- Sep 20, 2005
- 9,955
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It's the end of the year, and a good time to take a look at Spurs' progress so far in the Premier League compared to last season. To do this, I have re-ordered last seasons fixtures so they are the same as the sequence in which we played each particular team home and away this season.
So to start with, how many more points do you think we have after 20 games compared to the total from the equivalent games last season? 5? 8? 10? More? The answer is actually 2. The facts are that so far we have had 6 results better than last season, 6 worse and 8 the same. So maybe not the vast improvement - certainly in terms of points and results - that is the popular perception.
We are entering a season-changing period when we go to Liverpool on January 10. Looking at that and the following 7 fixtures, those 8 games brought us the princely sum of one point last season. True, The Wonder of Ramos was in charge for many of those games, but not even twice that total would be acceptable this season, eh Harry?
Four clean sheets on the trot. Not bad, eh? That brings the total to 6 so far this season, compared to last season when at this stage we had - er - 6. So again, perhaps we shouldn't run away with the idea that we've become Fort Knox at the back.
Looking at the rolling form guide of points from the previous 6 games, we are still struggling to get on or above the 2-points-per-game average that would all but guarantee Champions League football. True, all you need to get in the top four is to have one more point (or better GD) than the team in 5th place, but let's face it - who wants to go through the last day of the 2005/06 season again?
The lower graph has last season's points in green and this season's in blue. So you see, we are not miles above where we were from the same games last season. But now is the time to put some clear blue water between then and now, and rack up more than the one point we got at home to Wigan last term. Those key fixtures are Liverpool (A), Hull (H), Fulham (H), Birmingham (A), Aston Villa (H), Wolverhampton (A), Wigan (A) and Everton (H).
[Note: Last season's relegated teams have been paired off with the promoted ones as follows: Birmingham/Boro, Burnley/West Brom, Wolves/Newcastle].
We have no European football this season, we're out of the Carling Cup, and may only be losing Assou-Ekotto to the ACN - or injury if you believe the ITK. So with the current squad and lack of fixture congestion, this may be our best chance in four years to finally do the do and make the CL. Our next game is Peterborough in the FA Cup, and we should be able to see them off with squad players. So even with no winter break, Harry has the opportunity to rest key players for nearly two weeks before the Liverpool game.
We've done ok to get to get where we are, even if the stats show that it's not really much better than what we achieved in the same games last season. But to finish in the top four - the season starts here.
So to start with, how many more points do you think we have after 20 games compared to the total from the equivalent games last season? 5? 8? 10? More? The answer is actually 2. The facts are that so far we have had 6 results better than last season, 6 worse and 8 the same. So maybe not the vast improvement - certainly in terms of points and results - that is the popular perception.
We are entering a season-changing period when we go to Liverpool on January 10. Looking at that and the following 7 fixtures, those 8 games brought us the princely sum of one point last season. True, The Wonder of Ramos was in charge for many of those games, but not even twice that total would be acceptable this season, eh Harry?
Four clean sheets on the trot. Not bad, eh? That brings the total to 6 so far this season, compared to last season when at this stage we had - er - 6. So again, perhaps we shouldn't run away with the idea that we've become Fort Knox at the back.
Looking at the rolling form guide of points from the previous 6 games, we are still struggling to get on or above the 2-points-per-game average that would all but guarantee Champions League football. True, all you need to get in the top four is to have one more point (or better GD) than the team in 5th place, but let's face it - who wants to go through the last day of the 2005/06 season again?
The lower graph has last season's points in green and this season's in blue. So you see, we are not miles above where we were from the same games last season. But now is the time to put some clear blue water between then and now, and rack up more than the one point we got at home to Wigan last term. Those key fixtures are Liverpool (A), Hull (H), Fulham (H), Birmingham (A), Aston Villa (H), Wolverhampton (A), Wigan (A) and Everton (H).
[Note: Last season's relegated teams have been paired off with the promoted ones as follows: Birmingham/Boro, Burnley/West Brom, Wolves/Newcastle].
We have no European football this season, we're out of the Carling Cup, and may only be losing Assou-Ekotto to the ACN - or injury if you believe the ITK. So with the current squad and lack of fixture congestion, this may be our best chance in four years to finally do the do and make the CL. Our next game is Peterborough in the FA Cup, and we should be able to see them off with squad players. So even with no winter break, Harry has the opportunity to rest key players for nearly two weeks before the Liverpool game.
We've done ok to get to get where we are, even if the stats show that it's not really much better than what we achieved in the same games last season. But to finish in the top four - the season starts here.
Come On You Spurs!