"Mr. Reed, is your technical analysis of the game video all done manually?"

Alexander Otto's family is engaged in B2C e-commerce, which is somewhat related to this kind of data analysis, so he was also shocked, because he couldn't imagine how this could be done.

Big data of Internet companies, which collects user behavior through the background.

But Southampton is now using game videos, if you really use manual watching, just Southampton's games and players, then it is still possible, but to accumulate a database of players all over the world, then you can't collect such a huge amount of data when you see your eyes blind, right?

"No, Mr. Otto, we have a set of specialized analysis algorithms, and after the accumulation and improvement of the past few years, the accuracy is not lost at all to data companies such as OPTA."

Alexander Otto was stunned.

That's outrageous, isn't it?

In the past few years, data analysis in professional football has become popular, including companies such as OPTA.

But although these companies have some supporting software of their own, it is more of an auxiliary.

Their most important means of analysis, in the final analysis, still relies on human labor.

But Southampton was able to use a set of specialized analysis algorithms to analyze the game video on a computer, which is also incredible.

"Speaking of which, this has a lot to do with Young Master Huan's game company."

Les Reid was afraid that everyone would not believe him, so he explained.

"Back then, Master Huan vigorously promoted data analysis in the game company, and for this purpose, he also developed a set of algorithms to capture every action of the characters in the game and every behavior of the user, and analyze it."

This was originally intended to be used to make money, for example, to study the situation in which users have the most urge to recharge and spend money to buy props, and then use this to design props, or to provide other supporting services for game users.

Later, after Southampton's data analysis had developed to a certain extent, it encountered a bottleneck.

Because, as Alexander Otto said, a human can never afford such a huge amount of work.

Yang Huan remembered this set of algorithms from the game company, so he asked someone to study it to see if he could go further on the basis of this set of algorithms and develop a set of algorithms that can automatically analyze the video data of the game.

Later, Demis Hassabis, a well-known artificial intelligence expert, and his team also joined in, and recruited experts in statistics, machine learning, etc. from all over the world to form a research and development team.

After two years, I don't know how much money was spent, and I don't know how much manpower, financial and material resources were invested, and finally this data analysis and research system in Southampton was finally created.

But the harvest is also rich, that is, Demis Hasabis's research in artificial intelligence has also made breakthroughs during this period of time.

For example, the test he recently shocked the world.

He used a piece of software he developed to play games, including some very unpopular but relatively simple games.

At first, the software performed poorly, but after a few failures, the software got better and better, and finally even got the highest score out of the best, which simply stunned everyone.

Because they found that this set of software actually learns and improves on its own.

This also represents a major breakthrough in artificial intelligence.

Demis Hassabis also applied this algorithm to Southampton's data analysis and research system.

The end result is reflected in the data report in front of Alexander Otto.

They didn't just get to the bottom of the precision of Cesc Fabregas' every pass.

The so-called precision refers to whether Cesc Fabregas's pass is exactly on the teammate's usual foot and foot, so that the teammate can directly move on to the next move without adjustment.

At the same time, data such as the error rate is also given.

It's crazy!

Scroll down a little further and you'll see even more incredible analysis.

For example, the system will analyze the route of Fabregas's every pass, and whether it is consistent with the running intentions of his teammates. Does it match the team's push and intent in this offense? Is this pass the best option?

The data analyzed is so rich and so in-depth, not to mention a pass, an attack, even the whole game, can be divided into countless extremely subtle processes, and then build a player's travel route in the whole process, and the overall progress of the team.

It is said that Southampton were able to deduce the game before the game and the results were very accurate.

Before, Alexander Otto thought it was media hype, but now, after seeing Southampton's analysis system with his own eyes, he has to admit that it is indeed quite possible.

Moreover, it is completely foreseeable that with the continuous improvement and upgrading of Southampton's system, the performance will definitely get better and better, the accuracy rate will be higher and higher, and even the result and process of the game will be completely predicted.

This is outrageous!

But Les Reid's task is to keep talking and throwing Southampton's black technology at the crowd in front of him.

In Yang Huan's words, they didn't have to worry about Kuhn and the others leaking secrets at all.

Because these people are all rich people with heads and faces, even if they say a few words in an interview with the media, they must be endorsing the saints, and they don't know how the system works and what can be leaked?

"It's not just for the first team but also for training."

Les Reid pointed across the office, where there were a number of separate rooms similar to hospital CTs, all now with closed doors, each with a digital number on it.

