Blue in a row
Thursday 25 November 2010 12:41, UK
Chelsea's successive blues, Bolton's best starts and City's hapless heading... it's Martin Tyler!
Can you answer Tyler's teaser this week?
Martin Tyler's stats and facts column is here! Every week he will be here to offer you statistical gems to make your day, impress your mates and, on occasion, to settle the odd bet. Sky Sports' voice of football and his back-up team of experts are here to answer your questions and queries on all things statistical and historical from the beautiful game. If you have spotted something from a game or have been stumped by a pub quiz question, simply email skysportsclub@bskyb.com and he will do his best to help.Tyler's Starting Stat - United's blank of Scotland
Manchester United can make Champions League history against Valencia if they keep a clean sheet because it would mean they have completed their six group games without conceding a goal. Juve managed clean sheets in their first five fixtures in the 2004/05 season, but United could be the first to complete a Champions League group without conceding once. They have played 7hrs46mins of Champions League football since they last conceded a goal - the Arjen Robben strike for Bayern Munich that knocked them out in the second leg of last season's quarter-final. The match against Rangers was the first time in 20 Champions League games that Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have started together. The last occasion was against Inter Milan in March 2009. The game also marked Wayne Rooney's 150th club goal and his sixth in his last six Champions League games. It was, however, only his second in his last 13 games for United - and both came from the penalty spot. The 1-0 win replicated United's only previous Champions League game at Ibrox, which ended with the same scoreline in 2003, a game in which both Giggs and Scholes started.NOT USING THEIR HEAD
Hi Martin; great column, keep up the good work. I've read that Manchester City are the only Premier League side yet to score a header this season. Just wondering if any team has gone the whole season without scoring a header? Thanks Jonny, Man City fan MARTIN SAYS: You're absolutely correct Jonny. Surprisingly, none of Man City's 19 Premier League goals this season have come via a header. Their last headed goal was scored by Shaun Wright-Phillips on the last day of last season at West Ham. In fact, they are the only team yet to score from a header this campaign and their efforts are in stark contrast to their rivals from across the city. Manchester United, who have scored 28 Premier League goals, have recorded nine headed goals so far this campaign. Premier League headed goals (2010/11): NINE: Man Utd
EIGHT: Newcastle
SIX: Chelsea
FIVE: Birmingham, Fulham
FOUR: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton, Liverpool, Stoke, Tottenham, West Brom
THREE: Blackburn, Wolves
TWO: Bolton, Sunderland, West Ham, Wigan
ONE: Blackpool
NONE: Man City Our friends at Opta have only been keeping data on headed goals since 1999/00, but in that period no Premier League team has finished the season without scoring at least one header. The lowest total is the Middlesbrough side of 2008/09, which managed just one headed goal in the entire campaign - scored by Jeremie Aliadiere against Arsenal.
WHEN BLUES LOSE IN TWOS
Hello Martin, Thanks for the good work you're doing in this column. My question is about Chelsea losing back-to-back games, I can't remember when it happened! Please shed some light for me. Thanks, Milton from Nairobi MARTIN SAYS: According to our friends at Opta, Chelsea's successive defeats to Sunderland and Birmingham are their first in the Premier League since May 2006. At the end of the 2005/06 season they lost 1-0 at Blackburn and 2-1 at Newcastle - but they had already sewn up the title by that stage. Their previous back-to-back defeats came in February / March 2003 when, bizarrely, their defeats were also against Blackburn and Newcastle. That might provide some encouragement for Chris Hughton's side ahead of their clash with the champions on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. As you can see from the list below, Chelsea have only lost back-to-back Premier League games seven times this century: 14/11/2010: Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland
20/11/2010: Birmingham 0-1 Chelsea 02/05/2006: Blackburn 1-0 Chelsea
