They still only overtook our goals total for this season at the weekend.And where Arsenal seem to be now without a striker but loads of goals.
Yes, though the drop off in goals is probably more down to Haalands drop off in goals / injury than Gundogan and Mahrez who's goals are probably covered by the increase in Foden Rodri goals.Doku and Alvarez started okay but have also dried up a bit.7 down in the league - and that was already a drop from the season before.
I know it's a bit of a touchy subject for some, but when the goals were being shared around, that provided a bit more of a buffer against individual form.
That's the point I was making :)Yes, though the drop off in goals is probably more down to Haalands drop off in goals / injury than Gundogan and Mahrez who's goals are probably covered by the increas in Foden Rodri goals.Doku and Alvarez started okay but have also dried up a bit.
| № | Team | M | W | D | L | G | GA | PTS | xG | xGA | xPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Manchester City | 26 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 59 | 26 | 59 | 58.00-1.00 | 25.55-0.45 | 56.20-2.80 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 26 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 62 | 23 | 58 | 57.12-4.88 | 21.92-1.08 | 55.44-2.56 |
| 1 | Liverpool | 26 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 63 | 25 | 60 | 61.99-1.01 | 32.81+7.81 | 51.40-8.60 |
Chris Anderson's The Numbers Game - interesting read re match data and stats. For many clubs having a corner is a disadvantage if they go for goal = for SOME they are less likely to score (statistically) and when they go for it, with big defenders going up they are more vulnerable to the counter attack. Arsenal have made the attacking corner fashionable this year scoring at least 10 from these.Whatever about their experience we haven’t replaced their goals. Both Gundogan and Mahrez were prolific scorers none of Doku, Nunes or Kovacic have any goal scoring record. The loss of those two plus KDB’s extended absence has meant that there’s huge pressure on Alvarez, Foden and of course Haaland. Only Rodri has really added more goals. We could do with someone like KDB or Doku or Grealish to start scoring regularly in the run in.
It also doesn’t help that our set pieces are really ineffective. We get so many corners but don’t create enough chances from corners. We’ve had 47 corners in our last 5 matches, scored once and probably had 3 other chances. On Saturday we had Akanji, Ake, Dias, Stones, Rodri and Haaland as targets but didn’t hurt Bournemouth at all.
City under Pep are so close to the perfect machine, that they are almost always pretty near to their expected points.
№ Team M W D L G GA PTS xG xGA xPTS 2 Manchester City 26 18 5 3 59 26 59 58.00-1.00 25.55-0.45 56.20-2.80 3 Arsenal 26 18 4 4 62 23 58 57.12-4.88 21.92-1.08 55.44-2.56 1 Liverpool 26 18 6 2 63 25 60 61.99-1.01 32.81+7.81 51.40-8.60
Suggests that over the season City and Arsenal are performing better than Liverpool so far.
56 55 51
18 points I think, but yes that’s an amazing stat. I wouldn’t like to think what could cause a 30 point swing…lots of stuff probably.City under Pep are so close to the perfect machine, that they are almost always pretty near to their expected points.
We were 12 points ahead of Liverpool on expected points in 2019/20, and they finished that season 19 pts ahead of us. It's partly due to them relying on Allison, who is one of the top two or three shot stoppers in football, and I suspect partly down to being wound up like teenagers on speed, so that they outperform when they are in the groove, but fail miserably when they are out of it.
It doesn't though. It just suggests that the xG and the expectations are wrong.
№ Team M W D L G GA PTS xG xGA xPTS 2 Manchester City 26 18 5 3 59 26 59 58.00-1.00 25.55-0.45 56.20-2.80 3 Arsenal 26 18 4 4 62 23 58 57.12-4.88 21.92-1.08 55.44-2.56 1 Liverpool 26 18 6 2 63 25 60 61.99-1.01 32.81+7.81 51.40-8.60
Suggests that over the season City and Arsenal are performing better than Liverpool so far.
56 55 51