There are some interesting stats behind Celtic’s meteoric rise to the top of the league and Rangers equally spectacular collapse.
Prior to the 5th November Celtic had played 12 games, scoring 23 and conceding 12. Since then they have played and won 10 games, scoring 21 and conceding just 3 times. So there hasn’t really been a significant increase in goals scored per game, but there has been a massive improvement in the defensive figures. Nine different players have scored during this time with Hooper, Samaras and (despite injury) Stokes scoring three or more during this time.
By comparison, Rangers have scored 15 goals in their last 10 SPL games with the goals coming from six different sources. Nikica Jelavic is their only player to have scored more than twice but he needed penalty kicks to achieve this. This period corresponds to Steven Naismith’s absence from the team.
Incredibly, seven of Rangers 15 goals in these games have been either own goals or penalties. Dundee United, Dunfermline and Motherwell players have all scored for Rangers while Rangers have benefited from four penalties. In total these seven goals have earned Rangers six points. Only one of Rangers 25 goals prior to this period was a penalty and none were o.g.s, so their period of good fortune coincided with their period of greatest need, a recurrent theme in the Scottish game.
None of Celtic’s 44 SPL goals this season have been scored by opponents and only one has come from the penalty spot, not that we seem to keen to score penalties.
The figures demonstrate the importance of having a variety of players who can contribute goals on a consistent basis as key strikers are always liable to injury or loss of form. Hooper and Stokes have already missed chunks of this season and Georgios Samaras started the season in barren form.
Celtic’s figures are all the more stark considering their most prolific midfielder, Kris Commons, has failed to launch his season due to a frustrating few months of injuries. Goal-scoring midfielders are a precious breed.
I was surprised at how little appetite Nikica Jelavic appeared to have for the contest at Celtic Park last week but a return of 2 goals from 10 games indicates the problem may be well established. He spoke to a Croatian newspaper this week and – unlike his manager when asked about the player being sold this month – informed them he had no intentions of leaving Rangers and that he was “focussed on playing in Scotland”, although he did reference Rangers financial problems.
If Rangers are budgeting on selling Jelavic they may well find the player wants a piece of the action before agreeing to move on.
Thanks to BigchipsUK for the research on the SPL goal stats.
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Folly Folly – The new translation for the vegetarian Roman Missal also has ‘Peas be with you’ …
You cannot be cereals. (thumbsup)
Just wanted to say Happy New Year to all and offer my thanks to Paul and all the contributors to this site. I seldom post but rarely does a day go by where I don’t look in for my Celtic news fix – I just can’t get enough! As a result I barely looked at a MSM publication throughout 2011 and intend to do the same in 2012.
Hail, hail!
“There are few better finishers in British football than David Healy and there is certainly nobody better in Scotland.” Lawrie Sanchez’
FFS
Wanyama is a better finisher!!! :)
Sandman Is Neil Lennon 4 January, 2012 at 13:01
“Scored a good goal against Murderwell in a game he shouldn’t even have been playing in had Gollum grown a pair of balls.”
It wusnae even a good goal. The defender gifted him a few yards of space inside the box. Hunbelievable
ASonOfDan – It was just a name mentioned to me, to be honest no-one knows who we are looking at in this window.
A candle in the window, on a cold dark winter’s night? (thumbsup)
The Honest Mistake
Own goal scorers
Garry Kenneth
Alex Keddie
Steven Craigan
Dunno about Keddie but the other 2 look like currant buns
RogueLeader, agree. It’s not easy to sell, even when you want to.
ASonOfDan, sounds like it.
philvisreturns, indeed.
thomthethim, I hover over the keyboard waiting on you. Thank you for the report on the AGM. Really disappointed to hear SFTB was not there to face the audience.
coorslad, I’m sure we are looking for a physically strong striker to lead the line. Agree, would like to see more creative midfield players.
Honest Mistake, true.
lucky number 7, send it through, thanks, celticquicknews@gmail.com
Has this Hun blog BIGHUN1 just undermined the Huns calls for Hun to be regarded sectarian.
MWD
Saint Stivs says:
4 January, 2012 at 12:56
coorslad says:
4 January, 2012 at 12:48
we should go ask the bhoy McClean from Sunderland, he looks a cracker,
you got anyway of persuading him to ask for the move.
:-)
share
Celtic had a look at him,at least Lenny said he was aware of him..but suppose 100’s of young players are touted to Celtic,but I would have loved James to sign for us.Does’t drink and they cant get him off the training ground.I said to another cousin when O’Neil took over that he would like James..Never stops,tracks back,Agate type,but will get the crowd on there feet..He made a lot of people family and friends very happy last night.
Who’s this David Healy, and where was he last month?
Answers on a postcard to stupid idiot hurnalists. You know who you are.
re simon church from reading.
don’t think we have a prayer in getting him. they’ll be wanting a pew million for him but if he wants a transfer then that could alter.
coat please.
