What do the stats say about Norwich City?
Norwich head coach Daniel Farke is trying to get the numbers to stack up in his favour. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
You’ve heard the one about lies, damned lies and statistics – but for Norwich there is no escaping the truth when it comes to the numbers game.
Or is there?
The Canaries early-season form has left an awful lot to be desired and you would think their position in the statistics table would be roughly in line with their league position – currently 22nd.
However, one or two figures are reflecting the changes that head coach Daniel Darke is determined to implement at Carrow Road – while others are reflecting the price he is paying.
It won’t come as a huge surprise that City have had more possession than any other team – 57.7pc overall, which is marginally better than Reading, 0.1 pc behind.
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But for those who doubt the wisdom of Farke’s plan, there is evidence that possession is not nine tenths of the football law – Cardiff City and Ipswich Town are both in the bottom three for possession, yet they are first and second respectively in the Championship table.
Interestingly, City have more possession away from home (59.3pc) than at Carrow Road, where it is 55.2pc.
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With possession comes more passing and, once again, the Canaries are top of the table, with a pass success rate of 83.8pc, just ahead of Fulham and Nottingham Forest. And, once again, Cardiff City are down at the bottom, this time with no one below them.
And – once again – City complete more passes away from home than they do at home, 59.3pc compared to 55.2pc.
If Farke wants to keep the ball on the ground, then perhaps that is reflected by the “aerial won” statistic – City have come out first in 15.6 of their aerial duels during a game – that’s third worst in the table, way behind top side Birmingham who have an average of 34.4. But the Blues are just two places above City in the table, which again perhaps goes to prove that statistics can be interpreted in many different ways.
The one obvious truism is that Norwich City have conceded more goals – 12 in five games – than any other team in the Championship – and that is without doubt the most telling statistic of them all.
