One Year Ago...

[sirpiechucker]

30/09/09 Newcastle United 1 - 1 Queens Park Rangers
03/10/09 Newcastle United 0 - 0 Bristol City
17/10/09 Nottingham Forest 1 - 0 Newcastle United
20/10/09 S****horpe United 2 - 1 Newcastle United

These were games 10, 11, 12 and 13 for Newcastle. Newcastle conceded in 3 of the 4 matches. They failed to score in 2 of the 4 matches and they lost 2 of the 4 matches. 24 points from 13 matches. Not 28 from 12 like us.

Even if we were to lose 4-0 on Friday we would still have conceded fewer goals then Newcastle had done after 13 matches. We would have scored 5 goals more than they had done after 13 matches and most importantly we would have accumulated 4 points more than they had after 13 matches.

Quite simply we are having a little blip. Not a losing blip. Just a blip where we are failing to score but we still sit 2 points clear at the top. We still sit 7 points clear of Watford and have a much superior goal difference meaning that we are effectively 8 points clear.

In our last 6 matches we've won 3 and drawn 3 having played 3 at home and 3 away. The old saying was win your home matches and draw your away games although we've won some away and drawn some at home we are doing exactly that. Only once in the previous 10 years has 92 points (or 2 points per game which is equal to 23 home wins and 23 draws) not been enough to be Champions but was plenty to finish 2nd. The average points per game needed to finish 2nd is 1.90 which we are more than achieving.

[irememberlesley]

spot on

[80sCasual]

[RussRanger]

Excellent stats once again Sirpie and tbh difficult, if not impossible for anyone to argue against - though doubtless they will try. Given those stats, I'm still in the glass half full camp.

[Spencer]

Nice to a have blip and not concede any goals.

[Yousef]

Nice stats. Enjoyed reading.

[stainrodisalegend]

Don't think anyone is arguing that it hasn't been a blistering start to the season Sir Pie. But as you suggested on another thread by current form we are fifth. And at the moment there is no obvious sign how that can be improved. Indeed, if anything there seems to be some evidence that we have been rumbled going forward and whilst brilliant in defence we have also been extremely lucky. I fear a bit of complacency here.

[Magic]

Well said Sir Pie!

[Pal]

TBH it wouldn't be the worst thing if Cardiff overtook us, it would take the pressure of our great start off us and pile all the media attention on them.
I wouldn't complain if we went up as runners up, but even better if we pipped them on the last day.

[sirpiechucker]

Don't think anyone is arguing that it hasn't been a blistering start to the season Sir Pie. But as you suggested on another thread by current form we are fifth. And at the moment there is no obvious sign how that can be improved. Indeed, if anything there seems to be some evidence that we have been rumbled going forward and whilst brilliant in defence we have also been extremely lucky. I fear a bit of complacency here.

Form is based on the previous 6 games of which we are currently 5th having accumulated 12 points out of a possible 18. Watford are 4th having also achieved 12/18 but a slightly better goal difference. Pompey and Cardiff have 13/18 and Derby have 14/18. For comparison this time last year Newcastle were 12th in terms of form having achieved 8 out of 18 and lost twice in the process.

[qpr_yuley]

TBH it wouldn't be the worst thing if Cardiff overtook us, it would take the pressure of our great start off us and pile all the media attention on them.
I wouldn't complain if we went up as runners up, but even better if we pipped them on the last day.

You make a very, very good point there. As much as I'd hate them to overtake us, it could well then divert all the attention and pressure on to themselves.

[Goddard]

I think a lot of this twitching lately stems from the fact that Cardiff are now breathing down our necks.
And they do have a better strike force than anyone in this league. And better than a few teams in the Prem, possibly.

But (for me) the most important gap is the one between us and 3rd place.
And that is 7 points. Even with our "blip".... We were 7 points clear of 3rd place before the start of this 4 game blip. Before the Millwall game.
We haven't scored in 3 of those games, and yet it is STILL 7 points.


At the start of the season, I was viewing Forest, Boro, Leicester and Bristol City as our main rivals, (along with Cardiff). We are 12, 17, 16 and 19 points ahead of those teams.

I look down the table at who is currently in the chasing spots. Watford, Norwich, Ipswich, Swansea are very inconsistant, and I don't think they have the squads to catch us up. If we were level with them right now, I'd fancy us. never mind with an 8 point jump on them.
Only Burnley worry me a bit. They are the next visitors to our place.
And even they can't buy an away win.

Yes, Cardiff can overtake us, they are good enough.
The rest aint up to it.


Not everyone will agree with that, and there is a long way to go. But I think we will cruise away from 3rd place, and the dozen different teams who may fill that slot over the weeks.


Anyway...I just thought I'd stick my two-pennys worth in.

[sirpiechucker]

WBA 2009/10:
Matches 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14

26/09/09 West Bromwich Albion 0 - 1 Crystal Palace
29/09/09 Barnsley 3 - 1 West Bromwich Albion
03/10/09 Preston North End 0 - 0 West Bromwich Albion
17/10/09 West Bromwich Albion 3 - 1 Reading
20/10/09 West Bromwich Albion 0 - 1 Swansea City
24/10/09 Coventry City 0 - 0 West Bromwich Albion

In our last 4 matches we have won 1 and drawn 3 at the equivalent stage last season WBA lost 2, drew 1 and won 1. They then lost game 13 and drew game 14 meaning from those 6 matches they achieved 5 points from a possible 18. We've already achieved 6 points with 2 matches to spare. WBA won their 15th match which took them to 28 points for the season - we've achieved this already in just 12 matches.

[G.T.P]

I think a lot of this twitching lately stems from the fact that Cardiff are now breathing down our necks.
:

my twitching is 3 0-0's in 4 games and two of them at home.
oh and two missed penalties against that would of ended in defeats.

[Goddard]

my twitching is 3 0-0's in 4 games and two of them at home.
oh and two missed penalties against that would of ended in defeats.

You twitch away then mate. No problem.

Nobody can say for certain if those two first-half pens had gone in that we'd have lost those games. The games would have been changed, but nobody knows how.

If Palace hadn't scored, we wouldn't have got the second at Selhurst.
No need to.
Same at Derby.



Anyway... each to their own, I'm well happy with the way things are going.