Rob2k is back with some stats and speculation
Let me first say, Rob, I got your table and it’s superb. I’m doing everything I can to get it on the site for fans to read and make reference to in the future. How long did that take you to do? Honestly folks, every stat from every team in the league is on it. I’ll try my best to get something like on the site.
In the meantime, have a read of Rob’s comment…
Our form in the last 8 games has bordered on remarkable.
Considering how the season began- in our first 8 matches, we recorded three draws and 5 defeats, with no goals from any strikers- one must admit that 16 points from 8 games is a pretty decent return. Four wins, four draws, no defeats, 11 goals scored, only 5 goals conceded, a goal difference of +6, two points a game.
Makes good reading, doesn`t it?
I`ve e-mailed the full table to Mr Ecky, hopefully he can find some way of formatting it to post on here, the page layout isn`t great for league tables in the article section.
I should point out in response to moonpig1 that QPR have only a solitary 1-0 win to show for their last 8 fixtures. Dropping only two points at home all season and having 10 clean sheets in 16 games is what’s put them right up there, although they are in the midst of something of a blip.
Back to the Whites?
Over the last 8 games, we`d be 3rd in the league, have won the =4th most games (4), drawn the =2nd most games (4), be the only side apart from Burnley to be undefeated, scored the 10th most goals (11), conceded the fewest goals (5) alongside Burnley and Wigan, have the 2nd best goal difference behind Burnley (+6 to their +9), and would be just two points off the top. As it happens, we’re actually 16 points off the top rather than two, but there is a precedent for the Wanderers in this position.
Does anyone remember how Bruch Rioch took over just after the end of the 1991-92 season, had the summer to prepare, then began fairly badly in 1992-93, resulting in a record of:
Pl16 W5 D5 L6 F22 A19 P20.
Languishing in mid-table?
Then we launched on a run from November 21st, beginning with Fulham at home, and the record for the final 30 games was:
Pl30 W22 D4 L4 F68 A23 P70.
For an overall record of:
Pl46 W27 D9 L10 F80 A41 P90.
Only 3 points behind Stoke and 1 ahead of Port Vale come the end of the season.
If we’re going to gain automatic promotion, I think we’ll probably need about 2.4 points per game from this point on. Possible? Yes. Likely? No.
On the upside, around 1.7 points a game should put us in the top 6, which on current evidence is more than achievable.
Here’s hoping?