Liverpool FC Forum

by **Owzat** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:19 pm

Interesting article in today's Daily Mail, if a little brief and lacking in in-depth analysis. Basically it mentions that Hull have been saved by the woodwork 23 times in the Premiership and then does a short list of those who've been denied by the woodwork most times

Who's top in 'hit the planks' ranks?"

24 Liverpool
19 Arsenal
18 Portsmouth
15 Aston Villa
14 Chelsea
14 Everton
13 West Ham
12 Blackburn
12 Newcastle

I'm sure the natural reaction of most will be "oh, just shows we're unlucky" - but does it? The aim of the game is to hit the ball between the posts and under the bar, not hit them. A miss is as good as a mile, "unlucky" seems to be common if someone hits the jaws of the pocket at snooker or pool, or hits the wire on the wrong side going for a double at darts, or the ball hits the rim but doesn't go in the hole at golf, BUT the truth is the targets are designed as big as they are and something is either in or it isn't.

Perhaps the more analytical approach may back up the point, maybe not. If a striker hits the woodwork from six yards you won't be calling him unlucky, you'll be blaming him for the miss the same as if he ballooned it over or the ball went wide. Speculative shots from distance hitting the woodwork may be classed as "unlucky", but it requires a greater accuracy and sometimes power and therefore pace to beat the keeper from distance - hitting the woodwork shows the player didn't quite manage it. Don't forget of course the ball can go in off the woodwork, in off the keeper or defender - we take those.

So while we've hit the net 59 times, two off own goals and I'm not going to try and work out the lucky deflections etc, and hit the woodwork 24 times. The shame is the article doesn't go into much depth, they quote an interesting stat and don't follow it up with stats that would go well with it - how many shots the teams have had and how many goals they've scored. There was a good website around a year or so ago, showed "how goals" - how many sides had scored from penalties, six yards, headers, volleys etc.

On interesting stats, the "stat attacks" show a few interesting ones.

- Stoke have had only 86 shots on target, fewer than any other side.
- Stoke have the worst disciplinary record with 64 yellows and five reds
- Crouch has scored four goals in the league against Bolton, only Arsenal and Boro have conceded more to him.
- Bolton have scored 56% of their goals in the first half, the most of any team in the Premiership
- Citeh have scored 71% of the goals in the second half, highest in the Premiership
- WBA have conceded 46% of their goals in the second half, the lowest in the Premiership
- Spudz have conceded 22% of their goals from corners, the most of any team in the Premiership
- Citeh have dropped 20 points from winning positions this season

And the one I was already aware of, the mancs haven't lost any of their last 13 cup semis (none lost since 69/70)

Source : Daily Mail 18/04/09

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Planks - Hitting the woodwork

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