LFC Goal Machine - Updated to Include Season 2017-18 and 2018-19

I've updated The LFC Goal Machine to include seasons 2017-18 and 2018-19. You can play with the lfcgmR app at lfcgmR.lfcsorted.com or directly at https://terrydolan.shinyapps.io/lfcgmR/.

The LFC Goal Machine is a simple web app that plots a player's age against the league goals that the player scored in a top level season. The app knows about every LFC player who scored a top level league goal in more than one season, from 1894-95 to 2018-19. You can use the app to compare players across different seasons and eras. Simply select one or more players and take a look at their graph. 

For some example plots see my blogpost: The LFC Goal Machine - Graphic Detail. Note that this was based on an earlier version of the app.

For more information see the About tab in the lfcgmR app.

LFC Goal Machine - Updated to Include Season 2016-17

I've updated The LFC Goal Machine to include season 2016-17. You can play with the lfcgm app at lfcgm.lfcsorted.com.

The LFC Goal Machine is a simple web app that plots a player's age against the league goals that the player scored in a top level season. The app knows about every LFC player who scored a top level league goal in more than one season, from 1894-95 to 2016-17. You can use the app to compare players across different seasons and eras. Simply select one or more players and take a look at their graph. 

For more information see my earlier blogpost: The LFC Goal Machine - Graphic Detail.

LFC Goal Machine - Updated to Include Season 2015-16

I've updated The LFC Goal Machine to include season 2015-16. You can play with the lfcgm app at lfcgm.lfcsorted.com.

The LFC Goal Machine is a simple web app that plots a player's age against the league goals that the player scored in a top level season. The app knows about every LFC player who scored a top level league goal in more than one season, from 1894-95 to 2015-16. You can use the app to compare players across different seasons and eras. Simply select one or more players and take a look at their graph. 

For more information see my earlier blogpost: The LFC Goal Machine - Graphic Detail.

Painting The World Red

The animated map shows how the world was painted red from Liverpool's first season in 1892 to the most recent season that ended in 2016. A country is painted red on the world map when a player who was born in that country appeared in the Liverpool squad for the first time.

Red Shift

At the end of season 1976-77, the season when Liverpool won their first European cup, only 7 countries had been painted red: England, Scotland, Wales, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and USA.

At the end of season 2015-16, 44 countries had been painted red. This is a remarkable increase, illustrating the globalisation of LFC and football. The graph below describes that growth.

LFC'sTeam of Macs and the Scottish Influence

Every Liverpool fan knows that Liverpool Football Club has a strong connection with Scotland. Bill Shankly forged the modern Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish was probably Liverpool's greatest player. Liverpool's most successful period during the 1960s, 70s and  80s (when 13 titles were won) was shaped by Scots.

But this Scottish influence goes way back, to Liverpool's first season. Liverpool were literally made in Scotland. It is unlikely that Liverpool would have won their first league title in 1900-01 without the Scottish contingent.

The First Team of Macs

In my article about Liverpool's creation I described the situation in 1892 following an almighty bust up with Everton where John Houlding, Liverpool's founder, was left with the Anfield stadium and no team to play in it!

John McKenna travelled to Scotland to find talented players for the new Liverpool team. Heading north in search of players wasn't a radical new approach. Preston North End's 'invincibles' had won the first ever league title in 1888 with several Scots in the team.

In 1892 Scotland didn't have a professional football league but it did have many skilful footballers with limited job opportunities. And Liverpool FC had an ambitious owner who was determined to build a team that would challenge for the title. It isn't a surprise that so many Scots took up McKenna's job offer.

The graph below shows the number of Liverpool squad players, with their country of birth, from 1892 to 1907. Liverpool won their first 2 league titles during this period, with Tom Watson as manager. The coloured dots show the number of players in the squad in each season for a particular country. For example, the blue dots show the number of Scots in the squad in each season. And the blue line shows the trend in the Scottish player numbers over the seasons.

 In their first season in 1892-93 Liverpool's squad was 75% Scottish. In the away match against Blackpool, 9 of Liverpool's starting 11 were Scottish, the match was billed as 'Lancashire against Scotland'. Liverpool were known as the 'team of Macs'.

The LFC Goal Machine - Graphic Detail

I've developed a simple web app called The LFC Goal Machine that plots a player's age against the league goals that the player scored in a top level season. The app knows about every LFC player who scored a top level league goal in more than one season, from 1894-95 to 2014-15. You can use the app to compare players across different seasons and eras. Simply select one or more players and take a look at their graph. You can play with the lfcgm app at lfcgm.lfcsorted.com.

