STV have some really interesting stats section for the football spod (like me!) The latest looks at the prem season as a whole. As I thought, the stat that really stands out is our failure to score a single goal from a direct free kick situation. In our defence, no team scored more than 2 goals in the whole season from free kicks, which I find astonishing. Assuming 2 direct free kicks per game in scoring positions, 2/76 shots at goal seems pretty appalling, never mind 0/76!!!

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/276915-stats-zone-the-story-of-the-scottish-premiership-in-201314/

 

Is the Premiership technical ability so low that we can't get a couple of guys, with practice, to hit the target more often than that? You might think so, but actually the best in the world don't fare all that much better - conversion rates in EPL and La Liga look like they are around 4%.

 

I'll not be getting out my seat in a hurry next time Greg Tansey lines one up from 20 yards next season....

You need to get out and work a bit more.

In the League Cup final were any of the free kicks from the edge of the box even within 5 yards of the target?!

In the League Cup final were any of the free kicks from the edge of the box even within 5 yards of the target?!

No! ....and I know I need to get out more, but 2% conversion rate from free kicks and similar from corners: maybe time to try something different?! Let's face it, we've got a 0% conversion rate to beat, so it is impossible for a wee bit of inventive trickery to be worse!

It's one of those things that come and goes imo. You'll see none go in for ages then you'll see 4/5 within the space of a month. Much like the time we went for what seemed like an age without getting a penalty. Then as soon as we got 1 we got plenty. I'd be more concerned if we couldn't score from open play.

I love looking at stats and was interested to see this STV link, but disappointingly it's littered with errors!

The 'where the goals came from' section has some clubs totals out by 4 or 5 goals. Even accounting for own goals the figures literally don't add up! And the right foot/left foot/header goals also doesn't tally for some clubs.

 

But what I do accurately know is that it's now been 91 games since we last scored from a direct free-kick!

to be fair tansey has been having a right good go a scoring directly from a freekick and has come close a few times!

So we haven't scored from a free kick. Is that because we dont take them well or is it because opposing teams defend them well? Turn the question around. I'd be interested to know how many other teams have scored free kicks against us.

So we haven't scored from a free kick. Is that because we dont take them well or is it because opposing teams defend them well? Turn the question around. I'd be interested to know how many other teams have scored free kicks against us.

 

Hearts. Jamie Hammil, twice in one game for starters

His first goal was not direct from the free kick.

So we haven't scored from a free kick. Is that because we dont take them well or is it because opposing teams defend them well? Turn the question around. I'd be interested to know how many other teams have scored free kicks against us.

To be honest Alex, we are just shyte and that's not just us, most teams shooting from open play or free kicks is poor - very poor.

The overall standard of play and players in my mind is dropping, I said to Tm4tj last season that the shooting was crap especially when you look back some of the deadball kickers we had in the past, todays lot look pretty ordinary.