In football numbers are everywhere From touches in the opposition box to expected goals clear-cut chances to win-loss ratios In the modern game these numbers help provide the narrative the drama & the conversation They are scrutinised in order to justify results & to predict future outcomes They even dictate transfer policy & drive clubs to achieve the impossible But when did the numbers become so important & what do they mean? In Outside the Box Duncan Alexander looks back at twenty-five years of the Premier League & beyond uncovering the hidden truths & accepted myths that surround the game Using the archives of Opta Joe & never-before-seen data we discover why Liverpool have gone 27 years without winning a league title & why Lionel Messi is the best player in the game's history Or is he? Insightful wry & hugely entertaining Outside the Box is an enlightening & accessible account of football across the decades analysing data from the some of the greatest seasons players teams & managers