A quick graph via a request from the comments section in this post, and compared to the total chances created in 2011-12 to further illustrate Liverpool's progress in attack.
Premier League only, as that's all I can find stats for. All totals via Who Scored.
A few notes:
• Liverpool created 66 more chances this season, and that's after having to replace the players who created the third-, fourth-, and fifth-, and seventh-most chances last season.
Another yearly tradition, although it's not as if there aren't a plethora of outstanding video editors –which there weren't when I started this tradition. None the less, you can't argue with tradition. And it was a good year for goals, in contrast to, say, 2011-12 or 2010-11.
10) Bale OG 1-2 Spurs: This will never not be funny.
The headline stat is a simple one. Liverpool scored 24 more goals in the Premier League this season, and conceded just three more. In all competitions, Liverpool averaged 1.81 goals per game and a goal every 49.6 minutes.
More season-long statistics in graphic form, similar to those about goals scored and conceded
published last week. Because no matter how painful the 2011-12 season was, this is still more fun
than baseless and mindless speculation about the new manager and/or future of the club.
I figure we'll start the usual season wrap-up stuff with the easiest, most enjoyable post. Multiple
infographics and an almost certainly depressing narrative season review to follow.
10) Carroll 1-2 Chelsea (FA)
9) Carroll 3-2 Blackburn
There's a footballer in there somewhere.
Manchester United successfully regained the Barclays Premier League title this season for a record 20th time, and avenged their heartbreak of a finish last term losing the title on goal differential to rivals, Manchester City. Through the additional signing of Robin van Persie, Sir Alex Ferguson was once again able to mold a potent attack which threatened nearly every Premier League side week in and week out.
The season is done and dusted, 4th place it is then but as we know because of Chelsea's antics
in the Champions League final we have no Champions League football down at the Lane next season. Â
What impact this will have to the squad, with players in and out, is unknown for the time being,
but that is discussion for another day, along with a whole host of subjects that this blog will try
and delve into over the summer months.
Had a request following the last graphic, which listed each players' total appearances, to break it
down into minutes played. Appearances can be deceiving, after all. Ask and ye shall receive
(sometimes).
Total possible minutes were 3420 in the Premier League, 540 in the FA Cup, and 660 in the Carling
Cup.
With West Ham's promotion to the Premier League yesterday, the 2011/2012 Championship season
finally came to an end. Despite having had three weeks to mull over Ipswich Town's year, I still
haven't come to a conclusion on how I feel about it. It's been disappointing, that much is
clear. But even the pessimistic of fans would be hard pressed to deny that we (when I say we I man
Paul Jewell) have learnt a few lessons and the side HAS progressed form this time 12 months ago.
Guess it's about time to do a review of the season. Having thought about it, numerous ways to do
it. Luckily, Arsenal's official website came up with the numbers which is exactly what I'm basing
the review on. All statistics used will be denoted by number in brackets.
Third in the Premier League, last 16 of the Champions League, 6th round of the FA Cup and
quarter finals of the Carling Cup.
The stunned silence lasted almost 5 minutes. It was in stark contrast with the noise and uproar
that had filled the air not too long ago, but it was still as deafening. They surveyed the field
around- the weary limbs, the bloodshot eyes, the slumped shoulders. They had all done their part,
there was no blame to pass around.
Fernando Torres left, Steven Gerrard was soon injured, and Andy Carroll arrived unfit to play.
Pepe Reina was in the midst of his second of three seasons that left fans talking about him being
some way short of his best. The defence, though decent, was hardly the dominant force it became for
a time in the middle of the 2011-12 season after Jamie Carragher's injury forced the coaching staff
to experiment with Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger as the starting pairing.
People can talk about rebuilding. Even if the point of last summer's transfer strategy was to
avoid long settling-in periods that would lead to 2011-12 becoming a rebuilding season. Even if it
now appears that next season will end up something of a rebuilding season, too, with few
entertaining realistic hopes of a return to Champions League action twelve months hence.
The season is over. Only it isn't. Not quite yet. Though it does feel as though an autopsy
should be done, even if after a long campaign that has seen so many of the problems and complaints
remain depressingly consistent it feels as though everything has already been said a dozen times
over and that there is really nothing left to say.
Against Blackburn, he scored twice in the opening twenty minutes in what should have been an
easy Liverpool victory. Against Everton in the FA Cup, Liverpool played the bulk of their best
football after he was brought on from the bench on 75 minutes. Yet despite that Liverpool have
consistently played better with him in the lineup than out of it, Maxi Rodriguez has only made
thirteen starts and a further four substitute appearances across the 47 games Liverpool has so far
played this season in all competitions.
