Late & Injury time goals

[SatNav]

This may have been covered elsewhere and is a challenge to any statistician out there. Any long-suffering Torquay fan will argue that we have conceded a disproportionate amount of injury-time goals to any other team in the football pyramid (including non-league) This isn't a new phenomenon and has been going on for years now. The inevitability of conceding late goals has been ruining my Saturday evenings for years now; I know I'm not the only one!! Can anybody provide any statistical data which shows exactly how we compare to our rivals with regard to late goals conceded. We must be right up there!!! I should be used to it my now, but it still manages to p!ss me off week upon week and season upon season.

[SDYellow]

I will try and get some stats for this. But to help out does anyone know of a website that easily conveys historic match data, such as time of goal. For example: Torquay 1 (Scorer, 19) Some unheard of team 4 ( Scorer 2, 81, 83, 85, 89). It could become a tedious job if i have to search for every game especially when finding historic data past a couple of seasons.

[Jerry]

I will try and get some stats for this. But to help out does anyone know of a website that easily conveys historic match data, such as time of goal. For example: Torquay 1 (Scorer, 19) Some unheard of team 4 ( Scorer 2, 81, 83, 85, 89). It could become a tedious job if i have to search for every game especially when finding historic data past a couple of seasons.

Try Soccerbase.

http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd ... bs=results

Click on the little green I to the left of the result and it gives scorers and goal times. Seems to have the actual goal times going back to 1996/97.

[SDYellow]

Try Soccerbase.

http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd ... bs=results

Click on the little green I to the left of the result and it gives scorers and goal times. Seems to have the actual goal times going back to 1996/97.

Thank you Jerry. I will do my best to get something done before the end of the week. I may even get my students to help me out.

[Bristol_Gull]

I've been watching Torquay since I was a 6 years old from 1990 and ALL I can remember is conceding injury time goals!

It's a painful and enduring memory!

I expect there are a team of football statisticians who can whip up a report in no time?

[Yorkieandy]

I cannot recall seeing us score many last minute goals tbh. I wasn't there for that Barnet home game where Nico piled in that screamer from 30 yards? I'm recalling that was in the last minute but i'm not sure. I'd have loved to see something like that hit the net to win the game in the last embers of a match.

I have seen a few last minute goals against us in comparison but from memory they were mainly when we were losing or already beaten comfortably.

[Kernowgull]

I can remember seeing plenty of last minute winners/ equalisers. Off the top of my head- Rodney Jack home to Lincoln, first game of season mid nineties- Scott Partridge away Shrewsbury first game of season late 90s- 1 nil down to 2-1 up Blackpool late 90s- Scott Stamps last minute winner v Brighton New year's dayish- Mick O Brien Fa Cup QPR away- Zebroski away at Exeter off his bum- Nicho v Barnet- Away at Forest Green when Sills was in goal- Oxford away (Atieno?)- and the best, Sako at Bristol Rivers around 2005. None recently, but I hardly go anymore.

[lucy6lucy]

On the balance it probably does feel like we have conceded more than score at the death over the years. But last season against southport and Solihull away where invaluable to our survival. Let's not forget paul Dobson against Crewe. I think if we had gone down that year, we probably wouldn't have a club know.

[StockyGull]

So been lurking for a number of years but have finnaly decided to post something! Not sure I will become a regular poster but will see

We might have conceeded more goals than average over the years in the last minute. However someone will have to do some proper analysis to figure that out.

Simple psychology does mean we remember bad events over good events and hence nearly all football fans in the land (except maybe top 5 or 6 premiership clubs) will think there club conceeds loads of last minute goals. There is also the fact that clubs that are near the bottom of the table conceed more last minute goals then clubs near the top of the table (for obvious reasons). With Torquay being nearer the bottom then the top most seasons this might explain things as well.

My guess is that when analysis is done Torquay might be only slightly above average in number of goals conceeded in last minute. My Dad thinks we do it every week but then he forgets when we do it. Don't mind doing analysis myself but not really sure where to get the data.

[Scott Brehaut]

Send a PM to Gulliball. He has lots of stats.

[tufcyellowarmy]

My guess is that when analysis is done Torquay might be only slightly above average in number of goals conceeded in last minute. My Dad thinks we do it every week but then he forgets when we do it. Don't mind doing analysis myself but not really sure where to get the data.

Add another one to the tally.
My guess is that we will be head and shoulders above average for conceeding in the last minute .
Closing games out is as much about mental stamina as physical and we just dont have it.
Another kick in the chops ..........

[Dave]

Agree with the post above, sides conceding lots of late are normally down to, in the main physical fitness, but also mental. However, they do come hand in hand, if you want players concentrating for 90 minutes, they have to be first, physically fit for 90 minutes, our team haven't been, for long, long time.

[arcadia]

There is no leader talking, Young should be doing this from the centre of midfield and I am sure Owers will have something to say about it. I would also say not having a central striker that can hold the ball makes a lot of difference as well, this should be addressed a.s.a.p.

[merse btpir]

My observation drawn from a few (mainly away) games this season is that Luke Young's habit of retreating deeper and deeper as the game goes on allows the opposition to press forward and get their hands on the throats of the United team. It is almost inevitable in those circumstances and it has always been the same with him.

A midfield fulcrum and 'leader' is needed who has far more guts and assertiveness than Young; the most overrated player in the club. Sure he can pass 'Hollywood style' but he's not that good at the bits and pieces so necessary to keep a grip in midfield and in the pro' game this is vital and that's why he found himself out on his arse at Argyle.

This inevitably brings growing pressure on the defence who find they're trying to play with their own midfield under their feet and they in turn retreat to playing right under the goalkeeper's nose. It's a recipe for disaster and the number one priority for this manager is to teach them to close a game out and win it!

[DB57]

Merse is spot on with his analysis of Young. A hugely overrated player who has hardly any influence or control of games whatsoever. A couple of ' wonder' free kicks a season is not a big enough contribution in my opinion.