The Gap is Closing

[sirpiechucker]

I keep reading that the gap between us and 3rd place is closing and there is a real concern about how we have done over the last 3 matches so once again I must point you in the direction of Newcastle this time last year. After 10 matches last season Newcastle sat top with 23 points and a 5 point lead over 3rd place. By game 11 that lead over 3rd was down to 4 points and remained 4 points after 12 games. After 13 matches that lead was down to a single point.

After game 10 we had a 7 point lead over 3rd which remained after game 11. After Tuesday that lead stayed at 7 points and after yesterday's results that lead is down to 6 points.

After 13 games we have a 6 point lead over 3rd and last season after 13 games Newcastle had a 1 point lead.

Oh but Newcastle had Carroll, Ameobi etc

Leon Best played 13 matches and failed to score
Marlon Harewood scored 5 goals for them (Helguson has already achieved this)
Shola Ameobi scored 10 league goals last term (Mackie has already got 8 this season)
Smith and Barton played 47 matches between them and scored 1 (Gorkss already has two goals)
After 13 matches Andy Carroll had scored just 2 goals (Ephraim, Agyemang and Taraabt have all achieved this)
Lovenkrands played 7 of the opening 13 matches and failed to score in any of them

QPR have scored 6 goals more than Newcastle at the same stage.

With Taraabt already having scored 4 goals and Ameobi scoring just 10 the whole season there's every possibility he'll match Ameobi's record. Mackie has a further 33 games to score 9 goals to match Carroll's achievements. Helguson needs another 8 to match Lovenkrands. Are these scenarios really that unlikely with so much of the season?

The only player who we will struggle to match and therefore will need goals from a number of players is Nolan's record. For all there worth the likes of Derry and Faurlin will never score the goals that Nolan did for Newcastle but Hulse, Agyemang, Smith and Ephraim could and should score 17 between them (they've already scored 4 between them). The likes of Connolly, Hill, Walker etc will need to chip in with the odd goal.

However even if we continue to struggle in front of goal it is possible to win promotion scoring just over a goal a game as Birmingham did two seasons ago. They went up having scored just 54 goals. Phillips scored 14, Jerome 9, O'Connor 6 and McFadden 4 some of our players have already surpassed both McFadden and O'Connor's record.

Ah well if this hasn't convinced you then I'm sure the reply will be but what was the game between Watford when they got caught or how many goals did they score but still failed to go up. Blah, blah, blah.

If you're not happy with a new club record and unbeaten after 13 matches then I guess nothing will make you happy but at least I tried.

[Quaz]

nice stats again mate, some people won't like seeing the truth in writing

[Kirill]

It is now clear that we are going to get relegated.

[Magic]

Loving these posts Sir Pie, keep 'em coming.

[sirpiechucker]

Further to Birmingham scoring just 54, Norwich scored 57 that season and were relegated. The key difference is that Birmingham didn't concede that many and knew how to win points even when not scoring freely. Exactly what we are doing now.

I've heard the moan but "I'd rather have lost to Swansea and beaten Bristol City because at least we would have more points" - true but so would Swansea. In fact we would have 1 point more but Swansea would have 2 points more. By learning how not to lose and being solid in defence means that not only do we constantly pick up points but it stops our rivals picking up points against us.

[Ric-Roc]

Great post & reading your stats Sirpie actually puts me at ease about the whole situation.

Keep up the good work.

[sirpiechucker]

Great post & reading your stats Sirpie actually puts me at ease about the whole situation.

Keep up the good work.

Well here's another for you:

In 2007/08, Birmingham had 30 points after 15 matches (31 after 16 matches) so a win in our next couple of games and we will go ahead of them at the same stage but in those 15 games they had scored just 18.

They only had a 3 point lead as well over 3rd place but still won promotion.

[Sleeping Giants]

I keep reading that the gap between us and 3rd place is closing and there is a real concern about how we have done over the last 3 matches so once again I must point you in the direction of Newcastle this time last year. After 10 matches last season Newcastle sat top with 23 points and a 5 point lead over 3rd place. By game 11 that lead over 3rd was down to 4 points and remained 4 points after 12 games. After 13 matches that lead was down to a single point.

After game 10 we had a 7 point lead over 3rd which remained after game 11. After Tuesday that lead stayed at 7 points and after yesterday's results that lead is down to 6 points.

