The post below actually encouraged me to look at and quantify Liverpool’s “luck” when facing opposition this season.
In 17 games, their opposition have had 66 absences (the post below is wrong). Almost 4 per game on average.
But really… that means little because the data is too broad to be insightful. 3-4 injuries does not necessarily matter all that much. It might. It might not.
However, what is more insightful is this… everyone knows Liverpool are amazing at Anfield but have struggled badly away from home over the past 2 seasons. The difference in PPG away vs home has been huge for them.
Of their 8 away games so far this season:
4 have been against the bottom 5 teams
1 was against Ten Hag’s Man U when they had SIX absences.
1 was against Arsenal when they finished the game with NINE absences (7 at the start).
1 was against Spurs who had EIGHT absences.
And 1 was against Newcastle who had three absences.
That’s absolutely mad.
They’ve had just 1 proper test away from home and they looked kinda meh (against Newcastle).
This isn’t to say they won’t look great in future away tough games. Maybe they are the best team in world football. But let’s not pretend that they haven’t had the easiest start to the season imaginable.
@FootballCliches Mark Chapman has just described Leipzig vs Liverpool as being “like a game of two halves” at half time on 5 live. Adjudication on this?