The importance of the first goal

[andrew1957]

I know this has been discussed before, but in the Championship in particular (it seems less true at higher and lower levels) scoring first seems to be almost essential. The reason that I raise this is that on Sunday when we scored the first goal my initial thought was that the game was pretty much over - then my second thought was that that was a ridiculous thing to think as we were playing a top side . But yet again the first goal resulted in a win - even though in the short term we allowed QPR back into the game.

So far this season our record when we have scored first has been 13-4-0 - so we have only dropped 8 points all season after scoring first.

Our record when the opposition have scored first has been 1-2-9 - so we have only gained 5 points where we have let the opponents get ahead.

These really are astounding statistics.

For the record there have been two 0-0 games to make up the 31.

[FridaysGhost]

Bizarrely, the team who is playing better often scores the first goal. Even when the goal is scored, if it was against the run of play, the better team then drop their shoulders.

The statistics you quote anyway are only valid for league games.

In the league:- Play better and score first! We have had a problem with this!

[Ian Royal]

I know this has been discussed before, but in the Championship in particular (it seems less true at higher and lower levels) scoring first seems to be almost essential. The reason that I raise this is that on Sunday when we scored the first goal my initial thought was that the game was pretty much over - then my second thought was that that was a ridiculous thing to think as we were playing a top side . But yet again the first goal resulted in a win - even though in the short term we allowed QPR back into the game.

So far this season our record when we have scored first has been 13-4-0 - so we have only dropped 8 points all season after scoring first.

Our record when the opposition have scored first has been 1-2-9 - so we have only gained 5 points where we have let the opponents get ahead.

These really are astounding statistics.

For the record there have been two 0-0 games to make up the 31.

Your sample is too small. Come back when you've checked 24 teams.

[JC]

I know this has been discussed before, but in the Championship in particular (it seems less true at higher and lower levels) scoring first seems to be almost essential. The reason that I raise this is that on Sunday when we scored the first goal my initial thought was that the game was pretty much over - then my second thought was that that was a ridiculous thing to think as we were playing a top side . But yet again the first goal resulted in a win - even though in the short term we allowed QPR back into the game.

So far this season our record when we have scored first has been 13-4-0 - so we have only dropped 8 points all season after scoring first.

Our record when the opposition have scored first has been 1-2-9 - so we have only gained 5 points where we have let the opponents get ahead.

These really are astounding statistics.

For the record there have been two 0-0 games to make up the 31.

Your sample is too small. Come back when you've checked 24 teams.

If you insist

The average points per game of the team scoring first is 2.2 (all 24) We are in 7th place with 2.52. Wigan are best with 2.81 and Yeovil worst on 1.38

[westendgirl]

Your sample is too small. Come back when you've checked 24 teams.

If you insist

The average points per game of the team scoring first is 2.2 (all 24) We are in 7th place with 2.52. Wigan are best with 2.81 and Yeovil worst on 1.38

Ipswich seem to buck the trend - 4th in the scored first list but 23rd in the results after scoring first at 1.61 points per game

[JC]

Your sample is too small. Come back when you've checked 24 teams.

If you insist

The average points per game of the team scoring first is 2.2 (all 24) We are in 7th place with 2.52. Wigan are best with 2.81 and Yeovil worst on 1.38

Ipswich seem to buck the trend - 4th in the scored first list but 23rd in the results after scoring first at 1.61 points per game

I am not sure what point you are making there. I don't seee a real trend. Wigan, for example, have have scored first in only 36% of their games (19th) but are top in terms of converting those to points.
Perhaps the most meaningful statistic is how many points a team has acquired after scoring first. Leicester are top of that with 55 points and we are 5th with 43.

[floyd__streete]

So we're saying that scoring the first goal in a football match is better than conceding the first goal in a football match?

Well who knew

[maffff]

So teams that win more points than other teams are likely to end up higher in the league table?

[KC Royal]

I know this has been discussed before, but in the Championship in particular (it seems less true at higher and lower levels) scoring first seems to be almost essential. The reason that I raise this is that on Sunday when we scored the first goal my initial thought was that the game was pretty much over - then my second thought was that that was a ridiculous thing to think as we were playing a top side . But yet again the first goal resulted in a win - even though in the short term we allowed QPR back into the game.

So far this season our record when we have scored first has been 13-4-0 - so we have only dropped 8 points all season after scoring first.

Our record when the opposition have scored first has been 1-2-9 - so we have only gained 5 points where we have let the opponents get ahead.

These really are astounding statistics.

For the record there have been two 0-0 games to make up the 31.

I've been thinking about the importance of the first goal in recent weeks, and reading the BBC preview before the QPR game brought it home to me. That suggested that if we conceded the first goal (and I thought we would) it would be very likely we'd lose, but if we scored the first goal we were capable of kicking on and getting more. But I didn't realise our record when scoring first was quite that good! Not surprised by our record when the opposition scored first though, and most of those 5 points were in the first 2 games of the season. I've thought for a long time, going back to 2005/6, that we are a confidence team, (although that team had more than just that) and this is further evidence.

Of course, if we get to the playoffs, this also shows how important the first goal of the tie will be...and the final if we got there.