"That's our virtual training ground, and we analyze the characteristics of the players through the game and training data collected on weekdays, and then let them go to the virtual training ground for special training, so as to help them recover as soon as possible, or integrate into the team, or even improve their own shortcomings and improve their own strength."

"The equipment used in it is all customized for us by WeChat, and the materials are also from the real game scenes, so as to make the players immersive!"

WeChat's virtual reality and augmented reality technology are well-known all over the world.

Previously, the mass-produced developer version had already started to sell, causing a frenzy around the world, and the effect was said to be lifelike.

And the production version can do it to this extent, and as you can imagine, the tailor-made version will definitely be even better.

Kuhn and Otto and others are no longer shocked now.

Because it's starting to be a little numb.

They found that in the training base in Southampton, there are really not many black technologies.

It's so much that it makes them a little unbelievable.

Even they are wondering, how much manpower, material and financial resources has Yang Huan invested in this team and in this training base in the past four years?

All of them add up, I'm afraid it should be a pretty staggering number, right?

He's just a madman!

He's probably the only one in the world who would do that!

Of course, if it is as easy as him to make money in the world, I am afraid that he is the only one!

Les Reid waited until everyone laughed at what he had just said, then smiled and led everyone to the second floor.

And this time, Kuhn and the others finally met a player.

It turned out to be the Argentine player who just switched from Real Madrid to Southampton this season, Di Maria!

Looking out of the window of a room on the second floor, Di Maria was talking to a middle-aged Englishman inside, and it seemed that the atmosphere was so good that the Argentine could not stop laughing.

"That's our sports psychology area, and inside it's Dan Abraham, a well-known sports psychologist in Europe."

Les Reid introduced with a smile.

"Di Maria is a little resistant to joining the Premier League, mainly because he is worried that his own physical condition will not be able to adapt to the Premier League, so after a psychological assessment of Di Maria, Dan Abraham believes that he does not have the psychological quality to play for the time being, and needs further psychological counseling."

"Oh!" Only then did everyone suddenly realize.

It's no wonder that Di Maria is nowhere to be seen in the Community Shield.

It turned out that it was not the so-called refrigerated by Bielsa, or a conflict with the team, but the psychological quality was not up to par.

"But, Rice, how can you be sure that Di Maria is not mentally good?" Otto asked curiously.

Isn't it?

Even if it is an inquiry, the player can lie.

Les Reid nodded, "Yes, you're right, it's a problem, and in fact, Dan Abraham noticed in his first conversation with Di Maria that he was very wary. ”

"A whole new environment, a family that doesn't speak English, a strange city that you can't fit in with at all, it creates fear and insecurity, which is something that everyone has, no matter what kind of profession or anyone it is."

Everyone also nodded in unison, which is indeed the truth.

"Although Di Maria was reluctant to admit it at first, after several exchanges with Dan, he was convinced, and from his open letter to Real Madrid fans, clarifying that he did not leave the team voluntarily, it is not difficult to see that he has a deep affection for Real Madrid, perhaps, that is his dream, which is also the dream of many South American players."

The crowd nodded again.

South American players like Barcelona and Real Madrid very much because of their similar culture and language.

'In the same case, we looked at Ozil at Arsenal.'

Speaking of this, Les Reed smiled a little awkwardly.

'Even though Mesut Ozil has been with Arsenal for a season, we still think that he hasn't played at his true level, and the main reason is not physical, but mental.

'So, we're not in a hurry to get Di Maria on the pitch, and even though we need a player of his calibre, we're more focused on whether he can get rid of his demons and show him at his highest level in our glory stadium.

When Les Reid said this, Kuhn and Otto and others were full of admiration.

They have seen a lot of teams, even giants like Bayern Munich, but when it comes to real talent and people-oriented, then only Southampton can admire them.

Yang Huan once said in an interview with the media that the most important thing in Southampton is to gather a group of talents.

That's true for the management, and it's true for the players.

From Yang Huan's philosophy of running Southampton, it is not difficult to understand why people including Les Reid, Bielsa, Andris Juncker and others would be willing to stay in Southampton.

There are also a group of players in the first team, who are obviously so competitive, but they are still willing to stay in Southampton one by one, and some even give up the high salaries of other teams.

At the end of the day, it's because in Southampton there are things they are willing to sacrifice for money.

For example, the club values and helps them a lot.