The bet BTTS, which stands for ‘both teams to score’ is very popular at the moment with the betting public. However, the chances of winning such a bet are smaller than you might think. The average number of goals per game this season is 2.86. In effect, this means one goal roughly every 32 minutes. Waiting [...]

Brendan Rodgers was not present at Liverpool’s 0-3 thrashing of QPR at Loftus Road due to illness, but his absence was hardly felt. Liverpool displayed a continuing comfort with their possession system, and that system’s defensive potential was shown on Sunday. In the other dugout, Harry Redknapp will surely be feeling the weight of the [...]

On Rafa Benitez’s first return to Merseyside as Chelsea manager, a Frank Lampard double secured the three points for Chelsea. After a Steven Pienaar goal allowed Everton to take the lead in a closely fought match, Chelsea showed their big match experience, taking all three points despite not playing as well as their opponents. Line-Up’s [...]

Everton hosted Wigan at Goodison Park. Everton were 2-4-0 in their last six games, while Wigan posted a not-so-impressive 1-1-4. Formations Everton made one change from their game against West Ham. Heitinga dropped to the bench in favour of Hitzlsperger. Neville moved to right back, while Gibson kept his place with his red card appeal [...]

On the back of an 8-0 drubbing from Chelsea on the weekend before Christmas, Aston Villa’s youngsters can’t have been looking forward to the prospect of facing Tottenham’s Gareth Bale running at them. The Welshman was in scintillating form as Spurs ran riot, inflicting another heavy defeat on the midlands team. Bale seems to enjoy [...]

When Dimitar Berbatov ended his seven-game scoring drought against Southampton, the elegant Bulgarian unveiled a shirt that read “Keep Calm and Pass me the Ball.” A surprisingly forthright gesture from a normally laid-back player, the message suggested that Berbatov thought Fulham’s recent struggles had been due to not focusing their play through their top scorer. [...]

Stoke are aware of the value of teams not getting into their final third. In general there is a correlation between final third passing and goals and when a team attacks the Stoke danger zone the Potters make sure that they get behind the ball and allow the other team ball retention. If a team like [...]

There will be hundreds of reviews of the Manchester United v Newcastle game discussing formations and showing how exciting the game. I would like, then, to show the raw data, mapping the game, to show that it is possible to predict the expectation of goals during a game by looking at shots as time decays. Background data [...]

The tactic of dominating possession was at first a defensive ploy from Scotland against the stronger, quicker and more devastating England team in the late 1800s. It was a tactical approach that existed purely as a way of controlling the opposition and the game, not as a ends in itself. The possession-based philosophy that Cruyff [...]

Chelsea best Norwich by a single goal in a match that felt contained and calm. Chris Hughton’s side never looked too close to scoring. In fact, at times neither did Chelsea. It was only a magnificent long shot from Mata that gave Chelsea their three points. Chelsea rotated some members of their squad following their [...]