Just for comparison for our strike force this season. I know about the argument that we've scored lots in single games and RVP made the difference in tight games etc, but it would be interesting to see how many we score this season without our 'one man team' player
The problem with using "number of goals scored" as a way to measure how successful our strike force is, firstly the point you've outlined above, but it also doesn't show how our goal scorers have faired when then chips were down, or if they've managed to score in difficult situations and able to change things around with a touch of brilliance. This season it's been a more "team effort" whereas last season, it was largely a one man band. Though saying that, we would still be better off with RVP, than Giroud and Podolski combined. Watching him play for manure clearly highlights this. In fact we would be in clear third place had RVP had the services of both Cazorla and Wilshere to feed from. Sometimes 2 for the price of 1 isn't always better.
Any team with RVP in it will score goals But I'm interested to know how many we've scored so far this season, compared with last. Whilst the argument exists that RVP's 'touch of brilliance' got us some points in games that we've drawn this season, you're right to point out that we are more of a 'team' this season. Giroud, Podolski and Walcott have been criticised in equal measure in the past, but their goal tallies are stacking up. I think it will be interesting to see their stats measured against RVP's at the end of the season.
I think it fair to say that while the strike force will score plenty of goals, they wont pose the threat to the top teams that RVP did. Arsenal have 1point and 4goals from 5 games against Utd, City and Chelsea as opposed to 7points and 7 goals in 6 games last season.
Thanks So whilst RVP 'might' have made the difference in the games we've drawn or lost, we are comfortable scoring more without him - Interesting.
Sure but In my humble opinion this is down to a Much improved midfield rather than forward line. Against the better defences we have struggled. Purely because our CF's have not been able to make the most of the chances we are creating. Man City and Chelsea games immediately come to mind.
How's that relevant to the question Bonstar? We all know we were a better team last year. Was that due to RVP defending? Is it due to new signings of Santi, Podolski and Giroud? Is Jack being back a bad thing? Obviously not. The point is, as a team we are scoring more. Maybe Song wasn't as bad as we thought? Now we need to ensure we defend better as a team and that we can concentrate for 90 minutes in all games. The point I think is that we were reliant on RVP last year. This year, we are more of a team when it comes to getting goals. Nothing more, nothing less.
That is correct. After 23 games last season we had 37 points. Exactly the same as now. Our goal difference was +6 as opposed to +19. We had scored 39 and conceded 33 as opposed to now 46 scored 29 conceded. We were 7th in the league 1pt behind Liverpool, 2 behind Newcastle, 5 Chelsea, 12 Spuds. Now we are 6th 1pt behind Everton, 4 spuds and 8 Chelsea. So based on that. Compared to last season after 23 games, we have the same points, higher league position, scored more goals, conceded less and are less points behind Spuds and less points to 3rd place. What a drop in standards without RVP and with less 'tough' games to go. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/table http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/premier-league/2011-2012/table/2012-02-01
Like Magic man says really, the team are more effective as a whole at getting goals rather than the (over)reliance on RVP to do it all for us, which we all said was a risky strategy. If the midfield are getting more goals and reducing the CFs overall tally, but the team are scoring more then that can only be a good thing.
