It's been shown that we are in fact 4 points better off, like-for-like, when compared with last season. It's measurable, reliable and provable. The variables that are mentioned in trying to rubbish this claim all exist outside of our club and beyond our control, therefore become irrelevant when discussing our progress.
Exactly mate...
"our progress" or more precisely
our progress in terms of points - which some may have missed.
Last season we finished with 61 points; that won't change and remains constant. We achieved those 61 points after a series of results in 38 fixtures; those results won't change and remain constant.
To improve on those 61 points we must better more of our 'negative' results [than we don't] and match more of our positive results [than we don't]. To measure our progress, towards bettering those 61 points, (and only that) there is no more accurate way than comparing the result from one fixture with that of the corresponding fixture from last season.
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The following is a real Year 8 comprehension paper - only the names have been changed to protect the innocent...
Frank Lee is a pupil in a class of 21. Frank Lee is the best pupil, in his class, at Maths but is only 'average' at games. His teacher Mr Shankly has run a cricket ball throwing competition for the past two years. The pupils take turns throwing the ball, against each other pupil, one at a time - two points awarded for a win; one point for a draw. The order in which the pupils play each other is generated randomly by Mr Shankly. In each of the previous two years Frank-Lee has beaten ten of his fellow pupils and lost to the other ten - finishing with twenty points on both occasions.
In the previous two years Frank-Lee played five of the classmates he beat and five of the classmates he didn't in the first ten games of the competition - after those ten games he has always had ten points. This year however, the 'fixtures', randomly generated by Mr Shankly, have paired Frank-Lee against the ten pupils, he has beaten before, in the first ten games.
After those ten games, Frank-Lee has twenty points - ten more than he's ever achieved at the same time in previous years.
Q1: Is Frank-Lee now right to feel that he has improved to be is twice as good as he was last year.
A. Yes; because he has double his points tally at the same time as last year.
B: No; because he knows he only played the pupils he has beaten before and expected to do that.
C: Richard and Judy.
Q2: If Frank-Lee had played the same ten players, as he did last year, in the first ten games and scored thirteen points; would he be right to feel confident he has improved, thus far?
A: Yes; because he has played the same pupils with a better outcome.
B: No; because he has played the same pupils with a better outcome.
C: Richard and Judy.
Q3 : How will Frank-Lee be able to measure, accurately, his progress towards a
personal improvement on his twenty points?
A: By looking at and comparing his results against the same pupils: i.e. he lost to Peter, in the first game, last year but beat him, in the eleventh game this year.
B: By looking at and comparing his results against different pupils: i.e. he lost to Peter in the first game last year but he beat Jane in the first game this year. * Please note: He also beat Jane, in the twelfth game, last year.
C: Richard and Judy.
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No, not science - just a more accurate way of measuring progress towards exceeding a constant target - the 61 points from last year.
As for League position - that will look after it's self and is not in our hands. We may finish on more points but still seventh or we may finish with less points but in fifth (for e.g.). That [League position) will be determined on the variable of how much or little others have improved or regressed around us.
Next up - Everton away. In the corresponding fixture last season we drew with them. In the twelfth game of the season last season we played and beat Wigan at home. If we beat Everton we will have improved on last season's points return by 2 in a 'like for like' comparison - bringing the running total up to + 6.
Alternatively, for those who prefer to compare the League Table, this "time" this season, with the League Table, "this time last season": the same result [a win at Everton] will see us no better off - i.e. we will remain on 11 points better off... remain the same, even after a win? Hmm...