Not sure if it's been mentioned on here but we've only conceded 6 goals in our first 16 Championship games. That is a record at this level, at this stage of the season. Watertight.

Parker the bus

FCBurnley wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 25, 2024 11:12 am

Parker the bus

Not actually heard that one yet, which is quite surprising!

groove wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 25, 2024 7:43 am

Not sure if it's been mentioned on here but we've only conceded 6 goals in our first 16 Championship games. That is a record at this level, at this stage of the season. Watertight.

Just finished reading that stat myself. Not been achieved since the 1920’s in the second tier apparently.

Seems someone must have been waiting for a point in time when we could claim that over the QPR team of fourteen years ago. They conceded a goal in their sixteenth game to go up to seven.

We don’t pay to watch clean sheets but normally title and promotion winning teams are built on tight defences and to be honest that’s what I’m more interested in this season.

It takes a good number of games for the benefits of a tight defence to be seen though. If we carry on as we are defensively, we’ll be well placed by games 25-30 I think.

May not be so impressive after the Boro game
Have you seen their recent stats on goals scored

Cloughie one of my all time favorite managers was a massive believer in not conceding

Virtually all successful managers have said you start building a team by forming your defence. The switch to three points for a win changed things slightly but coaches like Mourinho have been successful by seeking not to concede. Clough, as warksclaret states, had that approach which is why he paid so much for Peter Shilton. He also came up with arguably the most unlikely of successful cb partnerships with Kenny Burns and Larry Lloyd.

Bill Shankley was of the same opinion.

Keegan was one of the rare "modern" managers to focus on attack first. It worked to a certain extent but he didn't win any titles in the top tier.

Very impressive stat. Shoring up the defence is exactly what you want from a manager with a new team. All credit to SP and the team for that, particularly after last season - something to build on. If we can get things clicking at the other end of the pitch we'll be golden.

Most important stat other than points is goal difference

It's almost as though having to do a mini-rebuild 2 games into the season, with a really young team Parker has decided to build from the back before he slowly starts taking the shackles off and... it's working!

It's a far, far more sensible approach than going gung ho playing 'rock and roll' football with a new & depleted squad.

He's setting us up for the season now - as we get players back from injury, we'll go from strength to strength, whereas many in the top 8 or so will start to drop off.

mdd2 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 25, 2024 12:46 pm

May not be so impressive after the Boro game
Have you seen their recent stats on goals scored

While they do seem to score quite a few they concede plenty as well.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 25, 2024 4:44 pm

While they do seem to score quite a few they concede plenty as well.

not looked at their total results but they hace scored a she load this last ¾ games and that their GD is less than ours suggest the back door been open quite a lot this season

Best defensive start in 100 years in the 2nd tier and this thread starts moaning about how Boro will score past us. <shakes head> <logs off>

claret wizard wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 25, 2024 8:30 pm

Best defensive start in 100 years in the 2nd tier and this thread starts moaning about how Boro will score past us. <shakes head> <logs off>