07/05/2006: Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea 02/02/2003: Chelsea 1-2 Blackburn
01/03/2003: Newcastle 2-1 Chelsea 28/12/2002: Leeds 0-2 Chelsea
01/01/2003: Arsenal 3-2 Chelsea 28/09/2002: Chelsea 2-3 West Ham
06/10/2010: Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea 21/04/2001: Chelsea 0-1 Charlton
28/04/2010: Leeds 2-0 Chelsea 18/11/2000: Charlton 2-0 Chelsea
25/11/2000: Everton 2-1 Chelsea The last time they lost three games in a row was in October 1999: 16/10/1999: Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
23/10/1999: Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
30/10/1999: Derby 3-1 Chelsea And their worst ever run of Premier League defeats was the six they lost in the 1993/94 season: 02/10/1993: West Ham 1-0 Chelsea
16/10/1993: Chelsea 1-2 Norwich
23/10/1993: Aston Villa 1-0 Chelsea
30/10/1993: Chelsea 0-1 Oldham
06/11/1993: Leeds 4-1 Chelsea
20/11/2010: Chelsea 0-2 Arsenal
HOT SHOTS
Hi Martin. I was unfortunate enough to see Chelsea lose at Birmingham on Saturday and it felt like we were never going to score past Ben Foster. I don't think it was for a lack of effort though. I'd be interested to see how many shots we had and how this compares to other Chelsea games / Premier League games this season. Matty C (Chelsea fan). MARTIN SAYS: You may be interested to learn that no team has had more shots in a Premier League game this season than Chelsea did at St Andrews on Saturday. The Blues had 32 shots during the game, which is two more than the 30 shots Arsenal had in their 6-0 win against Blackpool earlier this season. Chelsea's previous best was the 28 shots they had against Blackpool at Stamford Bridge in September. Opta have given us a list of the teams that have had the most shots in one Premier League game this season - and Chelsea aren't the only side in the top 10 to end up on the losing side. Arsenal had 28 shots against West Brom at the Emirates and lost the game 3-2. However, Chelsea are the only team in this list to fail to score: Most shots in a single Premier League game this season: 1. Birmingham City 1-0 Chelsea - Chelsea had 32 shots
2. Arsenal 6-0 Blackpool - Arsenal had 30 shots
3. Chelsea 4-0 Blackpool - Chelsea had 28 shots
4. Arsenal 2-3 West Brom - Arsenal had 28 shots
5. Aston Villa 3-0 West Ham United - Aston Villa had 27 shots
6. Tottenham 2-1 Aston Villa - Tottenham had 27 shots
7. Everton 1-1 Bolton - Everton had 27 shots
8. Everton 3-3 Man Utd - Everton had 26 shots
9. Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Wolves - Tottenham had 26 shots
10. Wigan 2-0 Wolves - Wigan had 26 shots
11. Blackpool 2-1 West Brom - Blackpool had 26 shots
FIRST TO THIRTY
Fantastic column as always! I was just wondering what with several of the top teams dropping points again this weekend, no-one seems to be flying out of the blocks as usually happens. Is this the longest it has taken a team to break the 30 points mark in the EPL? Cheers James Farmer (Arsenal fan) MARTIN SAYS: This is only the fifth time in Premier League history that no side has reached 30 points after 14 games. In fact it is the first time since 1998/1999 when Aston Villa were the first to 30 points, needing 15 games to do so. Both Manchester United and Chelsea can reach 30 points this weekend with wins over Blackburn or Newcastle in their respective 15th games of the season, but if they both fail to win then it would be the first time in Premier League history that no team has reached 30 points after 15 games. No team has ever won their opening 10 games to reach 30 points in the fastest possible time, but the Chelsea side of 2005/06 hold the record for getting to 30 points the quickest. They won their first nine games of the season before drawing at Everton in their 10th game. They then topped the 30-point mark in their 11th game of the season against Blackburn. First team to 30 points each season: 2009/10: Chelsea (12 games)
2008/09: Liverpool / Chelsea (13)
2007/08: Arsenal (12)
2006/07: Man Utd (12)
2005/06: Chelsea (11)
2004/05: Chelsea / Arsenal (13)
2003/04: Arsenal (12)
2002/03: Liverpool (12)
2001/02: Liverpool (14)
2000/01: Man Utd (13)
1999/00: Man Utd (14)
1998/99: Aston Villa (15)
1997/98: Man Utd / Blackburn (15)
1996/97: Arsenal / Liverpool (15)
1995/96: Newcastle (12)
1994/95: Newcastle (13)
1993/94: Man Utd (12)
1992/93: Norwich (15)
ARE TROTTERS HOTTER?
