Goals are overrated Part 2

I got a few people on monkey tilt last week when I suggested goals are overrated.

I think some people confused the word overrated with important.

Yes goals are very important but when people are looking for a team to improve their PPG the first thing they look at is getting in more strikers.

Of course there is stong correlation between scoring a lot of goals and LG position, that is obvious but the better stat is to score more goals than the opposition in a given match up. (i e GD)
If Goals were everything then the top 3 scorers in each division would be 1,2, 3 all the time.... they arnt and its not close.

Currently here is the top 3 scoring teams in each of the 3 football Leagues

Champs

Leeds 5th
Watford 9th
Norwich 2nd

League 1

Peterborough 4th
Brighton 1st
Southampton 3rd

League 2

Chesterfield 1st
Crewe 12th
Bury 2nd

Lets compare with GD

Champs

QPR 1st
Reading 7th
Swansea 3rd

League 1

Brighton 1st
Southampton 3rd
Peterborough 4th

League 2

Chesterfield 1st
Bury 2nd
Torquay 4th

It should be obvious the correlation is far stronger.

Would a better striker help our LG position..... yes, no doubt.

But equally you could argue that scoring at the same rate going forward as we have been but having better defenders (midfield and back 4, keeper) could have just as large effect on our PPG.

Yet...... few people ever suggest buying defenders when you are doing well, its always strikers.

Scoring is very important........ but overrated..........

Posted By: usacanary, Mar 23, 05:23:49