The games that cost us the league

[SkippyjonJones]

Chelsea at home – August

Draw: We went 1 goal up then Chelsea equalized through a penalty.

Dropped points total. 2

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

 

Tottenham at home October

After being 1 goal up Keane then scored 2 leaving us to get a goal for the draw.

Dropped points total. 4

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

 

Arsenal at home.

Again a good start and an early goal before letting in an equalizing goal.

Dropped points total. 6

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

 

Mancs at home – December

1 nil win to the mancs. Should have got a draw at least.

Dropped points total. 7

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

 

 

Wigan at home – January.

Another goal to get us off on the right foot – then Titus Bramble gets a late equalizer…

Dropped points total. 9

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

 

Villa at home – January

Again we score first – then they equalize – and we give them an OG… scored late to get a point when we should have had all 3.

Dropped points total. 11

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

 

That’s 5 games that we lead at home and ended up with draws and the mancs where we should be on equal terms at least.

 

Add this into the final table and the points look like this

 

Mancs 85

Chelsea 84

Arsenal 82

Liverpool 87

 

 

That’s a huge difference.. just on our home form. To many times we didn’t press the advantage – or just gave it away.

 

The away form wasn’t too bad – 34 points compared to 35 for the mancs and 36 for Chelsea.. Arsenal got a very impressive 42 points away from home. The biggest problem with the away form is that we don’t score many away from home 24 goals – at least 5 less than the teams that finished above us. Those teams also had a goal difference away from home of almost a goal a game – ours was .5 goals a game.

 

In summary – we need to sort out our defense at home and score more away from home, but we aren’t that far away. The loss of Agger was a far bigger blow to us that it initially seemed – Skrtel’s arrival coincided with the end of the giving away of points at home after being ahead. A settled defense could well be the difference next year..

[psl]

Wigan and Villa games were gutting.

Edited May 12, 2008 by psl

[Eskimo]

All the ones we drew or lost......

[Gunga Din]

Reading away, Wigan Spurs and Villa at home, Birmingham home and away. 13 points.

 

we'd all be in town now watching the bus

[goodrobotusses]

All the ones we drew or lost......

 

You stole my answer.

[R A Softlad]

Wigan and Villa games were gutting.

 

I was more pissed about the manner in which we lost the 3 points v Chelski.

[Saintslfc13]

Chelsea at home – August

Draw: We went 1 goal up then Chelsea equalized through a penalty.

Dropped points total. 2

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

 

Tottenham at home October

After being 1 goal up Keane then scored 2 leaving us to get a goal for the draw.

Dropped points total. 4

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

 

Arsenal at home.

Again a good start and an early goal before letting in an equalizing goal.

Dropped points total. 6

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

 

Mancs at home – December

1 nil win to the mancs. Should have got a draw at least.

Dropped points total. 7

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

Wigan at home – January.

Another goal to get us off on the right foot – then Titus Bramble gets a late equalizer…

Dropped points total. 9

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

 

Villa at home – January

Again we score first – then they equalize – and we give them an OG… scored late to get a point when we should have had all 3.

Dropped points total. 11

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

 

That’s 5 games that we lead at home and ended up with draws and the mancs where we should be on equal terms at least.

 

Add this into the final table and the points look like this

 

Mancs 85

Chelsea 84

Arsenal 82

Liverpool 87

That’s a huge difference.. just on our home form. To many times we didn’t press the advantage – or just gave it away.

 

The away form wasn’t too bad – 34 points compared to 35 for the mancs and 36 for Chelsea.. Arsenal got a very impressive 42 points away from home. The biggest problem with the away form is that we don’t score many away from home 24 goals – at least 5 less than the teams that finished above us. Those teams also had a goal difference away from home of almost a goal a game – ours was .5 goals a game.

 

In summary – we need to sort out our defense at home and score more away from home, but we aren’t that far away. The loss of Agger was a far bigger blow to us that it initially seemed – Skrtel’s arrival coincided with the end of the giving away of points at home after being ahead. A settled defense could well be the difference next year..

 

Great statistics those thanks. I had noticed that this year we seemed to have had problems holding on to leads, where as in the last few years we had problems getting leads in the first place. It really shows that our priorities really should be to strengthen our defence, particularly in the wide areas but I only say that because I feel rather comfortable about our four centre backs, I feel between Carra, Skrtel, Agger and Hyppia we'll be well covered there for at least the next three years.

