Sly

Yes, I was thinking about Reading, and how our defence compared when I pulled the data. That Reading team was phenomenal really.

I thought exactly this, when I was looking at the two Norwich promotions, compared to Fulham.

Okay 1/5th (20%) of the season has now gone, on what is hopefully our holiday to the Championship. I've pulled some data together, just to see how we compare for average points per game, goals for and against, then expected goal difference after 46 games. Currently we're averaging 2.67 points per game, which is incredible. If we keep that up we'd be on for 123 points! Incidentally, Ipswich are averaging out at 112 points, Preston are on for 102. Key: GF - Goals For GA - Goals Against GD - Goal Difference xGD46 - Expected Goal difference after 46 games Av Point - Mean average points Av GF - Mean average goals for Av GA - Mean average goals against Year Team Games Points GF GA GD xGD46 Av Points Av GF Av GA 23/24 Leicester City 9 24 18 6 12.00 61.33 2.67 2.00 0.67 23/24 Ipswich Town 9 22 18 11 7.00 35.78 2.44 2.00 1.22 23/24 Preston North End 9 20 13 10 3.00 15.33 2.22 1.44 1.11 22/23 Burnley 46 101 87 35 52.00 52.00 2.20 1.89 0.76 21/22 Fulham 46 90 106 43 63.00 63.00 1.96 2.30 0.93 20/21 Norwich City 46 97 75 39 36.00 36.00 2.11 1.63 0.85 19/20 Leeds United 46 93 77 35 42.00 42.00 2.02 1.67 0.76 18/19 Norwich City 46 94 93 57 36.00 36.00 2.04 2.02 1.24 17/18 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 99 82 39 43.00 43.00 2.15 1.78 0.85 16/17 Newcastle United 46 94 85 40 45.00 45.00 2.04 1.85 0.87 15/16 Burnley 46 93 72 35 37.00 37.00 2.02 1.57 0.76 14/15 Bournemouth 46 90 98 45 53.00 53.00 1.96 2.13 0.98 13/14 Leicester City 46 102 83 43 40.00 40.00 2.22 1.80 0.93 12/13 Cardiff City 46 87 72 45 27.00 27.00 1.89 1.57 0.98 11/12 Reading 46 89 69 41 28.00 28.00 1.93 1.50 0.89 10/11 Queens Park Rangers 46 88 71 32 39.00 39.00 1.91 1.54 0.70 09/10 Newcastle United 46 102 90 35 55.00 55.00 2.22 1.96 0.76 08/09 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 90 80 52 28.00 28.00 1.96 1.74 1.13 07/08 West Bromwich Albion 46 81 88 55 33.00 33.00 1.76 1.91 1.20 06/07 Sunderland 46 88 76 47 29.00 29.00 1.91 1.65 1.02 05/06 Reading 46 106 99 32 67.00 67.00 2.30 2.15 0.70 04/05 Sunderland 46 94 75 41 34.00 34.00 2.04 1.63 0.89 03/04 Norwich City 46 94 79 39 40.00 40.00 2.04 1.72 0.85 02/03 Portsmouth 46 98 97 45 52.00 52.00 2.13 2.11 0.98 01/02 Manchester City 46 99 108 52 56.00 56.00 2.15 2.35 1.13 00/01 Fulham 46 101 90 32 58.00 58.00 2.20 1.96 0.70 99/00 Charlton Athletic 46 91 79 45 34.00 34.00 1.98 1.72 0.98 98/99 Sunderland 46 105 91 28 63.00 63.00 2.28 1.98 0.61 97/98 Nottingham Forest 46 94 82 42 40.00 40.00 2.04 1.78 0.91 96/98 Bolton Wanderers 46 98 100 53 47.00 47.00 2.13 2.17 1.15 95/96 Sunderland 46 83 59 33 26.00 26.00 1.80 1.28 0.72 94/95 Middlesbrough 46 82 67 40 27.00 27.00 1.78 1.46 0.87 93/94 Crystal Palace 46 90 73 46 27.00 27.00 1.96 1.59 1.00 Any box in green, means they out performed how we are doing this season. I'll update it as the season goes on, if people are interested.

I didn’t know if we’ve created that gap and we get an offer for the players whose contracts expire, we might entertain it.

We’ll lose the odd game like at Hull. The biggest test might be the January transfer window.

We’ll do this all season to be honest.

KDH deserves that after that performance today.

Great pass and finish that

Blame Brendan, he picked bloody Amartey.

Our squad quality will get us out of this league I think. Most teams don’t have the opportunity to bring on players like Choudhury, Iheanacho etc. We’ve got Daka and Souttar who would get into every other team in this league not even sniffing the squad.

Vestergaard has been really good so far today.

3-1! Finish it now!

We need to bag this penalty

He’s clearly done his hamstring

Yes, look at that passage of player leading up to McAteers injury. Justin is better going forward and driving into midfield. He’ll be learning this style of play, regaining fitness and confidence.

That’s McAteer out for at least 3 months.

He isn’t the same player, however he’s been out for a long time. It make take some months to get going again.

Question, should that be a red as he was the last man?

We are letting them have the ball I think.

Great block by Vestergaard.

Pears has been slated. By all accounts, this bloke is better. They view Pears like we did Ward last season.

I think Vardy has done Blackburn a long term favour here.

I think teams work out how to press us a little bit better. Blackburn can’t continue to press like this though. They’ll be knackered.

McAteer on might help

They have a massive gap inBetween the defence and attack when pressing.