Have we had an easy start?

[Kalimantan Gull]

Are you serious? We create very few chances?

I agree WTF??

I have seen a lot of those games too, another way to think about it is this. In those games, how many chances did our opponents create compared to ours.

TBH I would say the opposite, had CMS, Barnes and Noone put away a higher % of their chances our goal difference would be immense.

Stats always help when they back up your argument

From the Beeb:

1. Brighton 18 shots (10 on, 8 off) v Doncaster 9 (5,4) - can't recall hardly any of those, must have been too busy gazing round the ground. My bad.
2. Brighton 11 (4,7) v Gillingham 3 (2,1)
3. Brighton 4 (4,0) v Portsmouth 11 (3,8)
4. Brighton 8 (3,5) v Cardiff 12 (7,5)
5. Brighton 5 (3,2) v Blackpool 5 (3,2)
6. Brighton 10 (6,4) v Sunderland 22 (10,12)
7. Brighton 9 (3,6) v Peterborough 12 (9,3)
8. Brighton 14 (8,6) v Bristol City 15 (9,6)

79 shots (12 fewer than from Thunderbolts's figure?). I certainly wouldn't trust the beeb's figures in the absolute, but as a comparison its interesting. So aside from the first game, and ignoring the two Carling Cup games if you want, we have had slightly fewer shots than our opponents all season and yet top the table. Interesting, non?

It was pretty clear to me that at Bristol we were only shooting when we thought we'd scored (rightly or wrongly). I think looking at the number of shots may be a bit of a red herring.

Indeed. We've also been without most of our creative players, Noone excepted, during this period. Some of the team selections have focused on numbers in midfield rather than creativity. Lua Lua, Buckley, Harley and Vicente coming in will make a difference. We also don't hit teams on the break, unlike most of our opponents; and don't have a big aerial threat from corners etc.

 

[simmo]

Yes. Against Doncaster there was a clear chance for Barnes, couple of shots where Noone should have done better and a long-range effort from CMS before Buckley's brace; I can't recall much about the Gillingham game but know we weren't exactly peppering their goal; at Pompey both Vincelot and Noone had a long-range curler saved, and that was it, whilst Pompey had a good ten shots on (or over) the goal; at Cardiff the only decent chance other than the three goals came when CMS hit the post; again Cardiff created at least 6 or 7 chances and should have done better; and against Peterborough there was CMS's header that he should have scored, and I can't remember much else from us.

I wasn't at the Blackpool, Sunderland or Bristol games, and maybe we created a hatful of chances in those games; but the ones I've been to the opposition (donny aside) had more clearcut chances than we did, but were wasteful whereas we were clinical.

Thats not to say we haven't made the defences work hard to keep us out, I thought Pompey's back 4 were excellent in preventing us creating more chances from all our possession.

Against Doncaster there was a clear cut chance for Barnes first half, just as clear a chance for Noone (55 mins or so) and also for CMS on about 75 (which the keeper saved with his legs, following a back heel by Buckley) and we also scored two goals. We actually could have had five against them and they had (just) one other clear cut chance in the 1st half before they scored.

Apart from the 3 goals against Cardiff just how many goals do you think we should score away from home against a play off side from last season.

Against Peterborough their defender also hit his own post with a rushed clearance from a good ball in from Noone? I cannot remember them ever coming close to scoring against us (the same as Bristol apart from Casper's last gasp save).

I saw Blackpool and they have been by far the best team I have seen us play against and that was because like us they were creating chances (it was actually a great game) and in Kevin Phillips they have a proven striker whom got them a point with a quality finish in the 90th minute. Blackpool are the only side this season I have seen whom our defence have had difficulties with in my opinion.

The fact that we have also scored in EVERY game so far does not really back up your argument. We must be watching different games? I also agree with the poster above who says he thinks we could have actually scored a lot more.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Apart from the 3 goals against Cardiff just how many goals do you think we should score away from home against a play off side from last season.

The fact that we have also scored in EVERY game so far does not really back up your argument. We must be watching different games? I also agree with the poster above who says he thinks we could have actually scored a lot more.

I'm just saying we're clinical. We do not create hundreds of chances, I didn't say we were creating none. We have an excellent all-round team, but I remember remarking to friends a few times this season that it would be nice to make a few more chances from all the possession we have had.

 

[brightn'ove]

Blackpool are the only side this season I have seen whom our defence have had difficulties with in my opinion.

many prem sides also struggled with blackpool's attack, its the way they play. Just a shame they can't defend.

 

[Wilka]

Every team we have beaten is currently below us in the table.

Best reply I've seen on NSC for ages!

 

[Tummy Burger]

Stats always help when they back up your argument

From the Beeb:

1. Brighton 18 shots (10 on, 8 off) v Doncaster 9 (5,4) - can't recall hardly any of those, must have been too busy gazing round the ground. My bad.
2. Brighton 11 (4,7) v Gillingham 3 (2,1)
3. Brighton 4 (4,0) v Portsmouth 11 (3,8)
4. Brighton 8 (3,5) v Cardiff 12 (7,5)
5. Brighton 5 (3,2) v Blackpool 5 (3,2)
6. Brighton 10 (6,4) v Sunderland 22 (10,12)
7. Brighton 9 (3,6) v Peterborough 12 (9,3)
8. Brighton 14 (8,6) v Bristol City 15 (9,6)

79 shots (12 fewer than from Thunderbolts's figure?). I certainly wouldn't trust the beeb's figures in the absolute, but as a comparison its interesting. So aside from the first game, and ignoring the two Carling Cup games if you want, we have had slightly fewer shots than our opponents all season and yet top the table. Interesting, non?



