It's the same even when the opposition aren't sitting back, and we are out of possession. Laying ourselves open to counter attacks is a different issue.
Just looking at the table, as I can now after Tuesday night’s win, Preston have conceded no goals in their 4 games. Ok they’ve only scored one, but still impressive.
Seems like a remarkably similar start to both the promotion seasons. Remains to be seen if the similarity holds up from here on.
There's a well-known stat showing that a clean sheet is worth more in points than a single goal, i.e. the average number of points gained by a team from keeping a clean sheet is greater than the average from games in which they score just one goal. Preston have played out 3 scoreless draws, and their single goal was enough to beat Luton, so the points return overall is currently even stevens. But more often than not, a single goal isn't enough to win a game (unless you are George Graham's Arsenal).
I’d imagine the theory of that stat is meant to apply both ways to their 1-0 win, so actually it holds true with Preston - i.e. six points from matches they had a clean sheet, three points from matches where they scored a goal (albeit one match goes into both categories)
As we have no match thread yet, here's the team news for Millwall: "A late decision will be made on Teemu Pukki's availability for Friday night's game against Millwall. I don't know with Teemu," Dean Smith said in his pre-match press conference on Thursday morning. "He hasn’t had a football boot on yet so we'll give him until tomorrow morning to make a decision on that." Smith confirmed that Sam Byram is available for Friday's game having been involved in training this week. Adam Idah, meanwhile, is training today (Thursday) and should be ready for Tuesday night's game against AFC Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup. There were no fresh injury concerns from Tuesday's game against Huddersfield Town." https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/team-news-late-call-on-pukki-for-millwall
Yep - I actually think it’s better phrased, though, as how much is a clean sheet worth in equivalent of goals scored (rather than just vs 1 goal because of course as you highlight with the tongue in cheek Arsenal comment, teams generally don’t just score 1). An old study suggested that a clean sheet, in terms of ppg, was roughly equivalent to a (massive) three goals scored - because it’s only once you get to three goals can you (almost) guarantee at least a draw. Three goals is actually worth slightly more (2.7-2.8ppg - clean sheet is 2.6-2.7ppg). By comparison, two goals is worth c. 2.2-2.3ppg - so still enough to be very likely promoted if you manage two every single game. It was an old study, but I suspect still is broadly true. The only flag is that the more clean sheets there are in the league, of course, the less valuable they become… so the key is not just clean sheets, but more than everyone else.
They’ve bought 16 players so far and latest rumour is Auour from Lyon. Crazy business if they can get him
Interesting tactical analysis of the Huddersfield game, which helps to explain why Gibbs' got such low ratings. https://norwichcity.myfootballwrite...analysis-city-2-huddersfield-1/#comment-67198
There will be a meeting of the shareholders next month to vote on Mark Attanasio joining the board as a new director. https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwich-city/canaries-ncfc-mark-attanasio-shareholders-meeting-9222126
So after 5 games, we're 1 point off the playoffs, 3 from the top. And we're barely out of first gear. Could be a lot worse!
I don't disagree, but last time we were promoted we also had 7 points after 5 games, and had played nobody of note then either. The loss to Derby was memorable. It's not like anyone has really made a strong claim to be the best in the division yet either, nobody has managed more than 10 points yet.
The division is a bit topsy turvy isn't it? My mate is a Baggies fan and we were crying into our joint beer a week ago while the Cod Botherers were flying high. Yesterday West Brom whacked them 5-2. It's all to play for. The Binmen seem to be running away with League 1.