Robins has said a performance analyst has been put into the recruitment team to find the right players. Is this effectively a posh word for a scout or is it something that Chris Anderson did where he gets stats on how many goals they score from corners between the 50th and 60th minute etc?
Had a quick google and in the job descriptions for some it says:
Filming & Coding home/away matches and some training days using the appropriate technical equipment
Assisting in the creation of pre match dossiers on future opposition
Assisting in the creation & maintenance of post match statistical documents & databases
Assisting with pre & post match video presentations
I'm pleased they enhanced it from the first iteration:
Select
teamname
,sum(salary)
from
(
Select *
From whoisavailable (nolock)
where transfer_fee between 'twixbar' and 'squarerootoffuckall'
and goals_scored >20
) Available
Now that covers opening theory if you have a photographic memory, but any person with an exquisitive mind that doesn't have a photographic memory should be asking themselves at this point is, what is the underlying theory which covers all these piece placements?
Its certainly not statistical analysis but statistical analysis is given for the win/loss percentage of each move in certain ECO's. This is the point where a lot of people get confused.
What may give a statistical advantage in terms of win/loss% has no relation on the positional strength of your pieces against your opponents pieces.
It would be wrong to assume the best statistical move to be the best move on the board.
Opening theory, like the end game and the middle game is based on broad concepts, the application of a systematic process and then its methodological execution.
To give an example of broad concepts, the application of a systematic process, and its methodological execution lets take a look Nunns Chess Opening page 523-540 and expand the information a little bit.
This can be found in another book.
This book covers these ideas in relation to the modern classical Kings Indian and the various playing styles from the opening to middle game, but the information is always changing.
The preview just gives a brief introductionary review.
I may be back later to explain the endgame and the middle game but this is by far taking up too much of my time.