Boba Petta – That would be an ecumenical matter. (thumbsup)
Craig Whyte and Ally McCoist, met after the team’s 3-0 victory over Motherwell on Monday to discuss team matters and it is understood their dialogue could continue tomorrow.
Neither McCoist nor Whyte would comment on the discussions, but a source at Ibrox confirmed there would be no immediate moves for players to replace Kyle Lafferty, who will miss four weeks after pulling a hamstring.
Whyte and Aunt Sally
I could not have wished for a better partnership being in charge of rangers…
cardiffbhoy 4 January, 2012 at 13:10
“Garry Kenneth
Alex Keddie
Steven Craigan”
If they aren’t rangers supporters I’d be surprised.
Sandman at 13:01
“There are few better finishers in British football than David Healy and there is certainly nobody better in Scotland.” Lawrie Sanchez
Well said Lawrie. From his 14 games he has played for Rangers in past 12 months, he has had 13 shots, 7 of those on target and has scored twice.
With a striker in form like that, its only a matter of time before Barcelona come calling.
Mort
Someone posted last night asking why Jeff Winter was so anti Celtic/pro Them.
Remember a few years back being in Manchester Airport Departures awaiting a flight to sunnier climes(could have been anywhere!)Whilst waiting had a quick browse in Waterstones to see if there were any books worth adding to the dozen or so I already had-came across Winter’s autobiography-can’t remember the exact title something like “Who’s The B###### In The Black”.
Remembered seeing him up close at an FA Cup Final ( Man U Vs Millwall-couldn’t get a ticket for Celtic V Dunfermline which was on the same day,when Henrik scored 2 in his last competitive game for us -so ended up in Cardiff).I was near the front and he was warming up just in front of us with his 2 assistants and he came across as being a total officious twit(misprint).
Anyway he had an awful game-Dennis Wise committed at least 3 red card offences but Winter chose to keep him on the pitch.Bearing this in mind thought I would read the first few pages in the unlikely event that it would be worth spending my hard earned on.
The first chapter was about his early life as a football hooligan(surprise,surprise)with Middlesborough and how he was at a match at Maine Road and he got beat up by a guy wearing…yes you guessed it a Celtic Shirt! (it wasn’t you Googybhoy was it?)Quite why anyone was wearing a Celtic Top at Man.City I’m not sure-especially as this must have been many years ago when you didn’t even see Celtic Tops at Celtic Park!
Apparently he got his revenge on this guy and the story ended with something like”…and this is why I’ve supported Rangers and hated Celtic”
Needless to say the book went back on the shelf and the hard earned stayed in the pocket!
PAUL67
“so their period of good fortune coincided with their period of greatest need, a recurrent theme in the Scottish game.”
A disgraceful slur on Scottish football,if I may say so.
Well done,sir!
HNY, hope everyone has a great year ahead.
I’d be hanging onto Ki for now, of all our gifted young midfielders he has, potentially, the greatest upside. Kayal and Brown can become more experienced and professional, but their creative side is limited and there will be no consistent upturn in that side of their game. Ledley is a great all-rounder who has enormous potential, but, I think his mentality/nationality will count against him becoming the next Gary Speed or Scot Parker. And then there is Wanyama, and I honestly don’t know where his limit is – Viera esque, but a bit like Sno before him I think we shouldn’t place too much on his shoulders. The tide/support turned on Sno very quickly and he is a long way short of fulfilling his potential today.
Clearly Lennon has the problem of fitting them all in, alongside Forrest, Sammi, Commons and 1 or 2 forwards and keeping them all happy – there are not enough worthwhile fixtures for Celtic to keep them all happy.
Great problem but assuming we have the cash and muscle to retain 2-3 of the 5 central midfielders on our books as their potential is realised, who do we want to keep, who has greatest value and who can provide the greatest contribution.
I’m just going to enjoy watching it unfold, because wishing we were an EPL team who could watch those 5 scrap for the jersey and the acclaim that would come with it would be too amazing… and it is our lot that we must be content with things that are slightly less amazing or exciting. Like hoping we can keep 5 gifted midfielders interested enough to inflate their value.
By the way, he might be a wee pr..k but as a Celtic and Scotland fan, I’ve found new respect for Naismith this year. His injury was certainly a turning point in the season.
Paul67
Great Article.
43% of people don’t understand statistics.
if we re-name Church,Chapel will we all be up on a charge?
Celtic Soul Brother- Supporting Kano 1000 – I’m surprise the pungently urea-sodden jaikie knows how to write, I always assumed he had a carer to do it for him.
Hopefully Atos Healthcare will be dropping in on him soon. (thumbsup)
Moonbeams at 13:12
Looks like it. Had a quick nosy and his spelling is every bit as good as expected from a hun. e.g. Trophys.
