Have we had an easy start?

[Biscuit]

Of the games I've seen us play, namely Doncaster, Gillingham, Portsmouth, Cardiff and Peterborough, we created very few chances indeed. Luckily CMS and Barnes haven't missed many of the few we've had.

 

[simmo]

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.

It's a personal thing as to what is a clear cut chance, but shots on and off target are a waste of time as per my update earlier. Utterly irrelevant stat IMO.

Especially away from home early on when we like to have possession and knock it around at the back tiring out the oppo without really creating any chances. It is all part of the Gus' master plan and it is ultimately so often that knocking around seeming to go nowhere, which creates clear cut chances later on in the game, when teams tire towards the end of the game after they have been chasing shadows. That does not come up on any stat.

 

[Tummy Burger]

It's a personal thing as to what is a clear cut chance, but shots on and off target are a waste of time as per my update earlier. Utterly irrelevant stat IMO.

Especially away from home early on when we like to have possession and knock it around at the back tiring out the oppo without really creating any chances. It is all part of the Gus' master plan and it is ultimately so often that knocking around seeming to go nowhere, which creates clear cut chances later on in the game, when teams tire towards the end of the game after they have been chasing shadows. That does not come up on any stat.

Which is why I personally prefer the ruthlessness stat from my previously highlighted thread. As per the figures, we were top of that stat last year, and we are currently top in that stat this year. If we remain the most ruthless in the division we WILL go up.

 

[Skaville]

Yes, I've been thinking this for a while. We have had a releatively easy start and I can only see Blackpool and Cardiff finishing in the top half. However, we have made the most of that start by picking up 16 out of 18 points. The real test is when we start playing the proper contenders (West Ham, Leicester, Southampton et al).

Whatever happens, you can't dismiss what we have already achieved (especially on the road) and I think play off's are genuinely within reach. I was hopeful of top ten before the start of the season.

 

[Tummy Burger]

She really is FINE

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I was wrong about the Donny game, I stand by the rest. It doesn't bother me though, we play great football.

It's a personal thing as to what is a clear cut chance, but shots on and off target are a waste of time as per my update earlier. Utterly irrelevant stat IMO.

Especially away from home early on when we like to have possession and knock it around at the back tiring out the oppo without really creating any chances. It is all part of the Gus' master plan and it is ultimately so often that knocking around seeming to go nowhere, which creates clear cut chances later on in the game, when teams tire towards the end of the game after they have been chasing shadows. That does not come up on any stat.

I completely agree with your second paragraph. Our style of play is possession and disrupting the oppositions plans, then hitting them with impact subs late on when they are tired. I was merely responding to someone who said we create loads of chances by pointing out we don't. Although not all chances are shots, most are so its not a 'completely irrelevant stat'

 

[Silent Bob]

The shots thing was in the programme not long ago, probably the Peterborough game in fact (because they are the biggest shooters or were at the time), we were fairly low down in shots but not in goals - however you could see in that game that shots does not equal chances, because they had or seemed to have loads more attempts than us - but they were shooting whenever they got half a look at goal, loads of shots from outside the box, virtually none of them seriously threatening a goal. We had more clear cut chances, because we usually make another pass if it's not a real chance.

The Doncaster game is one I remember as us having LOADS of chances before we scored. But that wouldn't neccesarily come out in the stats.

 

[brixtonA23]

If we follow the Rodney Marsh logic we should be OK

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I would say Blackpool was a harder game than Leeds,also not many will win at Pompey and Cardiff.At the start everyone was saying there are no easy games in this division.
It might have been better to play the likes of West ham early on away from home but we have Leicester on Saturday and they are still settling down so it gives us a good chance.
To answer the question i don't think it has been an easy start at all.

 

[227 BHA]

the way i look at it is all those teams we have played so far were above us last season and not 1 of them have beaten us . happy days

Er, Peterborough??

 

[brixtonA23]

We obviously beat Leeds then. Time traveller I'm off to Ladbrokes now.

 

[Taybha]

Er, Peterborough??

they dont count , they didnt turn up home or away

 

[B.H.A. Damski]

Blackpool proved us wrong!

 

[GT49er]

At the start of the season, I'd have said that the computer had been relatively kind in easing us into the Championship (apart from Cardiff away, where i didn't expect to get anything) - but apart from Brizzle and Donny all the teams we've beaten have been in the top half, although admittedly Pompey have slipped a bit since we played them.
Leicester, Leeds and Palarse will be a good barometer of where we actually are, though.