Final instalment (at last): (9) 3 points for a win has increased the number of goals scored compared to the days of 2 points for a win FALSE The average number of goals per game declined steadily for over a century before pretty much levelling out over the last 30 years. Contrary to popular belief, none of the various rule changes or changing interpretations of the rules by governing bodies and refereeing panels (some of which -- e.g. changes in the off-side law -- dramatically affected how the game is played) had any significant effect on the long-term trend. Currently the average goals scored per game in the English PL stands at 2.66, and it has been round about that in our top league since the late 1970s. Not only that, but the average is much the same in Germany, Italy and Spain and, what's more, in our Championship and Leagues One and Two. Awarding 3 points for a win did have consequences, but it didn't increase the number of goals scored; what it did was reduce the number of drawn games, and increased the number of 1:0 wins. It became important to score, but even more important to stop the opposition scoring. Far from ushering in a glorious new age of attacking football, it instead placed a premium on sound defence. (10) A team's success is determined by its weakest players, not it's strongest ones TRUE Depressing though the thought may be, games of football are generally decided by mistakes rather than pieces of brilliance. Unlike games in the park on Sunday morning, where if you spot Darren Huckerby walking his dog and persuade him to give you forty-five minutes of his time you will almost certainly get to half-time well ahead, at higher levels football teams are only as strong as their weakest links. The trouble is, in football you can't just give the ball to your best players and let them get on with it; they rely heavily on their less able colleagues, and how the weak links in the side perform matters most of all. There is however a silver lining to this dark cloud when we think about our own team and our manager. Chris Hughton clearly has (10) writ large on the wall of his office. If you are manager of a team who can't defend, have no money and anyway the transfer window is shut, you may conclude that attack is the best form of defence available to you. But you will probably realise that that is not a good recipe for the longer term. So when the opportunity arises you will strengthen your back five and invest a lot of time and effort in schooling your team in the art of defence. At the end of which process you will have shunted the problem elsewhere: those who were among your stronger links, your forwards for example, may now be among the weakest. And so it goes on. After a time, with hard work and not a little patience from all and sundry, you will be in the happy position where "weak link" refers just to one or two players, not your entire forward line, midfield or back line. And instead of spending your entire summer break on the phone to your CEO and head scout, you will have long since identified the one or two players you really want, and with a bit of luck may even have their signature on a pre-contract agreement. Happy days indeed!
