Stato
Well-known member
- Dec 21, 2011
- 6,581
We all know that our conversion rate is poor and that our actual goals scored is well below our Xg. However, I'm starting to get totally sick of the lazy punditry that uses 'they play well but can't score goals' as the one line platitude expected to explain a very complex situation in a soundbite. We know that every team in the world would like to score more goals than they do, but this statement seems to be being applied to us and only us. Its annoying, because although it is a criticism that could be directed at us, it is not the most appropriate criticism of us and we are not the team that the criticism best applies to.
In simple goals scored - We are 12th with 22, Fulham, WBA, Burnley & Sheff Utd all have less than 15; https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/goals
In terms of goals per game - We are 13th, scoring on average approximately twice as many goals per game than the bottom three performers; https://www.soccerstats.com/table.asp?league=england&tid=d
In terms of games where we fail to score - We are joint 9th with 4, level with Chelsea, Leicester & Southampton; https://www.soccerstats.com/table.asp?league=england&tid=z
In terms of conversion rate - We are 15th, a place below Manchester City; https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/chancenverwertung/wettbewerb/GB1
Compare this with other stats that tell the story of our season and it suggests that the continued concentration on 'they can't score goals' is distracting from our real problems:
We are 16th in goals conceded: https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/goals_conceded
17th for goals conceded per game; https://footystats.org/england/premier-league/goals-conceded-table
Joint 15th for goals conceded from set pieces; https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/2...amStatistics/England-Premier-League-2020-2021
Joint last for penalties conceded: https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/2...amStatistics/England-Premier-League-2020-2021
We know that we can't win games at home. We consistently find ways to draw games that we should win both home and away. There is a thread on here about the short amount of time that we hold onto a lead for. We're fourth from bottom on the number of fouls we commit, which may not be helping the number of set piece goals we concede. We are the leakiest team in the league in terms of how many chances it takes to score against us: https://experimental361.com/2020/12/26/scatter-graphics-premier-league-22-dec-2020/. We are also last in terms of team save percentage: https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/keepers/Premier-League-Stats.
Our position is frustrating as we are so close to being an effective team in this league. My own frustration is being added to by so many in the media consistently misdiagnosing our failings after a cursory glance at some highlights. I'm sorry about the stats overload, but thanks for giving me somewhere to vent. I've sensed from a couple of his comments that Potter is also a bit fed up with this being trotted out every time he faces the media. It can't be easy to instill the confidence needed to avoid self fulfilling prophecy in our attacking players, when nearly everyone with a shilling to earn from punditry is recycling the same simplistic rebuke.
'Brighton just can't score goals!' They say. Perhaps we need to respond with Ben Goldacre's mantra 'I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.'
In simple goals scored - We are 12th with 22, Fulham, WBA, Burnley & Sheff Utd all have less than 15; https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/goals
In terms of goals per game - We are 13th, scoring on average approximately twice as many goals per game than the bottom three performers; https://www.soccerstats.com/table.asp?league=england&tid=d
In terms of games where we fail to score - We are joint 9th with 4, level with Chelsea, Leicester & Southampton; https://www.soccerstats.com/table.asp?league=england&tid=z
In terms of conversion rate - We are 15th, a place below Manchester City; https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/chancenverwertung/wettbewerb/GB1
Compare this with other stats that tell the story of our season and it suggests that the continued concentration on 'they can't score goals' is distracting from our real problems:
We are 16th in goals conceded: https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/goals_conceded
17th for goals conceded per game; https://footystats.org/england/premier-league/goals-conceded-table
Joint 15th for goals conceded from set pieces; https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/2...amStatistics/England-Premier-League-2020-2021
Joint last for penalties conceded: https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/2...amStatistics/England-Premier-League-2020-2021
We know that we can't win games at home. We consistently find ways to draw games that we should win both home and away. There is a thread on here about the short amount of time that we hold onto a lead for. We're fourth from bottom on the number of fouls we commit, which may not be helping the number of set piece goals we concede. We are the leakiest team in the league in terms of how many chances it takes to score against us: https://experimental361.com/2020/12/26/scatter-graphics-premier-league-22-dec-2020/. We are also last in terms of team save percentage: https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/keepers/Premier-League-Stats.
Our position is frustrating as we are so close to being an effective team in this league. My own frustration is being added to by so many in the media consistently misdiagnosing our failings after a cursory glance at some highlights. I'm sorry about the stats overload, but thanks for giving me somewhere to vent. I've sensed from a couple of his comments that Potter is also a bit fed up with this being trotted out every time he faces the media. It can't be easy to instill the confidence needed to avoid self fulfilling prophecy in our attacking players, when nearly everyone with a shilling to earn from punditry is recycling the same simplistic rebuke.
'Brighton just can't score goals!' They say. Perhaps we need to respond with Ben Goldacre's mantra 'I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.'
