The table makes Swansea City the bigger side: 11th against 18th of 24 last season. Against the block the other keeps: Portsmouth takes 0.59 points a game, Swansea City 2.47 -- the block form is Swansea City's.
Portsmouth: 50 league matches in the bank, 13 from this season and the rest from last season. Swansea City: 50 league matches in the bank, 13 from this season and the rest from last season.
The question this step asks
Step one is THE TABLE: rank against rank, and the blocks -- the table cut into a top, middle and bottom block, drawn from last season's final standings. The question is not just where each side stands but how it behaves against the company the other keeps: does it play to rank against the blocks above and below, or come apart?
The two sides
Portsmouth -- at home
Where it stands
Stands 11th of 24 after 13 games, with 19 points. Last season it finished 18th of 24 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the bottom block (17th to 24th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 13 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the middle block (9th to 16th). Against that block it has won 2, drew 4, lost 11 of 17 -- 10 points of 51. At home against them: won 1 of 7. Away against them: won 1 of 10.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 5, drew 3, lost 8 of 16 (1.12 a game); against the middle block won 2, drew 4, lost 11 of 17 (0.59 a game); against the bottom block won 7, drew 5, lost 1 of 13 (2.00 a game); against sides new to the division won 2, drew 2, lost 0 of 4 (2.00 a game).
Swansea City -- away
Where it stands
Stands 3rd of 24 after 13 games, with 26 points. Last season it finished 11th of 24 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the middle block (9th to 16th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 13 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the bottom block (17th to 24th). Against that block it has won 12, drew 1, lost 2 of 15 -- 37 points of 45. At home against them: won 8 of 8. Away against them: won 4 of 7.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 3, drew 3, lost 11 of 17 (0.71 a game); against the middle block won 6, drew 5, lost 4 of 15 (1.53 a game); against the bottom block won 12, drew 1, lost 2 of 15 (2.47 a game); against sides new to the division won 2, drew 0, lost 1 of 3 (2.00 a game).
Built 10:31 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.