Following Saturday’s matches I’ve updated my scatter graphics to see how each of the four divisions below the Premier League are looking. For each division there are three graphics – the first shows overall dominance, the second attacking performance and the third defensive performance. All are based on shot data and give a high-level view of how each club is doing relative to the others, with the axes centred on the divisional average.

Here we look at the Championship, starting with each club’s overall dominance. Shots taken are on the horizontal and shots faced are on the vertical, so bottom right is good while top left is bad:



Norwich are the most dominant side: creating the most chances and allowing the fewest, with Bournemouth and Middlesbrough not far behind. Charlton‘s sacking of Bob Peeters is easier to understand here – they may have started the season well but they’ve been on the back foot as much as struggling Blackpool.

Now let’s look at attacking. The horizontal axis stays the same, but now we have the average number of shots needed to score each goal on the vertical axis:

Derby narrowly edge Bournemouth as the most clinical side, but create far fewer chances. Both Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday out-create the Rams, but are over twice as wasteful in front of goal. Here we can see that Charlton‘s attack is only slightly less clinical than the average side: if the new manager can add some creativity then all is not lost.

Now let’s look at the defensive picture – basically replace the word “taken” for “faced” on both axes. Now top left is good – facing fewer shots and able to soak up more per goal conceded – and bottom right is bad: Middlesbrough are a class apart here: allowing fewer chances than anyone except Norwich and able to withstand more shots per goal on average than anyone else. Ipswich, Derby and Sheffield Wednesday are also impressively resilient at the back, while Reading and Millwall have the most trouble repelling shots.