ucandomagic
Well-Known Member
My first ever match at Bramall Lane was April 27th 1971, a memorable night against Cardiff which was the dawn of a golden period for the Blades. Both Sheffield derbies had already happened that season and, as a result, my first ever Sheffield league derby wasn’t until Boxing Day 1979 – no wonder I’ve never enjoyed Sheffield derbies (!) – although my opinion of them has “bounced” back a little lately!
Graph 1 shows the 30 league derbies (including today) since that time, 10-7 to the Blades over the period, with 13 (often very flat) draws, when not losing seemed more important than winning.
Graph 1:
However, as alluded to in the title, for the Blades the importance of today’s game goes well beyond Sheffield boundaries, and was hopefully another step on the Yellow Brick Road to much Premier League gold (and torture)!
The game was another typical derby - Wendy started strong – a good save from Smith by Coops and 3 good chances for us and it was half-time.
Second half, more Blades’ control – a slide-rule pass from Sydie to Ty and a Brew-Dog tap -in.
2 or 3 typically top-class saves from GoalCooper, and time for the pub.
So now the graphs and charts that show factually where we currently are on that journey.
Graph 2 compares our progress against 3 benchmark sets of results which represent Automatic Promotion, Playoff Certainty and Playoff Possibility. My benchmarks take account of who our opponents are each week. On 80 points, comparing to my benchmarks, we are 6 points ahead of my Autos Promotion (92-point) schedule – and that is with our 2 point deduction. My forecast for us is now 96-98 points, a club 2nd Tier record, and second place behind Leeds (102) and ahead of Burnley (94).
Graph 2:
Graph 3 compares this season against our last 3 successful promotions from this level (all in second place), in 2005/06, 2018/19 and 2022/23. On 80 points after 38 games (with the 2-point deduction) we are 6 points ahead of the 74 points that we had under Wilder in 18/19, 7 points ahead of Hecky in 22/23 and 5 points ahead of Warnock in 05/06.
Graph 3:
So we are still a huge 6 points ahead of where we were in that great 18/19 Wilder promotion season, even with a 2-point deduction.
For the record, we are also an equivalent 2 points ahead of what I regard as our best 2nd Tier season of all time, 1952/53 under Reg Freeman.
Next, the coloured annotated up-to-date League Table, which highlights where our strengths and weaknesses have been against opponents’ league positions, and once again we’re only behind "Mighty" Weeds on goal difference, and they had to take 2 points off us for Weeds to keep up! Burnley are 2 points back and the rest are in the distance. With Burnley just 2 points behind it’s going to the wire – and that game at Turf more looks ever more important. Their next 2 are Home against Bristol City and Away at Coventry – ours Home to Coventry and Away at Oxford. I’d like to see the gap increase by a couple through those games.
League Table:
Wilder’s first double – no doubt a quiet night for him! (He was on our books in 91/92, but I think he was out on loan - I bet he had a few anyway!)
UTB & Slava Ukraini!
Graph 1 shows the 30 league derbies (including today) since that time, 10-7 to the Blades over the period, with 13 (often very flat) draws, when not losing seemed more important than winning.
Graph 1:
However, as alluded to in the title, for the Blades the importance of today’s game goes well beyond Sheffield boundaries, and was hopefully another step on the Yellow Brick Road to much Premier League gold (and torture)!
The game was another typical derby - Wendy started strong – a good save from Smith by Coops and 3 good chances for us and it was half-time.
Second half, more Blades’ control – a slide-rule pass from Sydie to Ty and a Brew-Dog tap -in.
2 or 3 typically top-class saves from GoalCooper, and time for the pub.
So now the graphs and charts that show factually where we currently are on that journey.
Graph 2 compares our progress against 3 benchmark sets of results which represent Automatic Promotion, Playoff Certainty and Playoff Possibility. My benchmarks take account of who our opponents are each week. On 80 points, comparing to my benchmarks, we are 6 points ahead of my Autos Promotion (92-point) schedule – and that is with our 2 point deduction. My forecast for us is now 96-98 points, a club 2nd Tier record, and second place behind Leeds (102) and ahead of Burnley (94).
Graph 2:
Graph 3 compares this season against our last 3 successful promotions from this level (all in second place), in 2005/06, 2018/19 and 2022/23. On 80 points after 38 games (with the 2-point deduction) we are 6 points ahead of the 74 points that we had under Wilder in 18/19, 7 points ahead of Hecky in 22/23 and 5 points ahead of Warnock in 05/06.
Graph 3:
So we are still a huge 6 points ahead of where we were in that great 18/19 Wilder promotion season, even with a 2-point deduction.
For the record, we are also an equivalent 2 points ahead of what I regard as our best 2nd Tier season of all time, 1952/53 under Reg Freeman.
Next, the coloured annotated up-to-date League Table, which highlights where our strengths and weaknesses have been against opponents’ league positions, and once again we’re only behind "Mighty" Weeds on goal difference, and they had to take 2 points off us for Weeds to keep up! Burnley are 2 points back and the rest are in the distance. With Burnley just 2 points behind it’s going to the wire – and that game at Turf more looks ever more important. Their next 2 are Home against Bristol City and Away at Coventry – ours Home to Coventry and Away at Oxford. I’d like to see the gap increase by a couple through those games.
League Table:
Wilder’s first double – no doubt a quiet night for him! (He was on our books in 91/92, but I think he was out on loan - I bet he had a few anyway!)
UTB & Slava Ukraini!
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