Offense verses Defence | PASOTI
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Offense verses Defence

Jul 2, 2014
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So how important is having the best defense (goals conceded) in the League? I did a little research. Over the last ten seasons, the team with the best defense was promoted nine times, five times as the top team, once as second place, three times as third-place. The one exception was Southend last year, who came fifth and were knocked out in the playoffs.

In contrast, the team with the best offense (goals scored) was promoted just six times. Three times the team with the best offense did not even make the playoffs. The one time the team with the best offense made the playoffs (MK Dons 06-07 came fourth), they lost in the playoffs.

So, as the old saying goes, Good offense wins games, good defence wins Championships.

Incidentally, when we were promoted in 2001-2, we had the best defense but the fifth best offense.

:scarf:
 
Jul 2, 2014
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Just add another statistic, we have conceded 8 goals in 14 games, which is a rate that would concede 26 goals over the season. The record for fewest goals in the last ten years is 31 (Notts County 09-10, finished top); 32 (Swindon 11-12, finished top); 33 Wycombe (08-09, finished third).

And our great promotion year of 2001-2? We conceded just 28 goals.

I have a good feeling.

:thumbs:
 

ChepstowGreen

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🏆 Callum Wright 23/24
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Great posts. A good goal difference is I'm sure always vital as well. It might seem obvious, buts its a good way of spotting quickly if any teams are in false positions during a season. I.e flying high but with a poor goal difference, or near the bottom with a good goal difference (relatively speaking).
 
Aug 8, 2013
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In the cup games we've been opened up more by teams from the division above and have been in a situation where we've needed more than a single goal to gain a result from the match. On both occasions (ignoring the loss on penalties, as I feel its irrelevant to the performance shown), we've managed to turn on in an attacking sense to achieve 6 goals in 2 games. So if necessary, it seems we are capable of scoring, which suggests to me that our defensive record is the result of well executed tactics (rather than down to luck, although we've certainly had our rub of the green with goal line clearances and point blank misses). This is a decent side we've got here, I still think the best from this squad is yet to come.
 
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Cobi Budge.

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I agree with all that Spowell said.

However as I said on another thread Reid really needs to wake up, work and find his earlier form, he is our main threat after all & at the moment our main goal threat can be a passenger.
 
Nov 29, 2011
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Plymouth
Cobi Budge.":1ag5fxfg said:
I agree with all that Spowell said.

However as I said on another thread Reid really needs to wake up, work and find his earlier form, he is our main threat after all & at the moment our main goal threat can be a passenger.


While I don't think he's quite at his best, I think that's a little harsh Cobi. Since he's come back from injury he's played in four league games, scored two and set up one. Not really a passenger.
 

PL2 3DQ

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In recent games we haven't had to throw caution to the winds to chase a game because in our last three wins we scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the first half of each game.
I reckon this team has got goals in it but because we are content to sit back after scoring we haven't really been tested in the attacking department.

It will be interesting to see how this newly confident team reacts after going a goal behind, if the team does throw caution to the winds they might score a couple of goals.

The biggest test (and the monkey on our back) is winning a game after going a goal behind.

We need a game where we go a goal behind and end up winning 3-1, then we'll truly realise we are on our way to success. :)
 
Feb 21, 2008
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Good point there PL2.

I think Kellett and Mellor are capable of being serious attacking threats. We'll see if we rise to the occasion when required. That said, we didn't create enough last night. I thought it was crying out for Harvey myself to do one of his occasional pinpoint passes that opens up a defence.
 

jerryatricjanner

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The OP's stats pointing out that 9 out of 10 with the best defence have been promoted indicates we are very much on the right tracks. Cloughie and many others were great believers in getting the defence right first and we certainly have that with a top keeper and back line. If you keep a clean sheet you have a point for starters. Our defensive midfielders are also very capable players. The wing back positions hopefully will be more productive now with Mellor on his correct side growing into the role and Kellet adding something to the mix and hopefully his loan being extended. I don't understand Cobi's criticism or concerns over Reid. He has just come back from injury, has scored 2 and made one and no doubt is being well policed by opposing defences due to his reputation. I am sure he will go on to have another productive season. Loanee Reid had added something to the team it seems but still there does seem to be room for improvement from us in attacking situations. The bench is stronger giving us several good options in most games and many of these players would have been first picks a year or so ago. So yes defensively we have got it right, the foundations are there for a very good season and I think Sheridan is now fine tuning the last pieces of the jigsaw. Plenty of reason for optimism in my book.
 

memory man

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Hopefully with the confidence levels high the management team can now turn their attention to attacking set pieces. Paul Wotton seems to be achieving great things with his defensive coaching. As stated several times in previous posts in this thread that is the rock that promotion is built on. Perhaps now the rest of the coaching team can concentrate on more accuracy and variety from corners and encourage more ingenuity with free-kicks in the final third of the pitch. If they get that part of the game right it could sometimes turn the 1-0s into 2-0s and the 0-0s into 1-0s.