Some season statistics

Fifth in the league or ‘best of the rest’, as our dear manager would have it. 59 games. 104 goals by 16 different scorers; the bulk, 63, distributed between our three main strikers, who are all in the top 20 list of the season’s goal scorers. One FA-cup semi-final. One Carling-cup semi-final and one UEFA-cup quarter-final. Unbeaten in Europe until beaten by the cup winners. And top of the Premiership’s Fair Play League.

According to the 06/07 ACTIM stats of the Premiership, and to no surprise for those of us who watch his every move week in and week out, Dimitar Berbatov is our best player; the third best player in the Premiership and part of the ‘team of the season’. Not sure if a person or a computer has counted all this but apparently our wonder has contributed 12 goals, 76 shots, 43 tackles, 31 clearances, seven interceptions, 30 dribbles, 388 passes, 21 crosses and 11 assists in 2,893 minutes of football. The other Spurs players who made it into the top 100 are Pascal Chimbonda (35^th; 8^th among defenders), Paul Robinson (38^th; 8^th among goalkeepers), Michael Dawson (39^th; 10^th among defenders), Aaron Lennon (68^th; 22^nd among midfielders) and Jermaine Jenas (99^th).

Some goal statistics

In all competitions:
30 games in 2006, 45 goals; 29 games in 2007, 59 goals
Scored 104, Conceded 76 = Difference +28
Scored 81% from open play, 7 % from penalties, 1 % from corners and 11 % from free kicks
Conceded 57% from open play, 13% from penalties, 13% from corners and 17% from free kicks

In the league only:
21 games in 2006, 25 goals; 17 games in 2007, 32 goals
Scored 57, Conceded 54 = Difference +3
Scored 75% from open play, 11% from penalties, 3% from corners and 11% from free kicks
Conceded 57% from open play, 11% from penalties, 13% from corners and 19% from free kicks

Simple summary: our goal scoring improved as the season progressed and we are better at open play than set pieces – both scoring from and defending against. One goal from a corner kick all season (unless, as I have done in the stats, we count Angel’s own goal at Villa Park, then it’s two) is just not good enough. Our free kick heroes, apart from Dimitar Berbatov (with his stunning kick against West Ham) and Paul Robinson (with the only slightly accidental goal against Watford) are Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone, who have taken all the remaining free kicks that have hit the target – directly on or with the ball being played in.
Our goal scorers: Berbatov (23), Keane (22), Defoe (18), Jenas (8), Lennon (5), Malbranque (5), Mido (5), Ghaly (3), Huddlestone (3), Murphy (2), Tainio (2), Dawson (1), Davenport (1), Chimbonda (1), Stalteri (1), Robinson (1).

A season of good and bad spells, an overall shaky defensive record balanced by a good scoring record; thankfully we did end the season with a positive goal difference. We didn’t win anything, but the season as a whole was an improvement on last and it can only be hoped that next season will be even better – we certainly seem to be the pundits’ favourites to break into the top four! Work on defending and set pieces, combined with a few relevant signings, should add consistency to our game and allow the development to continue. Attacking flair we already have... Right now the future looks bright.

(Image from www.tottenhamhotspur.com)