Borna Barisic: GVB v Gerrard

Riquelme

Well-Known Member
Found the below graphic extremely interesting in highlighting how much Barisic’s role has changed recently. Bare in mind its early days and a very small sample size.

We all loved seeing Borna up and down the line swinging crosses in but he hasn’t looked capable for club nor country in recent times. Unsure if that was confidence or injurys catching up with him.

We’ve all noticed the different role the full backs now play and its illustrated below.


For anyone who doesn’t know what any of that means I’ll post some definitions below.


Pressures - The number of times a player pressures an opposition player per 90.
Deep Progressions - Passes, dribbles and carries into the opposition final third per 90 minutes
xGBuildup - metric to reveal the contributions of players involved in the earlier stages of attacking moves
Turnovers - How often a player loses the ball via a miscontrol or a failed dribble.
Tack/Dribbled Past% - Percentage of times a player makes a tackle when going into a duel vs. getting dribbled past
 
Not going to pretend I understand the above but it stands to reason that he'll be more solid defensively if he's not being asked to bomb forward all the time
More tackles, more interceptions, more aerial wins, much better passing % whilst maintaining the same involvement in good attacking build up.

A lot more solid defensively, but the real standout is his deep progressions. Went from 4 to 8.81. Shows that he is really getting the ball forward in the the final third via passes, dribbling and carries, despite being a lot more defensively aware.
 
Meaningless at this stage. Re-do the graphs in a few months time.
You’re right, a vast improvement is meaningless in such a short period of time, let’s hope it leads to bigger and better things “in a few months time”.
 
Basically a better player under GVB than he was under Gerrard. No surprise there. Same can be said for most of the squad at the moment and sure it’ll prove to be the case longer term too. Players work with a better manager and get better, as expected.
 
Its shows that the eye test and the stats match up.

Its been well highlighted on here the difference in the full backs role, and how much better we have been defensively.

This backs that up.
The sample pool is far too small for it to be meaningful in terms of the manager’s tactics though. 3 routine wins are being compared with 6 games where we won 3 (one a close old firm), drew 2 and lost 1. The stats reflect that, a far larger sample pool is required to make meaningful comparisons in how Barisic is utilised in the respective systems.
 
There was improvement again on Saturday from Borna. Hopefully that trajectory continues. And I say that as someone who was critical of his performances, including Gio's first 2 games.
 
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“Deep progression”.

Football is going the same way as NA sports. As a hockey fan, there’s stats about stats at times. If you want to know who’s playing well, watch them.

Especially goalie stats like Goals Against Average. That can be nothing like a true reflection of ability at times depending on the actual quality of the shots on goal.
 
Found the below graphic extremely interesting in highlighting how much Barisic’s role has changed recently. Bare in mind its early days and a very small sample size.

We all loved seeing Borna up and down the line swinging crosses in but he hasn’t looked capable for club nor country in recent times. Unsure if that was confidence or injurys catching up with him.

We’ve all noticed the different role the full backs now play and its illustrated below.


For anyone who doesn’t know what any of that means I’ll post some definitions below.


Pressures - The number of times a player pressures an opposition player per 90.
Deep Progressions - Passes, dribbles and carries into the opposition final third per 90 minutes
xGBuildup - metric to reveal the contributions of players involved in the earlier stages of attacking moves
Turnovers - How often a player loses the ball via a miscontrol or a failed dribble.
Tack/Dribbled Past% - Percentage of times a player makes a tackle when going into a duel vs. getting dribbled past
This is very encouraging. An in form Borna is great for us. Quality crosses, free kicks and good general link up play. On his day, he is a top quality player. Long may he continue this form.
 
Would be good to see one of these graphs for Tav as well.

I’m happy for Borna to concentrate on the defensive basics as we have enough quality on the left in Kent or Sakala to pose an attacking threat but I still miss the rampaging Borna. Remember his performance in Osijek? He was basically playing two positions all game. Driving them forward from the left every time. I want that Borna back.
 
I posted his heat map from Saturday and the last league match under the previous manager and you can see the difference. It just gives a small insight to the difference in the ways of playing.
 
What the heck is a PAdj tackle?

If that graph is telling he Borna is defending better and not getting forward as often then I agree with it. Only because that's what I've watched, not because I understand the graphic.

The perils of old age.
It's the number of tackles a player makes but it's adjusted to take into account the amount of possession a team has. If you don't adjust it to take into account possession then it ends up making defenders in poor teams look far better than defenders in better teams as they are forced to defend much more.
 
He looked solid on Saturday. Long may it continue. He can still cross from deep if needed and tucking in allows Kent, Sakala etc to focus on running at the full back.
 
Found the below graphic extremely interesting in highlighting how much Barisic’s role has changed recently. Bare in mind its early days and a very small sample size.

We all loved seeing Borna up and down the line swinging crosses in but he hasn’t looked capable for club nor country in recent times. Unsure if that was confidence or injurys catching up with him.