 

We might already have the attacking players to be honest, I agree with most on here that we could use more creativity from the wings and in midfield, with a 15 a season striker to spell Torres or partner with him, but other than that we've got good things to look forward too. It's been known we want another centre back and the Agger situation forced Rafa's hand in January. Now we need to get some quality fullbacks and then worry about the more offensive players.

[Kahnee]

I was more pissed about the manner in which we lost the 3 points v Chelski.

 

4, surely?

[Magic8Ball]

Chelsea at home – August

Draw: We went 1 goal up then Chelsea equalized through a penalty.

Dropped points total. 2

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

 

Tottenham at home October

After being 1 goal up Keane then scored 2 leaving us to get a goal for the draw.

Dropped points total. 4

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

 

Arsenal at home.

Again a good start and an early goal before letting in an equalizing goal.

Dropped points total. 6

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

 

Mancs at home – December

1 nil win to the mancs. Should have got a draw at least.

Dropped points total. 7

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

Wigan at home – January.

Another goal to get us off on the right foot – then Titus Bramble gets a late equalizer…

Dropped points total. 9

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

 

Villa at home – January

Again we score first – then they equalize – and we give them an OG… scored late to get a point when we should have had all 3.

Dropped points total. 11

Points to the opposition

Chelsea 1

Arsenal 1

Mancs 2

 

That’s 5 games that we lead at home and ended up with draws and the mancs where we should be on equal terms at least.

 

Add this into the final table and the points look like this

 

Mancs 85

Chelsea 84

Arsenal 82

Liverpool 87

That’s a huge difference.. just on our home form. To many times we didn’t press the advantage – or just gave it away.

 

The away form wasn’t too bad – 34 points compared to 35 for the mancs and 36 for Chelsea.. Arsenal got a very impressive 42 points away from home. The biggest problem with the away form is that we don’t score many away from home 24 goals – at least 5 less than the teams that finished above us. Those teams also had a goal difference away from home of almost a goal a game – ours was .5 goals a game.

 

In summary – we need to sort out our defense at home and score more away from home, but we aren’t that far away. The loss of Agger was a far bigger blow to us that it initially seemed – Skrtel’s arrival coincided with the end of the giving away of points at home after being ahead. A settled defense could well be the difference next year..

awesome, you deserve major kudos for this !

 

Shows we're not that far away, keep Alonso get Barry a RW/RA and a backup to Torres and we're ready to Rumble

[crisps]

The Reading game with Crouch pretty much on left wing

 

and the west ham with Carra giving the 94th min pentaly

Edited May 12, 2008 by crisps

[Zoob]

Makes for interesting reading, but I think Arsenal deserved their point against us - I was left with the feeling that it was a fair result, rather than them scraping a draw. Spurs at home was the worst. It was like we were pissing on them, scored, and then were somehow 1-2 down. West Ham and Wigan were both sickening...

 

But against the mancs at Anfield - it is now no longer surprising when we play games that have 0-0 written all over them and yet we consistently lose 1-0...

 

I can just imagine a thread like this on an Arsenal forum, and it would be completely justified. Cruising against Birmingham and they threw it away / got robbed (I don't think it was even a pen - Clichy made a terrible error, but then got a touch on the ball) - 2 points dropped. Leading 1-0 against Chelsea, Chelsea score an off-side goal and end up winning. 3 points dropped. Those 2 games alone could be seen to have cost Arsenal the league. Not to mention the fact that they were all over the Mancs, winning, and managed to blow that one too...

[SkippyjonJones]

I can just imagine a thread like this on an Arsenal forum, and it would be completely justified. Cruising against Birmingham and they threw it away / got robbed (I don't think it was even a pen - Clichy made a terrible error, but then got a touch on the ball) - 2 points dropped. Leading 1-0 against Chelsea, Chelsea score an off-side goal and end up winning. 3 points dropped. Those 2 games alone could be seen to have cost Arsenal the league. Not to mention the fact that they were all over the Mancs, winning, and managed to blow that one too...

 

yeah - but I don;t give a f*** about them...

[Guest Ant]

Wigan Home

Tottenham Home

Birmingham Home

Reading Away

[Flasher]

We're are not that far away - that's my summary of the season.

 

We need more match winners. Currently we have two vs. Mancs, Arsenal, Chelsea who each have approx 3 or 4.

 

Our defence is fine. But not killing teams off, as Rafa has pointed out on numerous occasions, has cost us dear.

 

Very pleased with our away form this year - shame about the ruddy draws at home.