Liam Lenten

Economics Scholar, mainly econometrics of sports and cultural industries. Regular contributor to media. Former filthy maggot

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@CupFeverAU I give you a free joke for tonight's show....ahem:
"The problem for the Czechs was too many Holeš in their defence"

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

Our deepest fears about the @FIFAWorldCup expansion have been realised, regarding lopsided contests.

You know, when superpowers like @CanadaSoccerEN decide to go on a rampage just for fun.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

This is because of changes to the order of separation criteria by FIFA--now, head-to-head trumps goal difference, which has seemingly been undiscussed by most punits, hitherto.
2/2

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

I think this been completely missed so far by the various FIFA World Cup CommBank Socceroos commentary, but if Australia beats USA and Paraguay fails to beat Türkiye, Australia GUARANTEES topping Group D....IRRESPECTIVE of results in the following matches.
1/2

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@benleo_econ @FIFAWorldCups I do not believe so.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

Anyone frothing with excitement that the Algerian 'keeper is a Zidane should be informed that Zinedine wasn't even the original!
Djamel Zidane played in two @FIFAWorldCups for Algeria: 1982 and 1986.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@Gatty54 Beach would have saved it!

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

Just Fontaine's French national record of 13 @FIFAWorldCup goals set in 1958 finally beaten, by Mbappe.

I love it when really old records are broken, especially Perry Como 33 vinyls.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@benleo_econ You're a lucky man.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

Go Kiwi! That's four successive draws (and by implication, unbeaten) for New Zealand at the @FIFAWorldCup. Now just one adrift on the all-time tournament record by Belgium across the 1998 and 2002 instalments.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

The record in the 14 @FifaWorldCupENG matches so far in which Team A is either @UEFA or @CONMEBOL, and Team B is "other confederations" is:
3W 7D 4L
This was 172W 57D 70L across the 1990-2022 editions. I suspect the 2020 eligibility changes are pivotal here. Any other factors?

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@NickWelch51 Btw, do you agree with that change?

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

Hakan Çalhanoğlu now doing his best audition for this guy's old job.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

The sound of a Yankee accent calling the World Cup on SBS is unequivocally objectionable.

I'm just glad Les Murray isn't here to see it.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

Congratulations to the Azzuri for.....winning a match.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@HawthornFC average home attendances at York Park matches by decade (number of matches):
2001-2009: 17,101 (20)
2010-2019: 14,251 (40)
2020- : 11,259 (23)
Yesterday's decision indeed disappointing, but as devil's advocate, was local interest decaying, anyway?

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@sirswampthing If @CollingwoodFC beats @HawthornFC tonight, that will make it a WLWLW streak of 10 between the two. Is this the longest current such active streak? How does it compare to all-time streaks between any pair of teams?

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

That's now six in a row for @HawthornFC. First time since 2018 (R18-R23). One more would make it seven for the first time since 2016.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@sirswampthing @AFL 5 times once happened in a single round, as you'd know.

[Liam Lenten @llenten]

@MatterOfStats Easy decision, really. Wherever there is sufficient grey area, no player wants to be denied credit for the goal, nor wants to be given credit for the og.