EPL Gameweek 12: Tracking The True Form Of Each Team
Right. 12 matches in for each club, and the table starts to shape up... or at least with would any other season. However, this year we have 6 points between going to Europe, and going to Scunthorpe (no offence intended) next year. So as we reach the third-way mark, the form going into the next match could be vital.
This is, in essence, ranking the teams in form. But I will be adding a bit of a change to it. Of course form is important, but the more recent results in this run outweigh the latter results. So while it would be easy to just say W-W-D-D-L-L and tab up the points. I am going to account for the time since the result too.
This shows up as a points coefficient (named to sound cool) which will be out of 3. Essentially, based on the form from their past 6 games, how many points per game they would be averaging. This will be put onto every page, also along with a the projected number of points for continuing this run of form. And finally, a projected table on the final slide.
Please comment on how you found this, as obviously, if this isn't popular, then there is no sense in me wasting article space on whatever page it ends up on when something better can occupy it.
~beru.
20. West Ham [20th]
1 of 21
Last 6 Games (Most Recent on the right): D-D-L-L-D-D
Points Coefficient: 0.67
Projected Points: 25
Next Game: Blackpool (H)
West Ham, simply put, need to win this game. This is a team in desperate need of a victory and you might think that Blackpool are a team that West Ham can beat. You are probably right, but don't expect the Seasiders to go down that easily.
19. Wolverhampton Wanderers [19th]
2 of 21
Last 6 Games: L-D-L-W-L-L
Points Coefficient: 0.67
Projected Points: 26
Next Game: Bolton (H)
Wolves are a good team on their day, and can count themselves unlucky that they didn't get a point on Saturday against Man United. They got a win out of Man City before that and if they play like that against Bolton, they could win. Of course, they could lose...
18. Birmingham City [17th]
3 of 21
Last 6 Games: L-L-W-D-D-L
Points Coefficient: 0.84
Projected Points: 34
Next Game: Manchester City (A)
It's been a stuttering start for Alex McLeish and he sees his Birmingham side lie 17th after a strong 8th last season. They really need to grind out a point at Eastlands tomorrow but I don't see that coming.
17. Wigan [18th]
4 of 21
Last 6 Games: W-D-D-L-L-D
Points Coefficient: 0.84
Projected Points: 33
Next Game: West Brom (H)
Wigan are another team in a bit of danger. And yet, they are 2 wins off a Europa League spot, such is the current season. If they can get a win out of the falling baggies, then who knows how they can end up.
16. Fulham [15th]
5 of 21
Last 6 Games: D-L-L-W-D-L
Points Coefficient: 0.84
Projected Points: 35
Next Game: Newcastle (A)
This is a tough place to go to right now. But Fulham are quite resilient and are capable of coming away from big places with points (such as Old Trafford earlier this year) so this could go either way.
15. West Brom [11th]
6 of 21
Last 6 Games: D-D-W-L-L-D
Points Coefficient: 0.93
Projected Points: 40
Next Game: Wigan (A)
Wigan will be wary that West Brom have dropped points over the last 3 games, being as high as 4th at one point. And West Brom know that this is a game to get themselves back on the horse, and if they slip up, then they need to maybe start worrying.
14. Stoke [16th]
7 of 21
Last 6 Games: W-L-L-L-L-W
Points Coefficient: 1.00
Projected Points: 39
Next Game: Liverpool (H)
Liverpool have found themselves in recent weeks, so it's going to be a tough game for Stoke, but even so, the Britannia is still a place that teams don't like to visit, so they might be hopeful for a result here.
13. Blackpool [14th]
8 of 21
Last 6 Games: W-L-L-W-D-L
Points Coefficient: 1.07
Projected Points: 42
Next Game: West Ham (A)
If that was Ian Holloway's 'reserve' side that barely lost to a full Aston Villa team, then you have to think they can pull a result out at West Ham. Of course things never go the way it seems and you could find that the 'proper' side loses quite badly. Such is the way of football.
12. Tottenham [7th]
9 of 21
Last 6 Games: W-W-D-L-L-D
Points Coefficient: 1.11
Projected Points: 45
Next Game: Blackburn (H)
Spurs were looking strong up until about 4 games ago, since then they have only accumulated 2 points from a maximum of 12. Of course, you probably won't see them struggling around the 45 point mark come May, but they need to pick themselves up quickly or their chances of a second Champions League place in a row might be in jeopardy.
11. Aston Villa [10th]
10 of 21
Last 6 Games: L-D-L-D-D-W
Points Coefficient: 1.18
Projected Points: 47
Next Game: Manchester United (H)
I think it was vital for Villa to get that late win against Blackpool after the heartache of Fulham. They now face Manchester United, who they beat at Old Trafford for the first time in over 20 years, at home, and if the young stars shine, then they can make a meal out of this.
