ucandomagic
Well-Known Member
Another day unbeaten – another clean sheet. The depth in quality of our squad really stood out today. The 6 changes from Wednesday's match were Gilchrist for Shackleton, McCallum for Burrows, Blaster for Peck, JRS for Brooks, Brew Dog for Gus and Big Kieff for Campbell. Half the team had changed and yet the change was seamless. JRS has had a few chances before but naturally on his 22nd Birthday, as the saying goes today was a gift, with a 2-goal present.
Once again, our defence was flawless. My favourite moment was when Harry blocked a shot and it rebounded about 50 yards as though it had hit a brick wall, which it obviously had! Although it was Jes’s day, Brew Dog, Big Kieff and Vini all went close as well.
So now 6 clean sheets in a row - Won 6, Drawn 3 – the only remaining unbeaten team in the EFL - what do the graphs and charts look like?
Graph 1 compares our progress against 3 benchmark sets of results. I've taken each match and created 3 sets of results to achieve 3 points totals, which should represent Automatic Promotion, Playoff Certainty and Playoff Possibility. My benchmarks take account of who our opponents are each week. On 19 -points, compared to my benchmarks, we are a couple behind my Autos Line but Spot On my Playoffs Certain Line. 19 points from 9 games with a 2-point deduction is a great return but just a note of caution, as the League Table shows, we do still have to play most of the likely main contenders. Our next 2 games, away at Leeds and Boro, will really tell us how strong we are. As usual, by request Graph 1 includes our city rivals’ results, which the majority like to see, and Graph 1A (Graph 1 without Wendy) doesn’t include them for those who don’t like to see it.
Graph 1:
Graph 1A (Graph 1 without Wendy):
Graph 2 compares this season against our last 3 successful promotions from this level (all in second place), in 2005/06, 2018/19 and 2022/23. These earlier season results are the results from the same game day – not the same opponents. On 19 points (with a 2-point deduction) we are 3 ahead of the 16 points that we had in 2018/19 under Wilder. We are still 1 point behind Hecky in 22/23 and 5 points behind Warnock’s great start in 05/06.
Graph 2:
Next, the coloured annotated up-to-date League Table, which highlights where our strengths and weaknesses are against opponents’ league positions. Blades are now in 2nd place, just behind Sunderland on goal difference and, without the deduction, we would actually be 2 clear at the top.
League Table:
I previously posted my predicted league positions for the end of the season and I now post a review of my performance each week in the form of each team’s current position relative to my end of season forecast position – this may be an indication of a team’s over/under performance, or it may just be an indication of my ineptitude as a forecaster!
The big overperformers compared to my forecast are still Oxford, Blackburn and Derby and the big underperformers compared to my forecast are Luton and Coventry.
Over/Under Performance Table:
I’ll be doing the XG comparisons next Tuesday, when I’ll have the XG data for both Matchdays 8 and 9.
So a great 6 points from our 2 home game week.
I’m off to watch Aaron Rodgers and Sam Darnold at Tottenham Stadium tomorrow, to round off a very enjoyable week – I’ll still be wearing my Marcus Allen and Maxx Crosby shirts though!
UTB & Slava Ukraini!
Once again, our defence was flawless. My favourite moment was when Harry blocked a shot and it rebounded about 50 yards as though it had hit a brick wall, which it obviously had! Although it was Jes’s day, Brew Dog, Big Kieff and Vini all went close as well.
So now 6 clean sheets in a row - Won 6, Drawn 3 – the only remaining unbeaten team in the EFL - what do the graphs and charts look like?
Graph 1 compares our progress against 3 benchmark sets of results. I've taken each match and created 3 sets of results to achieve 3 points totals, which should represent Automatic Promotion, Playoff Certainty and Playoff Possibility. My benchmarks take account of who our opponents are each week. On 19 -points, compared to my benchmarks, we are a couple behind my Autos Line but Spot On my Playoffs Certain Line. 19 points from 9 games with a 2-point deduction is a great return but just a note of caution, as the League Table shows, we do still have to play most of the likely main contenders. Our next 2 games, away at Leeds and Boro, will really tell us how strong we are. As usual, by request Graph 1 includes our city rivals’ results, which the majority like to see, and Graph 1A (Graph 1 without Wendy) doesn’t include them for those who don’t like to see it.
Graph 1:
Graph 1A (Graph 1 without Wendy):
Graph 2 compares this season against our last 3 successful promotions from this level (all in second place), in 2005/06, 2018/19 and 2022/23. These earlier season results are the results from the same game day – not the same opponents. On 19 points (with a 2-point deduction) we are 3 ahead of the 16 points that we had in 2018/19 under Wilder. We are still 1 point behind Hecky in 22/23 and 5 points behind Warnock’s great start in 05/06.
Graph 2:
Next, the coloured annotated up-to-date League Table, which highlights where our strengths and weaknesses are against opponents’ league positions. Blades are now in 2nd place, just behind Sunderland on goal difference and, without the deduction, we would actually be 2 clear at the top.
League Table:
I previously posted my predicted league positions for the end of the season and I now post a review of my performance each week in the form of each team’s current position relative to my end of season forecast position – this may be an indication of a team’s over/under performance, or it may just be an indication of my ineptitude as a forecaster!
The big overperformers compared to my forecast are still Oxford, Blackburn and Derby and the big underperformers compared to my forecast are Luton and Coventry.
Over/Under Performance Table:
I’ll be doing the XG comparisons next Tuesday, when I’ll have the XG data for both Matchdays 8 and 9.
So a great 6 points from our 2 home game week.
I’m off to watch Aaron Rodgers and Sam Darnold at Tottenham Stadium tomorrow, to round off a very enjoyable week – I’ll still be wearing my Marcus Allen and Maxx Crosby shirts though!
UTB & Slava Ukraini!
