Apologies for the delay on this one, I haven't had much chance to look at the data and ESPN have
introduced significant changes to their match graphics which have made things difficult for me.
They say a picture paints a thousand words, this will be graphically heavy I feel.
Firstly, the old cliché about a game of two halves couldn't be more apt, could it?
Apologies for the delay on this one, I haven't had much chance to look at the data and ESPN have
introduced significant changes to their match graphics which have made things difficult for me.
They say a picture paints a thousand words, this will be graphically heavy I feel.
Firstly, the old cliché about a game of two halves couldn't be more apt, could it?
One of the great things about football (sometimes) is the variety of opinions, some more valid
than others. Fans are particularly vociferous in expressing those opinions after a loss. I've read
them all. Take your pick of the players not playing yesterday; that's why we lost. We missed
Albrighton.
One of the great things about football (sometimes) is the variety of opinions, some more valid
than others. Fans are particularly vociferous in expressing those opinions after a loss. I've read
them all. Take your pick of the players not playing yesterday; that's why we lost. We missed
Albrighton.
I've taken my sweet time with this one on purpose. I generally have a pretty good idea what the
headline numbers look like by the final whistle and I know the more technical statistics almost
immediately after the game has finished these days. If taken in isolation, these stats wouldn't
make encouraging reading, but that only serves to prove why we should take time look at these
things as a whole and recognise that nothing can be "proven" by pointing at any single metric.
I've taken my sweet time with this one on purpose. I generally have a pretty good idea what the
headline numbers look like by the final whistle and I know the more technical statistics almost
immediately after the game has finished these days. If taken in isolation, these stats wouldn't
make encouraging reading, but that only serves to prove why we should take time look at these
things as a whole and recognise that nothing can be "proven" by pointing at any single metric.
I'm a little short on time right now, so I'm just going to dump the numbers and run. One thing I
just want to draw your attention to is the possession. I had a conversation with someone on Twitter
recently who felt that our share of possession under Houllier has been less than in the past. I'm
not convinced that is the case, in fact, while it's too early to say really, it look extremely
similar to me at first glance.
I'm a little short on time right now, so I'm just going to dump the numbers and run. One thing I
just want to draw your attention to is the possession. I had a conversation with someone on Twitter
recently who felt that our share of possession under Houllier has been less than in the past. I'm
not convinced that is the case, in fact, while it's too early to say really, it look extremely
similar to me at first glance.
Fulham weren't anything close to spectacular, yet the stats show that their point wasn't
undeserved, contrary to what a lot of Villa fans felt at the final whistle, which begs the question
of why we should find much to be encouraged by.
Well, four academy graduates in the side and all did well, Bannan's superb pass and Albrighton's
take down and shot set those two apart.
Fulham weren't anything close to spectacular, yet the stats show that their point wasn't
undeserved, contrary to what a lot of Villa fans felt at the final whistle, which begs the question
of why we should find much to be encouraged by.
Well, four academy graduates in the side and all did well, Bannan's superb pass and Albrighton's
take down and shot set those two apart.
It's not so much a cliché as a truism: goals change games. Sometimes not scoring does
too. Had Downing's early woodwork striking effort gone in and/or had we been awarded a penalty for
the challenge on Reo-Coker shortly after, it might have been a different game.
The goal we conceded, when we conceded it and in the manner it was given away clearly took some
of the wind out of our sails in a much more traditional sense.
It's not so much a cliché as a truism: goals change games. Sometimes not scoring does
too. Had Downing's early woodwork striking effort gone in and/or had we been awarded a penalty for
the challenge on Reo-Coker shortly after, it might have been a different game.
The goal we conceded, when we conceded it and in the manner it was given away clearly took some
of the wind out of our sails in a much more traditional sense.
Let's be completely honest here, Chelsea have a considerably better side than we do and we have
little practical reason to expect to beat them, yet their record at Villa Park isn't that good.
Over the last five visits now they've won only once, lost twice and drawn twice.
We beat them 2-1 last season despite having just 32% possession and being out-passed 407 to 167,
a 29% share of the completed passes.
Let's be completely honest here, Chelsea have a considerably better side than we do and we have
little practical reason to expect to beat them, yet their record at Villa Park isn't that good.
Over the last five visits now they've won only once, lost twice and drawn twice.
We beat them 2-1 last season despite having just 32% possession and being out-passed 407 to 167,
a 29% share of the completed passes.
Instead of any tactical analysis in this Statshack, I thought I'd share something I was looking
at ahead of this game: our record at White Hart Lane over the last few seasons.
The table below shows both teams' complete and incomplete passing numbers which, of course, is
the basis for "Completed Pass Share".
Instead of any tactical analysis in this Statshack, I thought I'd share something I was looking
at ahead of this game: our record at White Hart Lane over the last few seasons.
The table below shows both teams' complete and incomplete passing numbers which, of course, is
the basis for "Completed Pass Share".
A tale of two halves, or Jeckyll and Hyde as I sometimes like to think of performances so
different either side of the break. That might be overstating things, but at half time Villa had
49% of possession, by full time that had shrunk to just 42%.
That might not seem like an enormous swing, and it's an oversimplification, but if you assumed
the ball was in the possession of one team or the other for all of the 90 minutes, it's possible to
calculate the possession for the second half alone and it comes out as 65/35 in favour of
Wolves.
A tale of two halves, or Jeckyll and Hyde as I sometimes like to think of performances so
different either side of the break. That might be overstating things, but at half time Villa had
49% of possession, by full time that had shrunk to just 42%.
That might not seem like an enormous swing, and it's an oversimplification, but if you assumed
the ball was in the possession of one team or the other for all of the 90 minutes, it's possible to
calculate the possession for the second half alone and it comes out as 65/35 in favour of
Wolves.
I've talked about this many, many times: possession football is all well and good, but if you
don't move the ball into position to score goals often enough, you don't win many games. Our home
record was 13th best in the league last season as we consistently struggled to roll inferior
opposition over and that was to be the key challenge to address this season.
I've talked about this many, many times: possession football is all well and good, but if you
don't move the ball into position to score goals often enough, you don't win many games. Our home
record was 13th best in the league last season as we consistently struggled to roll inferior
opposition over and that was to be the key challenge to address this season.
It lived up to the preview, we got what we expected at the Britannia Stadium. When Stoke had the
ball, they were direct and made effective use of possession. When they didn't, they dropped deep
into two well organised banks of four, the midfield almost on top of the back line. Very tough to
break down.
It lived up to the preview, we got what we expected at the Britannia Stadium. When Stoke had the
ball, they were direct and made effective use of possession. When they didn't, they dropped deep
into two well organised banks of four, the midfield almost on top of the back line. Very tough to
break down.
