Commentators and pundits keep referring to the performance of last season, Man City are X points better off than this time last year, Sunderland are only Y points worse off than this time last year. But how comparable is this? These teams would have played different teams in the same period as last year as is the way of the fixture list.
So a more comparable form of research would be, how well are, say Newcastle doing compared to the results attained against the sides they’ve played so far this year, last year. Well I’ll tell you, they are currently 17 points better off in the comparable fixtures. Not bad for a manager who was labelled a puppet by some sections of the media (me, and yes I’m the media!). It was to be expected they’ve had a marvellous start to the season. This form of analysis can also form a benchmarking process for clubs, last season yes we beat these teams, let’s keep it up again this year, but disappointing results against XYZ can be improved on.
Now Newcastle are at the top of the pile of most improved club of the 2011/12 season, in fact there are only seven clubs who have achieved better results so far this time around. Unsurprisingly we have Tottenham Hotspur and Man City next in line, both 9 points better off so far, and both are flying high at the top end of the table pushing for glory more in line with a bygone era. Other success stories (albeit with a pathetically small margin) Liverpool are 3 points better off, King Kenny is really impressing now isn’t he. The much chastised Tony Pulis, the hard up David Moyes and the eternally criticised Arsene Wenger have all led their sides to a singular point improvement on last year.
With only 7even improvements on last year there are 13 failings and one club has already wielded the axe. That dishonour falls to the lowest placed club on the table (I’m their Managerial consultant don’t you know) Sunderland AFC are currently 10 points worse off in 2011/12. With Bruce now out of a job having found himself at the foot of the table...who are next in line to lose their jobs. Well there are two likely candidates Bolton and Blackburn, who are 4 and 5 points worse off. The surprising third candidate is The Don, the Spurs fans favourite, Martin Jol. Fulham are 5 points adrift from where they were last year, is the pressure mounting on Jol’s head? If so the press certainly haven’t latched on to it yet (Martin if this somehow gets read by more than the usual two people - cheers Mum, cheers Dad - and the media start calling for your head, I’m sorry, I still love you).
Now of course these results can now be extrapolated, if each side were to replace these new and (sometimes) improved results in last year’s table and keep the other results how would that table now shape up I hear you ask...well let me tell you, better than that, let me show you!
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| Ooh! |
So a more comparable form of research would be, how well are, say Newcastle doing compared to the results attained against the sides they’ve played so far this year, last year. Well I’ll tell you, they are currently 17 points better off in the comparable fixtures. Not bad for a manager who was labelled a puppet by some sections of the media (me, and yes I’m the media!). It was to be expected they’ve had a marvellous start to the season. This form of analysis can also form a benchmarking process for clubs, last season yes we beat these teams, let’s keep it up again this year, but disappointing results against XYZ can be improved on.
Now Newcastle are at the top of the pile of most improved club of the 2011/12 season, in fact there are only seven clubs who have achieved better results so far this time around. Unsurprisingly we have Tottenham Hotspur and Man City next in line, both 9 points better off so far, and both are flying high at the top end of the table pushing for glory more in line with a bygone era. Other success stories (albeit with a pathetically small margin) Liverpool are 3 points better off, King Kenny is really impressing now isn’t he. The much chastised Tony Pulis, the hard up David Moyes and the eternally criticised Arsene Wenger have all led their sides to a singular point improvement on last year.
 |
| Not smiling now are you Bruce. Actually is that a smile? |
Now of course these results can now be extrapolated, if each side were to replace these new and (sometimes) improved results in last year’s table and keep the other results how would that table now shape up I hear you ask...well let me tell you, better than that, let me show you!
 |
| Excluding promoted clubs |
So...
The mighty Spurs are in the Champions league, well done them.
Man City have won their first Premier League title, congratulations.
Arsenal, welcome to the Europa League, have fun.
Wigan, you’ve bucked the trend of finishing 16th fantastic achievement Roberto!
Uh-oh Sunderland...getting a bit close to the wire there isn’t it!
Will this be how it ends...who knows. All we can do is sit back and enjoy watching it unfold.
Josh
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