‘Moneyball’ Madl’s display at QPR shows there’s value in the stats for Fulham

Fulham fan Kris Balkin revels in the derby day win over QPR – and believes the performance of new signing Michael Madl justifies the club’s transfer policy…

You can always count on Queens Park Rangers.

Six games into his Fulham career and without a win, Slavisa Jokanovic needed something big from Saturday’s derby fixture.

And, just as our recent form against QPR had prophesied, Fulham duly delivered. Ross McCormack, Moussa Dembele and Tom Cairney, amongst others of course, simply overwhelmed their hosts in a 3-1 win that could have easily been more.

A lot of gratitude should be thrown Jokanovic’s way for the victory.

His call for this Fulham side to become pluckier, more physical and more aggressive has finally been answered. The Whites were first to every ball and fully committed to the cause. Rangers, in contrast, didn’t seem at all fussed by the whole thing.

But, also, a change in system to a more dynamic 5-3-2 bore fruit once again, allowing us to dictate the game from the middle where, behind Cairney, Scott Parker was tidying up with the stamina of a player 10 years his junior.

All in all it was a performance to remember but if we have to throw praise in any particular direction, Michael Madl certainly deserves some recognition.

Plucked from moderate obscurity, he has been the victim of some disdain from those who don’t trust the statistical model used to judge his ability and subsequently bring him in.

Yet, if his debut has shown us anything, it is that there is at least some value in this new statistics-dependent recruitment model.

The Austrian had a tidy game; he tackled strongly, positioned himself well and, in spite of his height, dominated in the air with aplomb.

In fact, without jumping to extreme conclusions, his playing style seems eerily similar to that of a latter day Aaron Hughes, a comparison as flattering as they come.

Both Madl – who is only in on loan, but the move is likely to be made permanent in the summer – and Sakari Mattila are products of Tony Khan’s ‘Moneyball’ take on the transfer market and neither are looking like failures.

Granted, Mattila has hardly set the world alight but he has been competent in the games he has played. His modest fee suggests he is nothing more than a squad player and there is no harm – or risk, for that matter – in deploying this statistical model to bring in cheap foreign imports.

Naturally, there is a balance to be struck. The club cannot go all-out and use Khan’s methods for every piece of business because, simply, stats can only tell you so much about a player.

But as a basis for following and scouting players it is actually quite logical. It has certainly proved more prudent than shelling out millions on the likes of Kostas Mitroglou and Maarten Stekelenberg.

As a means for saving money – exploring the depths of the European market doesn’t seem too costly – and finding hidden foreign gems, this could prove to be a very efficient model of recruitment.

Only time will tell, of course, but if Madl’s debut is anything to go by, this may just work out for us.