League of Ireland: Impenetrable defenses
Another Friday passes in the League of Ireland and Dundalk, Cork and Shamrock Rovers all keep a clean sheet again. All three teams are on only 1 goal conceded in 7 matches. If they can continue that rate then you could expect about 4 goals in their next 26. Is it possible that one of these teams can concede only 5 goals for an entire season? Last years best defense was Dundalk, conceding 24 goals.
The chart below measures how well defenses have stymied the oppositions creativeness and for the times when the opposition did manage a break through, how well the last line handled the chance.
Cork and Rovers (they share the same spot on the chart above) are the best last line with only 1 goal resulting from 43 shots created by their opposition. Dundalk edge it on defensive meanness allowing only an average of about 5 shots per match.
Limerick are on the wrong end of the scale, allowing an average of 16 shots per match against, and not keeping a fair share of them out of the net. Sligo don't allow many shots but one in four shots allowed end up in the back of the net.
The chart above says nothing about the quality of shots allowed and denied, but still gives some indication of defensive strength.
We looked at the attacks last week here.
Finally just to track some telling stats. My favourite football stats for the League of Ireland are updated in the table below.
The chart below measures how well defenses have stymied the oppositions creativeness and for the times when the opposition did manage a break through, how well the last line handled the chance.
Cork and Rovers (they share the same spot on the chart above) are the best last line with only 1 goal resulting from 43 shots created by their opposition. Dundalk edge it on defensive meanness allowing only an average of about 5 shots per match.
Limerick are on the wrong end of the scale, allowing an average of 16 shots per match against, and not keeping a fair share of them out of the net. Sligo don't allow many shots but one in four shots allowed end up in the back of the net.
The chart above says nothing about the quality of shots allowed and denied, but still gives some indication of defensive strength.
We looked at the attacks last week here.
Finally just to track some telling stats. My favourite football stats for the League of Ireland are updated in the table below.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Prob | Shot % | Save % | SoTR | TSR | PDO | Pyth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 19 | 36% | 25% | 93% | 78% | 69% | 1183 | 18.55 |
| Bohemians | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 2% | 32% | 91% | 47% | 50% | 1228 | 15.54 |
| Cork City | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 20% | 33% | 92% | 73% | 64% | 1256 | 18.48 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 33% | 21% | 95% | 66% | 61% | 1155 | 18.02 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 17% | 23% | 82% | 50% | 52% | 1051 | 11.17 |
| Longford Town FC | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 8 | 1% | 20% | 72% | 53% | 51% | 922 | 8.19 |
| Derry City | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 8 | 1% | 33% | 74% | 37% | 41% | 1075 | 7.79 |
| Drogheda United | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | -4 | 7 | 0% | 21% | 76% | 39% | 42% | 971 | 6.05 |
| Sligo Rovers | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 5 | 1% | 12% | 62% | 63% | 64% | 738 | 5.88 |
| Limerick | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 3 | 0% | 18% | 73% | 35% | 40% | 904 | 3.36 |
| Bray Wanderers | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 3 | 0% | 21% | 77% | 26% | 35% | 984 | 3.12 |
| Galway United FC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 3 | 0% | 19% | 73% | 27% | 31% | 915 | 2.65 |
Prob: Probability of winning based on latest bookie odds.
Shot %: goals for/shots on target for
Save %: 1 - (goals against/shots on target against)
SoTR: Shot on Target Ratio (shots on target for / [shots on target against + shots on target for])
TSR: Total Shot Ratio (shots for / [shots against + shots for])
PDO: (Shot% + Save%) * 1000
Pyth: Pythagorean points expectation based on a function of goals for, goals against.
Shot %: goals for/shots on target for
Save %: 1 - (goals against/shots on target against)
SoTR: Shot on Target Ratio (shots on target for / [shots on target against + shots on target for])
TSR: Total Shot Ratio (shots for / [shots against + shots for])
PDO: (Shot% + Save%) * 1000
Pyth: Pythagorean points expectation based on a function of goals for, goals against.
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