mark thompson
@markposts.bsky.social
data software engineer @ Twenty3 Sports || sport for all || (he/him) || ⚽🎾💻📰🏎️🤖
Champions League group phase should have bonus points
November 25, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Champions League group phase should have bonus points
I feel like, if I was prompt-coding a project, I'd create/find something that would randomly throw me a 'code agent blocked' for 20 minutes. Switching to actual coding will be a gear change, but if you can't even _navigate_ the code, you're too far removed
November 25, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I feel like, if I was prompt-coding a project, I'd create/find something that would randomly throw me a 'code agent blocked' for 20 minutes. Switching to actual coding will be a gear change, but if you can't even _navigate_ the code, you're too far removed
Premier League teams that have no more than 20 points and no fewer than 18 points
Crystal Palace
Brighton
Sunderland
Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Crystal Palace
Brighton
Sunderland
Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
November 24, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Premier League teams that have no more than 20 points and no fewer than 18 points
Crystal Palace
Brighton
Sunderland
Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
Crystal Palace
Brighton
Sunderland
Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United
Everton
Liverpool
One of those 'once you see it you can't unsee it' things I like is when a player receives a pass in a 'valuable location' but they're facing neither the goal nor any teammates
November 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
One of those 'once you see it you can't unsee it' things I like is when a player receives a pass in a 'valuable location' but they're facing neither the goal nor any teammates
'whole bunch of shots centrally, between 12-18 yards' feels like an intriguingly uncommon shot map pattern too
Only two players in the Premier League (Haaland and Mateta) have taken more shots this season than Eberechi Eze. He averages more shots per 90 than most elite strikers and significantly more than anyone else on Arsenal.
Eze, just what Arsenal needed. www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/...
Eze, just what Arsenal needed. www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/...
November 24, 2025 at 1:14 PM
'whole bunch of shots centrally, between 12-18 yards' feels like an intriguingly uncommon shot map pattern too
Reposted by mark thompson
Why Eddie Howe switched Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes in the 2-1 victory against Manchester City, and how it empowered Newcastle's attacking transitions.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...
The crucial Tonali/Guimaraes switch that helped Newcastle beat Manchester City
After a difficult period, Eddie Howe enjoyed a tactically-successful evening on Saturday
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Why Eddie Howe switched Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes in the 2-1 victory against Manchester City, and how it empowered Newcastle's attacking transitions.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...
I'm at the luckier end of the distribution, but blogging about football data helped get me my first job writing about football online, and the skills to then just-about-manage a career switch to building sports tech
November 24, 2025 at 12:02 PM
I'm at the luckier end of the distribution, but blogging about football data helped get me my first job writing about football online, and the skills to then just-about-manage a career switch to building sports tech
Huh. Manchester United could go 4th with a (three-goal) win tomorrow.
November 23, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Huh. Manchester United could go 4th with a (three-goal) win tomorrow.
Eze's ability to get off those shots, and the power behind them, is excellent
November 23, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Eze's ability to get off those shots, and the power behind them, is excellent
Somehow, the mid block returned
November 23, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Somehow, the mid block returned
Brushing up on postmodernism for a football analytics blog
November 23, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Brushing up on postmodernism for a football analytics blog
Football (association) needs theatrically legible actions for its VAR review decisions like football (American) has
November 23, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Football (association) needs theatrically legible actions for its VAR review decisions like football (American) has
Reposted by mark thompson
🚨New for @espn.com
Signe Gaupset joins Spurs for a club record fee, reuniting with manager Martin Ho.
> What makes her such a special player?
> Where would she fit at the club?
> Can she propel them to new heights?
Here is a breakdown for it!
www.espn.in/football/sto...
Signe Gaupset joins Spurs for a club record fee, reuniting with manager Martin Ho.
> What makes her such a special player?
> Where would she fit at the club?
> Can she propel them to new heights?
Here is a breakdown for it!
www.espn.in/football/sto...
Why Spurs' record transfer Gaupset is one of the best U21 players around
Tottenham women will sign Norway's young superstar Signe Gaupset in January. Here's everything you need to know.
www.espn.in
November 23, 2025 at 1:01 PM
🚨New for @espn.com
Signe Gaupset joins Spurs for a club record fee, reuniting with manager Martin Ho.
> What makes her such a special player?
> Where would she fit at the club?
> Can she propel them to new heights?
Here is a breakdown for it!
www.espn.in/football/sto...
Signe Gaupset joins Spurs for a club record fee, reuniting with manager Martin Ho.
> What makes her such a special player?
> Where would she fit at the club?
> Can she propel them to new heights?
Here is a breakdown for it!
www.espn.in/football/sto...
Reposted by mark thompson
To add to this - it's not like the public is being well served by broadcast news moving at the pace of 24 hour scrolling and the politically obsessed - it just means every election large numbers of people end up googling 'what is austerity?' 'What is brownfield?' etc. etc.
This is bizarre. Like the editor of the guardian or mail or any other paper complaining repeatedly about the front page lead they decided to run with.
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
It’s a sign of how insane the news cycle is these days that this historic failure of government policy got just one day of news coverage this week.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
November 23, 2025 at 12:33 PM
To add to this - it's not like the public is being well served by broadcast news moving at the pace of 24 hour scrolling and the politically obsessed - it just means every election large numbers of people end up googling 'what is austerity?' 'What is brownfield?' etc. etc.
Reposted by mark thompson
This is bizarre. Like the editor of the guardian or mail or any other paper complaining repeatedly about the front page lead they decided to run with.