With Jamie Carragher's poor showing against Everton in the FA Cup—not to mention the frankly
puzzling decision by Kenny Dalglish and the coaching staff to play him when all four of the men who
have made up Liverpool's most successful defensive unit this season were fit—we thought it might
be interesting to look at how Liverpool's centre backs have performed this year.
In recent weeks, the need to give young players like Sebastian Coates and Jonjo Shelvey a chance
to impress as Liverpool's prospects in the league have faded has become a frequent talking point.
Some have even suggested the likes of Jon Flanagan, Jack Robinson, and even Raheem Sterling should
be given significant playing time, willing to trade a place or two in the final standings for the
promise of a brighter future.
Last Saturday, Liverpool closed out their run in the inaugural NextGen Series with victory over
Marseille in the third place game. It may not have been the final players or the fans would have
been hoping for, it was rather overshadowed by the senior match taking place on the same day, and
it was an untelevised affair played behind closed doors at Chelsea's training facilities.
At the start of the month, we talked about how Liverpool's form in the second half of the season
had the club on pace for its worst finish in the top division since they were demoted in 1954. As
Nate of Oh You Beauty more recently pointed out, since January began the club has managed only 0.73
points per game.
On Saturday, Liverpool's unlikely dream of a top four finish all but ended. With European
qualification already secured by way of League Cup victory, it also meant that losing to Arsenal
was the last league match of the club's season that especially mattered as far as results in the
present are concerned—at least beyond that winning always feels better to all involved than
losing.
With every club having played twenty-five games in the 2011-12 season, February's midway point
sees six of them having conceded less than thirty goals: Manchester City with 19, Liverpool with
23, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur with 25, Sunderland with 26, and Everton with 27. And
on those sides, seven centre backs have played twenty or more games so far: City's Vincent Kompany
and Joleon Lescott, Liverpool's Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger, Sunderland's Wes Brown and John
O'Shea, and Tottenham's Younes Kaboul.
The January transfer window is half way through, and, after the past two windows saw Liverpool
one of the most active participants, it's been surprisingly quiet for a side lacking both midfield
steel and finishing touch who before the season began set a return to Champions League action as
the minimum requirement.
The Sheanonmenon's 2012 season was a rocky one and included a foray at center back and a lingering toe injury. With rookie Raymon Gaddis impressing in his first season, could we see a competition at right back in 2013?
Following on from June we now move into July 2011 and our pre season begins. There are
constant rumours flying around about potential signings, AVB keeps talking the talk and an injury
blow hits us. Here we go!.
So the month started with AVB spouting off more about what he and his technical staff look to to
achieve.
Maddy's Note: A guest post from the Blue Corner of this blog.
Let me start this post with a challenge. Go and ask any Chelsea fan about the most memorable
night in his life. He will mention the 19th of May ahead of even the night when you know, well you
get the point!
Ducky's Note: Krish Prashanth is a Chelsea fan and a student of
engineering. In the first ever Chelsea game he saw, he watched Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink score
against Spurs. Since then, JFH has remained one of his all time favourite strikers. Here he
provides a season-so-far review of sorts for Chelsea.
When I started to run ideas past fellow tyrant, Felegy, I had thought we would do a two part
player review to kick off our first "real" posts. After some thought, I felt I'd first put a few
words down to review our season as a whole in a two part series. The time has come (albeit a little
late) to take a step back, a sigh of relief if you will, and reflect on the season that was.
In case this seems out of context, you might want to check out Arsenal Season Review Part 1: The
Bad and the Ugly!
One oft repeated line over the course of last year was that this was THE season for the
‘neutral'. I put that word right in the middle of an apostrophe sandwich because I for one cannot
comprehend how anyone following any sport can be a neutral.
Yes, we finished third. Yes, there was a St. Totteringham's day after all (albeit much delayed).
Yes, we finally displayed some of that oft-referred-to mental strength. But I for one am glad we
have seen the back of 2011-12. I'd rather sit through a Justin Bieber Rebecca Black duet concert
than experience what I experienced last season again.
The Inaugural season for the San Antonio Scorpions came to a close this weekend, as the Alamo city fell 2-1 at home (2-1 aggregate) to defending champion Minnesota Stars in the semifinals. A 21st minute red card was given to golden boot winner Pablo Campos, who had earlier given them the lead, after a head butt during an altercation.
As the season has finished and we can't wait for another one to start, I thought I would take an in
depth look back at last season and go through key moments that happened.
So, let's start at the beginning back in June 2011 as AVB was appointed our manager.