Indeed. We've also been without most of our creative players, Noone excepted, during this period. Some of the team selections have focused on numbers in midfield rather than creativity. Lua Lua, Buckley, Harley and Vicente coming in will make a difference. We also don't hit teams on the break, unlike most of our opponents; and don't have a big aerial threat from corners etc.

Ah yes stats. You may like some of this

Stats Stats and More Stats

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Ah yes stats. You may like some of this

Stats Stats and More Stats

Always like a good stat, its the scientist in me coming out

True. I also read into it , that whilst we do not create anywhere near as many chances as others. The chances we do create are possibly more clear cut / better quality of opportunity.

 

[Tummy Burger]

Always like a good stat, its the scientist in me coming out

Don't have the time for them myself.

 

[simmo]

I'm just saying we're clinical. We do not create hundreds of chances, I didn't say we were creating none. We have an excellent all-round team, but I remember remarking to friends a few times this season that it would be nice to make a few more chances from all the possession we have had.

I never take any notice of shots on goal stats etc. sometimes they are very misleading. I mean is a shot that is half blocked and trickles to a keeper from 30 yards out a shot on target? Was KLL shot on Saturday that went over the roof of our stand a shot on goal as an example. Statistically probably yes but it is meaningless.

What I always think of is clear cut chances i.e those chances that did, should and could have been a goal, I think the team that has the higher percentage of them most of the time will win a game and in all games I have seen excluding Blackpool we have had more of these in my opinion compared to our opponents (didn't go to Pompey BTW).

 

[Tummy Burger]

I never take any notice of shots on goal stats etc. sometimes they are very misleading. I mean is a shot that is half blocked and trickles to a keeper from 30 yards out a shot on target? Was KLL shot on Saturday that went over the roof of our stand a shot on goal as an example. Statistically probably yes but it is meaningless.

What I always think of is clear cut chances i.e those chances that did, should and could have been a goal, I think the team that has the higher percentage of them most of the time will win a game and in all games I have seen excluding Blackpool we have had more of these in my opinion compared to our opponents (didn't go to Pompey BTW).

I would agree, a clear cut stat would certainly be interesting. However as you cant get those stats anywhere, it's a bit of a non starter.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Stats always help when they back up your argument

From the Beeb:

1. Brighton 18 shots (10 on, 8 off) v Doncaster 9 (5,4) - can't recall hardly any of those, must have been too busy gazing round the ground. My bad.
2. Brighton 11 (4,7) v Gillingham 3 (2,1)
3. Brighton 4 (4,0) v Portsmouth 11 (3,8)
4. Brighton 8 (3,5) v Cardiff 12 (7,5)
5. Brighton 5 (3,2) v Blackpool 5 (3,2)
6. Brighton 10 (6,4) v Sunderland 22 (10,12)
7. Brighton 9 (3,6) v Peterborough 12 (9,3)
8. Brighton 14 (8,6) v Bristol City 15 (9,6)

79 shots (12 fewer than from Thunderbolts's figure?). I certainly wouldn't trust the beeb's figures in the absolute, but as a comparison its interesting.

Only 3 shots on target against Cardiff? It's a good job we scored from each of them then.
I don't trust the beeb's figures either.

 

[westy]

Only 1 stat that matters at the mo:

Championship table
Sunday, 11 September 2011 14:27 UK

1. Brighton

 

[Pavilionaire]

Have we had an easy start? YES.

But that's not to take away from what we've achieved, or to assume that this is a good as it gets. We've still got Vicente and Buckley to come, plus we know there's more in store from Lua Lua and Harley as they bed in. I would fully expect our creativity and goal output to increase, but I'd also expect us to ship more goals as managers do their homework on us and combat our style more effectively.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Maybe so.

But what it IS is 16 points towards safety!

 

[Gangsta]

I originally thought we had an easy start but actually some of the teams we have played against have done quite well excluding their game against us.

Doncaster 24, Cardiff 6th, Blackpool 7th, Peterboro 11th, Bristol 22nd

However 2nd place SCC have actually done well against (on paper the top teams) but actually their opponents so far haven't done so well.

Leeds 13, Barnsley 16, Ipswich 18, Millwall 15, Leicester 10, Notts F 21

just stats

Its difficult to say at this early stage as our win skews the stats by a high %, however I thought on paper before the season started that it was an easy to average first 6 games for us.

 

[simmo]

Have we had an easy start? YES.

But that's not to take away from what we've achieved, or to assume that this is a good as it gets. We've still got Vicente and Buckley to come.

And Hoskins.

I do tell friends that a lot of this seasons good play is coming from last seasons players (excluding CMS). Gus summer signings are still really to be unleashed on the Championship.

 

[westy]

And Hoskins.

I do tell friends that a lot of this seasons good play is coming from last seasons players (excluding CMS). Gus summer signings are still really to be unleashed on the Championship.

Very true. Was talking to the old man about this the other day, we are yet to see alot of the extra quality we added in the summer, the old guard are doing the business bigtime!
Cant wait to see a fully fit Hoskins come off the bench along with Lua Lua..

 

[Discodoktor]

Clear cut stat would be a good read but its very subjective. I would certainly look at it more than the number of shots.

I think we have had an easier start than others. However our away games have been truly awesome top of the table results.

 

[Biscuit]

A win at Leceister will send shockwaves down this league. It'll be a HUGE test for us and I have a feel Gus will get the tactics spot on as ever.

 

[brightn'ove]

i agree with the above, a win at Leicester and people will look up.

now.. a win at west ham on the other hand...