There seem to be a growing belief that the size of the pitch is what has cost us the points this year. I have had a look at the 10(11) biggest pitches in the league and compared it with the total amount of away points.
1. The KCOM - Hull City. 7300 m² (numbers vary, likely to be 7140 this season) Not played yet.
2. The Riverside - Boro. 7245m². 1-2 Win
3. The Stadium of Light - Sunderland. 7140m². 0-0 Draw
3. The Liberty Stadium - Swansea. 7140m². 1-3 Win.
3. The Vitality Stadium - Bournemouth. 7140m². 0-0 Draw.
3. The Etihad Stadium - Manchester City. 7140m². 2-2 Draw.
3. Old Trafford - Manchester United. 7140m². 1-0 Defeat.
3. The Hawthornes - West Brom. 7140m². 1-1 Draw.
3. The Emirates Stadium - Gooners. 7140m². 1-1 Draw
3. Vicarage Road - Watford. 7140m². 1-4. Win.
3. London Stadium - West Ham. 7140m². 1-0 Defeat.
...
Wembley 7245m². Same size as The Riverside.
White Hart Lane. 6700m²
..
From the 10 of 11 games (Hull still to come) of the biggest pitches in the league we have won 3, lost 2 and had 5 draws, with a 13 goals scored and 9 conceded. 11 points from those games would mean 20,9 away points over a season.
Our away form so far this season have given us 7 games won, 6 draws and 4 defeats from 17 games (two remaining vs Hull and Leicester), in total 27 points. Over a season that would give us 30,17 points.
Last season our away form was much better. On our travels last season we collected 34 points. If we win our two remaing games we will get close to that with 33 games, and the above stat would also be improved with a win on the biggest pitch of them all, vs Hull. If we win there we would have 14 points from 11 games, which would give us 24 away points from a season.
Finally. How were the results against the same teams (with the biggest grounds) last season.
1. Hull. Not in PL
2. Boro. Not in PL.
3. Sunderland. 0-1. Win
3. Swans. 2-2. Draw
3. Bournemouth. 1-5 Win
3. M City. 1-2. Win
3. M Utd 1-0 Defeat
3. WBA. 1-1. Draw
3. Gooners. 1-1. Draw
3. Watford. 1-2. Win
3. West Ham. 1-0. Defeat
Carrow Road (Norwich City) is 7072m², Newcastle's pitch is 7140m² and Villa Park the same.
We lost 5-1 to Newcastle (yuk..) and beat Villa 0-2.
Out of those 11 games we had 3 defeats, with 5 wins and 3 draws, which would have given us 18 points from 11 games, or 31,09 points over a season. Slightly lower than the total away points collection.
The data size is probably to small to make any sort of call, but there you go. I just think that it has all to do with an away form that needs to get better if we want to challenge for the title next season, but the numbers show that we perform slightly worse on the biggest pitches than the smaller in the Premier League.
I'd suggest we use that "Wembley sized"-pitch well in the summer.
1. The KCOM - Hull City. 7300 m² (numbers vary, likely to be 7140 this season) Not played yet.
2. The Riverside - Boro. 7245m². 1-2 Win
3. The Stadium of Light - Sunderland. 7140m². 0-0 Draw
3. The Liberty Stadium - Swansea. 7140m². 1-3 Win.
3. The Vitality Stadium - Bournemouth. 7140m². 0-0 Draw.
3. The Etihad Stadium - Manchester City. 7140m². 2-2 Draw.
3. Old Trafford - Manchester United. 7140m². 1-0 Defeat.
3. The Hawthornes - West Brom. 7140m². 1-1 Draw.
3. The Emirates Stadium - Gooners. 7140m². 1-1 Draw
3. Vicarage Road - Watford. 7140m². 1-4. Win.
3. London Stadium - West Ham. 7140m². 1-0 Defeat.
...
Wembley 7245m². Same size as The Riverside.
White Hart Lane. 6700m²
..
From the 10 of 11 games (Hull still to come) of the biggest pitches in the league we have won 3, lost 2 and had 5 draws, with a 13 goals scored and 9 conceded. 11 points from those games would mean 20,9 away points over a season.
Our away form so far this season have given us 7 games won, 6 draws and 4 defeats from 17 games (two remaining vs Hull and Leicester), in total 27 points. Over a season that would give us 30,17 points.
Last season our away form was much better. On our travels last season we collected 34 points. If we win our two remaing games we will get close to that with 33 games, and the above stat would also be improved with a win on the biggest pitch of them all, vs Hull. If we win there we would have 14 points from 11 games, which would give us 24 away points from a season.
Finally. How were the results against the same teams (with the biggest grounds) last season.
1. Hull. Not in PL
2. Boro. Not in PL.
3. Sunderland. 0-1. Win
3. Swans. 2-2. Draw
3. Bournemouth. 1-5 Win
3. M City. 1-2. Win
3. M Utd 1-0 Defeat
3. WBA. 1-1. Draw
3. Gooners. 1-1. Draw
3. Watford. 1-2. Win
3. West Ham. 1-0. Defeat
Carrow Road (Norwich City) is 7072m², Newcastle's pitch is 7140m² and Villa Park the same.
We lost 5-1 to Newcastle (yuk..) and beat Villa 0-2.
Out of those 11 games we had 3 defeats, with 5 wins and 3 draws, which would have given us 18 points from 11 games, or 31,09 points over a season. Slightly lower than the total away points collection.
The data size is probably to small to make any sort of call, but there you go. I just think that it has all to do with an away form that needs to get better if we want to challenge for the title next season, but the numbers show that we perform slightly worse on the biggest pitches than the smaller in the Premier League.
I'd suggest we use that "Wembley sized"-pitch well in the summer.
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