We’ve all noticed the different role the full backs now play and its illustrated below.


For anyone who doesn’t know what any of that means I’ll post some definitions below.


Pressures - The number of times a player pressures an opposition player per 90.
Deep Progressions - Passes, dribbles and carries into the opposition final third per 90 minutes
xGBuildup - metric to reveal the contributions of players involved in the earlier stages of attacking moves
Turnovers - How often a player loses the ball via a miscontrol or a failed dribble.
Tack/Dribbled Past% - Percentage of times a player makes a tackle when going into a duel vs. getting dribbled past
Sample size of four games vs what?
 
We seem to be in a helluva hurray to denigrate Gerrard.
Quite a shame.
Support GvB every step of the way, despise Gerrard for how he left but let’s not rewrite history.
I certainly didn’t mean it that way. More to highlight a new lease of life in Barisic.

Completely agree re: Gerrard.
 
He won every header on Saturday made tackles blocked crosses his use of the ball was excellent

Having sakala in front of him helped as he always has an oot ball

Great to see
 
Would be good to see one of these graphs for Tav as well.

I’m happy for Borna to concentrate on the defensive basics as we have enough quality on the left in Kent or Sakala to pose an attacking threat but I still miss the rampaging Borna. Remember his performance in Osijek? He was basically playing two positions all game. Driving them forward from the left every time. I want that Borna back.
I think we need to remember he’s 29 and was still playing in Croatia when he was 25. He didn’t start regularly playing 2 matches a week until he came to us at almost 26 years old and even at that his first season almost broke him because his body wasn’t used to it.

I think those days are gone and we’re not going to see him constantly doing it anymore.
 
Gerrard used to be very critical of Borna especially early on, always felt like Borna was one of the scapegoats in interviews. I always thought Gerrard maybe wasn't getting the best out of Borna or expecting him to do things he just wasn't made for. It's clear as day that Borna has improved a lot under Gio, if that improvement continues then it will fantastic to have a fully firing Barisic back again
 
Would be good to see one of these graphs for Tav as well.

I’m happy for Borna to concentrate on the defensive basics as we have enough quality on the left in Kent or Sakala to pose an attacking threat but I still miss the rampaging Borna. Remember his performance in Osijek? He was basically playing two positions all game. Driving them forward from the left every time. I want that Borna back.
Bandage Barisic is the stuff of legends.
 
Gerrard used to be very critical of Borna especially early on, always felt like Borna was one of the scapegoats in interviews. I always thought Gerrard maybe wasn't getting the best out of Borna or expecting him to do things he just wasn't made for. It's clear as day that Borna has improved a lot under Gio, if that improvement continues then it will fantastic to have a fully firing Barisic back again
Gerrard definitely has his punching bags & likewise folks that could do no wrong. It's not a recipe for a happy dressing room really.
 
The one stat that matters is simple. Borna has not been anywhere near 100%f fit and our groan brigade cannot understand that so the groans probably knock his confidence a little but the main factor still clearly him carrying injuries. He is a great player player end of so let's stop trying to pick fault and break him. Loves it hear and gives his all.
 
Amazing what a bit of man management can do
Amazing what a bit of reflection and self management can do.

Gerrard brought him in and showed a lot of patience with Borna. A lot. He gave him the platform and role to develop and expand his game which, credit to Borna, he took very well.

It’s highly naive to think Gerrard is somehow responsible for the players long dip in form.

Maybe Borna needed a new voice as a few others appear to have done but he’s just as if not more so responsible for his season thus far.
 
Gerrard used to be very critical of Borna especially early on, always felt like Borna was one of the scapegoats in interviews. I always thought Gerrard maybe wasn't getting the best out of Borna or expecting him to do things he just wasn't made for. It's clear as day that Borna has improved a lot under Gio, if that improvement continues then it will fantastic to have a fully firing Barisic back again
Gerrard's ego had him doing this with more than just Borna, Alfredo being another.
 
Amazing what a bit of reflection and self management can do.

Gerrard brought him in and showed a lot of patience with Borna. A lot. He gave him the platform and role to develop and expand his game which, credit to Borna, he took very well.

It’s highly naive to think Gerrard is somehow responsible for the players long dip in form.

Maybe Borna needed a new voice as a few others appear to have done but he’s just as if not more so responsible for his season thus far.
It's certainly the case with Morelos, had him doing all sorts of shite he isn't the best at and detracted from his main game significantly, and the fact he's trying and failing to do other tasks can affect his confidence. It's not out of the realms of possibility that doing this with others also caused issues.
 
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The difference in the defence since Gio came in has been telling. Much more organised and tight at the back.

That being said I do think the biggest tests are still to come. Sparta at home and Hibs away obviously aren't easy games but Tynecastle, Aberdeen away (their cup final) and Torbett's away will be the real sign of where we are under Gio. That's without mentioning Dundee United, St Mirren and St J at home, games we should be winning but will prove to be tests in their own right.
 
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