I think it’s just a natural evolution, more money more hype more tech, the equilibrium is going to end up being highly analytical. The TV networks have panels of expensive pundits and often run on for over half an hour beyond FT, so they will feast on whatever the controversy of the day is. Once they’ve covered the facts (replays of goals etc), they need something else to fill the time.

I understand the train of thought, there was a certain innocence to football in the pre-internet era, like you’d turn the radio on and there would be shock news of Andy Cole joining Man United etc. nowadays nearly all transfers are leaked days in advance. Legendary goals would just be, well, legends rather than something you could just watch instantly on a mini computer pulled from pocket.

But of course back then I craved the access to stats etc we have now. Digging out newspaper cuttings or old VHS tapes was a right faff compared to the on demand info we have now.

Overall I think it’s better to have the wall to wall coverage and choose to ignore it, rather than not have it at all.

Stephen Reid screamer for Blackburn. Hardest shot I’ve ever seen.

I can’t pick just one but from premier league, I’d say Bergkamp, Beckham, KdB.

In theory assists should be a useful stat when assessing this because by definition as assist is the final ball, although clearly that will include easy passes and be biased towards better teams that provide more opportunities to create assists.

Ryan Giggs is absolutely miles ahead of everyone on raw count, more than 50 ahead of Cesc in 2nd.

In 1997 I think he was pretty much the best European player but I wouldn’t say he carried us that season, it was probably peak of Parlour for me and Overmars also comfortably into double figures in the league. Good keeper, solid defense and Vieira establishing himself.

The final paragraph I would point at Vieira more than Bergkamp. Arsenal simply didnt replace his ball winning ability until they signed Torreira.

Don’t get me wrong he’s a terrific player. I went to an event with Paul Merson last week and he said Bergkamp was easily the best player he played with “I didn’t think anyone could be that good at football”. I just don’t think he carried Arsenal that season to the extent eg Suarez did in 2013(?) Or Le Tissier in 1993.

First one to come to mind is Andy Robertson, I thought it was bonkers paying £10m for a LB from a relegated team, I wasn’t even convinced he was going to be a starter over Milner/Clyne etc.

Zlatan I thought would be rubbish at Barca given how overrated he was and the fact there was a huge cash adjustment on top of eto’o going the other way. When he scored those goals against England I finally accepted he wasn’t a complete waste of space.

I couldn’t see how Collymore was worth £8.5m in an era where the likes of Bergkamp and Cole where going for less than that, but he had some good games for Liverpool. Similarly in summer 2007 Darren Bent cost more than Thierry Henry (W.T.F.) but did oo on the following years