In this episode I chat to Rory Smith about his new book 'Expected Goals', which traces the growth of data in football and how it has influenced the game as we know it today. We talk about surprising early adopters, how players were able to skew early iterations of data, the way the use of stats is often at odds with the chaos of the game, poor communication, how things may develop in the future, and lots more – including how StatDNA put Arsenal ahead of the curve back in the day, but never really provided the kind of competitive advantage it might have.

The book is fascinating for stats advocates, and stats skeptics alike – and you can order it now from your local independent bookstore.

Follow Rory @rorysmith

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