Game Theory in Football Explained

Game Theory in football explained:

Game theory is a branch of mathematics that also uses elements of sociology and economics to better understand rational decision making in competitive situations. It's used to understand a wide variety of topics, from business to war. The premise is that when you have more than one competitor in a situation, you have a game. And there are two types of games: finite and infinite.

Clubs who are successful are those who recognise the type of game
they are in and implement strategies befitting that game.

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#manchesterunited #watford #premierleague

[sambitdas]

Really appreciate this wonderful video... But it can be argued that
Arsène Wenger is someone who deserves mention with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Johan Cruyff.
He is an outspoken advocate of sustainability and has successfully established such a model during his tenure at Arsenal.

[irontide]

This explanation isn't really game-theoretic, because you aren't describing strategic (in the technical sense) decision making. You're comparing different parametric (i.e. non-strategic) decision-making based on their long-term effects as compared to their short-term effects. But you don't need game theory to do this, this is just standard (parametric) decision theory. This is made especially clear when you compare Fergie's decisions to what his opponents were making, or comparing Watford to Fulham, where the differences you highlight are to do with the parameters that are used for making their decisions, without reference to how their decisions have different outcomes depending on the decisions of their opponents. What you're doing here is comparing the individual decisions of various clubs/managers in terms of the long-term parameter of continued relevance at the top level of the game. That's not strategic, so not game-theoretic.

What makes something game-theoretic is the interaction between the decision-making of multiple agents. In the parametric case, you have a given decision reaching some specific outcome. It may be hard to determine what that outcome is, or what the factors are, but it's still that making such-and-such decision leads to so-and-so outcome (like Fergie deciding to cultivate Rooney and Ronaldo's talents leading to their development in the longer term). But in the strategic case this isn't what happens. In the strategic case, you have individual decisions that have different outcomes depending on what the individual decisions of the other agents are. So, if the fact that Fergie could develop Rooney or Ronaldo depended on Mourinho and Wenger's player development strategies as well, THAT would be game-theoretic. But of course it doesn't: it's not as if Fergie had to get Wenger to approve before he could start developing Rooney. So that decision isn't strategic, and thus isn't game-theoretic.

As such, when you talk about 'strategies', you're not using the term in the technical sense, because you don't describe them in a context where the different decisions by the different agents mean that the outcomes of their individual decisions are different. You just concentrate on the difference between finite and infinite games, but you've lost what makes them games in the technical sense, so instead you're just talking about different parameters for individual decisions, and not about games (in the technical sense) at all. You'd either need to concentrate on different decisions (the choice of how aggressively to play the transfer market is a good example here), or develop the examples in a way that highlight how the outcomes do differ depending on the decisions of other agents (such as the effect on the transfer market of the Man U player development strategy), or give up on describing these decisions in terms of game theory.

[brianwlm]

I guess Watford isn't achieving that stability and consistency after all

[Unison]

Think this also refers to how Wenger constantly kept Arsenal competitive for so long despite not spending as much as their rivals. It’s refreshing when a club sticks to their values and hires managers based on their values.

[minhdk]

Love this channel. Keep up the great work, I have learned a lot. Thank you!

[smit]

QPR are a classic example of how not to football. I never understood why droopy did what he did at the club. Also, Blackburn Rovers under the ownership of Venkey's were destined to go down from the get go.
But in case of Man City, everything sort of falls out if place coz they have potentially infinite money and influence and ha e performed well in the short term. They will be a force to reckon with for quite a while.
Everything said, Watford and Wolves are having an excellent season.

[TheAleksandar]

Joe Devine’s voice > Morgan Freeman’s voice

[TiagoLageira]

But hey, that's just a theory...

*A FOOTY-SHOOTY THEORY*

[oslonorway]

Now, apply this to *how Bielsa tactically shaves his pubes, * and you'll unravel last Tuesday's miracle at Anfield.

[peverill]

Fulham fan here - I am so glad you have used our team as an ideal example here, and how the strive for short term gain at the club has resulted in us heading straight back down. The comparison could even be drawn with our team of not so long ago, having spent 14 consecutive years in the premier league to only see a complete reversal of the model explained in this video.

As always Tifo keep up the good work - best football channel on Youtube by a mile.

[Ramah]

Your videos continue to satisfy my intellectual curiosity through the lens of football. Congrats on nearly reaching 500K! Well deserved indeed

[lwandilezuma]

this is one of Tifos most important videos. As an aspiring coach i found this very interesting as i always find the Tactical analysis interesting.

[emilianogarcia]

I see you've read Soccernomics as well haha.

[victheschoolboy]

I REALLY appreciate this video, since I’ll be an economist in july, this is so pleasant to watch. Thank you, TIFO.

[OccamsTazer]

Nah fam, game theory in football is Brendan Rodgers writting your name on an envelope

[KrittNormsaskul]

Fantastic video - brilliantly explained, absolutely eye-opening and utterly fascinating. This is why Spurs are not spending money on new players but rather, on a new stadium that will bring in more money in the long-run and better training facilities that will benefit both the 1st XI and youth academy players that will become the future of the club.

[colouredIncognito]

How does Watford's fast rotation of managers fit in the infinite game?

[oliverlinehan]

This vid is why Jurgen Klopp is gonna be a legend if he stays at Liverpool long term.

[dubi]

This video is absolutely brilliant. As a Watford Fan: The ones to watch are Domingos Quina and Joao Pedro who's joining us this summer!

[hunsler]

I love this channel, but I can't agree that Watford is a good example of this. Their history of sacking managers tells me the opposite and a lack of investment could be seen as a lack of ambition. Yes being a top 10 team for them is a big achievement, however it is also highly contested and can't be secured regularly with the way they go about their business.
I get there are some aspects which suite bu their are surely better examples. Burnley sticking with Dyche after relegation. Howe building Bournmouth (a very small club) into a sustainable premier league team.