Flat track bullies?

[ncRover]

I think the last few weeks has proven that Ben Close isn’t all that.

Yes he might be clean and tidy with his passes and come across well on the stats but he doesn’t drive the team forward or battle like young Craig does.

[NickDRFC]

I think the last few weeks has proven that Ben Close isn’t all that.

Yes he might be clean and tidy with his passes and come across well on the stats but he doesn’t drive the team forward or battle like young Craig does.

Agreed, he’d be off in the summer if it was up to me.

[Jonathan]

Why split it against teams in the top 14 and bottom 10 though.
Why not top 12 and bottom 12.
I can only think that it might show us in a better light.

This is the point isn’t it, and this is why people may be minded to call out a negative spin. Not wanting to fuel an argument, but when all of us make a post we are there to be challenged. So why choose top 14? It’s a strange figure to select. Is that the figure that makes us look the worst?

(I don’t know either, I’m just intrigued. 14 has been picked for a reason).

[Colin C No.3]

8pts from the last 4 games. xPts is 4.75, we are running quite hot.

Easy tiger.

[pib]

Why split it against teams in the top 14 and bottom 10 though.
Why not top 12 and bottom 12.
I can only think that it might show us in a better light.

This is the point isn’t it, and this is why people may be minded to call out a negative spin. Not wanting to fuel an argument, but when all of us make a post we are there to be challenged. So why choose top 14? It’s a strange figure to select. Is that the figure that makes us look the worst?

(I don’t know either, I’m just intrigued. 14 has been picked for a reason).

If it was vs current top 12 and bottom 12 it would be as follows (last night's results made no difference to this from Saturday when the OP was posted as nobody moved into or out of the top 12):

vs Top 12:
P17 W2 D3 L12 F17 A37 GD -20 Pts 9 (PPG 0.53)
Average goals for: 1.00, Average against: 2.18

vs Bottom 12:
P15 W8 D3 L4 F25 A20 GD +5 Pts 27 (PPG 1.80)
Average goals for: 1.67, Average against: 1.33

Strangely, if it was split 3 ways (top 8, middle 8, bottom 8), our PPG against the top 8 is actually better (0.67 PPG) than our PPG against the middle 8 (0.44 PPG). What stands out is that we've really struggled for goals against the middle 8 teams (only 4 goals in 9 games)

[BillyStubbsTears]

If it was vs current top 12 and bottom 12 it would be as follows (last night's results made no difference to this from Saturday when the OP was posted as nobody moved into or out of the top 12):

vs Top 12:
P17 W2 D3 L12 F17 A37 GD -20 Pts 9 (PPG 0.53)
Average goals for: 1.00, Average against: 2.18

vs Bottom 12:
P15 W8 D3 L4 F25 A20 GD +5 Pts 27 (PPG 1.80)
Average goals for: 1.67, Average against: 1.33

Strangely, if it was split 3 ways (top 8, middle 8, bottom 8), our PPG against the top 8 is actually better (0.67 PPG) than our PPG against the middle 8 (0.44 PPG). What stands out is that we've really struggled for goals against the middle 8 teams (only 4 goals in 9 games)

Thanks Pib. You just saved me the job of posting that. The point still stands that we have won the overwhelming majority of our points against sides that have turned out to be among the weaker ones in this league. Our record is much more imbalanced than you'd normally expect.


That point stands however you present the data.

For what it's worth, I happened to split things the way I did because I started off totting up how many of our points had come from matches against sides that were in the bottom 10 as of Saturday.

10.

Nice, round number.

Drawing the line there on Saturday formed a natural boundary between sides that we'd been competitive against and sides that we generally hadn't. (A big part of my professional job involves that sort of assessment of groupings.) As of Saturday, we had won at least one point off every one of the sides in the bottom 10 that we'd played. We'd only won points against 5 of the top 14. So 10-14 formed a natural boundary.

But I guess I shouldn't be surprised by some folks' insistence on reading nefarious intent into everything. It's the spirit of the age on here.

PS.
Might be stretching a point but that 8-8-8 thing doesn't massively surprise me. Our major problem this season is that we've been horrific when we've come up against teams who play an aggressive press. Until very recently, we've generally not been able to cope with that. That's exactly what you get from average teams in this division. At the top of the table, I'd argue there are a few sides who don't rely on that so much, but are good enough to play through it. I think that against a few of those, we've found space to play against them.

[Jonathan]

Either the anaesthetic wearing off has left a bigger impact on me than  I realised, or there’s a new paragraph in there since I first read this yesterday. Keep adding the rationale as it comes to you I guess!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Either the anaesthetic wearing off has left a bigger impact on me than  I realised, or there’s a new paragraph in there since I first read this yesterday. Keep adding the rationale as it comes to you I guess!

Nope. I posted an edit immediately after I posted the original message yesterday evening, as I'd not explained WHY I was looking at the bottom ten.

Today I realised that I'd not properly quoted Pib's post, so I corrected that.

But happy to be of service if I've confirmed (sic) your prejudices.

And...let me see. Oh aye, you got a "Like" from Hound for your inference that I'm a liar and hypocrite, so well done. You've joined the club.

[Colin C No.3]

Someone’s touchy tonight.

Napoleon was apparently noted for what his doctors at the time called ‘paranoid outbursts’ where he lashed out at all & sundry. They put it down to him fighting & ultimately losing too many pointless battles on too many fronts. Just thought I’d ‘put that one out there’.

Never question ‘data’ on this forum Jono……nah bugger it. I enjoy ramming it back whilst waiting for the next fixture to come around, it helps fill in the time so crack on pal.

[Colin C No.3]

By heck it doesn’t get any better on a second glance after a nights kip!

So Jono you’re prejudiced & capable of alluding someone is a hypocrite & a liar?

You’ve certainly morphed into some kind of ‘monster’ from the Jono me & my brother stood with on the popside some 30 odd years ago!

Unless of course the narrator of the accusing post has jumped to conclusions & has somehow made themselves look a tad ridiculous in ‘going over the top’? Nah, surely their aspersions are well founded & backed up with solid facts & their well ‘established history’ of collating data could be very damning for you Jono should it be brought to bare.

And as for you hound backing up Jonathan’s post well, the less said the better.

[Jonathan]

Be good to see you all at a game again soon. Often see you and your brother walking into the West Stand ahead of kick off. All the best and let’s hoped for a win today (I’ll be tuning in on iFollow as currently bed bound!)