Monday, March 7, 2011

Championship Opta Facts - 8 March

Barnsley v Scunthorpe

* Scunthorpe are unbeaten in their last five matches against the Tykes.
* Only four of the 27 league meetings between Scunthorpe and Barnsley have ended in a draw; but three of these have come in their last four games against one another.
* Barnsley have conceded more goals in the final 15 minutes of league games this season (17) than any other side.
* Scunthorpe have conceded a league-high 10 goals in the opening 10 minutes of Championship matches this season.

Bristol City v Portsmouth

* Portsmouth have won just once in their last nine league games against Bristol City.
* Just two of the last 11 encounters between these two clubs have seen the home side win.
* Portsmouth have scored a league-low two goals in the opening 15 minutes of Championship games this season.
* Bristol City have won their last three league games, with Nicky Maynard scoring in each match.
* Pompey have won six in a row. Should they win this match, it will be the best such-run in the Championship this season (seven wins).

Doncaster v Coventry

* The last six games between Doncaster and Coventry have seen just seven goals scored.
* Doncaster have won four and drawn three of their seven home games against Coventry.
* Coventry City have conceded a league-high 14 goals in the 15 mins leading up to half-time, while Doncaster have scored the most (13) in this period.
* The Sky Blues have won just two points in the Championship after falling behind this season; a league-low.


Hull v Burnley

* Burnley have won their last three games against Hull, scoring 10 goals in the process.
* Burnley have scored four goals from the penalty spot in their last three meetings with the Tigers.
* Burnley have scored 17 headed goals this season; more than any other side.
* Hull have lost just once in their last 11 league games.
* Just two of Matty Fryatt's league goals this season have come at home.

Ipswich v Reading

* Ipswich Town have lost just one of their last eight home games against the Royals.
* Just one of the last seven meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw.
* Paul Jewell's side have scored 13 goals in the 15 minutes after half-time in the league this term; more than any other side.
* Reading have drawn three of their last four league games away from home, losing the other.

Leicester v Norwich

* Five of the last six meetings between these two sides have seen at least three goals scored.
* Both of the last two matches between the Foxes and Norwich have seen the away side reduced to 10 men.
* 31 of Norwich's goals have come in the final half hour of games this season (56%) - a league-high.
* After going eight league games without defeat, Leicester City have collected just one point from their last three games in the Championship.

Middlesbrough v Derby

* Just one of the last eight games between these two teams has ended in a draw.
* Middlesbrough have won their last four home games against Derby County.
* Tony Mowbray's side have conceded 15 goals in their last five games; an average of three a match.
* Derby County have scored just four goals in their last 11 league games.

Millwall v QPR

* The last six London derbies between these two sides have seen just six goals scored.
* Millwall have won just one of their last seven home games against QPR.
* QPR have netted 18 goals in the final 15 minutes of Championship matches this season; a league-high.
* Millwall have not won in five league games, collecting just two points in the process.

Preston v Leeds

* The meeting between these two sides earlier this season ended 6-4 in favour of Preston; who in turn became the first away team to score six at Elland Road.
* The last three games between Leeds and Preston have seen 18 goals scored.
* Preston have lost 30 points from leading positions this season; more than any other side in the Championship.
* Leeds have suffered just one defeat in their last nine league games.

Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest

* The last five games between these two sides have seen just four goals scored.
* The last three meetings between these two teams at Bramall Lane have ended in a draw, with three red cards handed out in those matches.
* Sheffield United have conceded the first goal in a league-high 22 games this season in the Championship.
* Sheffield United have won just three points under Micky Adams in the 11 games that he has taken charge.

Swansea v Watford

* Watford have won just one of their last five league games against the Swans.
* Brendan Rodgers have won all three of his games against former clubs (Watford & Reading) this season.
* The Hornets have scored 31 goals in the first half of games this season; more than any other side in the Championship.
* Swansea have conceded just one goal in their last 397 minutes of Championship football.

Crystal Palace v Cardiff

* Five of the last eight meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw.
* Palace have lost three of their last four home games against Cardiff, scoring just two goals in the process.
* Cardiff City have scored the first goal in 21 games this season; more than any other side in the Championship.
* Crystal Palace have conceded just three goals in their last 848 minutes of league football at Selhurst Park.

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07-03-2011 21:00 Blackpool - Chelsea

DID YOU KNOW?

* Blackpool have spent 100 consecutive seasons in the Football League, but this is their first season in the Premier League.

* They have won only one of their last eight league matches.

* The Seasiders have lost their last four games on the road, conceding 13 goals in the process.

* Ian Holloway's men have the worst defensive record in the top flight, as they have conceded 55 goals to date - more than any other club in the Premier League.

* The home side are currently placed 15th in the league, with 32 points so far. This is only two points more than 18th placed Birmingham City.

* Chelsea have conceded only 23 goals so far, which is the lowest in the top-flight.

* The Blues score 1.78 goals per game, but this drops on their travels as they score 1.57 goals-per-game away from home. Going by numbers, they are the third most potent attacking force in the top-flight.

* Carlo Ancelotti’s charges have kept 12 clean sheets so far in the Premier League, which is the most by any team. Manchester City remain on par with the Blues in this statistic.

* Didier Drogba is the club’s top scorer in the league, with 10 goals to his name. Florent Malouda has scored nine, and so has Fernando Torres. But the Spaniard’s exploits were all at his former club Liverpool, and he is still waiting to break his goal scoring duck at Chelsea.

LAST MEETING
September 19, 2010: Chelsea 4-0 Blackpool

Chelsea cruised to an easy victory as Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba scored one each, while Florent Malouda bagged a brace on the day. At the time, the west London outfit were protecting an unbeaten record in the league. But they went on to lose the very next game, a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at Eastlands.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Blackpool (4-3-3): Kingson; Eardley, Evatt, Cathcart, Baptiste; Vaughan, Sylvestre, Southern; Varney, Beattie, Kornilenko.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Luiz, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Torres, Anelka, Malouda.

Prediction
Chelsea are much stronger than Blackpool, and should have no significant trouble easing past their opponents.

Blackpool 0-2 Chelsea