England

The need for the wins, the openness of the competition, very balanced between almost all contenders, explains a little bit this clear difference between top tiers and the second tiers in each country.

Halfway through the first decade of this millennium both 1 st and 2 nd Spanish tiers presented similar draw averages, but in the long term, as seen in Germany, the top tier as a considerably lower average draw percentage than the 2 nd Spanish league. In this atypical season, the before and after Covid-19 showed huge differences, in this case very distinct from the German numbers, with Liga

Smartbank, the Spanish 2 nd

tier, decreasing the draws in circa 8 percent while Liga Santander kept the same numbers. However, it is worrying the decrease in goals and the increase in draws for La Liga, hitting the top in these last two seasons.

England

70% 65% 60% 55% 50%

Premier League Average Home Wins

65,95%

59,14% 64,48% 61,40% 64,07% 63,37% 64,54% 62,86% 61,13% 67,96% 66,54%

59,58% 61,03%

59,27% 59,93%

57,51% 63,18% 61,57% 58,58%

59,91% 59,15%

@by António Valente Cardoso

Premier League Average Home Wins

The English Premier League didn’t show a significant shift either before and after the Covid-19 stop, as well as the previous seasons, this meaning that in the English case the empty stadia didn’t affect the home performances, better said, home results, comparing with the German and Spanish leagues, to name only the already evaluated ones.

With a peak in the end of the first decade, the average home wins in the Premier Leaguehave been pretty similar in the second decade of this millennium, showing a lower force on the home advantage in comparison to the previous decades.

The Championship, curiously, showed the century’s lesser home win average in the nine matchdays after the Covid-19 stop. So, England showed numbers opposite to the German top two tiers.

Championship Average Home Wins

70% 65% 60% 55% 50% 45% 40%

61,14% 62,86% 60,39% 60,69% 60,26% 61,74% 62,00% 61,42% 61,28% 64,10%

60,89% 58,56%

60,44% 57,58% 57,87% 59,74% 62,09% 58,91% 61,54% 58,88% 50,00%

@by António Valente Cardoso

Championship Average Home Wins

It’s curious to notice how similar the Championship is in the short variation, comparing with the Premier League, until this return post-Covid-19. The point importance is identical in all second tiers, which puts in perspective the idea above mentioned that tries to reason with the minor impact of the empty stadia in the performances.

There are factors that also contribute –or can –specifically towards this, perhaps the playoff, but Spain also has a playoff instituted system, but that didn’t change the performance. Maybe the next season, which will be played –at least partially

–under closed doors or a very few margins of public, may shed a different light or bring more answers and questions related to it.

1,50 1,40 1,30 1,20 1,10 Average Team Goals Premiership vs Championship

1,31 1,32 1,32 1,33 1,28 1,24 1,35 1,37 1,24 1,30 1,22 1,23 1,32 1,24 1,39 1,40 1,40 1,40 1,38 1,28

1,35 1,40 1,34 1,41 1,36

1,30 1,22 1,37 1,35 1,21 1,26 1,31 1,29 1,30 1,21 1,31 1,33 1,34 1,28 1,32 1,37

1,31

@by António Valente Cardoso

Premier League Championship

The average goals have been more constant in the Premier League, with a low average in the middle of the first decade and peaking in the beginning of the second decade of this century.

The balance of the championship has a bigger gap between the low, pairing with the Premiership, in the same low scoring seasons of the top tier, with a noticed difference, a constant wave without regularity.

One of the lowest draws in the Premier League seasons happened in 05/06, precisely the highest peak in draws in the Championship. Interestingly, the following season witnessed the lowest ever season in draw percentage during this millennium in the English second tier.

As in the goals average per team through the 21 st century seasons, the average draw percentage was more even in the Premiership than in the Championship.

The draw percentage decreased circa 3/4 percent in both leagues between the before and the after Covid-19 stop in the 2019/20 season.