Comparison to 2023-24

[ant]

Given prevailing opinion is that Russell Martin cost us the autos in 2023-24 (and it's our most recent comparable season), I thought I'd take a look at the match-by-match comparison.

There's some flaws to doing it this way, as we aren't playing teams in the same order. But let's do this for starters; if I've time I may do a more like-for-like breakdown later (RIP Minsk). 

 

Match 10 - Martin

W5, D1, L4, 16 points (10th)

After losing the first four in September - and dropping as low as 15th - we finally  broke the streak in match 9 with a crucial 3-1 home win against Leeds. 

Match 10 was a 0-1 away win at Stoke. In which Stoke had less than 35% possession yet managed over twice as many shots on goal. How apt.

 

Match 10 - Still

W2, D6, L2, 12 points (TBC - 15th in live table)

So yes, this is caveated by my notes above - but equally I don't feel we've had a particularly oppressive set of opening fixtures.

From a depression point of view this is the wrong time to start this thread, as match 9 of 23-24 commenced the unbeaten run (22 matches: W16, 6D, 54 points, or 62.1% of our 23-24 total).

 

Closing thoughts

I've no intention of making the Martin season seem more grand than it was. Just thought it would be vaguely interesting to compare and track.

Competition at the top is unlikely to be so tough as it was last time. But my god, we've got to start turning some of these draws into wins.

[die Mannyschaft]

1 hour ago, ant said:

Given prevailing opinion is that Russell Martin cost us the autos in 2023-24 (and it's our most recent comparable season), I thought I'd take a look at the match-by-match comparison.

There's some flaws to doing it this way, as we aren't playing teams in the same order. But let's do this for starters; if I've time I may do a more like-for-like breakdown later (RIP Minsk). 

 

Match 10 - Martin

W5, D1, L4, 16 points (10th)

After losing the first four in September - and dropping as low as 15th - we finally  broke the streak in match 9 with a crucial 3-1 home win against Leeds. 

Match 10 was a 0-1 away win at Stoke. In which Stoke had less than 35% possession yet managed over twice as many shots on goal. How apt.

 

Match 10 - Still

W2, D6, L2, 12 points (TBC - 15th in live table)

So yes, this is caveated by my notes above - but equally I don't feel we've had a particularly oppressive set of opening fixtures.

From a depression point of view this is the wrong time to start this thread, as match 9 of 23-24 commenced the unbeaten run (22 matches: W16, 6D, 54 points, or 62.1% of our 23-24 total).

 

Closing thoughts

I've no intention of making the Martin season seem more grand than it was. Just thought it would be vaguely interesting to compare and track.

Competition at the top is unlikely to be so tough as it was last time. But my god, we've got to start turning some of these draws into wins.

Good data, more please at game 15, 20.

The game we play relies totally on bursts of play which could have worked if we got 2 strikers in July, but now stuck with that predicament. RM game was the same all 90 mins and all season which was successful. Saints need to get wins and that looks unlikely with existing game plan for 90 mins. 

 

[RedArmy]

Here’s an apple, here’s an orange. 
 

If anything this season is shaping more like 05/06 with all the draws. 

 

[CB Fry]

21 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

Here’s an apple, here’s an orange. 
 

If anything this season is shaping more like 05/06 with all the draws. 

 

First season down after relegation from the Premier League is pretty apples/apples to be fair.

If anything there should be a closer memory of what is needed in the Championship this time than when we came down after a decade in the Prem.

[Patches O Houlihan]

 

 

[ant]

Match 12 - Martin

W6, D2, L4, 20 points (5th)

The infamous home draw against Rotherham (where Downes moaned about the fan reaction) was followed by an away win at Hull. 

By this point, we were over the tricky run and up to 5th - a position we'd go no lower than for the rest of the season.

 

Match 12 - Still

W2, D6, L4, 12 points (20th)

Midweek: bloody hell. Yesterday: bloodier hell. Start brightly; score; retreat; miss chances; lose our heads. Repeat. 

Our points tally is matched by the mighty Oxford, who have a superior goal difference to boot.

[S-Clarke]

There's no comparison with 23/04, quality wise we are light years behind that lot for starters.

Secondly this is setting up to a bit of a morph between 05-06 and 08-09.

We won't even get top half.