Updated Graphs and Thoughts After Matchday 22 (and our Qatar break).

[ucandomagic]

A quick comment as far as England are concerned – we barely troubled Lloris – and we were given two penalties - so we probably deserved to be beaten. As usual in a tournament Southgate delivered a solid performance which matched our FIFA ranking (5th), but didn’t beat any higher-ranked teams. Now back to the real business:-

I left this post until after the Sunderland v West Brom game this evening so that I could include the most up-to-date League Table. Incidentally, I also monitor another couple of tables based on performance stats, and the Blades are essentially in about the same place in all of the tables. These stats-based tables show that Blackburn are definitely in a false position, and should probably be much lower down. Also, teams to watch to push for the Top 6 are Boro, Birmingham, Reading and Sunderland (and possibly even West Brom, now Corberan has got them going!)

So, we beat Udders, and for one day matched Burnley on points. With regard to the Huddersfield game, I felt that they defended and pressed us very well as we tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to pass through them. Having been at the game, and watched a replay, it was evident that our most successful attacks were from running straight at them with our skill players. 3 runs from Illi and 2 from McAtee created havoc – including the goal – and I felt that we could have done this more.

For Graph 1, I’ve stayed with the multiple comparison graph with our best recent Championship seasons, and Graph 1 shows that after 22 games on 41 points we are only behind one other season - Warnock’s 05/06 season – which had a remarkable first half. Notably, we are now 4 points ahead of Wilder’s two Championship seasons, which were both on 37 points at this stage.

Graph 1

So, as I said last time, this is our second best Championship season since the big money Premier League era started, and is ahead of both of Wilder’s seasons.


Graph 2 is my usual graph, comparing where we are to my benchmark results for each game to achieve an automatic promotion or a playoff season. You can see from Graph 2 that we are now just 1 point behind my Autos Certain line, and are now 7 points ahead of my Playoffs Certain results. We are in a great position – long may it continue!

Graph 2



Finally, the League Table as of tonight. A solid second place, with a 5 point gap to 3rd and a 9 point gap to 7th. Having 7 matches against the bottom 6 still to come it looks very promising – but I guess that is balanced by away games against the 3 highest-placed teams.

Anyway - Just Win Baby!

Onwards and Upwards

League Table


UTB & Slava Ukraini

 

[Newbury Blade]

Thanks for this, very interesting. May I just point out that we play better against the good teams than the bad ones? Look at Rotherham H, Huddersfield H compared with Burnley H, Blackburn H.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Thanks for this, very interesting. May I just point out that we play better against the good teams than the bad ones? Look at Rotherham H, Huddersfield H compared with Burnley H, Blackburn H.

Bizarrely true isn't it. The poorer teams that come to Bramall Lane to frustrate are often the ones that get the most joy.

Spot on observation ucandomagic regarding the key to unlocking these sides being to simply run at them and break throughthe lines. The returns of Bogle & Berge, in a side already containing the likes of Ndiaye and McAtee, could be exactly what we need.

We're in an excellent position and it could be a season where the automatic promotion bar is set slightly lower (mid-80 range).
We have to take full advantage of this position, hang onto the squad and invest carefully to build resilience to injuries.
One more player in defence and up front to cover and a starting central midfielder should get us there.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Thank you for this ucandomagic, I particularly like the league table using colours, it makes it very easy for my simple mind to understand who we’ve played (and who we haven’t) and how we’ve fared.

 

[blade too long]

League Championship table after close of play on 07 December 2005​

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Reading	22	16	5	1	41	11	30	53
2	Sheffield United	22	15	4	3	43	21	22	49
3	Leeds United	21	11	6	4	28	19	9	39
4	Watford	22	10	8	4	37	26	11	38
5	Luton Town	22	10	4	8	33	31	2	34
6	Preston North End	22	7	11	4	26	20	6	32
7	Burnley	22	9	5	8	31	26	5	32

5 points clear of 3rd now
10 points clear of leeds then but they won next game so if all on 22 games 7 points clear then,
so not too disimilar

 

[Balham Blade]

Top work ucandomagic. What I find remarkable is the disparity in the goal differences between Burnley (+20), us (+17) and the rest. Goal difference is usually a useful barometer and this season's is encouraging.

My tuppence' worth is that our defeats, generally, have similar characteristics and fall into one of two categories: they come when we're unbalanced by injuries or by teams who score then sit with a low block which we struggle to get through:

Watford (a) 0-1 - disjointed first game of the season. Hit on the counter. Injuries (or lack of fitness) saw 5th choice centre forward Jebbison start and the very-left-footed Clark at right centre back.

QPR (h) 0-1 - they were flying and did a number on us, employing a low block and putting some pacy forwards in the channels. From memory, we never looked like scoring

Stoke (a) 1-3 - in the middle of the injury crisis, we were forced into a back 4 with 4rd choice RCB Gordon at right back and Basham and Egan as a centre half pairing. Khadra and Brewster were the front two in a side I would imagine Heckingbottom never expects to pick again

Coventry (a) 0-1 - a nothing game heading deservedly towards a 0-0 draw with Basham playing at LCB owing to injuries to Robinson, Clark, Lowe and Stevens (Norrington Davies played 8 minutes at LWB before tearing his hamstring). Bash mindlessly dived in on Gyökeres to give away the match winning penalty as the game was petering out.

Rotherham (h) 0-1 - see QPR but with a lower block (8 players in and around the edge of the 18 yard box) and less ambition to break. Another deserved victory as we didn't threaten at all in a tired performance.

Hopefully the injury crisis is a thing of the past; if Heckingbottom can crack the low blocks we will be in with a real chance of winning the division.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

Totally bizarre that Blackburn are third with a minus goal difference.
I think West Brom will make the playoffs but too much to do to get top two

 

[Snowflake]

League Championship table after close of play on 07 December 2005​

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Reading	22	16	5	1	41	11	30	53
2	Sheffield United	22	15	4	3	43	21	22	49
3	Leeds United	21	11	6	4	28	19	9	39
4	Watford	22	10	8	4	37	26	11	38
5	Luton Town	22	10	4	8	33	31	2	34
6	Preston North End	22	7	11	4	26	20	6	32
7	Burnley	22	9	5	8	31	26	5	32

5 points clear of 3rd now
10 points clear of leeds then but they won next game so if all on 22 games 7 points clear then,
so not too disimilar

Of those 7 most are again up towards the top of the league 17 years later !!