What do the stats say?

Log in to stop seeing adverts

One thing very noticeable yesterday was our lack of creativity. We continually seem to have plenty of possession and do very little with it.

I've had a look at our last 8 PL matches where we have scored 8 times and conceded 8 times, picking up 12 points. It has been a period of less than thrilling football but solid enough point gathering.

Our xG in those 8 matches totals up to 5.72. This suggests that we've actually been pretty proficient when we've had clear cut chances. We are not missing good chances, we're just not creating many of them.

Our xG against in those 8 matches totals up to 14.06. So either Schmeichel has been exceptional (I don't think so) or our opponents have wasted multiple good opportunities against us (I think so).

If we look at the xG in each of those individual games, instead of the actual 12 points, we'd have collected one point in total. The only point that we've 'earned' was the draw at Old Trafford.

In every other game, xG shows our opponent sufficiently outdoing us in terms of creating chances to suggest that they should have won.

What was evident against Villa was the poor delivery from set pieces, the poor quality of crossing, the poor movement from forward players, and the general lack of shooting. We are currently a tough watch.

Had we delivered what we've 'earned' over these 8 matches, we'd currently be in 17th position in the league 3 points clear of Burnley in 18th. Our PL season is dribbling towards a meaningless conclusion but we are actually very lucky that is the case.

Indeed, if you extrapolate across the entire season, in an xG table, we are still 17th, just two points clear of Watford in 18th.
 
One thing very noticeable yesterday was our lack of creativity. We continually seem to have plenty of possession and do very little with it.

I've had a look at our last 8 PL matches where we have scored 8 times and conceded 8 times, picking up 12 points. It has been a period of less than thrilling football but solid enough point gathering.

Our xG in those 8 matches totals up to 5.72. This suggests that we've actually been pretty proficient when we've had clear cut chances. We are not missing good chances, we're just not creating many of them.

Our xG against in those 8 matches totals up to 14.06. So either Schmeichel has been exceptional (I don't think so) or our opponents have wasted multiple good opportunities against us (I think so).

If we look at the xG in each of those individual games, instead of the actual 12 points, we'd have collected one point in total. The only point that we've 'earned' was the draw at Old Trafford.

In every other game, xG shows our opponent sufficiently outdoing us in terms of creating chances to suggest that they should have won.

What was evident against Villa was the poor delivery from set pieces, the poor quality of crossing, the poor movement from forward players, and the general lack of shooting. We are currently a tough watch.

Had we delivered what we've 'earned' over these 8 matches, we'd currently be in 17th position in the league 3 points clear of Burnley in 18th. Our PL season is dribbling towards a meaningless conclusion but we are actually very lucky that is the case.

Indeed, if you extrapolate across the entire season, in an xG table, we are still 17th, just two points clear of Watford in 18th.
It’s the sign of a good team picking up points when they don’t play so well
 
Log in to stop seeing adverts

Championship

P Pld Pts
1Leicester4697
2Ipswich4696
3Leeds Utd4690
4Southampton4687
5West Brom4675
6Norwich City4673
7Hull City4670
8Middlesbro4669
9Coventry City4664
10Preston 4663
11Bristol City4662
12Cardiff City4662
13Millwall4659
14Swansea City4657
15Watford4656
16Sunderland4656
17Stoke City4656
18QPR4656
19Blackburn 4653
20Sheffield W4653
21Plymouth 4651
22Birmingham4650
23Huddersfield4645
24Rotherham Utd4627

Latest posts

Top