somewhere around 7 over the course of the full season. I mean that's a pretty reasonable expectation given he's almost at 50% of that already.

Just a very weird negative slant on a player who so far has been having a decent season

Why discuss anything?

[AjaxAndy]

Why discuss anything?

I don't understand the point you were making though, saying McNeil scores low xg chances is the equivalent of saying 'footballer kicks ball with foot'.

It's just a very obvious fact because he generally only scores bangers.

[The Doc]

Has never got above 3.5xg in the prem in his career.

Maybe all the 40 yarders will go in!

I dunno, its a strange hill to die on, he's one of our most important players and only cost 15mil if I remember correctly.

And compared to your long lost Iwobi, his stats aren't much different. Iwobi slightly higher for xG, McNeil slightly higher for xA.

And that's with Iwobi at Arsenal, us (when we were a better team) and Fulham, vs McNeil at Burnley and us (while we're shit). Iwobi costing us.. 30mil? 35?

[Toddacelli]

I dunno, its a strange hill to die on, he's one of our most important players and only cost 15mil if I remember correctly.

And compared to your long lost Iwobi, his stats aren't much different. Iwobi slightly higher for xG, McNeil slightly higher for xA.

And that's with Iwobi at Arsenal, us (when we were a better team) and Fulham, vs McNeil at Burnley and us (while we're shit). Iwobi costing us.. 30mil? 35?

Oh no he di-int!

[The Doc]

Oh no he di-int!

I felt sassy.

[Cods]

Has never got above 3.5xg in the prem in his career.

Maybe all the 40 yarders will go in!

Prior to this season, every league game he's played except one, (where he played up front) had been in midfield, and/or wide, and usually deep.

This season, every league game except one(Brighton) he's played at least some of the time in a central attacking midfield role behind the striker.

Not sure alot can be made of previous seasons when a player on average has such a different role?

And surely no great suprise (yes, small sample size) that he's doubled his Goals+Assists per 90min compared with any previous season.

If he's underperformed on xG and xAG in one position, yet is overperforming in another, then surely its beneficial to play him in the position where he's ahead of the curve and arguably more comfortable, if it also benefits the team?

[brap2]

I don't understand the point you were making though, saying McNeil scores low xg chances is the equivalent of saying 'footballer kicks ball with foot'.

It's just a very obvious fact because he generally only scores bangers.

Well yeah fair enough. I guess I've been saying 'mcneils goals will dry up soon' on here, and then I see the stat that he's one of the highest over performing players in xg in the league, so I posted it. Your response seems to me to be : 'well duh, we know! We like it! And actually he will carry on scoring goals, in fact he will score the most he's ever scored in his career and it's silly to say other wise'

Which...okay! Doesn't feel like it's me being unreasonable there but okay!

I dunno, its a strange hill to die on, he's one of our most important players and only cost 15mil if I remember correctly.

And compared to your long lost Iwobi, his stats aren't much different. Iwobi slightly higher for xG, McNeil slightly higher for xA.

And that's with Iwobi at Arsenal, us (when we were a better team) and Fulham, vs McNeil at Burnley and us (while we're shit). Iwobi costing us.. 30mil? 35?

The hill being...this player is not involved as much as I'd like and his g+a this year is inflated and unlikely to continue.

Is that a weird hill? Or is it a hill you don't like?

Iwobi I will have to just take the L on. I was wrong. Would swap him for McNeil in a heart beat but that's just my opinion. He's definitely not a goalscorer tho! Is involved on the ball which was nice.

Prior to this season, every league game he's played except one, (where he played up front) had been in midfield, and/or wide, and usually deep.

This season, every league game except one(Brighton) he's played at least some of the time in a central attacking midfield role behind the striker.

Not sure alot can be made of previous seasons when a player on average has such a different role?

And surely no great suprise (yes, small sample size) that he's doubled his Goals+Assists per 90min compared with any previous season.

If he's underperformed on xG and xAG in one position, yet is overperforming in another, then surely its beneficial to play him in the position where he's ahead of the curve and arguably more comfortable, if it also benefits the team?

This season Dwight McNeil has the lowest npxg per 90 of his time at Everton. Like I say, if you and Ajax Andy and ram all believe these long distance shots will continue to go in, and my point is invalid, that's absolutely fine. It's not typically been how xg works but fine. Again, does not feel like I am the one being unreasonable here or on unusual hills, but hey!

[TheRam]

Hang on.

I’m not saying these goals will continue. That’s just stupid.

I’m just saying he’s playing well at the moment so just enjoy it.

Without the goals he’s still being creative and setting up chances.

This is his position I think, he’s certainly better centrally than outwide.

Feels like you’re being overly critical because you want to see another player in his position.

I don’t know how it’s going to pan out but McNeil switching to the number ten has been very good for us.

[Shogun]

If we had a decent striker then he'd probably have better numbers as well

[brap2]

Hang on.

I’m not saying these goals will continue. That’s just stupid.

I’m just saying he’s playing well at the moment so just enjoy it.

Without the goals he’s still being creative and setting up chances.

This is his position I think, he’s certainly better centrally than outwide.

Feels like you’re being overly critical because you want to see another player in his position.

I don’t know how it’s going to pan out but McNeil switching to the number ten has been very good for us.

Fair enough!

I suppose I just disagree, I don't think he's been that good. I think he's had some standout moments and at other times the games passed him by.

Is what it is. Hope Ndiaye plays in the ten. If he doesn't, or he does and he's crap (possible!) I hope McNeil keeps his form up.

[brap2]

If we had a decent striker then he'd probably have better numbers as well

I smell a trap

[TheRam]

Fair enough!

I suppose I just disagree, I don't think he's been that good. I think he's had some standout moments and at other times the games passed him by.

Is what it is. Hope Ndiaye plays in the ten. If he doesn't, or he does and he's crap (possible!) I hope McNeil keeps his form up.

I just don’t see how you can say he isn’t playing well when he’s scoring, and creating chances.

He’s as involved as a number ten can be in a Sean dyche team.

Is ndiaye even a creative player? Looks more suited out wide to me, at least in this system.

[Shogun]

I smell a trap

[Cods]

This season Dwight McNeil has the lowest npxg per 90 of his time at Everton. Like I say, if you and Ajax Andy and ram all believe these long distance shots will continue to go in, and my point is invalid, that's absolutely fine. It's not typically been how xg works but fine. Again, does not feel like I am the one being unreasonable here or on unusual hills, but hey!

Sounds like a pile-on, trying to avoid that.

Just that, yes, there's likely going to be regression to the mean, and we need to consider the net effect of N'Diaye playing wide rather than central too, but I just think where actual performance is exceeding xG & xA, that being somewhat of a novelty to us, let's see where it takes us rather than shifting it and perhaps not revealing its full potential.

That, and I've little doubt that McNeil is one of the better low-xG-long-shot-converters in the league, and our best since Townsend. He's far better than the average player which the maths is based upon. Let's maximise this as long as there's no detriment or opportunity cost to other areas of our game.