“testing, testing” is this thing on?


So in this new AI-enabled/empowered/embittered/embarrassed timeline we find ourselves on, new ways of working are opening up all of the time, and I intend to test them.

A few weeks ago, I shared a simple scatterplot that highlighted a bunch of more press-resistant midfielders that the powers that be at Newcastle United might consider. You can see that post below 🔽

Spending some time thinking about what comes next for #NUFC, but it's really hard while questions about the manager's role hang over things. Regardless, just looking at the sort of press-resistant midfielders that we need to transition to a little more possession-focused play.

Kev Lawson (@editkev.football) 2026-04-20T16:25:14.853Z

As someone who likes to draft and deliver transfer content to fans – mainly via Bluesky posts and Substack at editkev.football – I wanted to trial a more interactive way to share some of the players that came back as part of this query with y’all. The results of that experiment are below.

Newcastle’s midfield vs Europe’s U27 scouting pool

Pass OBV vs Dribble & Carry OBV per 90 | 2024/25 + 2025/26 combined

Peer leagues: Serie A · Bundesliga · La Liga · Ligue 1 · Eredivisie · Primeira Liga · Championship | CM/DM minutes only, primary position must be a true CM/DM, height ≥ 178cm (StatsBomb), age ≤ 26, ≥ 1,000 CM/DM mins

Tip: hover any dot for stats. Click a dot to open a YouTube scouting search for that player.

Qualifying peer midfielders
age ≤ 26, ≥ 178cm, ≥ 1,000 CM/DM mins
Peers above peer median
on both axes
Newcastle midfielders
on the chart
editkev.football Data: Hudl StatsBomb

I think this is an interesting new concept for the way football data can work. I might try some other experiments with the same data set that perhaps work similarly to some of the excellent articles on the pudding.cool.

Anyway, this blog is a personal space to experiment and fuck around with new forms of delivering football analysis content and narratives. This is mainly for my own professional work, but also for just generally being interested in how to function within this fast-moving new landscape.