Important to have a good August

[davieG]

Blog taken from Foxblogger

As with so many aspects of life, confidence in football is key. Over the last few decades Leicester City's seasons seem to have been shaped by early season momentum. Good early form leads to a strong campaign whilst bad opening results leave the club at best in mid-table.

The numbers here are pretty overwhelming. In the last four seasons, City have taken the following percentages of available points in August;

SeasonPoints won in AugustTotal Points Won By Champions

2004/05 28% 68%

2005/06 33% 77%

2006/07 47% 64%

2007/08 44% 59%

Compare those percentages to seasons in which the Foxes achieved league success;

SeasonPoints won in AugustTotal Points Won By Champions

1993/94 67% 65%

1995/96 58% 60%

2002/03 72% 71%

In each of the seasons where City took over half the available points in August, they achieved promotion. When they've failed to take over 50%, mid-table mediocrity or worse awaited them. We can also see from those figures the percentage of points won by the league champions in each season. When City start in good form, they stay in good form.

Dig deeper into the statistics and it appears this need for early impetus is not shared by other clubs. In fact, quite the opposite is true. In League One it has been the early season no hopers who have gone on to reach the promised land of the Championship. In the last three seasons, not a single club promoted from League One took more than half the points available in August. Here are the numbers season by season;

Season 2005/06Points won in AugustAugust League PositionFinal League Position

Southend Utd 44% 12th 1st

Colchester Utd 28% 22nd 2nd

Barnsley 39% 15th 5th (Pl)

Season 2006/07Points won in AugustAugust League PositionFinal League Position

S****horpe Utd 20% 24th 1st

Bristol City 40% 14th 2nd

Blackpool 27% 19th 3rd (Pl)

Season 2007/08Points won in AugustAugust League PositionFinal League Position

Swansea 44% 10th 1st

Nottingham Forest 22% 18th 2nd

Doncaster Rovers 11% 20th 3rd (Pl)

There are many possible reasons for these figures but the undeniable fact is clear: Leicester depend more on their early season form than many other clubs. Marathon though the season may be, City need to start like sprinters.

This even goes down to the opening day. Since the 2-0 victory over Watford in the first league game at the Walkers Stadium in 2002 the club hasn't managed an opening day success. Again, this was a component of each of Leicester's last three promotions.

There's no doubt Nigel Pearson more than many other League One managers will be praying for early victories. It will settle the fans and the squad immensely, particularly as the former group is still unsure of the manager's credentials. Pearson doesn't need four wins from four in August but he does need at least seven points.

In short, August is important, very important.

[DB11]

The numbers are hard to read.

[Austin]

I kind of made sense of the post

August is the month of importance

CMON CITEH!

[shiv]

ooo we were so close last season

[thecannon]

I think we need a good season.

[blue blood]

Have been saying the same thing for a while now. i would say 5 wins out of our first 7 matches will mean we will be up there or there abouts. Interesting abot the other teams though i would not have thought that.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

Surely it's important to have a good month, every month!? Pretty pointless article in my opinion.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

Surely it's important to have a good month, every month!? Pretty pointless article in my opinion.

[davieG]

Surely it's important to have a good month, every month!? Pretty pointless article in my opinion.

Your second post was pretty pointless

[Lillehamring]

not as pointless as this

:fox:

[filbertway]

Surely it's important to have a good month, every month!? Pretty pointless article in my opinion.

I was thinking the same.

[NorthernFox]

Although I think this particular month is irrelevant at the end of the day you need 10 out of every 15 points available to nearly guarantee promotion. So every 5 games, 3 wins, a draw & 1 loss will give you 91 points ish at the finale.

[davieG]

Surely it's important to have a good month, every month!? Pretty pointless article in my opinion.

Yes but the first month sets the scene for the rest of the season as we know to our cost, a bad August means you're for ever playing catch up. Besides this blog is pointing out that historically any success we achieve has tended to be on the back of a good August.

[Legend_in_blue]

Yes but the first month sets the scene for the rest of the season as we know to our cost, a bad August means you're for ever playing catch up. Besides this blog is pointing out that historically any success we achieve has tended to be on the back of a good August.

Thanks for the stats. To go out and investigate and deliver such accuracy is a job well done.

I can realistically see us winning easy tomorrow night, which should set up an easy win on Saturday. Tranmere at home the following weekend shouldn't be too much of a problem either and then it's 3 league wins out of 3.

I'd say that sets us up well for this month.

Saturday was a huge game, a really important result and a good performance to boot.

Long may this continue. I don't see why it shouldn't.

[Joe.]

Long may this continue. I don't see why it shouldn't.

Here's a clue:

[davieG]

Thanks for the stats. To go out and investigate and deliver such accuracy is a job well done.

I can realistically see us winning easy tomorrow night, which should set up an easy win on Saturday. Tranmere at home the following weekend shouldn't be too much of a problem either and then it's 3 league wins out of 3.

I'd say that sets us up well for this month.

Saturday was a huge game, a really important result and a good performance to boot.

Long may this continue. I don't see why it shouldn't.

It wasn't my work it was Foxblogger - link supplied.

[Daggers]

Here's a clue:

Loving your work