Genuinely what are you on about?
To boil your post down you're saying you trust the 'eye' test and then also, in the same post, suggesting it is surprising to see Dunk on the list for pass numbers. Leaving aside number of passes is irrelevant (see Joe Allen at Swansea vs Xavi), your eyes can't be the greatest judge of football because Dunk is the central player for building possession at Brighton, in the same way you'll always see Rodri, VVD, Silva etc. because there'll always be a DM or CM who is central and linking everything up. I bet our highest player is either Licha or Eriksen, I would have said definitely Licha but he's missed some games. That stat can tell you how a teamplays but doesn't really have a bearing on ability and makes me question how you judge football in general.
If you aren't using at least some statistics when judging a player in any sport you're a relic. Moneyball was set 20 years ago, everything is about data now.
Sorry, I have missed something here: Are you suggesting that the reason Man City bought Haaland, and he was / is the most clinical centre-forward, by some way, in the Premiership, is due to 'data' ? Pep bought him because of 'data'?
Are you seriously saying that? You need data to see that guys quality, then that's on you. I certainly have seen no need to see that for Halaand and can see that he is awesome. I have no idea how many touches he has, how many chances etc... because I can see that he is clinical, efficient and consistent.
Lewis Dunk has completed the second most passes in the Premier League, and I have asked, what does that actually mean? That he is a ball-playing centre-half (he isn't..), that Brighton knck the ball around at the back a lot? You telling me Lewis Dunk is a better passer than our Martinez for example? Because according to 'data', this would suggest so.
Nothing you have stated either responds to or further pursuades me that 'data' is
the critical component when choosing a player, or identifying a player. At no stage did I say data shouldn't be used. But you can pick a player without reliance on data, yes, I still feel you can.
Data
should be used to compliment ability, not conclude any judgement about a player. And note, this trail is as a result of showing that according to 'data' Antony has better figures (whatever that means..) than Mahrez and Kulusevski.
And that concludes what exactly? Because I know who the better players are. I don't need data to see that.