June 17, 2014

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

Anybody know where you can find the amount of goals scored on penalty kicks (excluding shootouts) per tournament or even an average? Six already through 14 1/2 games feels like a ton, but it would be nice to compare with actual data.

posted by bender at 01:08 PM on June 17, 2014

Obviously, all your World Cup needs are filled by... The Economist.

168 converted penalties in World cup history, including 2014, (not including penalty shoot outs).

6 thus far in this tournament puts it on pace to smash records. There were 9 in the entire 2010 tournament and 13 in 2006.

The France 1998 tournament holds the record with 17.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:06 PM on June 17, 2014

Thanks! I wonder if the increase (so far) this year can be attributed to anything or if it's just a coincidence.

posted by bender at 02:48 PM on June 17, 2014

Given the overall explosion in goals, I have to think that teams are simply either...

a) Pushing harder on offence, giving them more chances to draw a foul in the box.

b) Sucking on defence, giving the opposition more chances to draw a foul in the box.

The third option (simply more fouls than before) or the fourth option (refs calling more stuff as fouls than before) could probably be investigated as well.

posted by grum@work at 03:53 PM on June 17, 2014

Or, given what's been previously reported, and given that it's FIFA under Blatter, a dark ops fifth option. With hearts being broken and fortunes being made.

posted by beaverboard at 04:56 PM on June 17, 2014

Who the Stanley Cup pick 'em?

posted by NoMich at 09:25 PM on June 17, 2014

Given the overall explosion in goals, I have to think that teams are simply either...

I put it down to the fact I decided to do 10 push ups per goal I saw before the Cup started. Day 1 wasn't so bad, but I've been falling behind since then. Taylor Twellman on ESPN suggested the heat is playing a factor as more than half of the goals have come in the second half, though at a glance The Economist chart seems to suggest that's normal.

posted by yerfatma at 09:58 AM on June 18, 2014

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.