Some stats I've plucked out of the Glory Glory forum from the past week with a little added commentary. Light reading.
Spurs and Arsenal comparison of positions
(2009 and 2010 seasons) after 37 games (With thanks to spurredjon):
2008/9
Arse P36 W19 D11 L6 F64 A36 GD +28 PTS 68
Tottenham Hotspur P36 W13 D9 L14 F42 A41 GD +1 PTS 48
20 points behind Arsenal.
2009/10
Arse P37 W22 D6 L9 F79 A41 GD +38 PTS 72
Tottenham Hotspur P37 W20 D7 L9 F65 A37 GD +28 PTS 70
2 points behind a supposedly 'improved' Arsenal side. And let's not mention the last time we finished above Liverpool because most of us were not even born when it happened. It's been a season of progression, and it's in the numbers.
End of season form
I love looking at this. Storming end of season, and to think the month of April was meant to destroy us.
W 0 -3 Wigan Athletic
W 2 -1 Everton
W 3-1 Blackburn
W 2-1 Stoke City
W 2-0 Portsmouth
L 3-1 Sunderland
W 2-1 Arsenal
W 2-1 Chelsea
L 3-1 Man Utd
W 1-0 Bolton
W 1-0 Man City
Poor performance up at Sunderland, but how often can you say that about us this season? Not a single draw in that list. Inconsistency? Bah! I laugh in your face.
Home Performance
14 won. 2 drawn. 3 losses. 40 scored. 12 conceded. That is just superb. And when you look at the three defeats, the fabled IF Fairy waves her magic wand and shows you what could have been. We've been here before with solid home form, and it's now vital we retain this.
Away Performance
Played:18
Won:7
Drawn:5
Lost:6
Scored:25
Against:25
Won
Hull 5-1 - Sexy
West Ham 2-1 - Dug deep, showed class
Portsmouth 2-1 - Good solid three points
Blackburn 2-0 - Same again
Stoke 2-1 - Showed our class
Wigan 3-0 - Easy
Man City 1-0 - Epic
Draw
Villa 1-1 - Battered them
Everton 2-2 - Should have won it, gave it away
Brum 1-1 - Last minute equaliser from the Brums
Fulham 0-0 - Probably lucky to get a point here, no complaints
Bolton 2-2 - Our record there isn't exactly great
Lost
Liverpool 0-2 - Defoe goal disallowed. We then sort of went a bit limp, frustrating
Man Utd 1-3 - Textbook result for us at OT. One of these days...
Chelsea 0-3 - Did we get a little screwed before collapsing to defeat?
Arsenal 0-3 - Three key players out, gutless and clumsy performance, gave them the three points on a plate
Sunderland 1-3 - Didn't turn up and let Bent tweet his way to redemption, although LOL at the two pen saves from Gomes
Wolves 0-1 - Awful
Had we won 3 of the games we managed to draw...if if if, eh? See how much of a thin line sits between us and 3rd place, even 2nd - based on this season alone? If we improve in the summer, then our success in what we compete for next year (4th, 3rd?) will also be dependent on what the teams above us and the teams below us do in the transfer market. One thing is for certain, we are finally turning potential into results. And we'll continue to improve. How can we not?
There's a certain unwanted quirk we need to get rid of, the type of performance seen at Sunderland and Wolves (we gave the latter 6 points this season...think about it). Ever so slight improvement away and we'll consolidate a top 4 place again next year - as long as WHL remains the fortress it is.
Regardless of us sometimes 'not turning up', when it mattered most. We did when it mattered most. City away. And as mentioned in earlier blogs, the two London derby games against the red and blue scum.
That's what won the day.