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
It’s a sign of how insane the news cycle is these days that this historic failure of government policy got just one day of news coverage this week.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
BREAKING: UK’s response to Covid was “too little too late”. Acting faster could have saved 23,000 lives in England according to the public inquiry.
Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic, sexist, chaotic culture” in No10, where rule-breaking seriously undermined public confidence.
Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic, sexist, chaotic culture” in No10, where rule-breaking seriously undermined public confidence.
November 23, 2025 at 12:26 PM
This is bizarre. Like the editor of the guardian or mail or any other paper complaining repeatedly about the front page lead they decided to run with.
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
do enjoy post-match analysis in the tone of 'how underdog STUNNED big team to victory' and the xG is basically level
November 23, 2025 at 11:58 AM
do enjoy post-match analysis in the tone of 'how underdog STUNNED big team to victory' and the xG is basically level
Reposted by mark thompson
Villa could very feasibly end today in the UCL places and it feels like only a month or so ago that people were wondering whether Emery should be fired. This season is a rollercoaster
Back at Elland Road again, this time for match day - Leeds United v Aston Villa.
Leeds can climb out the bottom three by avoiding defeat, Villa could end the day fourth if they win here.
Leeds can climb out the bottom three by avoiding defeat, Villa could end the day fourth if they win here.
November 23, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Villa could very feasibly end today in the UCL places and it feels like only a month or so ago that people were wondering whether Emery should be fired. This season is a rollercoaster
The opening of this piece - with Cobolli literally ripping his shirt off in triumph, followed by a series of non-committal quotes about the competition from the current top three - is like the problem of how much a competition 'matters' in a nutshell
With the Davis Cup, could tennis finally get on board with the idea that less is more?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...
The future of the Davis Cup, the annual ‘World Cup of tennis’ that players want less often
The team competition produces moments of drama and fervor, but does its format get in the way of their becoming the norm?
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:35 AM
The opening of this piece - with Cobolli literally ripping his shirt off in triumph, followed by a series of non-committal quotes about the competition from the current top three - is like the problem of how much a competition 'matters' in a nutshell
Reposted by mark thompson
The Premier League (shareholders meeting) is BACK! Here’s my report from a day that featured a record loss, the tightest of wins, European implications, Championship fears, play-acting, a crackdown on cheating & a very relieved management team.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...
Premier League squad cost ratio and anchoring summit — which clubs voted for what?
On Friday, the Premier League's 20 clubs voted on three potential financial rule changes — so who voted for what?
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:14 PM
The Premier League (shareholders meeting) is BACK! Here’s my report from a day that featured a record loss, the tightest of wins, European implications, Championship fears, play-acting, a crackdown on cheating & a very relieved management team.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/682...
Personal club biases to one side (as much as possible) where does this season rank among recent seasons? For entertainment and quality of games
[Reading the Premier League table]
Arsenal, Chelsea, City - ok, that's shaping up tastily
Palace, Brighton - huh
Sunderland, Bournemouth - podracing
Spurs, Villa, United - I see
Liverpool - oh, now my bluesky feed between 4pm-5pm makes sense
Arsenal, Chelsea, City - ok, that's shaping up tastily
Palace, Brighton - huh
Sunderland, Bournemouth - podracing
Spurs, Villa, United - I see
Liverpool - oh, now my bluesky feed between 4pm-5pm makes sense
November 22, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Personal club biases to one side (as much as possible) where does this season rank among recent seasons? For entertainment and quality of games
[Reading the Premier League table]
Arsenal, Chelsea, City - ok, that's shaping up tastily
Palace, Brighton - huh
Sunderland, Bournemouth - podracing
Spurs, Villa, United - I see
Liverpool - oh, now my bluesky feed between 4pm-5pm makes sense
Arsenal, Chelsea, City - ok, that's shaping up tastily
Palace, Brighton - huh
Sunderland, Bournemouth - podracing
Spurs, Villa, United - I see
Liverpool - oh, now my bluesky feed between 4pm-5pm makes sense
November 22, 2025 at 7:32 PM
[Reading the Premier League table]
Arsenal, Chelsea, City - ok, that's shaping up tastily
Palace, Brighton - huh
Sunderland, Bournemouth - podracing
Spurs, Villa, United - I see
Liverpool - oh, now my bluesky feed between 4pm-5pm makes sense
Arsenal, Chelsea, City - ok, that's shaping up tastily
Palace, Brighton - huh
Sunderland, Bournemouth - podracing
Spurs, Villa, United - I see
Liverpool - oh, now my bluesky feed between 4pm-5pm makes sense
intrigued by the visual choices in the semi-automated offside system 3D images. The players have no hair, but fairly realistic (blank, uniform) human faces.
November 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
intrigued by the visual choices in the semi-automated offside system 3D images. The players have no hair, but fairly realistic (blank, uniform) human faces.
The dynamic of Newcastle's midfield being super narrow, and City wanting to keep passes short and focused on one area of the pitch to avoid a pressing trigger if they spread long passes, is quite funny
November 22, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The dynamic of Newcastle's midfield being super narrow, and City wanting to keep passes short and focused on one area of the pitch to avoid a pressing trigger if they spread long passes, is quite funny
Reposted by mark thompson
The contrast in the current status at the top of the tours at the end of 2025 is fascinating: complete Sincaraz domination for the ATP vs. a very strong top 10 for the WTA.
Data from @tennisabstract.bsky.social as always
Data from @tennisabstract.bsky.social as always
November 22, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The contrast in the current status at the top of the tours at the end of 2025 is fascinating: complete Sincaraz domination for the ATP vs. a very strong top 10 for the WTA.
Data from @tennisabstract.bsky.social as always
Data from @tennisabstract.bsky.social as always