Is this true - attacking stat?

[alias75]

Is it true that we've had more shots on goal than any other team this season in the PL?

 

If it is then it supports my position that Rafa isnt too negative in the PL but the quality of attacking players we have isnt good enough. If you watch our games our wingers see plenty of the ball, yesterday for example Kewell and Pennant had plenty of possession thats not the problem, the problem is they do nothing with all that possession. The same against Man City, Kewell got into plenty of promising positions without really creating anything.

 

There have been a lot of posts today saying Rafa is too defensive, if it is true that we've had more shots on goal than anyone else that certainly goes against that theory, but with better players we should create better chances and with better strikers we should take more of those chances.

[John am Rhein]

Are we perhaps firing in more long range shots than other teams?

[Guest Snorky]

  John am Rhein said:

Are we perhaps firing in more long range shots than other teams?

 

Do hoofs from our own half count then ?

[Coyler]

No, it's shots on goal. They differentiate between shots on goal and hoofs from our own half when they are collating the statistics.

[Guest Snorky]

  Coyler said:

No, it's shots on goal. They differentiate between shots on goal and hoofs from our own half when they are collating the statistics.

 

Thanks for the clarification

[Guest RedLegend]

Sounds like one of those stats Ged was fond of.

[realtarragona]

  RedLegend said:

Sounds like one of those stats Ged was fond of.

 

Yep, which he was slagged off for.

 

Now it's being used to defend our current manager...

[alias75]

Not using is as any defence but if we have more attempts on goal than anyone else in the PL then its very hard to criticise Rafa for being too defensive. I agree hes on the more cautious scale of managers but the bottom line is creating chances and restricting the opposition and on both counts we do very well.

 

The obvious conclusion is the players we have arent taking enough of the chances we're creating, thats certainly been true of the last 2 games we've drawn which we could easily have won with slightly better finishing.

[Coyler]

  realtarragona said:

Yep, which he was slagged off for.

 

Now it's being used to defend our current manager...

I'm beginning to think that if you look really hard you could probably draw parallels between certain aspects of Houllier's last season in charge and certain aspects of Rafa's current season. It's just a hunch. I'll do some digging and try and put something together. I might be on to something.

 

Did you know that Kennedy's secretary's name was Lincoln and Lincoln's secretary's name was Kennedy?

[Tim]

  Snorky said:

Do hoofs from our own half count then ?

 

only when it's by alonso

[Earl Hafler]

  Coyler said:

I'm beginning to think that if you look really hard you could probably draw parallels between certain aspects of Houllier's last season in charge and certain aspects of Rafa's current season. It's just a hunch. I'll do some digging and try and put something together. I might be on to something.

 

Did you know that Kennedy's secretary's name was Lincoln and Lincoln's secretary's name was Kennedy?

 

Wrong.

[difs.oner]

Also we most of the possesion in a lot of the games we play so better attacking players could use it better.

[MFletcher]

I recall Houllier citing the amount of corners we had to explain yet another poor result. I don't think we're quite at that level yet.

 

Either way, we're set up brilliantly. With higher quality wingers and another striker of Torres-level ability, we'll win the league. I have no doubt about it whatsoever. If Rafa is given funds in the summer - proper funds - we'll see a sustained challenge for the title. He's only started to add the real quality after rebuilding the squad.

Edited January 3, 2008 by MFletcher

[Toni]

Our current team would have had a good chance to win the PL, in the Ged era. Pre-Abramovich and the mancs spending a net 70mill on players in one transfer window. Today the PL has become more demanding.

Edited January 4, 2008 by Toni

[Magic8Ball]

  John am Rhein said:

Are we perhaps firing in more long range shots than other teams?

possibly, or we're working poorer shooting positions - what's needed is a stat showing the average distance from goal when scoring for the league and being able to compare that to our distance from goal - that will give us some idea as to whether we're poorer markmen or shooting from weaker shooting positions.

I suspect its the latter - as deep down I doubt this team has any belief it can open up the opposition

[Guest Taxman]

  MFletcher said:

If Rafa is given funds in the summer - proper funds - we'll see a sustained challenge for the title.

 

You could say that about any good manager.

[difs.oner]

  Taxman said:

You could say that about any good manager.

 

Are you arguing for Rafa or against Rafa.

Yeh any good manager could do well with proper fund therefore Rafa's a good manager and why would we want to sack him?

[Guest Taxman]

Well then, we could just bring in another good manager with a more attacking approach and simpler methods and give him the proper funds. What's the difference?

 

What we thought we had with Rafa is someone who could build a title winning team on a smaller budget and get the very best out of lesser/unknown players in a tried and tested system. Another Wenger, if you will. He's proved he can do that in Europe, but is struggling in the league.

 

Now we're at the stage again where spending major funds is the only answer.

Edited January 4, 2008 by Taxman

[Lanus]

  Coyler said:

Did you know that Kennedy's secretary's name was Lincoln and Lincoln's secretary's name was Kennedy?

 

where the hell did that come from?

[Coyler]

  Big Stuff said:

Wrong.

[John am Rhein]

  Snorky said:

Do hoofs from our own half count then ?

 

If the're on target, yes

 

Reina leads the League with 45 'shots on goal'

Edited January 4, 2008 by John am Rhein

[John am Rhein]

  Coyler said:

I'm beginning to think that if you look really hard you could probably draw parallels between certain aspects of Houllier's last season in charge and certain aspects of Rafa's current season. It's just a hunch. I'll do some digging and try and put something together. I might be on to something.

 

Of course there's parallels - both were teams who fell short of the very top level, did well in Europe and struggled to advance beyond a certain level with all kinds of bogus explanations (too cautious, lack of width, etc. etc.) being advanced instead of the basic observation that other teams are actually very strong.

[Coyler]

  John am Rhein said:

... other teams are actually very strong.

This fact was annoying at first but has really started to really piss me off.

[John am Rhein]

  Magic8Ball said:

possibly, or we're working poorer shooting positions - what's needed is a stat showing the average distance from goal when scoring for the league and being able to compare that to our distance from goal - that will give us some idea as to whether we're poorer markmen or shooting from weaker shooting positions.

 

I've often suspected this - not just under Rafael Benitez but Gerard Houllier too - but never seen it confirmed. Where's Kaizer when you need him?

[John am Rhein]

  Coyler said:

This fact was annoying at first but has really started to really piss me off.

 

It's a lame excuse