Stats

Are Liverpool's Recent Struggles Just A Poor Run Of Form Or A Sign Of Deeper Problems?

It's not very often that a team can have a disappointing campaign but still find themselves at the top of the table. With the competitiveness of the Premier League, a struggling season means at best mid-table misery, at worst, relegation. 

Liverpool is currently even with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table, but given the exceptional performances of last season, the club's form this year is below Jurgen Klopp's lofty standards.

The Premier League's Expected Goals Table Shows Just How Unpredictable This Season Has Been

With the Premier League season nearly half over, this current lull in matches is the perfect time to look back at the campaign so far.

We've all been following the matches and have a general idea about where each team sits in the league table, so the next logical step is to dive deeper into the analytical side of the Premier League and examine the expected goals league table.

Patrick Bamford Records His 10th Premier League Goal Of The Season For Leeds United

A fifth-minute penalty from Patrick Bamford was enough to give Leeds United a 1-0 win over Burnley at Elland Road in the Premier League on Sunday, but Sean Dyche's side were left furious after an Ashley Barnes effort was ruled out.

Bamford, who spent a spell on loan at Burnley earlier in his career, drilled home the early spot kick after referee Robert Jones ruled that Burnley keeper Nick Pope had brought down the Leeds forward. It was the Leeds man's 10th league goal of the season.

Messi Breaks Pelé’s Record For Most Goals Scored At A Single Club

Barcelona found accommodating opponents on Tuesday in relegation-threatened Valladolid, allowing Ronald Koeman to experiment with his formation and personnel and Lionel Messi to overtake Pelé for the most goals ever for a single club. 

Leading 2-0 in the 65th-minute, Pedri produced a gorgeous ball for Messi to score his 644th goal Barça. Pelé scored 643 for Brazil’s Santos.  

Emphasis on the assist from the 18-year-old Spaniard. 

You’ve Seen More Of These Footballers Than Your Own Family In 2020

The frantic finish to the 2019-20 season, the rejiggered smorgasbord of the new campaign and nine months of quarantine have combined to create an unceasing storm of football on our televisions. In many ways it’s been a godsend; in many ways it’s been an obscene bit of servility to broadcast dollars. What are these absurdly sterile performances — played out in soulless grounds across the world — if not momentary benediction for the promise of better times ahead?

Mikel Arteta Gives A Stats Lesson That Doesn't Quite Add Up

2020 has been a rollercoaster year for many teams, but few clubs have experienced as many ups and downs this past year as Arsenal.

Last season's FA Cup champions are currently winless in their last seven matches and sitting 15th in the Premier League, which would be the worst finish since 1975-76 for the North London club.

The Gunners have five losses and two draws in their last seven matches, putting Mikel Arteta's status as Arsenal manager under heavy scrutiny. Arteta's response to this criticism was, while interesting, not entirely logical.

Gone In 6 Seconds: AC Milan Scores Fastest Serie A Goal Ever

Clocking in at just 6.2 seconds, AC Milan’s Rafael Leão has recorded the fastest goal in Serie A’s 122-year history.

Traveling to Sassuolo’s Mapei Stadium on Sunday, Milan went straight at the home side after kickoff with Hakan Çalhanoğlu carrying the ball forward. The Rossoneri No. 10 delivered a perfectly weighted pass for Leão, and the 21-year-old Portuguese forward put his name in the history books.  

Transfer Market Parity: Which Players Had The Biggest Changes In Transfer Value In 2020?

2020 has been a tough year financially both for clubs and for players.

The economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen transfer values deflate, with the value of many players decreasing independent of their form on the pitch by 10-20 percent.

For clubs this means their assets are worth less to go with a sharp decrease in revenue caused by matches without fans. For players, this means their skills are worth less as well as a decrease in salaries.

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