CroJack
Key Player
Swans xGoals For & Against Game By Game
Apart from the Coventry game, Swansea have created better chances than opposition in all other games. That unfair penalty awarded to Bristol inflated their xGoals number against us. If you have a look at the first table you will see that the Swans deserved 12 points from 7 games, exactly as many points as we have now. D - D - W - W - W - L - D = W3, D3, L1.
Graphically improved Championship xGF, xGA, xGD and xP Tables
As you can see, only Brentford and Swansea are in the top five for all four metrics. If we don't include xG for the penalty against Bristol (xG 0,77), then it's clear that Swansea have the second best defence in the Championship.
What do we know so far about the Championship teams?
Reading have the best defence in the Championship. They are the worst team in the Championship for quality chances created. Their strikers must be extremely clinical, or lucky. Anyway, their form is not sustainable.
Bristol are no. 2 in the league table, but that should have been Swansea place, had Bristol not been awarded that scandalous penalty. They are 8th for quality chances created, and 15th for xG against, which means their defence is pretty average. I am not impressed with them at all. I expect them to drop down and finish mid-table.
Watford are 14th for xG For, and 7th for xG Against. They are average in front of goal, but they have a solid defence. They have a good squad and I expect them to finish in the top six.
Bournemouth are 9th for xG For, and 3rd for xG Against. Solid attack, and excellent defence. They have one of the best squads in the league, and are one of the favourites to finish in the top two.
Norwich have 3rd best attack, and 13th best defence. Excellent at going forward, but their defence is average so far.
Swansea are 5th best for quality chances created, and have 2nd best defence. The trouble is that we have created the vast majority of our chances agains Wycombe, and Huddersfield, the teams who have horrible defences, and normally allow a lot of chances against. We struggle against defensively well organised teams and teams who press are high. We have to create more against such teams, or we are not going to finish in the top six. Our passing accuracy have been awful as well compared to our passing accuracy under Potter. In my opinion, Gibbs-White injury has been a big blow for the Swans.
Millwall are a pretty solid team, 11th for xG For, and 6th for xG Against. Average at going forward, but a solid defence. I don't think they have quality enough to finish in the top six.
Stoke have started this season much better than the last one. They are 13th for xGF, and 4th for xGA. They struggle a bit when they have to create something in front of opposition goal, but have a rock-solid defence. I would say, they look like pretty much the Swans.
Luton deserve to be 9th in the current league table. They have been more than solid this season.
Blackburn have been unlucky not to sit 1st in the league table. They are the most creative team in the Championship, and also their other stats are impressive. If they continue to play like they do, they will soon be among the top two teams in the league table.
Brentford have the second best attack, and the fifth best defence. Just like Blackburn, they have been unlucky so far, but I expect them to improve their league position soon.