Updated and revised throughout, this new edition of The Science of Soccer applies scientific analysis to football, giving us the answers to questions like "what's the chance of a team that wins the Premiership also winning the Cup? Can you predict how many goals will be scored? What's the best height for footballers? Is the team that wins the league the best team?"
Starting with a qualitative description of the basic physics that relate to the ball and its bounce, the author then moves through kicks and throws, to a simple account of the more complex physics of a ball in flight. Fulfilling your scientific curiosity, this book uncovers aspects of the game that are not normally discussed. It includes a look at game theory, how the rules affect the flow and enjoyment of the game, unusual statistics about players, and an insight into the economics of the game.
For those with a more mathematical interest in the physics, the final chapter provides a readable account of the theory behind the beautiful game.
Features:
Chapter 2. The Kick
Chapter 3. Throwing, Heading, Punching, Catching, Receiving, and Trapping
Chapter 4. The Ball in Flight
Chapter 5. The Rules
Chapter 6. Game Theory
Chapter 7. The Best Team
Chapter 8. The Players
Chapter 9. Economics
Chapter 10. Mathematics
Biography
John Wesson is a theoretical physicist with doctorates in atomic and plasma physics. Outside physics he has applied mathematics to a wide range of subjects, initiating the theory of optimal taxation and providing a theoretical analysis of many aspects of golf. He played football until his retirement and has since played golf, tennis, table tennis and bowls.