To whet your appetite I've selected some graphs from the app that I found interesting. I've been watching Liverpool since the early 1970s. The graphs show players from before my time, such as the record-breaking Gordon Hodgson who was born in South Africa in 1904. The app's data is sourced from lfchistory.net and you can find out more about the players listed at www.lfchistory.net/players.

Early Riser

Robbie Fowler is the only player in Liverpool's illustrious history to score 20 or more top level league goals when under 20 years old. In his first three seasons Robbie scored at one of the fastest ever rates, scoring 12, 25 and 28 goals.

The LFC Goal Machine

I've developed a simple web app called The LFC Goal Machine that plots a player's age against the league goals that the player scored in a top level season. The app knows about every LFC player who scored a top level league goal in more than one season, from 1894-95 to 2014-15. You can use the app to compare players across different seasons and eras. Simply select one or more players and take a look at their graph. You can play with the lfcgm app at lfcgm.lfcsorted.com.

Being Liverpool Manager

Earlier this evening Liverpool Football Club announced that Brendan Rodgers has had his contract terminated. The full announcement is here.

"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters." Bill Shankly

I've been watching Liverpool since the early 70s. I stood on the Kop and watched the end of the Shankly era and the beginning of the Paisley era. I watched the best team in the world defeat all before them. This was the time when, to paraphrase Shankly, the bond between fan, team and manager was strongest. I grew up giving the manager my full support and I was richly rewarded. Support for the Liverpool manager is in my DNA. At least it was until Roy Hodgson. I was uneasy with that appointment and I was carrying a metaphorical pitch-fork by the end. I'm saddened that Brendan Rodgers has been sacked. He is a talented coach who gave his all to the cause.

The Elite Strikers

Can Christian Benteke Join Liverpool's Elite Strikers?

"I know Liverpool is a big story. They’ve won league titles and the Champions League five times..." Christian Benteke.

Image from @bentekechris20

A warm welcome to Christian Benteke. All Liverpool fans hope that Christian will join the elite group of Liverpool strikers that have scored 20 or more league goals in a season.

Liverpool have been blessed with some great goal scorers. Even 'God' played up front. However, as you will see, it is a big challenge to join the elite strikers.

This article was also published here on lfchistory.net on 27th July 2015.

A Striking Trio

Barcelona's Treble Top

Congratulations to Barcelona (especially Luis Suarez) on winning the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions league in 2014-15. Barca's front line of Messi, Neymar and Suarez have been hailed as the best ever striking trio. In La Liga the trio scored 81 goals, with Messi scoring 43, Neymar 22 and Suarez 16.

This got me thinking: who were Liverpool's best ever striking trio in the league? I analysed the data from lfchistory.net to find the total goals by a striking trio in a top level league season. The graph shows a summary, with the top 10 scores highlighted.

 And the winner is (drum roll)…

From Rafa To Rodgers

LFC Data Analysis of Seasons 2004-05 to 2014-15

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."  Benjamin Disraeli

This post describes Liverpool Football Club's premier league performance in seasons 2004-05 to 2014-15 with graphs generated from publicly available data. The seasons cover 11 years, from Rafael Benitez' first match of season 2004-05 in August 2004 to Brendan Rodgers' final match of season 2014-15 in May 2015.

Hopefully the graphs and narrative will make you think about the highs and lows. It's hard for any Liverpool fan to look back over these 11 premier league seasons without some trauma. Just think about Istanbul if it get too difficult ;-).

The analysis also places Rodgers' performance in context. It remains to be seen if he will survive the run of poor results in the final quarter of 2014-15, culminating in the Stoke debacle.

In his final season in 2014-15 Steven Gerrard was Liverpool's top league scorer with 9 goals. This is equal to the lowest ever total by a top scoring Liverpool striker since Liverpool were founded in 1892. Steven joins 2 other top scoring strikers with 9 league goals: Milan Baros in 2004-05 and Jack Cox in 1903-04.

Whoever is in charge next season it is clear that Liverpool must do what they should have done in the summer of 2014 following Suarez' departure - take a risk and invest in a quality striker.

This article was first published on 26th May 2015. It was also published here on lfchistory.net on 3rd June 2015.

Premier League 2014-15 Football Match Analysis

Premier League 2014-15 Football Match Analysis (prem)

The prem notebook demonstrates the power of IPython Notebook, python, pandas and matplotlib to analyse a data set. The data set I am using is the English premiership league 2014-15 football match results as of 27th April 2015.