Also like this part on the history side of things:
“As such Rangers only played friendly games that season, but sadly the records of the time are lost, although we do know that Rangers played Havelock, Star of Leven and Rovers. Although no definintive scores for these games currently exist, some reports of the time say Rangers won all their games, while others say we lost some.”
Mort
Johnny Haynes?
Would we be signing a new Maestro?
Sorry,no disrespect intended to Paul McStay;Fulham fans will understand what I mean.
If Neil wants him,that’s good enough for me!
greenjedi- Just back on mate, my first thoughts were to charge their parents’ for false alibis (sp?)
BontyBhoy 4 January, 2012 at 13:20
“By the way, he might be a wee pr..k but as a Celtic and Scotland fan, I’ve found new respect for Naismith this year. His injury was certainly a turning point in the season. ”
How much respect can you find for a cheating, diving rat who injured himself while trying to break another guy’s leg?
Hayes plays the same position as James Forrest……?
Lunch Alienish Pastry
DBBIA
“A gruntcrushing centre half would be ideal but a good,hard centre half who is easy on the ole palpitations is the #1 target this fenetre du Janvier, just as he was last year, and the year before that, and the year before that.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can we not just bring back BOBO?
I know it would be over Peter Lawell’s dead body,but….
Can we not just bring back BOBO?
DBBIA,
you do realise that there will be a whole bunch of lurking Scottish hacks trying to figure out who the hell ‘fenetre du Janvier’ is and who he plays for – I expect to see a rumour about him in tomorrows record.
Celtic Soul Brother- Supporting Kano 1000says:
4 January, 2012 at 13:18
Was not me at the city match.
There is a mate of mine who is a big City and Celtic fan. There is every chance it may have been him but I can assure you Winter would not have seen spring if it had been.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS – We should try to sign D.A.R.Y.L. (thumbsup)
BMCUWP – a younger version of Dianbobo would fit the bill.
Someone to have the Cashconverters XI filling their breeks in the tunnel.
Ciao —–
Belated New Year wishes to all —– Let’s hope it’s a good one.
Been on holiday in Beirut / Bekaa valley——Kalashnikov toting Hezbollah dudes much in evidence —— the strange nature of the modern world illustrated by Hezbollah road blocks being manned by armed to the teeth teenagers in Arsenal and Chelsea tops —- throw in a taxi driver who proudly played the latest [ and last – given his Alzheimers ] Glen Campbell CD and sometimes I wondered where I was.
Watched a recording of the humping of Quintessentially British FC last night . Brutal . Incompetent / ignorant of the rules of the game ” Officiating ” Should have been 2 red cards – Healy / Lafferty – but hey its Scotland——-.
Will watch the Pars game tonight. Brines epitomizes the Scottish approach to Refereeing — behave like an arrogant prat —- make it up as you go along , count the dosh.
Len Brennan —on the last thread .
Note your list of ” mince and made up nonsense ” includes the Samaras to Palermo rumor . A
Palermo supporters web site claims that Palermo are no longer interested in Samaras due to him allegedly lacking the necessary ” application “——– Who knows .?
Sunny , a lovely day -way down south . Work to do !
Dontbrattbakkinanger – Someone to have the Cashconverters XI filling their breeks in the tunnel.
http://anmblog.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c565553ef0134870bb37d970c-800wi (thumbsup)
Not sure if it’s been posted yet..
SPL Statement ~ Heart of Midlothian FC
An SPL Board sub-committee today adjudicated in the dispute between 14 players and Heart of Midlothian FC.
The SPL Board sub-committee has ordered December wages to be paid by 11 January. Interest on all sums overdue from October, November and December wages must also be paid by 11 January. January salaries must be paid on time on 16 January.
The club must also pay the claimants’ legal expenses and the SPL’s costs of today’s hearing.
Both sides have the right to appeal the decision to the Scottish FA within seven days.
Neil Doncaster, SPL Chief Executive, said: “Today’s decision demonstrates how seriously the SPL take late payments of wages to players.”
Does this mean that Templeton and Kello will be free on the 16th?
:oD
HH
/Bishop B
Good documentary on BBCR4 earlier today- Robert Peston discussing football management.
It’s mainly EPL-based but it’s revealing on the extent of the financial gulf within the EPL, never mind across the border.
Mort
Na. I decided not to read any of it cause I knew it would only match or exceed my expectations. ;o)
Sure it’ll come in handy when PMcB defends me in the High Court from 5 life sentences for use of the illicit HUN term.
MWD
Re. Healy, is Sanchez at the wind up? Or has he been asked by the Belfast Brotherhood to speak nicely for the sake of his own health? A player who can’t get a game for a club despite ticking all the recruitment boxes necessary is now Scotland’s best finisher after one goal against Motherwell.
As for Paul’s lead article – the stats are intriguing but it’s hard to believe that at least a few players, especially those that are Celtic fans, wouldn’t talk if they were been asked to play differently against Rangers than against the other SPL teams. Recently retired players would have blown the whistle by now . . . no?