After 13 games we have a 6 point lead over 3rd and last season after 13 games Newcastle had a 1 point lead.

Oh but Newcastle had Carroll, Ameobi etc

Leon Best played 13 matches and failed to score
Marlon Harewood scored 5 goals for them (Helguson has already achieved this)
Shola Ameobi scored 10 league goals last term (Mackie has already got 8 this season)
Smith and Barton played 47 matches between them and scored 1 (Gorkss already has two goals)
After 13 matches Andy Carroll had scored just 2 goals (Ephraim, Agyemang and Taraabt have all achieved this)
Lovenkrands played 7 of the opening 13 matches and failed to score in any of them

QPR have scored 6 goals more than Newcastle at the same stage.

With Taraabt already having scored 4 goals and Ameobi scoring just 10 the whole season there's every possibility he'll match Ameobi's record. Mackie has a further 33 games to score 9 goals to match Carroll's achievements. Helguson needs another 8 to match Lovenkrands. Are these scenarios really that unlikely with so much of the season?

The only player who we will struggle to match and therefore will need goals from a number of players is Nolan's record. For all there worth the likes of Derry and Faurlin will never score the goals that Nolan did for Newcastle but Hulse, Agyemang, Smith and Ephraim could and should score 17 between them (they've already scored 4 between them). The likes of Connolly, Hill, Walker etc will need to chip in with the odd goal.

However even if we continue to struggle in front of goal it is possible to win promotion scoring just over a goal a game as Birmingham did two seasons ago. They went up having scored just 54 goals. Phillips scored 14, Jerome 9, O'Connor 6 and McFadden 4 some of our players have already surpassed both McFadden and O'Connor's record.

Ah well if this hasn't convinced you then I'm sure the reply will be but what was the game between Watford when they got caught or how many goals did they score but still failed to go up. Blah, blah, blah.

If you're not happy with a new club record and unbeaten after 13 matches then I guess nothing will make you happy but at least I tried.

Let alone that our "supposed" failures are 2 draws against the teams currently sitting in 3rd & 4th and a draw against the team who was 3rd at the time we played them (Millwall)...apart from that an away draw at Derby (currently 12th) isn't a complete failure and we never get anything at Bristol so a point there is a bonus despite them being bottom?

[Ric-Roc]

Thanx again. Great stat.

Gives you confidence. The obvious key to it all is 'maintaining' what we've already done.

[BUSHRANGER1982]

Great stats, sirpie.
so far, I've no complaints about how our season has gone, in fact, the Rangers have exceeded all my expectations.
We are a very hard team to beat, the last 13 games are testament to that, and I for one, feel very privaleged to be a Queen's Park Rangers supporter.

To Neil and the lads, a big

[qblockoompah]

had a row with my liverpool supporting mate today. first of all over the fact that him saying hodgson should be sacked, wheres i think it s the players fault not woys. but worst of all him saying were rubbish cos weve drawn the past few games n cardivv have cut our lead down. Him saying norwich, swansea and brizzle are all pony n all three should be 3 points nailred on each!!!! well wound me up, n i let him have it

[80sCasual]

Sirpie, how do you sleep at night, you must always be thinking of the next stat.
I know if I have something on my mind it will keep me awake until I solve it.
You're probably already working on the stats and percentages on peoples sleeping habits so I won't interrupt you any longer.
And by the way this is not a **** take, I enjoy the stats.

[Dazzer1977]

Sirpie, how do you sleep at night, you must always be thinking of the next stat.
I know if I have something on my mind it will keep me awake until I solve it.
You're probably already working on the stats and percentages on peoples sleeping habits so I won't interrupt you any longer.
And by the way this is not a **** take, I enjoy the stats.

Here's a stat for you Casual - SirPie's only six years old and its lights out for the little fella and he's in bed by 7.30. You'll have to wait till tomorrow for a reply!

[acricketer]

I think we need a new striker

[stainrodisalegend]

Good stats, many thanks.

These series of draws if followed by a win will look like fairly good results. If the sequence ends in defeat then the suggestion that we have lost our mojo will grow. And that is what worries fans, not our overall position which is obviously great, it is the fear that we are not going to maintain our early form or ever quite get it back - which will be essential at some point in the season. And on that the jury is still out.