Why is it so hard to quantify soccer? Advanced stat gurus have been able to do so with other sports, but still have issues in analyzing the beautiful game from a metrics perspective. In his new book "Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game's Analytics Revolution," ESPN staff writer Ryan O'Hanlon explores how some of the world's biggest clubs have begun to use cutting edge analytics and statistics to play more efficiently and effectively, ultimately in search of "the right way to play."

He joins the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss how playing the game at a high level made him a better writer (02:45), shere he finds himself amongst the "nerds vs. jocks" debate in advanced stats (11:37), why he decided to write a book and the work that went behind it (16:00), and working at Grantland and The Ringer under Bill Simmons and transitioning to ESPN (35:20), before taking on Julio's rapid fire round (48:14).

Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game's Analytics Revolution is available for purchase here. 

Cast

Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores

Producer: Roy Cho

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