Dear Martin. Good work with the column and the commentaries every week. I'm pleased to see Bolton getting some good reviews in the press, but I must admit I can't help feeling it's a little premature because we often start well and then fade later in the season. I bet we've had more points at this stage of the season before - can you tell me if I'm right? Chris H (Bolton fan) MARTIN SAYS: You are correct, Chris. In fact, this is only Bolton's fourth-best start to a Premier League season in terms of points after 14 games - a stat that has surprised me. Their current tally of 22 points was bettered in 2004/05 (23 points), 2005/06 (26 points) and 2006/07 (24 points). In those seasons they ended up finishing 6th, 8th and 7th respectively - so history suggests Bolton are on course for a top 10 finish. I have detailed Bolton's record at this stage of their 11 seasons in the Premier League. Their worst total was eight points in 1995/96 when they were ultimately relegated. Bolton's Premier League record after 14 games: 2010/11: P14 W5 D7 L2 Pts22
2009/10: P14 W3 D3 L8 Pts12
2008/09: P14 W5 D2 L7 Pts17
2007/08: P14 W2 D5 L7 Pts11
2006/07: P14 W7 D3 L2 Pts24
2005/06: P14 W8 D2 L4 Pts 26
2004/05: P14 W6 D5 L3 Pts 23
2003/04: P14 W4 D6 L4 Pts18
2002/03: P14 W3 D4 L7 Pts13
2001/02: P14 W5 D5 L4 Pts20
1997/98: P14 W2 D7 L5 Pts 13
1995/96: P14 W2 D2 L10 Pts8
THE SACK RACE
Seeing recently how there has been speculation about Avram Grant's future at West Ham, but there has yet to be a sacking of a manager in the Premier League this year except the resignation of Martin O'Neill before the season started. What is the longest that all 20 managers employed at the start of the season have maintained their jobs, and has there ever been a season where we have witnessed no resignations or sackings of the men in charge? James Cairns (Newcastle Utd fan) MARTIN SAYS: There has never been a Premier League season when we have seen no managerial changes at any of the Premier League clubs. However, during the very first Premier League season, there was only one - Chelsea's Ian Porterfield. Coming on February 15, it was also the latest date for the first Premier League managerial departure in a season. The only other occasion when the season has gone into the New Year before the first managerial casualty was 1995/96. That was when Roy McFarland left his job as joint manager of Bolton at the start of January with Colin Todd continuing. Since the turn of the century, a manager has always been sacked by the end of November - so perhaps Premier League chairmen are a bit more patient this season. The earliest date for a Premier League managerial departure came in the 2004/05 season when Paul Sturrock left Southampton on August 23, just two games into the season. His side had even beaten Blackburn Rovers on the day of his departure! The first managerial departure of every Premier League season: 1992/93: Ian Porterfield, Chelsea (15/02/1993)
1993/94: Peter Reid, Man City, (26/08/1993)
1994/95: Ossie Ardiles, Tottenham, (01/11/1994)
1995/96: Roy McFarland, Bolton, (02/01/1996)
1996/97: Howard Wilkinson, Leeds, (10/09/1996)
1997/98: David Pleat, Sheff Wed (03/11/1997)
1998/99: Kenny Dalglish, Newcastle (27/08/1998)
1999/2000: Ruud Gullit, Newcastle (28/08/1999)
2000/01: Gianluca Vialli, Chelsea (12/09/2000)
2001/02: Peter Taylor, Leicester (30/09/2001)
2002/03: Peter Reid, Sunderland (07/10/2002)
2003/04: Glenn Hoddle, Tottenham (21/09/2003)
2004/05: Paul Sturrock, Southampton (23/08/2004)
2005/06: Alain Perrin, Portsmouth (24/11/2005)
2006/07: Iain Dowie, Charlton (13/11/2006)
2007/08: Jose Mourinho, Chelsea (20/09/2007)
2008/09: Alan Curbishley, West Ham (03/09/2008)
2009/10: Paul Hart, Portsmouth (24/11/2009)
