What the PL would look like with seperate first and second half tables
In-game management has become more and more important in the modern era of football and different approaches to a match during different periods have become more noticeable.
Some teams opt for a gung-ho approach in the first half, before easing off in the second, whilst others attempt to remain consistent in their style throughout the game.
The ability to close out games in the second half could be the difference between survival and relegation, but some teams are just prone to collapse after halftime.
Likewise, the teams that are slow to get going, but somehow consistently snatch a late winner, will also wonder why it takes adversity to start playing well.
With some teams showing such a stark contrast between their first and second periods, questions have been asked about the mentality of the players and managers at some clubs.
Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick even admitted that his side do not start games well enough, but often rescue the game after a halftime chat and a Lucozade.
“I don’t know if I rescued it, but after the first half it could only get better. I still cannot believe what we did in the first half. There wasn’t the necessary aggression against the ball,” Rangnick stated after United’s Champions League draw against Atletico Madrid in February 2022.
“We just have to play better than in the first half, I was very disappointed with the first half.”
Here’s what the Premier League tables would look like when separating the first and second halves, and there are some remarkable differences.
First half table
1. Liverpool – 58 points
2. Manchester City – 53 points
3. Chelsea – 47 points
4. Arsenal – 41 points
5. Southampton – 41 points
6. Manchester United – 39 points
7. Tottenham Hotspur – 34 points
8. West Ham United – 33 points
9. Wolves – 30 points
10. Newcastle United – 28 – points
11. Leeds United – 28 points
12. Crystal Palace – 27 points
13. Brighton – 26 points
14. Leicester City – 25 points
15. Aston Villa – 25 points
16. Brentford – 22 points
17. Burnley – 21 points
18. Norwich – 21 points
19. Watford – 20 points
20. Everton – 18 points
Second half table
1. Liverpool – 55 points
2. Manchester City – 49 points
3. Chelsea – 43 points
4. Manchester United – 43 points
5. West Ham United – 41 points
6. Crystal Palace – 40 points
7. Brighton – 37 points
8. Wolves – 36 points
9. Everton – 35 points
10. Aston Villa – 34 points
11. Tottenham Hotspur – 34 points
12. Brentford – 30 points
13. Leicester City – 29 points
14. Arsenal – 29 points
15. Burnley – 26 points
16. Southampton – 24 points
17. Leeds – 24 points
18. Watford – 23 points
19. Newcastle United- 22 points
20. Norwich – 11 points
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