By the Numbers: The Turn Around

By: Ian Rose | February 21st, 2009

Everyone at Caley Thisle has a strange air about them. Replacing the feelings of disappointment, frustration, anger, blame, etc … is hope. Actual hope, not only of the concession prize of a cup run, but of SPL survival and real cup glory. Let’s break down exactly what has happened, by the numbers.

1. Reality check: it helps to play Hibs at home.
1.204: Our points-per-game overall in the SPL, since promotion.
2.125: Our points-per-game in the home vs. Hibs fixture, our most successful ever.
-27: Our total goal differential in the SPL, since promotion.
+11: The GD of the home vs. Hibs fixture.

2. Over a damned year …
432: Days since the last time we had a three-game unbeaten streak in the SPL (before today)

3. Comparing Butcher’s first three fixtures (home vs. Celtic, away vs. Dundee United, home vs. Hibs)
1: Combined points from the three fixtures under Brewster this season (1 draw, 2 losses)
5: Combined points from the same fixtures under Butcher (1 win, 2 draws)

4. Defense, defense, defense
1: Clean sheets under Brewster this SPL season (23 total games: it was opening day.)
2: Clean sheets under Butcher this SPL season (3 total games)

5. The home front
5: SPL points at home this season under Brewster (13 total games)
4: SPL points at home this season under Butcher (2 total games)

It’s hard to compare a short time to a long one, and I attach all the appropriate warning to this. But it just shows how dismal our season under Craig Brewster was. I have a lot of respect for the man as a player (congrats on scoring today, by the way Brew, even if it was for County), but we clearly needed a change … and its starting to look like we got it.