10. Blackburn [13th]
11 of 21
Last 6 Games: L-D-L-L-W-W
Points Coefficient: 1.40
Projected Points: 51
Next Game: Tottenham (A)
Blackburn might feel they have a chance the way the results have been going for them, and against Spurs and rightly so. However, they must also be wary that Tottenham will be trying their hardest to break their current streak and they need to be first out tomorrow.
9. Bolton [6th]
12 of 21
Last 6 Games: D-W-D-L-W
Points Coefficient: 1.49
Projected Points: 55
Next Game: Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)
Bolton are flying in 6th right now, and they must be thinking they can get a score out of this game against struggling Wolves. A win here could put them 4th so that has to be on their mind.
8. Sunderland [8th]
13 of 21
Last 6 Games: D-D-W-L-W-D
Points Coefficient: 1.53
Projected Points: 56
Next Game: Chelsea (A)
Chelsea away. Tough game, but with the way they're playing (except Newcastle), there is a chance they can get a point here. They have to keep positive and give it a go, then regroup no matter what and push on against Everton on the 22nd.
7. Manchester City [4th]
14 of 21
Last 6 Games: W-W-L-L-W-D
Points Coefficient: 1.56
Projected Points: 61
Next Game: Birmingham (H)
They got held to a draw against Man United, but they have bounced back from 3 straight defeats in all games, so they have to push on against Birmingham. With Tevez back now too, can they hold together and finish in the top 4?
6. Newcastle [5th]
15 of 21
Last 6 Games: L-D-W-W-W-L
Points Coefficient: 1.73
Projected Points: 62
Next Game: Fulham (H)
They slipped up at Blackburn, but they have still been a lot stronger, and Andy Carroll has been hitting a goalscoring stride over the last two games, so they can go into this game feeling good about themselves and maybe about picking up 3 more points.
5. Liverpool [9th]
16 of 21
Last 6 Games: L-L-W-W-W-D
Points Coefficient: 1.82
Projected Points: 63
Next Game: Stoke (A)
Liverpool are a team on a mission, and Stoke had better be prepared for it. Torres has gotten his act together and the team is finally looking like, well, a team. They face West Ham next week so a win here might set their run going for a few weeks to come.
4. Everton [12th]
17 of 21
Last 6 Games: W-W-D-W-D-D
Points Coefficient: 1.84
Projected Points: 63
Next Game: Arsenal (H)
Unbeaten for the last 6 games is always good to have on your side when you go up against a team like Arsenal. I think this will be close in terms of performance, but whether the score agrees by the end is a whole other question.
3. Manchester United [2nd]
18 of 21
Last 6 Games: D-D-W-W-W-D
Points Coefficient: 2.07
Projected Points: 78
Next Game: Aston Villa (A)
Of course it's good being unbeaten in your last 6 games. But it's better to be unbeaten through 12. I think as each season passes, a draw against Man City starts to be a better prospect, but even so, they are still playing strong football. Whether the absence of Rooney, Scholes and Giggs will matter against an inconsistent Aston Villa side, who took 4 points off of them last year, is yet to be seen.
2. Arsenal [3rd]
19 of 21
Last 6 Games: L-W-W-W-L-W
Points Coefficient: 2.07
Projected Points: 77
Next Game: Everton (A)
Aside from a slip up against Newcastle, and a 2-0 loss to Chelsea, Arsenal have managed to pick up the wins each week and are sitting pretty, 6 points above the scramble for 5th below them. They face an in-form Everton this week, and I will use this space to re-iterate the fact that I feel this match will be a close affair on the pitch, yet the scoreboard may show different.
1. Chelsea [1st]
20 of 21
Last 6 Games: W-D-W-W-L-W
Points Coefficient: 2.13
Projected Points: 83
Next Game: Sunderland (H)
Chelsea have been dominant at home this year, and although they face a Sunderland team who are much improved in the past weeks except one result, they should see this as 3 points. Not an easy game, but certainly not the toughest.
Projected Table.
21 of 21
At the moment, the form table will be more affected by the form as there is still 26 games to play and 11 teams within 3 points of each other. As we near halfway, it will start to change, who knows what to:
1. Chelsea [1] - 83
2. Manchester United [2] - 78
3. Arsenal [3] - 77
4. Liverpool [9] - 63
5. Everton [12] - 63
6. Newcastle [5] - 62
7. Manchester City [4] - 61
8. Sunderland [8] - 56
9. Bolton [6] - 55
10. Blackburn [13] - 51
11. Aston Villa [10] - 47
12. Tottenham Hotspurs [7] - 45
13. Blackpool [14] - 42
14. West Bromwich Albion [11] - 40
15. Stoke [16] - 39
16. Fulham [15] - 35
17. Birmingham City [17] - 34
18. Wigan Athletic [18] - 33
19. Wolverhampton Wanderers [19] - 26
20. West Ham United [20] - 25
