Celtic head to Dens to face a Dundee side hitherto having a horrible season.
The numbers provide little succour to new manager McIntyre.
But….football.
Dundee have their share of possession, averaging 50% per game. Hibs averaged 53% and restricted Celtic to 58% possession – 10% below the champion’s average.
At home Dundee are W0 L5. Hearts, Hibs and Motherwell have all scored 3 and Dundee have managed only 2 goals in those 5 matches.
Dundee have scored least goals and conceded the most in the SPFL during their 1 win in 10 games.
Chink of light: they have had more shots than 3 sides with 84. Precisely half the number of shots Celtic have managed in 1 less game.
One of Dundee’s problems is, unsurprisingly, not taking their chances. They are bottom of the league in only converting 6% of all shots and 16% of on target shots.
Both numbers are 100% less than the league average! Due a bump?
Dundee’s opponents are converting a league leading average 19% of all shots and 48% of on target shots. Such rates are surely unsustainable or maybe Dundee’s defence is really, really bad.
The average xG of each shot Dundee face is 0.12 which is only the 6th highest in the league.
All this despite Dundee “only” being 4th worst for total shots conceded with 121.
Celtic’s recent 10 goal league splurge hasn’t got them on the credit side of their xG. The Hoops are still 4.81 goals behind their xG for the SPFL season.
Celtic lead the league with 168 shots, despite playing a game less than Hearts on 155. Only 58 were on target meaning Celtic’s shot accuracy of 35% is lower than the league average 39%.
The Champions are converting only 10% of their shots compared to 12% across the SPFL. This is some way behind the league best 21% by The Rangers (hint: this is likely unsustainable).
With a new manager, Dundee have not seen a bounce from McIntyre’s appointment, losing 2 and conceding 7.
When McIntyre was at Ross County, he managed a number of good results against Celtic:
D 0-0 at Celtic Park, Dec 14
W 3-1 in the League Cup semi Final, Jan 16
D 1-1 at Celtic Park, Apr 16
D 2-2 home, Apr 17
Only one was vs Rodgers, thanks to Schalk’s late Naismith.
Dundee are struggling big time and Celtic are easing through the gears. If McIntyre is to get something out the game he will have to change Dundee’s quite open approach.
Can his players adapt quickly to quell rampant but injury hit Champions?