When I saw a Liverpool peculiarity when the FSG transfer plan “unlocked,” everyone made the Moneyball point.

Although “Moneyball” isn’t often spoken in relation to Liverpool these days, many appear to believe they have figured out the FSG transfer policy.

https://twitter.com/JamesMartin013/status/1744695134535434588/photo/1

The term “Moneyball” was highly popular among fans when FSG took over at Liverpool. In actuality, at that moment any new proprietors would have been warmly welcomed, but there was a certain fascination with John Henry’s preferred method of transfer.

That was quickly accelerated by the 2011 release of the movie “Moneyball,” which followed Billy Beane’s groundbreaking use of the strategy in baseball. There is a scene in which Henry approaches the character, played by Brad Pitt, about a position with the Boston Red Sox, FSG’s MLB team.

Beane would eventually reject that. He never signed up with Liverpool, either, despite numerous predictions it could happen (cf The Mirror). Nevertheless, FSG adopted the strategy and incorporated it into all of their teams’ hiring procedures.

The Red Sox won the World Series as a result, and Anfield supporters quickly realised that Moneyball-style transactions were taking place there. Underappreciated at Inter Milan but with strong underlying numbers, Philippe Coutinho’s transfer seemed to be a case in point; his record sale to Barcelona a few years later, which ultimately funded the team that won the Premier League and Champions League, was the final confirmation of the plan.

But as Liverpool has become more well-known under Jürgen Klopp, Moneyball has become less common. It’s true that FSG can still unearth hidden stars, but it’s far more difficult to find room for them on one of the top teams in the world.
Meanwhile,similar to baseball, the Premier League’s other teams have progressively caught up to FSG’s data-driven strategy. Liverpool continues to have the advantage, but the gap is closing.

Nevertheless, many believe that at least one part of Moneyball may still be in use at Anfield. “We can recreate him in the aggregate,” which suggests that a few smart additions can equal the influence of a player who cannot be directly replaced, is one of the movie’s most frequently quoted lines.

Jude Bellingham was never strictly attempted to be “replaced” by Liverpool because the player was never signed. However, as soon as it was evident that the Borussia Dortmund starlet was headed for Real Madrid, FSG had to change their transfer plans.

Most would contend that the alternate recruitment strategy has been successful thus far. For the first few months, Dominik Szoboszlai performed at a world-class level; Ryan Gravenberch also got off to a strong start; and Alexis Mac Allister, who plays a little deeper part, has been a more subdued but steady presence.

As it happens, Wataru Endō was the product of a typical “Moneyball” manoeuvre, with Liverpool identifying an undervalued player at a squad that most major teams wouldn’t normally target. However, the other three have maybe, all together, rebuilt Bellingham.

While perusing FBref lately, I noticed an interesting anomaly. The top four midfielders in the “similar players” matrix who were closest to Bellingham were all from Liverpool, including Harvey Elliott and all three of the summer recruits.

When I posted an observation on X, Moneyball references were all over my quotes and replies on Twitter. I’ve now watched this GIF numerous times.

Also among the replies was Liverpool.com journalist David Comerford, who jokingly said I had ‘unlocked’ Liverpool’s entire scouting network. Though many believe I may have discovered information regarding the FSG transfer plan, that is obviously untrue.

The validity of the comparison is called into question, particularly in light of Bellingham’s recent advanced role-playing for Real Madrid, which has distorted the data. But it’s unlikely to be a coincidence as I’ve never seen one team so well represented in the similar players area.

It’s really not all that surprising that Liverpool would chase comparable characteristics after losing out on a top target. And while though “replacing in the aggregate” isn’t usually possible in football, Bellingham’s all-around greatness was always going to demand a team effort to match given the squad’s 11 spots and restricted substitution options.

Mac Allister’s time as Liverpool’s number six has shown that the team has established a core of players in the midfield who can do a little bit of everything. Even while none of them can compare to Bellingham individually, together they have lifted Klopp’s team from the bottom of the standings to the top, where they have a strong chance of winning four competitions. Perhaps Moneyball is making a comeback.